I open the door to create enough space for me to walk out, and as soon as I’m outside, I quickly close the door behind me. Professor Eleanor Malino smiles, showing me her straight white teeth and the warm smile again.
I notice her green eyes light up behind her glasses, and I feel myself getting conflicted. My mind tells me she is danger, but my heart tells me I can trust her.
“I know what’s going on, Miss Gordon.” She says calmly. “May I come in?”
“Well...” I falter.
“Students have been complaining about you.”
“Did they tell you why?”
“The security department was called by students who claim to be afraid of you. That’s all I know for now.”
And they sent her for that? Not the security officers? She obviously knows more than she is telling me.
I open the door to let her walk in, and I can't help but look at her white floral maxi dress.
She is wearing white flip-flops, and her chestnut hair is in a simple ponytail. She also has a white cardigan on, and her whole look seems so homely, so motherly.
‘She is evil!' I say internally to remind myself.
We find the wolf standing at the centre of the room, almost occupying the entire living area, and making it look small. The wolf’s eyes have turned from dark to grey, reminding me of Leo’s eyes somehow.
Leo! It has been a day, but I feel like I haven’t seen him in forever. The last time we met, we kissed, and his touch made me feel things I have never felt before.
I find myself closing my eyes at the recollection. Oh no! I missed work, and he is going to reprimand me about it.
“What a nice dog you have.” Professor Malino pulls me out of my train of thought. She says this so casually, without flinching or looking alarmed.
The wolf growls at the mention of “dog”, but Professor Malino doesn't look bothered or afraid.
“Thank you. Please take a seat.” I motion towards the couch.
“But it looks more like a wolf than a dog.” She touches the wolf’s neck before sitting down. The wolf then turns and glances at the couch that is too small for it, then it sits on the mat next to her feet.
“It’s a giant dog.” I say protectively.
She chuckles in response.
The wolf also seems relaxed around her, and I take it as a good sign. Animals are excellent judges of character.
“Would you like something to drink?” I open the refrigerator.
“No, thank you.”
I nod and close the fridge before sitting next to her.
“Are pets allowed in the dorms?” She glances at me and then at the wolf.
“No.” I vigorously shake my head and I make my eyes look as apologetic as possible.
“Then I suggest you let it come with me to my lab.”
“Come with you? You!?” My defences get activated again, and get up from the couch. Ready to look for a new place to stay if it means protecting the wolf that saved my life.
“Yes, me.” She titters. “Don’t tell me you believe the rumours as well. I would never do anything to hurt any human or animal.”
“But, you know what they say about you...”
“You can come with me.”
“Is he going to get caged?” I raise my eyebrows.
“Just come with me. You’ll see.”
“Okay, let me take off my bathrobe.” I glance at my short sleeve bathrobe.
She nods in response, and I notice her staring at the fresh scars on my arms and legs.
I kneel next to the wolf while it’s still laying down.
“We have to go. If you don’t like the place, just show me, and I won’t ever force you to stay there. Okay?”
The wolf nods, and Professor Malino smiles. “Wow! This is...”
“Please, professor. No experiments.” I look up at her from where I’m kneeling.
“I promise.” She holds her hands up.
After getting dressed, we leave my dorm room, and I get irritated by students who are looking at us through the windows. Then, the wolf gets in at the back of the van.
“Where did you find the wolf?” She asks once we are seated in front.
“Funny story.”
“You are going to lie to me. Aren’t you?” She gives me a faint smile.
I nod, and she laughs.
“It’s not like I don’t trust you professor...”
“You are just trying to protect your friend?”
I nod.
“Your friend is lucky.”
I feel her presence making me comfortable, something about her feels comforting.
No matter how much I try to remember the articles about her and her illegal experiments, her energy makes me want to trust her.
“How long is it going to stay in the lab? It’s a wild animal. It needs a forest.” I glance at her.
“We will find a place for him.”
“Not a zoo. Please.” I wince when I picture him sitting behind a glass or cage as humans gawk at him. He doesn’t seem like the kind of animal who would cope in such an environment.
“It won’t be a zoo. He is a wolf, he needs a pack. I heard there are wolves at Carkeek Park...”
“No!” I snap.
“Why not?” She raises her eyebrows, and her face gets filled with the curiosity of a scientist.
“It’s called a Cursed Forest.” I say dismissively.
“You are a scientist who believes in curses?” She laughs. “Don't worry. We will look into other options.”
We walk into the zoology lab, and she opens another door inside the lab.
“Come,” she waves me over and I follow her with the wolf following behind us. “This is my secret space.”
I close my eyes to take in the smell of the trees and pollen emanating from the flowers.
The birds are chirping on the trees, and when I take a closer look, I notice that one of the bird is wearing a knitted scarf.
“It was born without feathers, and poor thing went through so many treatments for survival.” She looks at the bird that I’m staring at.
I beam, and then my eyes suddenly catch a glimpse of a movement. The rabbit hops closer to me, my lips curl up when I notice two more cottontails next to its original tail, forming a triangle.
“It’s cute. Isn’t?” Her eyes light up.
“It’s too cute. My heart can’t take it.” I put my hand on my chest, and I continue to look around. Then, I look at a pond surrounded by flowers and rocks. My eyes follow the track of flowing water, when a duck with an abnormally long beak comes in sight.
“You seem to be loving the view.”
She smiles.
“I do professor. How did the trees grow so tall?”
“The plants are genetically modified. Their genes have been edited to help them survive. Also...” She presses a button, and the roof opens. “This is for the sun and rain. The largest trees are fake, of course, but they can give out oxygen through a system that we built with help from our engineers.”
“This is beautiful, I’m so sorry professor...” I say while looking at the limping mountain goat.
"That one is here for a treatment." She points at the goat. "Now you know I won’t sacrifice your friend for an experiment, and any decision regarding where he will stay, we will make it together."
"Thank you very much professor." I open my arms out for a hug, and she grins before reciprocating.
She presses a button that opens a different section. It is written 'wildlife' with a large space for fifty wolves and the wolf goes in without being told to.
“Please, don't try to escape to eat professor’s animals. I will see you tomorrow.” I put my arms around the wolf’s neck, and he closes his eyes.
From the lab, I head to Liam’s room, and when I’m about to knock, he opens the door.
“Willow? Why are you wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt on such a hot day?”
“Babe, your wolf friend is not okay.” I deliberately ignore his question.
“What do you mean? What happened? Were you in the forest?”
"They attacked him while he was trying to protect me. Isn’t that heroic?”
“Very heroic.” He says dryly.
“He is your friend. Right?” I look at him skeptically.
“He is,” he rolls his eyes.
“I thought you would be more concerned than how you are now.”
“I am concerned!"
“Unless, you already knew something. Do you know something Liam?” I feel rage brewing within. If he knew something, why didn't he come to help me?
"I don't know what you are talking about. You are really strange." He sighs. "You went to the forest, even after what happened last time, and put your life and my friend’s life in danger!”
"Liam..." I try to apologize.
"Then you have the guts to accuse me of whatever you want to accuse me of!"
I try to look into his eyes to plead with him, and then I do a double take.
“Liam, why are your eyes red?” I ask him.