With the departure of the students, Greenwood Academy seemed a dull and lifeless place. A few girls remained for several days, waiting for their parents to arrive from abroad or whatever but, after the excitement of the last few weeks, everything seemed flat. After a couple of days when they wound down, Adam's colleagues also departed, with the exception of Jacqueline who was going to visit friends in France but not for a week. Even Anne disappeared somewhere on a business trip.
Normally Adam looked forward to the summer holidays. Classrooms always became very fraught during the last couple of months of the school year what with exams, regrading, end-of-term activities, and so on, and he was always glad to relax and put his feet up for a while - to recharge his batteries.
This year had been different. He had found the school energising and stimulating right up to the end with none of the usual summertime blues. The sudden departure of the girls had left an empty hole. In part, he supposed, it was to do with Greenwood being a boarding school. In a day school, everyone scattered at bell time and reassembled the following morning whereas at a boarding school you were in the company of both students and colleagues all the time. However, he suspected, it was mainly because he had become accustomed to being surrounded by a bevy of sexy girls available to him whenever he wanted. He said as much to Jacqueline one evening.
"Are you still taking Helen's tonic?" she asked.
"Yes," he said in surprise.
"You'd better stop, then, or you'll be round the twist before school starts again."
"How come?"
"Didn't you know? Helen's potions have magic ingredients that perk up the libido."
"I didn't know that. I thought it was just a sort of 'pick-me-up'."
She chuckled. "Oh it's that all right. Picks you right up."
"I'd better stop taking it then."
"In the meantime, we could make use of it," she suggested rather coyly.
They retired to her apartment and spent the night fucking. Although they eventually drifted off feeling well satisfied it was a feeling of relaxed and intimate friendship rather than the heart-pounding, ball draining affairs he'd experienced lately.
And so the days drifted by in lethargic inactivity. Jacqueline left for France and he was completely at a loose end. Even old George was absent, having gone to visit his sister in Bournemouth.
Anne returned from her trip late one evening. He saw her briefly and noticed that she looked tired and drawn. She did not invite him over, as he had hoped and expected.
She sought him out the next morning and called him to her office. She was abrupt and looked tense and worried. She sat behind her desk and, for a long while gazed silently out of the window, almost as if she had forgotten his presence.
Finally she turned to face him with a deep, melancholy sigh. "Adam, I'm afraid this is it. I'm going to have to close the school."
He bit back the obvious outcry of indignation. "What's happened?" he asked quietly.
"Our worst nightmares, I'm afraid. We've been found out."
"Like Gail Ashby?"
"Worse. Much worse. The police are involved. I have it on very good authority that we'll be raided - probably in the next two or three weeks."
"Oh, shit!" The blood drained from Adam's face as the impact of her words sank in. "Can't somebody do something… I mean, one of your contacts? Pull strings? Lean on someone?"
She shook her head. "No. They've tried. There's been a formal complaint made and it's official now. I don't know for certain but I'm fairly sure it was the young man who beat up Veronica at graduation. Anyway, it can't be stopped. My contacts are trying to delay things but three weeks is all the time they can buy."
"I knew that young man was a shit. So what do we do now?"
She smiled wanly. "Thank you, Adam."
"What for?" he was startled.
"You said 'we'."
"But of course. You don't think I'd desert you now?"
"You could, you know. Just pack your bags and go."
"The thought never even occurred." He was genuinely surprised. "I assumed we're in this together."
"You don't know how good it is to hear you say that. It takes a load off my mind."
"Anne, you took me in, showed me things I would never have dreamed of - made a man of me, I suppose. How could I just walk out? However, the question remains - what do we do now?"
She drew a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "We take care of things. I've always known this might happen and I have an emergency plan." She giggled a trifle hysterically. "In fact I've got a whole raft of them."
"I might have guessed," he grinned. "We'd better get cracking."
The first item on the agenda was to contact all the parents in the Inner Circle. Some had already heard the word and all were aghast. A number offered assistance which Anne firmly but politely refused.
