The Runaway: A Stardew Valley Story

Rain, Rain

Pizza takes up all of the cash in my backpack, but it means breakfast and lunch for tomorrow. If I can pace myself. I wince as I hand it to the waitress when I notice the smell of wild onion clinging to the paper bills. "Sorry about the smell."

The blue-haired waitress snorts. "Cash is cash. If we cared about how it smells going in the register, we would never make a business." She leans closer and whispers, "Willey and Marnie's are way worse than this."

I chuckle and reach for my box of pepperoni before remembering that I still don't know who Emily is. If I want to make 250G, I kinda need to deliver the firewood to the right person.

"Um," I start and wait to have the full attention of the waitress once more, "I'm still trying to learn everyone around here, and I was wondering if you knew where I could find someone named Emily?"

The waitress smiles and doubles over in laughter. "Right here!" She opens her hand in a gesture. "I'm Emily, sorry for not introducing myself."

I accept an offered hand. "Nice to meet you, Emily. I guess you already know my name?"

"Oh yes," Emily laughs. "Everyone knows about the mysterious Farmer Junox."

"Mysterious?"

Emily bats my question aside with a hand as if it were silly. "So what did you need me for, farmer?"

Trampling down my irritation at the dismissal, I say, "I saw your help wanted sign and as it happens, Sebastian just helped me cut down some trees. I was wondering if you would like to take some limbs off my hands?"

Emily's eyes alight. "Oh, yes that would be great! Just be sure that any limbs you bring are clean of all twigs and small branches. Clint saw my ad last spring and just brought over whatever sticks he could find. It got pretty messy."

There's a Clint here? Maybe I should have followed through on the whole meeting new people plan. It's been over a week and I didn't even know someone existed. How long is the grace period for learning people's names?

"No problem!" I say. "I'll see you tomorrow if that's okay?"

"Sounds great! If I'm not here, you can swing it by the house on Willow Lane with a sun outside."

The stars are out when I step into the town square. My stomach groans as the greasy pizza turns ugly. I make it to a nearby trash can before emptying my insides. That just puts me back at square one I suppose.

"It's a good thing I've already checked that one," a voice chuckles from the shadows of the saloon.

"Who's there?" I shout.

No reply comes, but a streak of yellow fur glints in the moonlight. It darts across the cobblestone street and into the safety of a dark shadow. I can tell from the crunch of grass that the thing is still running even in the black of night.

"I have to get home," I whisper and clutch my forehead, "like, now."

Breaking into my own brisk walk I head home. Bursting through the wooden gate of Lakewood, I breathe a sigh even though it's even darker than the streets of town. I find comfort in the familiarity of my farm. The long shadows make sense here like the stack of lumber, or the clumps of dirt called my garden, or the jagged roof.

The steps of the cottage groan under my weight, but I tell myself it is just the old house greeting me. When I insert the key, there is no familiar click. Had I really forgotten to lock it behind me today? Oh Yabba, I was in such a hurry! My pulse quickens, and I lunge for the axe resting near the wood pile. It glints in the moonlight as I raise it overhead and open the door.

Something moves in the shadows. A gentle thud sounds from across the room. Something is coming towards me.

"Stay back!" I shriek. My mind is plagued by thoughts of wolves and wild men. I close my eyes as if this will shield me as I switch on the main light.

"Meow."

"Dottie? Where the hell have you been? You scared the shit out of me!"

To answer for her crimes of giving me a heart attack and disappearing all the time, the orange cat proceeds to begin purring and rubbing one cheek and then the other on my shoe. It makes me think she knows how cute she really is. In a human that doesn't always make for a good attitude, but I pick up the kitten and decide that it's acceptable in a cat.

"You and I are going straight to bed, young lady," I tell my cat, "and I will be locking the door."

Nestled under the warm blankets Robin gave me, Dottie falls straight to sleep. I toss and turn. The bed squeaks under my aching joints from a long day's work. My ears detect even the faintest rustle of leaves or groans from the roof. When sleep does take me, I am dragged kicking and screaming.

The bed beneath me turns into a river. Black water surrounds me. My hands reach up for the air above me, but it's too far away. I am sinking. I am drowning in a cold and dark emptiness. My lungs are somehow on fire even though there is so much water. It's everywhere. From far away someone says my name, but that voice is not a savior. His voice is like a hammer on solid glass. It leaves shards in my ears, and I know there would be blood if not for all the water.

Maybe the water is my savior.

Maybe drowning isn't so bad?

Crack!

I bolt upright. The sudden movement scares Dottie off the bed. She runs for safety, concealed beneath the little wooden table and chair. Rain assaults the window above me, and lightning illuminates the dingy room. A heartbeat later another crack of thunder splinters the air. My chest heaves as I try to breathe enough oxygen to scrub the dream from my lungs.

What time is it? I wonder as I peer into the storm beyond my window. There is light in the world beyond but no sun. Grey clouds blanket the sky without a hint of blue to be seen.

I would have loved today if I were back in the city. I would have sat by the window and watched the water slide down the glass like little rivers. The rest of the world would have been just as cooped up as I was.

Everyone would stay inside. Just like me.

Shoving my feet into my sneakers, I stomp the memory from my thoughts. Today will just have to be the first day that I go out in the rain then. No, that's not entirely true. There was that one time a Joja Mart grand opening got rained on. My makeup melted instantly and my hair fell to pieces. Josh told me to go home then. He couldn't be seen with me like that.

A drop of rain catches my eyelashes and another hits my cheek. I let the water fall around me and on me and almost through me for just a moment. Then, I pick up my axe and head down the steps. My sneakers sink into mud with each step, but still my feet carry on.

Sebastian does not come to help me today.