The Runaway: A Stardew Valley Story

Worse than Nightmares

I only own one outfit, so I carefully tried to wash it thoroughly before bed last night to dry while I was asleep. This is why I wake up covered in sweat with only my underwear to protect me from the night air. My breath is ragged, and my muscles are taught with fatigue as if I actually tried to fight off the nightmare from the outside in. A new wave of nausea creeps in, and I run to the bathroom hoping to expel images of my ex with last night's dinner.

With each retch, I'm only reminded of how his hands felt around my neck. Even in the dream, I swear I could smell the reek of alcohol and someone else's perfume. His hands were on me. His hands are still on me.

In my hair.

On my waist.

Under my thighs.

I flush the toilet and collapse in a heap of tears. That voice still rings in my head. "Thief! You can't take what's rightfully mine, Joy. I own you. I own you!" Unable to surmount the fear of falling back asleep, I turn the shower faucet to max and sit underneath the spray. Then, I scrub, and I scrub hoping to wash the memory of him from my skin. The water turns cold eventually, and night sky beyond the window lightens before I give up.

When the plants are watered once more, I have nothing left to do but roam the town. Just as I walk past the door of the clinic, I remember that Dr. Harvey said I would have a prescription ready by now. Backtracking, I make my way into the clinic.

A bell chimes as I enter, and Maru glances up from an official-looking document on the desk. She jumps to her feet and smooths a nurse's uniform. "Junox, how are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm fine," I assure her feeling my cheeks flare with embarrassment. "Sorry for the scare."

"I'm just glad that you're okay." Maru smiles. "How can I help you?"

"Um, Dr. Harvey said there should be a prescription waiting for me? And I need to make a follow-up appointment."

"Right!" Maru snaps her fingers and moves to check a nearby cabinet. "What day works best for you? Dr. Harvey has a pretty open schedule."

"Um, just any afternoon?"

"Thursday at two?" Maru returns with a paper bag stapled with a prescription card on the front.

"Thursday at two will be great."

A big desk calendar sits in front of Maru. She writes my name and the appointment time on the appropriate block before turning her attention back to me. "The prescription will be 100G, and there will be a 200G sitting fee when you come in for the follow-up."

I swallow without thinking. Even after my best budgeting, I'm down to only 245G. That means I need to find a way to pay for the ultrasound by next week. Is that something I can skip? Probably not.

Smiling I pull the money from my backpack and hand 100G to Maru. "That will be fine." Despite my best efforts, the words sound clipped and too high-pitched.

As I leave the clinic, stuffing the vitamins in my backpack as I go, my thoughts race back to what Maria... Marin? Marry? Oh, whatever the cat lady had said about foraging. She claimed the woods to the south may hold some way to make extra money, but how would I possibly know what to gather?

Lost in thought, I brush past a broad shoulder and my knees sink into the cobblestones.

"Hey, watch where you're going."

I look up to find a tall young mall wielding a gridball in both hands. His brown hair is styled like a movie star, and his clothes scream athlete. This is the guy from the library yesterday. I remember the comment about gridball.

"Aren't you going to help her up?"

Small footsteps grow closer that compliment the delicate voice that called out. I'm already in the process of dusting off my knees when a pale hand extends itself to me. The girl who pulls me up has fiery red hair and big blue eyes. She gives the guy behind me an encouraging raise of the eyebrows, and he mumbles something like an apology before turning off in a huff.

"Alex isn't so bad once he gets to know you." The girl offers a lace embroidered handkerchief. When I try to refuse something so beautiful for the cuts on my knees, she says, "I have more. Take it."

"Thank you," but it doesn't feel like enough.

My savior shrugs with a smile. "Don't mention it." She starts to turn away.

"Wait!" When she pauses, I realize that I probably shouldn't have yelled so loudly. "Um, my name's Junox. What's yours?"

Blue flashes as her eyes meet mine. "Penny." Then, I'm alone with the scrapes on my knees and a beautiful handkerchief.

Even though I should be saving money, I buy fresh bread from Gus for lunch and head to the beach after cleaning myself up in the bathroom. The docks creak with the weight of the waves, and salt fills the air. This is the first chance I have to really examine Elliot's cabin. The word shack might better describe the structure with its old boards and lone window facing the horizon. I think my cottage has more square footage even if you forget to include the bathroom.

Elliot. I think he's the closest thing to being considered a friend in this place. Would a friend just pop over to say hello? Is that something people appreciate? I don't have anything to offer him for my surprise visit save for some lame story about one of his research subjects tripping me flat on my face. What possessed me to come all the way down here, anyways?

There's plenty of time before my meeting with Sam at four, so I take a deep breath and muster as much courage as I can. I stalk across the sand feeling like an ostrich as my legs hike over dunes and shifting ground. Just as I arrive at the front door and ready my hand to knock, I catch a glimpse of something — no, someone — in the window. The figure of a woman laughing and lazily twirling a glass of wine makes me freeze. Something in my chest catches like a shirt stuck on the doorknob.

I turn and run back for the town. Shame courses through me, and I wait behind the library for time to head back to the saloon.