Chapter Text
By seven in the morning, Helena had come to the conclusion that she hadn't ever really left home. She was permitted trips to the Lumon offices, an occasional board meeting or banquet, and on the ever so rare occasion her father deemed her worthy, the Eagan family library. Yet after four hours driving down a road leading god knows where, the reality of her sheltered life had set in. Everywhere she went was owned by her father. She had always known it, to a certain extent. But everything she experienced was a direct continuation of the life she had been taught. The prim and proper life she had been taught. Helena hadn't ever been allowed to leave the grounds without at least one of the family security guards, and every outing had to be approved (though there were many ways around that). But she was an adult, and she was tired of being treated as if she wasn't.
So she left. Gathered the few things she loved, swiped the only photo of her mother off the mantle, and of course her father's wallet. Helena technically hadn't ever driven, but after a couple hours on deserted highways she was pretty confident in her abilities. By the time the sun was almost risen, she had developed a short to-do list. Her left thigh still ached from the previous day's "correctional" session and the gauze was nearly bled through, so first was finding somewhere to clean up the wound and redress it. That was about as far as she got.
The car hummed quietly as it went over the road and within 15 minutes it became one in a sea of commenters. Thankfully the newer models of Lumon Electric were partially self-driving. A quick look at the navigator and Helena determined the crowds must be students and faculty coming into Ganz for the local college. After a moment of consideration, she followed the crowds in their right turns off the highway. Surely there was a hospital that could help. Helena was aware that she was slightly older than the average college student but having been on a diet her whole life maybe she could pass as a senior. Maybe she could pass as a senior who had forgotten their ID but desperately needed some medical assistance.
Jame Eagan had always insisted on keeping the world in the dark when it came to the Eagan family. Helena had attended board meetings as a bystander in the back of the room. The banquets she observed from quiet, contained, corners. As far she was concerned no one knew that Jame even had an heir, let alone what she looked like. She laughed to herself, a small and soft little chuckle. Her father had wanted to keep her a secret, one only to be revealed once he had passed. Now, Lumon would have no one to take over. No properly trained little girl ready to step into dear old dad's footsteps. As Ganz slowly came into view, Helena's stomach rumbled. Maybe some breakfast, after a visit to the college health center. Parking the vehicle proved to be the most challenging part of driving. She gathered up her bag of belongings and stuck it beneath the passenger seat, careful to take out some cash and her purse. After she reapplied the touch of mascara and lipstick she had hastily put on before leaving, she took a step outside. Truly, Helena Eagan's first step of freedom.
Ganz was worn down. The buildings of each college hall were weathered and had various vines growing at the base. The wooded accents could use an update and the bricks that made up most of the exterior walls were a little crumbly. Students of various ages, ethnicities, genders, and races walked in and out of the building in front of Helena labeled "Student Center". She had never seen so much diversity. Occasionally the board meetings would have one member that wasn't as stark white as the Eagans. Sometimes she would see a wife or two at the banquets be a little more tan than the rest. But here, at this old withered building so many others would refer to as a prison in itself, Helena free.
"Dude you totally ghosted us this weekend"
Her head whipped around at the sound of someone speaking. Three men were walking in tandem towards one of the buildings off to the side.
"Dylan I never said I would go. You know I hate that place."
"Irv tell him he needs-"
The men had been walking away from her, and that was about all she caught before it turned to muffles. A glance up would inform her just how much her family actually seemed to own. The men had walked into a building labeled the "Kier Conservatory". Gooseflesh ran its way over Helena's body and as it rippled over her legs, the wound began to ache more. Promptly forgetting the trio, she headed in the opposite direction towards the student center.
It was sleek inside but lacked that horrid sterile feeling home had always brought. White walls and floors were accented well with pops of blue. A welcome desk was tended by various students Helena guessed were around her age. She approached a girl whose nametag read Natalie.
"Goodmorning! How can I assist you today" Natalie spoke in an almost unnatural way. Her smile was a bit too bright for being so early.
"Hi" Helena started cautiously. "I need to know where the campus hospital is?"
"Campus hospital?" Natalie's head cocked to the side in confusion "Do you mean the student health center? they can only do minor assistance, if you need the hospital the-" Natalie had begun to type into a computer, which caused Helena a bought of anxiety.
"No! no, the health center is perfect. Where is that exactly?" Helena gritted out. It wasn't the most convincing display that she was okay, but if Natalie doubted it she certainly didn't question it.
"Okay... Well-" Natalie pulled out a paper map of campus alongside a pen and began drawing arrows "-We're here in the student center. Health center is right around this hallway, down those stairs, and on the left!" The eerie smile was back as she handed over the map. "Anything else?"
"No, thank you" and before Helena could hear a response, she was limping down the hallway.
