Miss Elsa had being invited to the school to go through every process there was and to clear out the belongings of her daughter Mia from the hostel. She couldn't hold herself as she cried her heart out when she saw her clothes, pictures, calendars and some of the items she had brought from the house.
Daniella hugged her in a bid to console her. She felt guilty; after all she was the one who convinced Mia to join them in their little escapade.
Mia sneaked onto the compound trying not not to cause a scene as she walked back into her hostel. Her pictures had being posted on every notice board on campus. She covered her face with a piece of cloth that had being in her pocket. Most the student had gone out for their daily routines. She heard someone crying their heart out from her room.
She immediately knew who it was; it was her mother. She had heard the news about their disappearance.
She run as fast as she could and barged into the room and called hugged her from behind calling her by her name. Miss Elsa kissed her while shedding tears of joy. She didn't know how to feel; she had once again seen her daughter after she had lost all hopes of ever seeing her again.
Mr. Grater and the Vice Chancellor, Mr. Jefferson rushed to the scene as soon as they heard the last girl had returned. They had a lot of questions they needed answers to.
Mia excused herself and went in to take a shower. She smelled a bit funny; it had being quite sometime since she took proper bath. Mr. Jefferson ordered that she be brought to her office to meet the committee set up to investigate what had happened after having a nice meal.
Mia walked slowly as she approached the office of the vice chancellor. She was scared as to what was going to take place in his office. "What if I am expelled from here", she thought as she slowly opened the door to the office.
"Please take a sit", Mr. Jefferson welcomed her with smile. She could sense he was furious beneath that smile. He had every right to be angry. Her friends and herself had gone contrary to his orders just a day after they had been warned not to. She wondered where the other members of the committee were. Mr. Jefferson said earlier on that he was to meet the committee but here she was sitting in front of just one person.
Just then, Miss Elsa entered still shedding tears. Her eyes looked sullen from all the crying. She had shed tears since she heard the news of her daughters presumed death back in Grotlik.
She had decided with Mr. Jefferson to take her back with her. She couldn't bear to lose her again. What if she did something worse after she left. She had seen enough to leave her to herself ever again.
"Mia Portman, I am sorry but your mother, Miss Elsa here thinks it's not safe here for you to stay. She wants you to quit here for your own safety", Mr. Jefferson said. Miss Elsa couldn't bear the pain of telling her daughter herself. She didn't want to crash her dreams. It was such a difficult decision for her to make. But there was no other option.
Mia went on her knees and begged her mother to let her stay. She promised never to break any other rule while staying in the school. She begged Mr. Jefferson to plead on her behalf to convince her mother. "No. I will stay. I am fine, I can handle it here.", she burst out and cried out loud.
Miss Elsa had promised herself to do everything to make her dream a reality. She wasn't about to fail that promise. She was the same person that sold her ornaments to get her here. "I should as well let her finish if that's what she want", she thought. Miss Elsa is what you would call a caring mother. Though she was poor, she could do just anything to make her only daughter, her 'princess' happy.
Mr. Jefferson asked Mia to go back to her hostel as he had a word with her mother. After a couple of minutes, Miss Elsa returned to her hostel to bid her farewell after a word of caution.
Mia received a notice from the administration, she was to pack her things; Mia had being moved into a different room. Daniella had taken the fall for her. She had already told the committee that she forced her into following them in there.
Her new room was closer to the security post. Mr. Jefferson had sworn to protect Miss Elsa's only 'jewel' remaining on earth. He sworn to not let her out of his sight for a second.
After supper, Mia went to bed. She felt restless, all she could think of was the memories she had with Elijah during her time in the forest. She missed him so much. Suddenly could feel something suffocating her. She could breathe nor shout. It was as if someone was crushing her lungs within her.
She feel unconscious and had the most gruesome dream she ever remember having in her life. It felt like her soul had left her body and was wondering somewhere far beyond the bounds of human reach.
She saw herself in the midst of some creatures, they looked like what Elijah had described to her. However, no matter how hard she tried she could not see their faces.
When she woke up it was already morning. She took her bath and dressed in a fine gown ready to go back to her normal life in the school. She took out the necklace Elijah had given her and stood in front of the mirror trying to put it on as she had taken it off when she got to the school.
She noticed something had changed. She wasn't like she used to be some days ago; she looked a little pale than before. Mia wondered what could have caused that. "I bet no one will notice that.", she said to herself as she tried to convince herself from the obvious before heading out for her first class.