The kids where taking a nap, it had been the hardest last couple of days that either Christina and Barbara had ever dealt with. The sudden arrival of Luke and Sarah was something neither of them had prepared for. Christina had taken almost all her vacation plus the state required time to deal with things like this. It was common for family members who came down with the flu to join with those who already had it, her boss and company where more then happy to let her take the time and she was still able to do some work from home. Barbara was a para-legal and could work from home as well but still she was taking time herself.
The kids were doing ok according to the child therapist they went to every day and sometimes they could see it. When the kids where loss in playing some game or reading a book or something semi-normal it was as if nothing was bothering them. Then something would remind them that they were now monsters and that their mother and father had abounded them. That was something neither Barbara nor Christina had told them, only that their parents could not be with them. That was a bold face lie, if they wanted to Christina’s brother and sister-in-law could be with their kids and still be human but they didn’t. They had given up full rights to their children and Christina as their Aunt had signed the paperwork taking them in, Barbara was already starting the paperwork for adoption, but they had to wait a little for that.
“Sarah made it through the night without a nightmare or wetting the bed.” Said Christina as she shipped at her tea.
“Progress.” stated Barbara as she drank some tea of her own. “And Luke hasn’t punched me yet today calling me a monster before bursting into tears.”
Christina looked down, as she remembered how the boy would hit her and then after one…rather weak hit burst into tears crying for his mother, father and to God to help with the burden to make him back to normal. She could not blame the boy or the girl because they had grown up in such a religious household and to them the monster flu was punishment from God and now, they where wondering what they had done to get punished. In truth the virus stuck randomly, sometimes whole households came down with the flu and in others a single person would get it, but the rest of the house does not get it. The doctor’s where not even sure how the virus spread, it did not seem to be airborne, waterborne or any other known form of spread. Some researchers have even theorized that the monster flu spread years ago and there was a delayed part where people transformed into monster.
“Well. Sarah actually called me mom when she woke up this morning and came in for breakfast.” Added Barbara with a smile before frowning. “Then she broke into tears.”
“Her mother has your hair color and is about your height, she likely thought it was her own mother.” Explained Christina “Just give her time.”
“I will.” Said Barbara with force in her voice before she smiled. “Besides, remember last night when we all played that boardgame, they where laughing so much and had forgotten everything. As time passes that will become the norm.”
“I hope so.” Said Christina as Barbara placed a hand on hers.
“It will be.” Said Barbara “Now, why don’t you finish putting on the child safety locks on the cabinets and I will…”
A knock at the door caused both women to look as they stood up and headed toward it.
“Hello?” said Christina as she opened the door to see a short only about 3-foot-tall women, with large butterfly like wings coming out of her back. Behind her with a small camera was an even shorter man with a heavy muscular build but looked almost totally human.
“Hello, I am Cindy with Channel 9 news and we would like to interview you about the video of you and the children you picked up.” Said the large fairy as Christina raised an eyebrow slightly confused.
“How do you know about us now having kids and why do you care?” inquired Barbara as the Cindy raised up her cell phone and showed a video of the children crying out for their parents and Christina holding them and telling them it is ok.
“The video is going viral and we would like to talk to you.” Explained Cindy as Barbara and Christina looked at each other before nodding their heads.
“Sure but keep it down the kids are asleep and we don’t want them on camera, they are still processing the change.” said Christina as Barbara nodded in agreement.
“Not a problem.” agreed Cindy as they entered the kitchen and sat down. The man set up a small camera and got both Barbara and Christina in view. They started simply, asking who they where and how the kids where doing.
“Your father is John? That Minister who is leading one of the largest groups against monsters?” inquired Cindy when Christina told her who she once was. “And my brother is taking over his duty, but I am dead to the two of them.”
“Wait…are those kids we saw?” inquired Cindy
“Yes, they are my brother’s children.” said Christina as she growled a bit. “The son of a bitch abounded them, signed over all parental rights and disowned them. They are just kids, but he hates them so much, I can’t say the same for my sister-in-law, but she signed them over as well.”
“What kind of parents do that?” inquired Barbara as suddenly Christina’s cell phone rang, she looked down confused.
“It’s my brother.” Said Christina as she picked up but put the phone on speakers. The reporters almost grinned but they held their faces straight as Christina spoke up.
“Hello.”
“You…monster, how dare you take those children, they should have been killed just like you.” Yelled his brother Michael as he began to rip into Christina and how if he could call for the mass murder of everyone who came down with the monster flu. He exploded with anger with hatred toward monsters and their mass murder he even called to follow the example of the holocaust and do killing camps for monsters.
“You want your own children dead?” asked Barbara as she spoke up.
“My children died when they sinned against God and came down with the flu and who are you?” inquired Michael
“I am Barbara your sister’s girlfriend.” Said Barbara as Michael exploded in even more anger and now adding slurs against gays and saying they should be killed as well.
“Daddy?” said a new voice as Christina and Barbara turned to see Sarah dressed in her nap cloths holding a teddy bear, beside her was her brother.
“I am not your DADDY you monsters burn in hell.” snapped Michael over the phone as Christina jumped up and pulled the kids away while Barbara started to go to town on a man she never met.
“We will expose you for what you really are, we are the monsters, but you are the true monster.” Stated Barbara
“I have the truth of God on my side and you will never…” started Michael in a smug voice as Cindy cleared her voice.
“Hello Minister, I am Cindy with channel 9 news and just for your knowledge we were interviewing your sister and her girlfriend when you called.” Said Cindy as Michael seamed to stop breathing. “We went live to the studio about 5 minutes ago and we will be broadcasting your…thoughts and beliefs, I am sure the national news will find it very interesting.”
“You Monsters can’t do that!” yelled Michael
“Good day.” Said Barbara as she hung up and felt for a moment a sense of pride then she heard crying coming from the other room. She got up and moved in to find Christina hugging her nephew and niece who were breaking down in tears and where holding on to Christina for dear life.
“I am sorry, but can you see your own way out?” inquired Barbara as she looked at the reporters who had zoomed in on the crying children.
“Not a problem.” Said Cindy
The last image was of Barbara moving up and wrapping her arms around the children in a large group hug. The fall out was however was just beginning.