Part 12

                                    

                                          
Italics- Lydia's voices 
                          
Lydia 
                          
Oliver and Lydia entered the hideout where Felicity and Diggle were already in. 
                          
Lydia sat on the stool, her back was towards everyone. "What happened?" Felicity asked Oliver. "She knows where Walter is," Oliver said. "Where?" Diggle asked. "Felicity, search up Eichen House," Oliver instructed.
                          
Lydia immediately turned around and got up. She walked over to Felicity who was typing on the computer. "It's a mental health institution," Felicity read. "In Beacon Hills." 
                          
Oliver made eye contact with Lydia and she nodded. "Why that specific place?" Oliver asked. "There's an institution here," he added. "If he gets out, he would be questioned. When he starts talking about the book, they would think he's crazy," Lydia said. "It's also very secure," she added. "Guess we're taking a trip to Beacon Hills," Oliver announced.
                          
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Each one of them loaded a duffle bag into the trunk. They got in and the car headed out the city.
                          
Lydia was sitting quietly in the car playing with her hands. "We're gonna get him out safely," Oliver assured. "That's not what I'm worried about," she said. "Then what are you worried about?" He asked. She didn't answer him. 
                          
They were in the car for hours, driving pass multiple cities. They reached Beacon Hills by midday. 
                          
Lydia gave the driver instructions to where they should drop them off. The car pulled up in front of a large house. The four of them got out the car and took out their stuff. 
                          
"Welcome to my house," Lydia said, walking towards the front door. She opened it and allowed them to go inside. "Your like the Thea Queen of  Starling City," Felicity whispered to Lydia. 
                          
"We can stay her till we get Walter," she told them. "There are many rooms, pick one," she added. Diggle and Felicity went to choose their rooms.
                          
Oliver approached Lydia. "You were a patient at Eichen," Oliver said. Lydia looked straight ahead, not answering. "We're gonna need help," she told him. 
                          
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Oliver 
                          
It was late at night, Oliver couldn't sleep. He was laying in bed, staring at the ceiling. 
                          
His eyes began to close. Just as he was starting to sleep, he heard a thud. He got up. He grabbed knife from his bag and went for the door. Reaching for the handle, he opened it. Oliver looked down the hallway and saw the doors still closed.
                          
He heard the wooden floor creak from afar. Oliver slipped out the room and headed towards the stairs. He slowly went down, trying not to make any noise. 
                          
Oliver saw Lydia walk past the kitchen. He hid the knife he had in his hand and walked to her. "Lydia," he whispered. She didn't acknowledge his presence. Lydia was in her pajamas and a robe. She swayed, walking past him, heading towards the backyard. Oliver watched as she slid open the door. Oliver checked her feet and she had slippers on. 
                          
He took a coat from the rack and followed her outside. Lydia went behind the pool and to the gate. She bumped into it, then opened it. 
                          
Oliver followed her down the empty streets of Beacon Hills. Lydia kept walking and then she entered the woods. "Where are you going?" He whispered behind her but she continued to walk. 
                          
In the middle of  the woods, Oliver was behind Lydia. The leaves crunching underneath their feet, Lydia stopped. The trees had scattered leaving an opening in the center. 
                          
Oliver saw an old stump. Around it, there were burnt corpses. He watched Lydia climb the stump and lay down. There was complete silence before Lydia started to scream. Oliver covered his ears. Her scream was louder than usual. It was more of a signal. 
                          
After the scream, she stopped. Still laying there, she waited. From a distance, Oliver saw a figure. It began to ablaze when it got closer to the stump. Oliver saw a man on fire. The man continued to burn and climbed the stump. 
                          
Oliver took out his knife to get ready to attack. He stopped when he saw the man lend out a hand to Lydia. The fire died out when she took his hand. 
                          
She awoke from her daze when she felt the warmth of him. Oliver walked towards the stump. "Lydia," he called out. She turned her head to Oliver. "What's going on?" She asked, looking at Oliver. He pointed at the man who had her hand. "Jordan," she cried out, hugging him. 
                          
Oliver saw his eyes glow orange before they went back to it's original color. Jordan hugged her back. "You called out, Lydia," he told her. "What do you need?" He asked. "I'll explain tomorrow, just come by my house," Lydia said. 
                          
Oliver watched as Jordan ran off into the forest. "Are you okay?" He asked. "I'm fine," Lydia said, jumping off the stump. 
                          
Lydia led him out of the forest and onto the streets. They went back through the gate and into her house. 
                          
Lydia went upstairs and he followed. She entered her room and sat down on her bed. "What do you want, Oliver?" She asked as she saw his shadow near the door. He appeared at the door frame and leaned on it. "I just wanted to make sure," he said. "Ask the question," Lydia let out. "You have this look on your face."
                          
He entered her room. "Why would someone put bodies on a tree stump?" He asked. Lydia sighed. "The stump is the Nemeton and it's magical," Lydia explained. Oliver chuckled at her explanation, that she didn't find funny. "Oh, your serious," he said, getting quiet. "What about your friend?" He asked. "He puts the supernatural bodies there," she told him. Oliver looked at her confused then nodded his head.  
                          
Oliver started to leave, closing the door. "Yes, I was a patient at Eichen," she said. He turned around and sat next to her. "What did they do to you?" He asked. Lydia fell silent, looking at her hands, trying to figure out the words to explain it. She just shook her head, her eyes started to fill with water. "Not good," she finally said.  
                          
Oliver took her hand and she put her head on his shoulder. "Stay with me," Lydia said softly. "Okay," Oliver said. Lydia got up and went under the blanket. Oliver did the same and she turned off the lights. 
                          
They laid there silently. "Why do you kill people?" She asked, getting comfortable on her pillow. "They deserve it," he said. "Oliver, it's wrong," she told him. 
                          
There was another pause. Lydia turned on her back, her arms on the sides, looking at ceiling. "I was frozen," she started. Oliver drew his attention to her words. "I was cold. My hair was damp as the hole in my head oozed blood. Through my floating subconscious, I could see myself helpless body on the bed, in cell of Eichen House." Lydia said. 
                          
Her eyes started to slowly blink. Soon, she fell asleep. Oliver watched her quietly before he closed his eyes.