1 Leaving the Woods

Camilia stared into the mirror at her brown eyes. She blinked, feeling the contacts slide as she did. This would take some getting used to. She grabbed a hairband, using it to push her black mane out of her face.

Camilia left the restroom, tip toeing past the others who lay together, snoring. She left her room, marveling at the quiet morning air. She grabbed the lunchbox on the counter glancing at the clock above their door; 6:00.

She was going to be late.

Camilia opened the front door, scanning her surroundings for signs of danger. It looked safe. She started to run in the direction of the school, she would make it to the edge of the forest in 25 minutes, the morning guard would come at 6:26. She'd have to run fast.

Camilia ran. Her footsteps light. The shadows slept around her, oblivious to her quick strides. The wind blew against her, drying her contacts. She'd wait to put them in next time.

Buildings rose above the trees, their metal plating glistening in the morning sun. Camilia glanced to her right, black clouds were forming, there would be an eruct today. Eructs were rare in this town, it was when the clouds let go of the water they held, falling down in sheets of water, they were known for being violent.

The trees began to thin. She was almost in human territory. she'd have to be careful leaving them, the guards would be close. Anyone seen leaving the woods would be subject to questioning. She would definitely be detained. Demon attacks were increasing so anyone leaving the woods could be possessed. Her kind wasn't welcome either, nothing but humans were expected here.

Camilia came to the edge of the forest, she glanced around, the guard hadn't passed yet. The road ahead of her was empty, no movement in sight. Camilia waited a second more, listening for any life. Nothing. She nodded and stepped out of the forest, running across the street, grinning as she saw her school come into sight.

A camera above her flashed.

"Sir! We have an escapee!"

A man looked up, his pen pausing as a soldier burst into his room. He put his pen down, an escapee, "Where?"

The soldier brought him a tablet, a girl grinning as she stepped out of the forest displayed, "This was five minutes ago." The soldier let the man take the tablet, stepping back to wait for his orders.

The man zoomed into the picture, the picture was clear, a rarity to be sure. Thankfully, they'd be able to identify the girl. Or the thing.

She was wearing a light tee shirt and jean shorts, there were no black tattoos on her revealed skin, that was a good sign. When one was possessed black tattoos would grow along their skin, more appearing as the demon gained strength. If this was a demon they could expel it from the girl's body. The man's eyes moved to her small backpack; it had an East Bridge college pin on it, along with a key chain of a dog or wolf.

"You have a tracker on her?" The man asked, memorizing her coiled black hair and confident stance, he had to be able to recognize her anywhere.

The soldier nodded, taking the tablet again, he pressed some buttons and placed it down again. There were three red dots, one in the fort, one in Bridge's prison, and the third moving towards East Bridge college.

"She's going to school?" The man muttered, wood prisoners rarely left their forest, he had never seen one head to a school. If they were discovered their freedom would be restricted even more, so it had to be something important. Those who lived in the forest weren't human, they were beasts at best. So what was one doing at a college? He bit his lip, they would have to figure that out. He stood up.

The soldier took the tablet, stepping back, "Colonel, should gather some troops?"

The Colonel shook his head, "This one's more strange. We'll watch her for now, I want to know what she's playing at." He looked at the soldier, "Do we have any spies we can spare?"

The man shook his head, "They're all infiltrating the possessed ring."

The Colonel nodded, "That's what I thought. Call Neil to my office"

The soldier faltered, "Sir?"

The Colonel smiled, "She's at a college. It needs to be someone who could blend in." He gestured to the soldier's buzz cut, "With all you newer recruits only Captain Moore or Neil could do it and Captain Moore's busy with the gremlin." The Colonel glanced around his desk, sighing as he picked up a blinking red ball, the gremlin had bugged him again. That meant they knew about the wood girl.

The soldier nodded, "I'll notify Captain Law."

"Thank you." The Colonel reordered his papers, turning the bug off and slipping it into his jacket pocket where it hit three just like it. The soldier saluted to him, then left, clicking more buttons on his tablet as he went.

Colonel waited, knowing the gremlin had told Neil he was wanted already. It shouldn't be long until he arrived. Knocking came from the door. The Colonel smiled, "Enter." He pulled a piece of paper from his drawer. He looked at it, it had been a while since he wrote a field request. A young man entered the room, wearing the blue jacket of a captain over the white uniform of soldiers.

Neil bowed, "You needed me sir?" He stood up, his hair in a short afro with a fade around his ears. Once a soldier became a Captain they could choose their hairstyle, so he would fit in well.

The Colonel nodded, handing him the paper, "I need you to watch an escapee." He sighed, "I know you've been briefed by the gremlin. So, will you take the mission?"

Neil stood up, "I will sir." He paused, unease growing in his face, "Captain Moore and the gremlin insist on coming."

The Colonel raised his eyebrow, Neil should know the gremlin only left the fort in absolute emergencies. She was housed here too, "You know that isn't possible." Gremlins were known for their clever wit, she would take any opportunity she could to escape or contact outsiders. They couldn't let her anywhere near electronics in fear of sabotage. That made her be matched to Captain Moore, the only soldier who didn't know the first thing about electronics. He still didn't know how she got so many bugs.

Neil sighed, "I know. They think I would be less suspicious if I had friends. The goal is to avoid suspicion." He stuck his hand into his pocket, pulling out a beeping bug, "If anyone could plant something on the escapee, she could." He bit his lip, "She may have found a way to enter us into East Bridge already. We have a tour with the escapee in an hour."

The Colonel groaned, "Let me guess, you can only get in if she's there."

Neil grinned, "Yep. I think we're stuck with her." The Colonel wished he was surprised. This was the perfect opportunity for the Gremlin to find some freedom.

The Colonel rubbed his eyes, "Of course we are. Curse her." He sighed, "Fine, Captain Moore and the Gremlin can go. Promise you'll watch her."

Neil straightened to salute, "Yes sir! Moore's on it sir." He turned and left the office, grinning as he put the bug back in his pocket. The Colonel smiled at the sight. Neil had been the right choice, if anyone could gain someone's trust it was him.