The Third War

Chapter Seventy Four: Kristy

I clasped my hands together, "Okay? So what first?"

Phoebe stopped poking the lights on the tree to look over at me, "Um, what is there?"

I'm glad you asked Phoebe!

"We have gifts for everyone," I gestured to the presents which sat under the tree. "Or stuff to make cookies."

Zoe grinned while shooting her hand in the air, "Cookies!"

"How are we going to make cookies? With an easy back oven?" Chip asked feeling the need to be her lovely, snarky self. However, she grinned when Zoe bounced around looking at the Christmas decorations so was just as happy to be here as everyone else.

Jerry rolled his eyes, "With the ovens in the cafeteria. It'll be empty since Taco Tuesday was three weeks ago."

Suddenly, my stomach did a flip. All the joy threatened to lurch itself out of me in the form of barf. Every ounce of my being wanted to scream. "THAT'S HOW OLD THOSE TACOS WERE!"

I put my hand over my mouth beginning to walk in a circle nodding my head because yes, only Kris. Only Kris would manage to eat a three week old taco. ONLY ME. Zoe started giggling absolutely beside herself laughing at my pain.

"You, ate one?" Jeremy sounded horrified. At my nod he continued, "I'm so sorry, those aren't even good when they're ten minutes old."

"I can imagine, let's just go make cookies now...Christmas cookies, not taco cookies," I led the way out of the room and the group followed me like we were all holding a little rope such as kindergarteners do on field trips. I suppose some of us did act like five year olds.

Not looking at any one in particular, Jerry.

We walked into the cafeteria finding it deserted at this time. Jerry walked over to one of the doors pulling a keychain out. I noticed the picture that dangled from it was of him and Julia looking much younger. She looked a lot less evil three years younger. I pushed any guilty feelings down determined to stay focused on Zoe's Christmas.

Once he pushed the door open, we all filed in to find the kitchen in a very poor state. Dishes stood stacked in the sink with pieces of grimy food all over them. The ovens hung partly open with black charred burnt who knows what all over the racks. Jeremy looked around with a frown, "We might have to clean up a bit."

"Just a bit," I picked up a rag with the edge of my boot and attempted to fling it at him before going to look for dish soap.

Jerry set the bag of cookie materials down then started searching for bowls and utensils with Chip. Phoebe pulled two cookie sheets out from underneath a table.

"Huzzah!" I held up the world's largest bottle of soap.

"I think this one is the cleanest," Zoe pointed at an open oven.

I glanced over and nodded then paused looking at it suspiciously, "Wait, what does it smell like? I'm not putting cookies into Mount Doom so if the tacos of terror were forged in it, we'll have to find another."

Jeremy walked over to where she stood, "I think it's safe."

"If you're sure."

"Pft, don't put it on me."

I rolled my eyes before going back to the giant bottle of soap. Phoebe had put measuring cups, a bowl, pans, and a whisk into one of the sinks. Zoe had moved over to stand by me so I started showing her how to make little bubbles come out of the soap bottle. She poked the ones that started floating off and wound up following one as it journeyed across the room.