The Christmas Mission

Chapter 20

The air is soft and sweet

In this sequestered forest glade,

And there are scents of flowers around,

The evening dew draws from the ground;

--Charlotte Bronte, "The Wood"

Ruby stood behind the counter of the bakery, tapping her nails against the rough wooden surface. Mary's comment from the day before had stuck in her mind all day. She was not so much concerned with the danger of Chris but was instead curious. The days were running out for her mission, and though it was only early December, she was growing nervous. Perhaps whatever Chris was hiding would have the answers for her.

Ruby had resolved to speak Chris privately about the matter, knowing Mary disapproved of him. While she was certainly closer to Mary, Ruby had grown to tolerate Chris and had a feeling he would prove valuable somehow.

In addition, it felt nice to have some friends around. For years Ruby had been isolated within the icy prison of the Ice Kingdom with no one to talk to but herself and occasionally a guard whom she wished to annoy.

Ruby's eyes glanced up at the circular clock sitting above the entranceway to the bakery. It was already noon, and Chris had not stopped by. She was growing nervous, wondering if she'd have to put off her investigation for another day. She had been hoping to speak to him today.

If he failed to produce anything from the conversation, at least she'd grow closer in gaining his trust. Soon she would have to start asking serious questions in a unsuspicious manner. If she got Chris to spill something sooner, however, there would be less suspicion.

She was relieved to see Chris walk in the door early afternoon with his cousin by his side. She waved to him, to which he, surprised, waved back and approached the counter.

"You seem excited to see me," he remarked.

"I need to speak with you,"she spoke quietly. "I haven't gone on my break yet. Can you spare some time?"

Chris glanced down at his cousin and then turned back to Ruby. "I can spare a little time," he whispered. "Two cookies, please."

Ruby grabbed his order, and after she'd made change, she stepped into the back to notify her boss she was taking her half hour break. After she'd gotten confirmed for a break, she stepped back out to find Chris waiting by the door.

She approached and glanced around.

"Where's your cousin?" she asked.

"He thinks I'm in the bathroom. Let's go now before he finishes his cookie and discovers I'm gone,"Chris said. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her outside of the bakery. Ruby pulled her wrist away and walked speedily from the bakery with him by her side.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"The park," he decided.

He turned a few corners until they came to a snow-covered park. It was not as abandoned as Ruby would've guessed. Children still slid down snow-covered slides or played in the snow.Chris led her to a bench situated near the edge of the park and wiped away the snow from the bench with his hand.

"So, what's up?" he asked.

Ruby cleared her throat. "Mary brought up an interesting situation yesterday..."