The Other World | Stardew Valley meets Papers, Please

Chapter Eleven ½: Seeking Absolution

That night, while Jessie was asleep in bed, he got another strange dream. He was floating through the void once more, only this time the darkness felt familiar. Welcoming, almost. The man that appeared to him before was there, his grandpa.

"Grandpa?" Jessie says, somberly, "What happens now?" His grandpa smiles, transforming into the elderly gentleman that Jessie knew in life before slowly shuffling over beside him. "Come on," he says, "Let's walk."

They begin to walk in a seemingly random direction, "Where are we going?" Jessie asks. "Nowhere in particular," his grandpa responds, "It's just nice to walk while we talk. Kind of like we're at the park on a sunny evening"

As he says this, the void transforms into a vague depiction of the park in the northern section of Pelican Town. Jessie sighs with relief. "What is going to happen to Mayor Lewis?" Jessie asks, looking over at his grandpa again.

"Do not worry, child. He is safe now," his grandpa responds. As he says this, Lewis appears alongside the both of them. Jessie begins to tear up, "Are you dead, Lewis?" Lewis begins to smile as he always used to, his bushy mustache curling up his cheeks, "No, my boy. Far from it. I am free now."

"Were you in pain?" Jessie says, looking down at the vague representation of the earthy floor. Lewis shakes his head, "It doesn't matter now, Jess. I am here now, and I am happy now." Jessie sniffles and wipes the tears from his eyes.

"Michael, my friend," Lewis says to Jessie's grandpa, "It has been quite some time since we last spoke. Eternity is going to be quite the adventure." Michael nods, "Yes, Lewis, I can assure you that it will be splendid causing a ruckus as we did in our youth. I cannot wait." The two chuckle to themselves.

"Grandpa? Lewis?" Jessie asks, and they both turn to look at him, "What is going to happen to Pelican Town now? What are we going to do about Sergiu and the other agents?" The two elderly gentlemen look at each other and then back to Jessie. Michael sighs, "Do not ask me, son. I do not know the answers to this problem. You will have to figure this one out yourself."

Lewis nods, "My will is in my old bedroom in the manor, tucked under the mattress. I wish for you to look at it when you wake up tomorrow. Everything you need to help you will be in there." Jessie nods, "Okay."

"Not so fast, son," Michael says, "You've got someone else who wants to speak with you." He points behind him. Jessie raises an eyebrow and turns around, seeing nobody there. "Grandpa, who are you talking about?"

When he turns back around, Lewis and his grandpa are gone, and instead Haley is standing there. Immediately he begins to choke up, and tears fill his eyes. "H-Haley?"

She smiles, "Yes, Jessie. It's me. I'm here." He begins to cry, dropping to his knees. "Haley I'm so sorry... I am so sorry I wasn't there to protect you." He begins to punch the ground, lashing out at the world for what it took from him.

"Shh..." Haley says, kneeling down and gently placing her hands on his face. His emotions begin to stabilize and warmth begins to rush over him. "It's not your fault, Jess. It was never your fault. There was nothing different you could have done. But it's okay now. I'm free, like a little bird flying south for the winter. I'm soaring, and I'm happy... I'm waiting for you, Jessie."

"I... I don't know what to do Haley. I feel like the entire world is going to crash down onto me and everyone I know is going to either get hurt or worse," he says, sobbing and sniffling. She sits down on the ground beside him and gently pulls him into her lap and starts slowly run her fingers through his hair. It feels so real, like she's right there with him. Could this possibly be more than a dream?

"Do not seek absolution, Jess," Haley says, still stroking his head. "What do you mean?" He asks. "Vengeance is only a temporary fix, but it won't fix anything," she says, "It's not going to bring anyone back." Jessie sits up, "Sergiu's actions are still costing innocent lives... He needs to be stopped."

She nods, "I know... But that's not why you want to see his judgement." He looks down at the ground again, "You're right, but... What happens next?" She sighs, "Ever since that day the Arstotzkans arrived in Pelican Town, the world had forever changed. It opened up a new chapter for everyone. Once you turn the page though, the words and the story on the page before it aren't going to be different. Even if you stop Sergiu and survive, you're only fixing the problem for a little bit. Someone else will come."

"She is telling the truth, you know," a somewhat familiar voice says from behind. Jessie jumps and spins his head around to see Georgy. He's still puffing on his iconic cigar. He walks forth and sits down beside them both, sandwiching Jessie between him and Haley.

Jessie's expression starts to go south, "What... What are you doing here?" Georgy takes the cigar out of his mouth and lets out a breath of the toxic air, "I came to visit you as well." Jessie raises his eyebrow and wipes his eyes again, "What exactly did you and Sergiu have planned for Stardew Valley?"

Georgy shakes his head and takes his circular eyeglasses off, neatly placing them in the inner pocket of his greatcoat which no longer bears the symbol of Arstotzka, "You do not understand, Jessie."

"What don't I understand, Georgy?" Jessie says, a little pestered. Georgy sighs, "We were only following orders, you see? Sergiu, Misha, and I were supposed to scout around the country and see what interesting points could be made for a reasonable occupation of resources. That was the plan at first anyways. But then Sergiu learned Malenkov, our Premier, or leader, was corrupted by terrorists, and he had him arrested. The plans changed from occupation to alliance as the original plans came from a terrorist. Gradually injecting our ideals into the country to make the alliance stronger and build a better bond. I never wanted for any of this to happen, you have to understand."

"Then why," Jessie says, a little calmer but his voice is pleading, "Why the hell is Sergiu being like this? Wouldn't he be violating orders?" Georgy sighs and puffs his cigar again, "Yes. He is. I do not truly understand why he is like this now. He was not always so cold and heartless. When I met him, I was a border inspector in East Grestin, and he was a soldier tasked to guard the border. We talked almost every day, and developed a great friendship."

A long pause ensues, "The power, I believe, got to his head." Georgy sighs again, "He used to be a good man. But he's gone off the deep end. He's not the Sergiu I remember." Silence ensues once more. Georgy stands up and tosses his cigar onto the ground, stamping it beneath his boot, "Well, kid," he says, "I suppose it's time I bid you farewell... Take good care of yourself. I have hopes that I'll see you again someday."

Jessie looks down and frowns, but when he looks up, Georgy has disappeared. Panicked, he turns to see Haley is still there. "It's okay, I'm not going anywhere. We've got all night, honey."

Jessie spends the rest of his night being close to Haley. He would occasionally ask her if she's still there just to verify he's still safe inside his dreams, and she'd answer him, but for the most time, the two lovers just admired and spent their time together in peace and tranquility.