Outside it was a beautiful bright and sunny day and the temperatures were at the warmest since before fall had set in last year. This was the first day that she could remember like this, and Ella couldn't wait to go outside and enjoy the beauty of it all. She had been stuck mostly inside for the past several months for one reason or another. It had been cold and very rainy during the winter months, not to mention a blinding snowstorms. She had also been forbidden from going out without a chaperone, because of the dangers that Erebus posed. Now that she was married, Erebus was no longer a threat, and she was overjoyed with the new freedoms that she had been granted. There were still rules in place. She was still forbidden from entering any of the woods without Nicholas, but that didn't bother her. She had no reason or need to go into those woods anymore. As she stood at her closet, peering in and trying to decide what she wanted to wear, Nicholas walked up behind her and put his arms around her giving her a kiss on the cheek. She let out a small giggle and turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck. He squeezed her tight while picking her up a small distance from the floor. He placed her back down as she gave him a small kiss on the lips and then turned around to continue the task at hand.
"I think I'll wear shorts today" she spoke halfway to herself and halfway to him.
"Do you realize there is still a slight chill in the air?"
"I'm going to wear a long sleeve heavy shirt with them." She answered in a cheery voice as she pulled the garments from the closet. "Now what was it you had to do today? When will you be finished? I'm going to meet the girls in the courtyard, and we are going to walk around the entire school. I wonder how far that is", she was mumbling the question more to herself. "So, I was thinking that when we get done, maybe you will be finished with your meetings or whatever it is that you are doing, and we can go on a picknick. Do you think you will be finished in time? I hope the weather stays warm enough that we can do something outside together when you're done." She chattered on, in a happy mood. As she continued to talk about the day's plans, she undressed from her nightgown and was walking around for a moment in her panties and no bra. It made him happy that she obviously felt comfortable being naked around him now. She had come a long way since their first meeting. He couldn't help but grab her as she walked by and pulled her to him. He gave her a passionate kiss this time, different from the playful kisses that they had shared earlier. She immediately got that butterfly feeling deep in her belly that she had become very familiar with. She stopped her chatter, and her eyes were heavy as she leaned in and pressed her body against his, as he was leaning against the bed. She had goosebumps on her skin as she was enjoying his passionate kisses. At that moment he stopped his kisses and looked up at her and sighed.
"I'm afraid we must continue this later today." She couldn't help but show her disappointment and mumbled some words about something not being fair. She couldn't hide the smile that came across her face as she finished grumbling, and he popped her on the butt. "I've got to discuss something with professor Findlay today and then I have a make-up lab today with a few students."
"Oh, well I hope we can still spend some time together outside before it gets too late" she said sounding hopeful.
"I think we will be able to arrange something. I should be done with the lab around 1:00 and I should be out of my office by 2:00 at the latest."
By now she was dressed in her shorts and an oversized sweatshirt. She was going exclusively for comfort while she was walking with her friends. A pair of tennis shoes completed her outfit. "Well, I will see you then, but I should hurry up and get to the courtyard. They are probably waiting for me. We think it will take a couple of hours to walk the property, so I'll be waiting for you when you're done." She gave him another quick kiss. "I love you so much and I can't wait to see you later this afternoon." She called back as she walked out the door and shut it behind her.
The sun on her face felt amazing even though the temperature was a little on the cool side, like Nicholas had warned her about. She knew once they started walking, she would warm up. Her friends were waiting for her as soon as she got there, and they began their trek around the huge school. They were talking and laughing as they passed other students that were on the lawns playing different games. A few were kicking the soccer ball around. There was a volleyball game being played. The day was beautiful so there were a lot of people out walking and some running. Once they got past the main lawn, there weren't as many others as before, but there was a group of students throwing a frisbee around.
They had been walking for about forty-five minutes and were in an area that was considered the backside of the school. The woods were situated a little closer to this side of the school. Ella was surprised at her reaction to being so close to the woods. She noticed her heart was pounding a little harder in her chest and she had that feeling in her gut as if she were on high alert... she was frightened. She tried to shake the feeling, telling herself she was safe now. Her friends must have noticed a change in her demeanor, because they glanced at each other and then at her.
"Ella, are you ok?" Millicent was the first to speak as she looked at her friend with a concerned look "oh, sorry...yes I'm fine. I was just zoning out for a second" she was trying to make light of her sudden change in mood. She was trying to think of something to say to divert the other's attention from her, but she didn't have to, because out of the corner of her eye, she saw an odd figure approaching them from the side. The other girls noticed the person at the same time, and they were all confused, because they had seen no one behind them or ahead of them once they got to this back area. But what confused them more than anything, was that the closer the figure got, they could see that this was an elderly woman. She was wearing a long cloak with a hood. It's not that this attire was so odd, for an elderly person on this planet, but they had never seen this woman before, and she looked ill. She had a grey hue to her skin and one of her eyes looked as if it was covered with a whitish film. She had a somewhat unsteady gait, and she had a subtle hump on her upper back that looked like it was weighing her down. It was as if she had walked out of the woods, but they knew it would be difficult for a strong, healthy adult to survive for long in those woods, much less a sick elderly woman. She began to talk to the girls as she got close enough. She had a gentleness to her voice, that made them all feel a sense of responsibility to this woman to get her to a safer place and help her find where she was supposed to be.