The walk from the car to the welcome desk hadn't been that bad, but going down a flight of stairs had been torture. After begging with the desk attendant to let her in despite not having an ID, the campus nurse had looked at Helena with concern and empathy, urging her that if a boyfriend ("or girlfriend" the nurse had quickly added) was abusing her, the campus had resources. But it wasn't abuse, she thought to herself. The homeschooling had taught of abuse a bit. That was when someone hurt you for no reason. Correctional sessions hurt a bit, but they weren't for no reason. They were a punishment. She brushed the nurse off, asking her kindly to just help get some new gauze and to clean the cuts. Hesitantly, she complied. Twenty minutes later Helena was sent on her way with a fresh bandage, a couple pain killers, and a pamphlet on domestic violence. Her rumbling stomach dictated that food was next. There must be food somewhere on campus, she thought, but the idea of having to go talk to chipper Natalie at that help desk was enough to convince Helena to wander instead.
A step outside proved how nice it was. They were right at the tail end of summer, and a slow breeze was proving autumn had arrived. Helena meandered towards the center of green, grassy area with a fountain in the middle. College students surrounded the trees, all with drawing pads and charcoal in hand. One student's pad displayed an amazing recreation of the fountain in front of her, while another's showed a side profile of a different student. An older gentleman in the middle was lecturing about feeling the energy mother nature outputs. As she ventured farther from the Student Center, his lecture became clearer.
"Cmon kids were coming out of summer! Mother nature has shown herself to us. Just like she is never cruel to you and I, we must not be cruel back. Make art out of her creations! Bask in the beauty of leaves falling and consider what the beauty implies about death!"
Mother nature, what an idea. Jame had always made sure her schooling was Eagan based. Praise was given to Kier, not some abstract ideal of nature. But it was also reassuring, in a way. Helena's ideas were paused when the distinct sound of a Lumon walkie beeped. Helena knew those walkies. They were the walkies every single security detail had carried her whole life. That beep haunted her nightmares. Truly, she acknowledged, it was silly to think that no one would follow her. Maybe the car had a tracker, maybe the wallet. Both had been abandoned in the parking lot anyways. Yet out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that familiar raindrop logo on phone from yards away. She knew running would grab attention, attention she didn't want. Stomach rumblings long forgotten, She pivoted and walked the couple paces to the closets building.
The Kier Conservatory. The irony of hiding from her father in a building named after Kier wasn't lost on her. The inside of the building hadn't been updated in a while, smelling a bit musty. There was a bulletin board with the history professors, one of which was the man she had seen earlier. Helena didn't know how much time she had and frankly didn't want to find out. Instead, she took the very first door on the left. She was quick to close it behind her, finally daring to take deep breaths and let the anxiety start to seep out.
"Can I help you?"
Fuck. She hadn't looked at the door, really. Not before darting in. As she turned, Helena realized the gravity of that error. The room she had stumbled into had at least a few dozen students and a tall brown-haired man standing in front of a white board with the words "World War One propaganda" across it. Helena froze for a second, recognizing the man from both the hallway bulletin and outside the student center.
"I'm sorry, I think I got lost..." her face flushed red. The man's eyes softened a bit. If eyes could be kind, his were.
"Oh! don't worry. we've only started a little bit ago. Now are you-" He picked up an attendance sheet and flipped through the names "- Carmen C, or Helly R?" Helly. Jame didn't believe in nicknames. He had named her Helena; she would be called Helena. But Helly; That felt like her. A little unique, a little carefree, and most importantly, not an Eagan. She didn't know who Helly R actually was, but praise Kier it was her now.
"Helly. My name is Helly." The man's eyes lit up despite Helly being a bit shy and cautious in speaking.
"Well, Helly, welcome. Take a seat anywhere" He went back to writing on the board. Sitting in the back seemed unappealing; a lot easier to get grabbed from way up here. No, instead she worked her way to the front, cautiously selecting a seat in the 2nd row by herself. The professor continued through the rest of the hour, and thankfully no security detail showed up to whisk her away. Hearing his opinions and listening to his teach was an experience Helly hadn't ever had. For once, the teachings weren't Eagan or Lumon based. It was just, what happened. As the man finished up his lecture, students began to pack up and filter out. Helly stayed put until it was just her and the man left.
"I hope i didn't bore you too much" Helly looked up at him, and realized she needed to find somewhere else to hide.
"Oh, no not at all. I'm sorry I-" Helena would've said barged in. Helena didn't belong in a college classroom. Helena was born to be above all of this. But Helly, she decided, was late. Helly was simply late. "I'm sorry I was late, Mr..." Helly was also the type to not know her college professors, evidently.
"Mark Scout, but please just call me Mark. I already feel old enough" Mark reached out his hand toward her. Helena would've politely declined, having been trained not to make contact with anyone outside the family. Helly was going to be careless and touchy. Helly accepted the handshake and gave Mark the truest smile she ever remembers having. Only vaguely did either of them feel the tingles that ignited when they touched.