Chapter 38: The Girl is Back

Lainey P.O.V

A year and a half ago

"Susan we have to move her. She cannot stay here! Serenity is enough on her own, I cannot deal with her complaints on top of everything else." I rubbed the space between my brows.

Serenity had just been in my office for the fourth time this week, complaining of Lily and her behaviour.

I had been watching Lily ever since Serenity first came to my office. A sweet girl, her fiery hair bold, yet her personality so soft in a stark contrast. I truly felt bad for her. Serenity was an unruly bitch, but her father contributed greatly to this college.

Serenity's brothers had come to this college and graduated at the top of their class. They were quiet, intelligent, kind souls. I'm not too sure what happened to Serenity that made her turn out the way that she is.

"Lainey this is not right. Why can't we punish Serenity for how she has been behaving? This is college, not kindergarten and Finley is not a toy!" She paced back and forth in my office.

"You know why we can't. I can't afford to lose my job and neither can you. Survival of the fittest and Lily is not surviving." I let out a long breath.

"Where do you think Lily is going to go? You know her situation, you know she has no home, and you know that if Serenity's father gets wind of how his precious little girl is being 'bullied' then he will go after Lily."

"I'm well aware of that, which is why I have a plan." My eyes found Susan's. She stopped pacing and gave me a questionable look.

"No. I know what you're thinking. This is not the way." She shook her head at me.

But this was the only way. I never intend to hurt Lily or put her in harm's way. This will protect her. What's in that forest will keep her safe.

"The forest is the only way Susan. That forest will keep Serenity out and Lily in it." I sat in my chair and leaned back, crossing my arms.

"How will we get in? You know what happened to Jennifer when she entered that forest. Richards has never forgiven us for that and you want to send one of his student's there? You have a death wish, one that I do not want to cash in with you." She flopped down in the chair across from my desk.

"We'll make a tunnel. On the other side of the forest. Away from where the students camp." Susan refused to look me in the face.

"How will we do that with no one watching? Questioning why we are even going near that forest?" Her voice was angry now.

"We build it on the edge, far from campus. We can hire a couple of people to build it. The cottage is already there, it's old but it will do."

This plan was starting to come together and I was feeling victorious. Lily would disappear and Serenity could chill out and get out of my office for once.

"I don't think this is a good idea Lainey. That girl doesn't deserve this. What if we go into the forest to bring her things and then we don't come back out? We don't know what that thing is that is taking people or why the whole town is afraid of it! For god's sake Lainey, that girl will die out there!"

Tears were forming in Susan's eyes. One escaped and slowly rolled down her cheek before she wiped it off and put her head back down.

I did feel bad. Lily was a sweet girl, innocent of all of the things Serenity was accusing her of. But Lily's life was at stake either way. I never expected Serenity to hurt Lily herself, but her father was a beast of his own. Even I was scared of that man.

I got up from my chair and walked over to Susan, wrapping my arms around her tiny body.

"It will be okay. We will make it work. Lily is safer out there than she is here and you know that."

Susan nodded, still sniffling and holding onto my blazer. This would work. It had to.

A month later, the construction had been completed on the tunnel leading to the cottage in the forest. I took a walk through with the man who was brave enough to even attempt the job.

The tunnel led straight to the cottage, stopping a couple of feet behind it so you couldn't see it if you stepped outside. It was perfect. I doubt Lily would ever step foot so far back from the front door. Now we just had to get her here.

I knew the students would be having an end-of-the-semester party over at the house at the end of the campus. It was a perfect time to move Lily. Serenity had just been in my office before the party started, still complaining, so I told her to tell Lily I needed to speak with her.

What I was about to do would definitely get me fired. If anyone saw that is.

Lily entered my office in tears. I'm not too sure what was said to her, but this worked out even better.

"Lily, Serenity has come to me with quite a few accusations against you. Some of them are extensive with evidence, and as much as I enjoy having you as a student, I believe it would be best if you left the campus."

Lies. All lies. Sure, Serenity has come to me, but her accusations have been nothing but an exaggeration of the real events. However, Lily doesn't know that. Serenity is all bark, and her father is the bite. I'm sure she's taken the liberty of mentioning it.

"Wh-what? Wh-what did I d-do? I'm s-sorry and I can be b-better! P-please!" Lily was essentially groveling at my feet. My expression didn't falter, although I felt horrible about this situation.

"There's nothing more to be said or done. You should go back to your dorm and pack your things." I dropped my head back down to my paperwork on my desk.

Lily sobbed for a couple more minutes before turning and walking out of my office. Part one of the plan, complete.

I pulled out my phone and called Susan.

"Susan? She's coming your way." I hung up the phone and grabbed my coat before walking out of my office.

Lily was halfway between the building and her dorm. I followed behind her, making sure to keep a short distance between her and I.

She made it to the dorm and headed inside, then upstairs to her room. I quickly followed behind and waited down the hall until I saw Susan pop her head outside of the room.

I made my way into the room with Susan. Lily was on the floor and everything she had in her dorm was already packed in boxes.

"Jesus, for someone who didn't want to be apart of this, you moved quick." I cocked an eyebrow at her. She shrugged and started moving boxes towards the door.