"Excuse me young ladies, I seem to be lost. I have no idea where I am. I am looking for my daughter's house. I know she must be looking for me as well. Can you help me? I think she lives right through those woods."
Ella immediately remembered the evening she had tried to catch Millicent as she ran into the woods near their apartment. This woman must have somehow come through a portal, just like she had done. That was the only explanation. She didn't know what world she may have come from. She wasn't even sure if she knew of how many Earth Planets were out there. She knew there were at least two, but that was all she knew. "What is your daughter's name? Do you know the name of the planet she lives on?"
"I'm sorry...I don't. I can't remember much these days. I know her name is Alma." The old woman seemed to have a hard time getting all of her words out for being out of breath. She had to stop and take a breath after each sentence. "Oh dear...I seemed to have dropped by purse. I must have dropped it over there", as she turned around and pointed to the woods. "I see it laying right there."
The old woman began slowly walking toward the edge of the woods as the girls followed her, warning her not to go back into the woods. "It's right by that tree over there." She was pointing to an area in the woods that was about twenty feet from the edge.
The girls all agreed that they could actually see some sort of bag lying beside the trees she had been pointing towards. They were surprised that her vision was good enough to see that far and also, that she had indeed, been walking through the woods.
"I know that is my purse in there and Alma's phone number and address is on a piece of paper in there." By this point, her breath was becoming more ragged. "Oh, and I have my medication in there as well. Oh honey, I need to get my bag." She began to take a few steps, as if she were going to walk there.
"Wait" all of the girls seemed to say at the same time. They didn't want the lady to take another step, because with each one she became more feeble and shorter of breath.
Ella, glancing at the other's, told the woman one of them would get the bag, though, she sounded a little nervous as she spoke. She told herself that there was nothing to be afraid of. The bag was not far away. It was in a place that was easy to see and whoever went in for it would still be in plain view.
"My medication for my chest pain is in there and I need it now."
The girls were all looking at each other, as if they were trying to decide who would go in after the bag.
"Why, I have three granddaughter's that look just like you young ladies." She pointed to Millicent, Lucy and Sibylla. They always help me walk when I'm having problems and they all hold my arms while I sit down. I think I need to sit down. Will you beautiful girls help me sit down and sit with me for a moment. I need my medication, but I must sit down first."
The girls did as she asked and held onto her as they helped the frail woman sit down on the ground.
"Oh, don't leave me. I need you three to sit with me. I feel safer having you all here. My chest is hurting so bad, and I don't want my girls to leave me."
Ella stood there for a second, knowing she needed to go grab the woman's bag, so she could get her the medication. She felt so guilty for hesitating so much. She had nothing to be afraid of she was trying to convince herself. As she walked closer to the edge of the woods, Millicent, Lucy and Sibylla all objected, but right as they did, the woman cried out in pain.
"Please honey! I would get it myself, but I don't think I can make it. I don't know how much longer I can stand this pain."
Ella decided she would go in as quickly as possible, grab the bag and come out. She would be back out before you could count to ten. She had promised Nicholas she would never step foot in any of these woods, unless he was with her, but this was an emergency. Besides, Erebus had not been seen for weeks and she was no good to him now. Nicholas was even under the impression that Erebus may be dead.
She walked quickly toward the edge, as if she wanted to do it before she changed her mind. Stepping over the first tree limb, she realized she would not be able to just run in and out. This was going to take some navigating. How in the world did this lady come through here? She couldn't figure that out. She was getting closer, but it was taking some careful maneuvering since the ground was covered with a thick layer of old tree limbs and brush. She didn't want to fall, because she knew there were very large spiders and snakes living under the debris. She was no more than three feet from the bag, just enough for the bag to be out of reach. She was having to use one hand to hold on to a tree limb so she could balance herself on a large tree root. Her plan was, if she could take one more step, off from the tree root, and onto a large rock that was between her and the bag, she should be able to reach it. Then she would make her way back, taking the same path she took to get there. She could hear the old woman crying out in pain again, so she made her last move. She took a step, placing one foot on the intended rock. Once she felt balanced, she carefully, and finally brought in the other foot and placed it on the same rock. She bent down at her knees and placed one hand on the rock to balance herself as she reached out her other arm to grab the bag. Her fingers were almost to their target. One last stretch, and she hastily grabbed the bag into her hand.
"Got it!"