Lost Sanctuary

Chapter 8

Nina and her mother parted ways outside the restaurant. The doors swinging shut on the aroma's of a sun kissed continent far from them, as Sally Baker wrapped her daughter in a crushing hug. She pressed a kiss to the top of Nina's head then held her at arm's length as she had before their meal, assessing Nina shrewdly. With a curt nod and a wide smile she retreated along the pavement without a word. Nina watched her mother go. The warmth of the day and their conversation seeped into her skin, curling tightly, securely around her bones. Nina took a deep, settling breath and smiled to herself.

On an impulse Nina wandered the streets of the city, aiming vaguely toward campus. She was in no rush to get back for her least favourite class of the week. Emerson's geocomputation class had always been her worst and today was the day her report was due. Although she had been confident in her report last week when she wrote it, that had been under the influence of whatever effect the grove had had. Despite her renewed calm, a niggling doubt remained. That trickle of doubt formed a dreamy miasma around her memory of writing the report. Eventually her wanderings brought her to the gates of campus. Nina gazed at the rising buildings beyond them and paused. Pulling the folder with her report out of her bag she stared down at it. Nothing about what she had written had changed, as far as she knew. How could it? Hauling her eyes from the pages in her hands she found herself looking straight into the auburn eyes of a fox, where it sat squarely in her path. The creature cocked its head and Nina shivered. The vague familiarity of the gesture echoed oddly through her mind. She shook her head, shaking the cobwebs that were forming around the edge of her vision. Amusement flickered in its gaze for only a moment before its eyes became solemn and it bowed its head slowly. As she stepped towards it, it rose and trotted further into the university campus before vanishing. Nina blinked rapidly against the faint, bronzed shimmer flickering over the flagstones where the fox had been.

The class was uneventful. Standing outside the lecture hall Nina paused, tapping her phone against her hand, considering. Quickly she sent a message to the group asking who was still around campus. Nina was sure at least Ava, James and Jess would be around. As it turned out everyone had decided to stay on campus for one reason or another, so Nina asked that they all meet in the quad by the main gate. The urge to see her friends had gradually gripped her as Emerson had droned on for the last two hours. Briskly she made her way out of the building and toward the main gate. Across the quad, Frances and Professor Jacobs were standing, bowed toward each other, deep in conversation. Jacobs looked up and catching her eye waved at Nina. She smiled broadly in return and waved at the two of them as she continued on her way.

Naturally, she made it to the gate before anyone else, but Ava and Jess appeared soon enough. Ava wore her cascade of red hair in a high ponytail that swung rhythmically with her every sandaled step. Beside her, arm looped through hers, Jess's dark jeans and boots contrasted starkly with Ava's red and white summer dress. The juxtaposition was so familiar a chuckle bubbled its way out of Nina. The two approaching women bundled Nina into an awkward group hug that almost toppled the group to the ground.

'So what's with the impromptu committee meeting?' Jess frowned at Nina, as Ava pulled the straps of her leather backpack higher on her shoulders.

'I just wanted to see you guys,' Nina shrugged noncommittally, and Jess narrowed her eyes.

'Is this about what happened on Sunday?' Ava chimed in.

'What're you talking about? Nothing happened on Sunday.' Both of her friends snorted.

'You seriously think Omar wouldn't tell us he found you crying on the floor of your landing on Sunday evening..? What kind of useless friends do you think we all are?' Nina was floundering and turned her gaze to Jess.

'But you didn't say anything yesterday?'

'I knew you'd tell me if you wanted to, were ready to...'

'I wanted to. I still don't really know how to explain what happened.'

'Yeah, Omar said it was pretty crazy', Ava nodded her head solemnly and quickly added, 'I mean, he didn't tell us any details, but he said the story was wild.'

'What was pretty crazy?' A low voice boomed from across the quad. How Roe could have heard her over the distance, Nina may never know. 'Are we talking about Nina's weird weekend?' Roe's eyes glinted as they met hers. They draped a heavy arm over her shoulders and pressed a light kiss into her hair that made Nina look up at them questioningly. Roe smoothed their thumb over the eyebrow she had raised at them and spoke, 'you look good. Better. The red-rimmed eyes of near hysteria don't really suit you.' Before she could reach out to smack them, they continued, laughing, 'neither does self-doubt or pent up anxiety.' The others nodded and muttered their agreement as Nina let her gaze trace the faces of her friends.

'Have you guys known the whole time?'

'We were damn near planning an intervention, to be honest,' James gave an exasperated sigh as he walked up with Sam in tow. Sam was grinning at her and shook her head at James. Nina almost cried as the warmth of their regard settled on her, instead, she laughed.

'I'm sorry', it was all she could think to say.

'What did I tell you?' Roe looked down at her sternly, 'don't apologise. Talk to us. We can't help you if we don't know what's going on.'

'Thank you, all of you,' Nina looked each of them in the eye as she let any lingering doubt about her place here, with them, at this university ebb out of her. Easing visibly she straightened her spine and smiled. 'Let's go back to mine and order take-away and I'll explain what's been going on.' Somewhere, golden eyes watched as the group walked into the glittering afternoon light of the city.