"Best stay out of it," she advised. "Then, when the police come calling, you can be outraged parents and demand vengeance and retribution."
Some sounded relieved and some guilty about leaving her to face the rap alone and took a bit of persuading but, in the end, all agreed with the wisdom of her words. All, that is, except the Ashby's who wouldn't take no for an answer and insisted that she and Adam stay with them for a while. In the end Anne reluctantly agreed though Adam could sense relief in her voice.
They wrote to all the parents, telling them that there would be no next term. These were bundled up and sent to one of Anne's contacts. They would be despatched to parents if the worst came to the worst. Adam slaved over the word-processor, his limited typing skills stretched to the limits.
Next they tried to contact the staff with very limited success. Only Helen was available.
"I knew it would all end in tears," she said.
"You're in it as deeply as we are," replied Anne shortly.
"I know. I didn't mean it like it sounded. I'm terribly sorry, Anne."
"So am I. Will you be okay?"
"Yes. I've got my escape route planned."
"Good. We'll sort out your personal things. Is there anything else you want or would like destroyed?"
"It seems a shame to destroy so much work."
"I can leave it for the police to find…"
"Oh, God, no. They'd never understand." She gave Anne a list of instructions.
"Phew," remarked Anne when she had finished. "Helen has been a busy lady," and made some more phone calls.
Over the next few days, a number of unmarked vans arrived. The teachers' apartments were gutted and the contents taken away in the vans. Anne asked Adam what he wanted done with his stuff. He hadn't acquired much of any value.
"Sell it," he said, "and donate the money to charity."
"I like it," Anne smiled. She sorted out some items of personal value and gave the same instructions for the rest.
Helen, it transpired, had quite a laboratory set up in one of the outbuildings. The entire contents were taken away for disposal.
Adam removed the hard disks from every computer in the building and ceremonially smashed them with a large hammer. The pieces were placed in large refuse bag and taken to the local dump. Anne, in the meantime, collected all the bondage items that were moveable; whips, canes, paddles, handcuffs, shackles, ropes. These were boxed for removal. More discreet workmen arrived and removed the fittings from the training rooms. They decided they could do nothing with the Club Room. Hand in hand they stood in the middle of the floor, the memories flooding back.
"I'm very sorry to leave this," Anne sighed. "I'm very proud of it."
"And so you should be. It's this room, more than anything, that showed me what I was and what I could be," said Adam reflectively. "I shall never forget it as long as I live."
They stood silently for a while, each caught up in their individual memories, then locked the door for the last time.
Anne held up the key. "What shall we do with this?" she asked.
"Plate it with gold and wear it round your neck."
"It's a bit heavy for that," Anne laughed. "No, I think we'll throw it in the pool. That's deep enough that it'll stay lost a long time."
Finally, they scoured every room in the school. They opened every cupboard, every drawer, every desk, looked in every book, every jotter, every folder looking for anything at all that might suggest that Greenwood Academy was anything other than the perfectly respectable school it ostensibly purported to be. In a far corner of the grounds, they made a bonfire.
At last it was done. Everything that could be done had been. They stood and looked at each other and realised they were absolutely exhausted.
"Come on," said Anne. "Lets open a bottle of wine and get plastered."
Several bottles and several rounds of sex later, they lay in Anne's bed snuggled up in mutual satisfaction.
Anne said, "What are you going to do?"
"What, now?"
"No, I mean in the future. What are your plans? Where are you going?"
Adam sat bolt upright. "You know, I don't have the faintest idea. I've been so involved with saving the school that I never thought about after. I suppose I'll head north - perhaps I'll hide out in the glens of Scotland or something."
Anne laughed. It was the first sign of genuine humour she had shown since she returned with the fateful news. "Oh, Adam, you're not much of a planner, are you?"
"No," he said sheepishly. "I'm not, am I."
She sat up and hugged him tightly. "Perhaps that's why I love you so much."