"Either we move slow and get caught doing this, or we move fast and make it look like she disappeared. Move it or lose it Lainey, and before I change my mind and leave your dumbass here."

"A dumbass wouldn't have come up with this idea!" I smirked at her as she shot me a glare.

We finished moving the boxes to the truck that we placed at the back of the dorms.

"Okay, let's go get Lily."

We picked up Lily and started bringing her downstairs. Somehow, we made it out of the building without anyone noticing us carrying a limp girl in our arms.

Susan laid her across the backseat and I hopped into the driver seat. The truck started to life with a couple of kicks, and then we were on the road towards the back of the campus where the forest edge started.

I parked behind a large tree that was right next to the opening of the tunnel.

"How do you want to do this? She has a lot of stuff." Susan looked between the truck and me.

"She's not taking it all. We can put a good chunk of it in my basement for now. Lets take her clothes and essentials only, everything else can stay and I will take care of it tomorrow." Susan nodded and sifted through some boxes.

We pulled out three boxes and dropped them into the tunnel opening.

"Okay, we could try and take everything all at once so we don't have to come back and risk someone seeing the truck. If you carry two boxes, I can carry Lily and just roll one of the boxes as we go along. The tunnel isn't very long so this shouldn't be too hard."

Susan shrugged and started climbing down the ladder into the tunnel. I was shocked she wasn't pushing back, but the sooner we got this done the better.

I picked up Lily and hoisted her over my shoulder. She was a very small girl, so carrying her wasn't a problem. I started my down the ladder and then dropped down next to Susan.

"Let's get on with it then." Her face was blank, and her eyes showed no emotion. I feared for what our relationship would be after this.

We made our way down the tunnel and eventually found our way to the end. I opened the covering to the other side of the tunnel and pushed it to the side. Susan got out first and I handed her the boxes. I followed behind her with Lily.

As we made our way into the cottage, a cry came from somewhere in the forest, a woman's cry.

"Lainey we have to go. Drop this shit and let's get the fuck out of here." My eyebrows almost came off of my forehead at her statement. She was defending Lily the entire time before she agreed to take her here. Now she was willing to leave Lily unconscious when we had agreed to stay until she woke up so we could explain.

"We agreed to stay until she woke up! I may have made the plan to bring her here but we can't just leave her without telling her why she's here!"

"We are coming back, no? She will be fine for a week or two. We won't be fine if we don't get the hell out of this forest!" Susan's breathing was becoming frantic and she was waving her arms around like a mad man.

"Okay, let's just write a note really quick." I found a pen and a small scrap of paper and jotted down a couple of words. Hopefully she would understand that we are just trying to protect her.

Another scream rung out, but closer this time.

"MOVE YOUR ASS LAINEY!" Susan grabbed my arm and yanked me hard out of the door. I took one final glance at Lily who we laid across the couch and covered with a blanket. There was no turning back now.

She dropped down into the tunnel and I quickly followed suit. The tunnel door closed with a bang and we quickly made our way towards the other side. The screaming could still be heard echoing through the tunnel. Whatever that thing was, it was pissed.

Susan opened the hatch to the outside of the forest and we both climbed out.

“You almost got us fucking killed! You’re delusional if you think I am going back in there. YOU made this plan, YOU can bring her the monthly supplies by YOURSELF!” Susan stormed off, hopping into the truck and slamming the door behind her.

I hung my head as I walked to the drivers side. All that mattered was that Lily was safe in that cottage, away from Serenity, and hopefully away from that monster in the woods. I would have to make it up to Susan later somehow.

For now, we had to go back and act like we sent Lily back home, and not to a possible death trap.

The Present

”Lainey that girl is 100% in those woods, and if she is, she’s a goner. We still have no clue what is plaguing the forest and how Lily has survived! What are we going to do if she found Lily and Lily told her everything?”

I sighed. A heavy sigh. What were we going to do? If she was already in the woods, there was a chance she was already dead. It’s not a secret that people go in and don’t come back out. Something lures them in and takes them leaving no trail behind.

“We just have to hope that the girl is dead.” Susan’s mouth dropped open.

“That is horrible! What is wrong with you!” She got up from her chair abruptly, the chair scraping against the wood floor making me cringe. I just got them refinished and now she’s scratching them.

”First, be careful with my floor. It was expensive. Second, how is it horrible? She could have made an effort to not be drug into the woods. It’s clear that thing doesn’t care nor want Lily, but it will want what it brought in, her.” I rocked back and forth in my chair, drumming my fingers on my desk. I was worried, but someone in this equation had to have the calming presence.

“Screw your floors, and screw you! This is a Lily situation all over again and you know it! What will we do this time, huh? Stick her in the same small cottage if she’s found? You’re just as bad as Serenity and her rat of a father!” Susan’s face was beet red, steam almost coming off of her face.

A knock sounded at my office door. Susan squeaked and immediately sat down, her face returning to a normal color.

“Come in.”

“Dean Lainey, two girls have come out of the forest. Richards is requesting your immediate presence.” My other assistant, who I’ve never cared to learn the name of, was holding a phone up to me with the name of one of the professors currently at the camp site on it.

Susan shot me a look that screamed ‘I’ll kill you’, while I didn’t give her anything back. The last thing I needed was this guy questioning me too.

Fuck. How were we going to cover this up?