The Witch in the Woods

Exactly one week after the storm, the coldest day of the year arrived—a bleak, gray Friday afternoon. The campus of GallU was wrapped in a somber chill when, without warning, a deafening boom shattered the stillness. An explosion ripped through one of the labs in the biological sciences department, sending shockwaves across the grounds and injuring several students.

As soon as Ryder rushed out of the cabin, Lua grabbed her phone, her heart pounding, and frantically called Ali, desperate to understand what had happened. But the chaos on the other end of the line—the noise, the panic, the tension—made it nearly impossible for Lua to make sense of her words.

“So, you’re saying Kelly wasn’t in the lab?” Lua asked, trying to calm herself. “She’s ok?”

“No, no! I’m saying she was in the lab!” Ali’s voice, breathless and rushed, crackled through the phone. “But she’s ok! I just talked to her. She’s got some bruises on her back, cuts on her arms, and a few scratches on her face, but she’s fine. I’m heading to her place now, she left about 20 minutes ago.”

Lua felt a wave of relief wash over her. “Thank God,” she murmured. “I’ll be there first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll bring some food.”

Ali’s hurried voice softened for a moment. “Thanks, Lua. I’ll stay with her tonight, but she’ll need you tomorrow.”

After hanging up, Lua let out a long, shaky breath, her thoughts still racing. Kelly had managed to escape with only minor injuries, but another student wasn’t as lucky, suffering severe burns that required immediate hospitalization. The explosion quickly became the talk of the campus, shrouded in mystery. Despite the police officially declaring it an accident, rumors began to swirl—some speculated that it had been an intentional attack on the university, further fueling the tension in the air.

The next morning, Lua arrived at Kelly’s place, arms full of warm, freshly baked bread and an assortment of homemade delicacies that only she could make. When Kelly saw her, a faint smile broke through the fatigue on her face. Lua didn’t hesitate—she took charge, insisting on caring for her friend, offering her home as a refuge. Kelly quickly realized there was nowhere else she’d rather be. The cozy cabin, warmed by Lua’s presence and her nurturing care, felt like a sanctuary. Plus, Lua was the best cook Kelly knew—an undeniable bonus.

“Whenever you’re ready—if you feel like talking about it—I’d really like to hear more about the explosion,” Lua asked, her voice hesitant, worried she might be prying. “But only if you’re comfortable. There are so many rumors flying around campus, and no one seems to know exactly what happened.” She sounded almost apologetic.

Kelly gave a reassuring smile. “It’s okay, I don’t mind talking about it. Honestly, it all happened so fast that most of it is a blur.” She paused, gathering her thoughts. “We were all in the lab, focused on our microscopes, observing epithelial tissue samples,” She waved her hand dismissively. “Then, out of nowhere—boom. The last clear thing I remember was Peter explaining something about the experiment and how tissues function in the body, and then everything went black.”

“Peter Gallanti was there too?” Lua tried to sound casual, though her interest was anything but.

Kelly nodded. “Yeah, but thankfully, he had left the lab just a few minutes before the explosion. I heard he’s fine.” She quickly steered the conversation away from Peter, eager to move on. “Now they’re trying to figure out what caused the accident—or, you know, who might have caused it.”

Living together 24/7 was an interesting experiment for the two women, a chance to test the strength of their friendship. While they were used to spending a lot of time together, this was different. Surprisingly, the constant closeness felt comforting, even more enjoyable than they had anticipated.

With everything going on around them, Lua, Alinda, and Kelly had barely found a moment to think about “the curious case of the missing library,” as they jokingly called it. The mystery of the secret section Miss Atkins had revealed to Kelly during the storm still hung over them like an unsolved puzzle. When they tried to visit it again, they had been told that the room didn’t exist, so their assumption now was that someone must have discovered Kelly’s visit and decided to cut all access to it once and for all.

The timing of Miss Atkins’ sudden disappearance seemed far too suspicious to be a coincidence too. And the idea that she had been fired because of her involvement weighed heavily on them, especially on Kelly. So she picked up her phone on an impulse and texted Peter. “Hey, whenever you have a chance, I want to ask you something. It’s about the University, and it’s important.” She put her phone down and looked at Ali and Lua, who were caught by surprise. “Maybe he can help us out.” She explained.

Kelly’s planned week-long stay at the cabin stretched into another as Friday arrived. Just as things seemed to be settling back into normalcy at GallU after the still-unexplained lab explosion, chaos struck again. A freak snowstorm blanketed the campus, forcing yet another cancellation of classes. This marked the third consecutive week of destruction at the university, sparking rumors of a curse plaguing the school.

But in the cabin, Lua, Kelly, and frequent visitor Ali weren’t complaining. They spent hours talking, cooking, working on their project, and finally indulged in a movie marathon. They started with Kelly’s beloved Dark Academia classics like Dead Poets Society and The Talented Mr. Ripley, and then moved on to Ali’s list of “best witch movies of all time,” which included Practical Magic, The Craft, and, of course, Hocus Pocus.

“I can’t believe you’ve never seen these before,” Kelly teased Lua one night after Ali had left. “What was your life like before we met, Lua? Will you ever tell us your origin story?”

“Oh sweetie, one day I promise,” Lua replied, rising from her armchair.

“Yeah, maybe one day when we’re sitting somewhere comfortable, with plenty of time, sipping wine in front of a fire. You know, kind of like right now,” Kelly joked, gesturing to their current cozy setup.

“Maybe,” Lua said, forcing a smile.

Two weeks into her recovery, Kelly’s physical condition had improved. Late in the evening of her last night at the cabin, as had become their comforting end-of-day ritual, the two of them sat in the living room, sharing a glass of wine before heading to bed. After they finished, Kelly retired to the guest room while Lua tidied up, collecting the empty wine glasses from the coffee table. As she made her way to the kitchen, a sudden knock at the door interrupted the peaceful quiet.

“Ali?” Lua called out, slightly hesitant. Silence answered her back. Unease crept over her as she slowly approached the door, her heart pounding as a wave of adrenaline surged through her. Clad in only a silk nightgown, she felt the cold air seep into the cabin when she cautiously opened the door and saw Peter standing on the threshold, his big brown eyes staring intently at her.

“I’m sorry for showing up like this, unannounced…” he began awkwardly, shuffling his feet.

Lua crossed her arms, partly from the chill, partly to steady her nerves. “Well, technically, this is your property,” she replied, her voice sharper than she intended. She was nervous, her whole body trembling—not just from the cold.

Peter’s gaze softened as he stammered, “Lua, I need to… I know you’ve been… ”

Before the tension could build any further, Kelly’s voice rang out from inside the cabin, breaking the moment. “Peter! Oh my God, it’s so sweet of you to visit! Come in, it’s freezing out there!”

As Peter stepped into the warmth of the cabin, Lua wished them a good night and excused herself, saying she’d leave them to it. She retreated to her bedroom, her hands still shaking as she shut the door behind her. She lay in bed, but sleep wouldn’t come easily. Kelly’s cheerful laughter echoed in her mind, amplifying her inner turmoil. It wasn’t until much later that Lua finally drifted into a restless sleep.