"You do? I've loved you since the first time I met you but I knew you didn't feel the same."
"Well I do. I love you Adam Hazel."
"And I love you, Anne Henderson. When did you decide."
"This week - although I think I've really known it for a while but wouldn't admit it to myself."
"Go on," he grinned. "Tell me about this Damascene conversion."
"It wasn't anything as dramatic as that. I was sitting in the office and it occurred to me that we were nearly finished. Very soon we would leave here and I wouldn't ever see you again. And," she smiled sheepishly, "I cried because I didn't want that to happen. I didn't want to never see you again. You had become part of my life. And I was forced to admit to myself that I loved you."
He hugged her tightly. "Better late than never, I suppose. At least I'll know that you did love me. That I'll treasure for ever." He paused. "You could always come with me and become a wandering tinker. We could buy a gypsy caravan and wander the countryside together."
She laughed. "I don't think I'm the gypsy type. No, I've got a better idea. Why don't you come with me?"
He looked at her long and carefully, drinking in the blonde hair and blue eyes abrim with love. "I would like that more than anything in the world," he said slowly.
"You don't know where I'm going."
"I don't care. Just to be with you is enough."
"You're an incurable romantic, Adam Hazel."
"Only as far as you're concerned."
"Well, as it happens, I'm going to South Africa."
"Oh? Why there?"
"It's a big country, they speak English and we won't be asked questions."
"Sounds good enough to me."
"You're sure you want to come?" She searched his eyes anxiously.
"I'm positive. I've got no ties here and I'd rather be with you. South Africa is fine with me."
"This may sound silly but I'm glad. For years I've fended for myself, knowing that one false step could mean prison or worse. I've had to be self-reliant, depending on no-one. But, somehow, knowing you're here with me makes it all easier to bear."
He gathered her in his arms and they made slow, sweet gentle love the rest of the night.
They were having tea in Anne's apartment when they were startled by a knock on the door. Anne visibly blanched and Adam could feel his heart race. They exchanged apprehensive glances.
"Who could it be?" said Anne.
"I don't know but there's only one way to find out."
He rose slowly to his feet as the knocking began again.
He opened the door cautiously and Felicia fell into in his arms. "I heard the news. I've been so worried. Are you all right? I couldn't sleep just thinking about it. What a terrible thing to happen. Who did it? Oh, the thought of losing the school. You must be heartbroken. What are you going to do?" She babbled.
He gently disengaged her and held her at arms length. "Felicia! What are you doing here?"
"I heard about… about… I just had to come. I was so worried. I kept imagining… oh, all sorts of horrible things. I was worried the police might have… Oh, Adam."
She fell back into his arms sobbing. He tenderly stroked her blonde hair.
"You'd better come in."
He led her into the apartment and sat her down on the sofa. She clung to him. "Don't go," she cried. "I've been so worried."
He looked at Anne who shrugged as if to say, "It's your problem."
He held her gently for a while, stroking her hair and making small, soothing noises. Eventually she calmed down and he suggested they take a walk and talk. They strolled in the afternoon sunshine. Felicia held Adam tightly. It felt good having her in his arms and, now she was back, he realised how much he loved her. How he could equally love both Anne and Felicia was a mystery to him. They seemed to complement two different sides of his character. 'If only,' he thought, 'this was a different time and a different place.' He sighed and Felicia looked up, smiling.
"Why the sigh?"
He smiled down at her. To her it was simple - she was back with her man and everything would be fine.
"You realise I'm going away? With Anne?" he said.
She nodded. "Of course. You can't stay here."
"We're going abroad."
"Yes. That would make sense."
"We're leaving soon."
"Good."
He sighed again. Her reaction was not what he expected. He didn't seem to be getting through to her. He stopped and turned to face her.
"Felicia, I don't think you understand. Anne and I are fleeing the country. We won't be back. I'll never see you again."
"Yes you will. I'm coming with you."
He stared at her open-mouthed. "What?"
"You heard. I'm coming with you."
"You don't know where I'm going."
