Chapter 2: : Chapter 1

2 WEEKS EARLIER

“No. Absolutely not.”

She caught Lita in a foul mood. Her boss looks at her with disdain, as if the very idea of Ellie’s proposition is disgusting.

Regardless, Ellie presses on. “They’ve needed someone for a year,” she insists, meeting Lita’s scornful eyes. “They have the funding, and I’m more than qualified to do it.”

She’s proud of herself for not stumbling over more than qualified.

“No, you’re not,” Lita snaps, her dark eyes exasperated. “You’ve worked with children and students, Ellie. This is an entirely different scenario. I cannot, I will not sign off on this.”

Her attitude only frustrates Ellie. Her temper flares, but she forces her voice to stay even. “They will only have me working with Betas, Lita. And I’m not a psychologist—I won’t be doing any type of trauma work. I’m only going there to take notes, to listen—”

“It’s. Not. Safe.” Lita’s eyes narrow, and Ellie knows the woman won’t budge. Still, she takes in a deep breath and appeals one last time.

“I can do this,” she says quietly. “I know I can.”

The older woman shakes her head. “So can I. It doesn’t mean I have to,” Lita insists, sitting down at her desk. She sighs, her dark brown eyes weary. “They already called me, and I told them I won’t sign off on the hours. It would be pointless for you to go.”

Ellie remains silent, stunned at the betrayal.

“No one is ever ready for Green Woods,” she says softly, a hint of pity on her face. “The chip on your shoulder isn’t big enough for this project. Going there won’t resolve anything.”

Lita’s words catch her off guard and pull at something ugly in her chest.

The absolute nerve.

She’s not sure who she’s angrier at—Lita for calling her out, or herself for being so transparent.

“I’ve agreed to a month with them,” Ellie snaps, gathering her bag and standing up. “When I get back, after you see my notes, maybe you’ll accept the hours.”

Lita shakes her head. “I don’t doubt what you do with the prisoners will be phenomenal. I’m worried about you. It’s easy to become too emotionally involved or attached.”

She scoffs at her words, frustrated that Lita could suggest that she would be less than professional. “I leave in a few days. I’ll see you in a month.”

She hears her boss sigh as she shuts the door behind her.

* * *

Maybe she does have a chip on her shoulder.

Guilt gnaws at her as she replays Lita’s words in her head. She’s opened up to the woman after knowing her for years, and her mentor knows her well.

She shouldn’t have been so rude to Lita. She’ll apologize later.

But on the way to the isolated town of Green Woods, she lets the worries dissipate as she takes in the scenery.

She’s never seen so much greenery in her life. The trees surround her, blocking out most of the light. Her electric car had no problems in Los Angeles, but now she struggles to keep up with the twisting dirt roads and the worn-out signs. Her phone loses signal occasionally, but she navigates the directions without too much trouble.

Miles deep in dark green, she begins to wonder if the place even exists before she finally sees the worn sign, the white lettering barely visible.

Green Woods. Population: 100.

“Wow,” she breathes.

A building is nestled beyond a group of tall trees. Its concrete walls are dreary and industrial, nothing like the sprinkling of cabins nestled in the woods.

Green Woods Correctional Facility is a stark contrast to the surrounding nature.

Following the directions, she takes the lone road towards the cabin they’ve provided for her.

But as she pulls up to the dirt driveway, a chill runs down her spine.

There’s a small voice that tells her maybe she should turn back, and this was a mistake.

But the stronger voice, the voice that dictates her decisions, presses on.

And so, Ellie parks in front of the cabin and makes her plans for the evening.

* * *

The place is nothing like her apartment.

For one, there’s no roommate. She’s completely alone, with time to ruminate on her past.

There’s time to relive the memories of them and drown in a sea of sorrow.

She shuts down the dark thoughts and unpacks instead.

The living space is furnished with a simple dining table and four wooden chairs. A dark brown sofa sits on the opposite wall, its leather frayed and worn. The kitchen is tiny, with a simple stove and fridge and only a touch of cabinet space. Her bedroom is small with a comfortable bed and desk.

The entire structure is barely bigger than her apartment, but it’s charming.

She texts Lita to let her know she’s arrived safely, but the message takes thirty minutes to send, due to the poor reception.

Before bed, she opens her laptop and researches more about the facility. Since its opening one hundred years ago, it’s housed Alphas and Betas in different wards. Green Woods only takes inmates with crimes so heinous they could never be let back into society.

She shivers as she reads about some of the cases in the past, and Lita’s words play in her head.

The chip on your shoulder isn’t big enough for this project.

But she can do this. She knows she can.

It’s only for a month. Nothing can go wrong in that short of time.