"It doesn't matter. We'll be together."
"But…" he stopped then laughed, a great shout of laughter in recognition of the absurdity of it all.
"What's so funny?"
"It's just that… only a few days ago I said the same thing to Anne."
"What thing?"
"She said she was going away and I said I was going with her."
She beamed. "Then it's all settled. When do we leave?"
He sobered quickly. "Felicia, you can't come with us."
Her face fell. "Why not?"
"Because… because we're criminals. Because we're on the run. Because you're too young. Because nobody'll miss Anne and I but you've got a family, friends. Your whole life lies ahead of you."
She was close to tears. "I don't care about my family and friends and my wonderful life. I love you and it all means nothing if I can't be with you. What you really mean is you don't love me."
She pulled away from him. He caught her arm and whirled her round to face him.
"Felicia, it's not like that. I love you, too. And it's because I love you that you can't come with me. I can't ask a seventeen-year-old girl to spend her life on the run with a pair of wanted criminals."
"But what if I want to spend my life with a pair of wanted criminals? What if I loved these criminals more than anything in the world? Doesn't that count for anything? Anyway, I'm not seventeen."
Her questions struck him like blows but her final statement left him completely flabbergasted.
"What do you mean 'not seventeen'?"
She smiled smugly. "My birthday was two weeks ago. I'm eighteen, now, and an adult. I can do what I please."
He was, for once, completely lost for words. "You're what?"
"I'm eighteen and an adult and I can do what I want. And what I want is to be with the two people I love most in the world."
"Well… we'd better talk to Anne."
They went back to the apartment, Felicia almost skipping. To her the matter was now settled.
For some reason Anne did not seem surprised. "I take it you approve?" she asked Adam.
"I don't know if 'approve' is the right word. But, here in this room are the two people I love most in this world and I would be sad to give up either one."
"Then go and do something useful for a few hours. Felicia and I need to talk."
He went and did nothing much for two hours, too agitated to concentrate. When he returned, he found them in Anne's bed. Felicia had her face buried between Anne's thighs and, from the colour of her bottom, it was clear they had had an enjoyable time.
He cleared his throat. "Can I take it everything's settled?"
For answer, Felicia raised her head and gave him a sticky smile. Anne held out her arms. He ripped off his clothes and slid into their welcoming arms.
"Master," whispered Felicia much later as he pounded into her, "I'm yours now and forever."
The next few days were a whirl of activity as they made their arrangements to leave Greenwood forever. Early one morning Felicia and Adam took their cars and drove to her house. There they abandoned hers in a nearby wood. Felicia was almost in tears.
"I only had it three weeks," she said. "It was my eighteenth birthday present from Daddy."
"Having second thoughts, my love?" he asked gently.
"You don't get rid of me that easily, Adam Hazel," she retorted fiercely.
They met up with Anne in the city after Adam had left his car in a quiet side street. It was a quiet drive back to the school. The reality of their situation was really beginning to dawn on them. They were committed. They were about to leave the country they had been born and raised in and start afresh in an unknown land. Adam was, at once, both exhilarated and petrified.
When the moment came, they found themselves reluctant to leave. Anne and Adam both found reasons to have "just another look around". Although she had planned for such a situation, Anne had invested so much of herself in the school that she was having great difficulty in actually making the break. In the end, Felicia had to practically drag her to the car.
They paused just outside the gates and looked back. Adam was reminded of the day he arrived and stopped in exactly the same spot. The old, ivy-covered main building glowed warm and welcoming in the mid-day sun. The mullioned windows, behind which so much had happened, gave away no secrets to a curious world. The wood pigeons billed and cooed as they had that first day. They were too involved with each other to notice the sad farewell. The raucous rooks were absent, going about their rookish business in fields far away and so did not witness the fugitives' final departure.
"They were good times," said Anne with a sigh, putting the car in gear.
"Yes," agreed Adam. "But there will be many more of them."
~~~~ The End ~~~~
Proofread by Beej