A Fresh Start
Chapter One: Monster
It had been the longest day of my life. I barely noticed the tears falling down my face as I rode hard and fast. I let out a sob of relief as the terrain began to steepen. We had reached the mountain. My little white pony slowed as the incline grew too much for him. He slowed to a stop. I looked back at the cart he pulled behind him. It was big, and even with what little we had to bring, it was too heavy for him.
I bit my lip and looked down at my bandaged hands. My fingertips barely poked out. The bandages were filthy. I hadn't changed them since Nami placed them in Forget-Me-Not Valley. I pressed my palms to my swollen eyes before dismounting gingerly. I dug through the cart. I took out some fresh bandages and carrots for Ferdinand, and stuck them in my bag.
I unhitched the cart and pushed it sideways in the ditch. My hands throbbed as I shoved them under my armpits and fell to my knees. Every part of my hurt. My ankles throbbed as I stood up on shaky legs. I fed Ferdinand a carrot and mounted him, with a painful groan. My clothes were muddy and torn. I had refused to accept replacements from Nami and Gustafa. I shook my head, I was starting new and I shouldn't be dwelling on the past. I sat, chest heaving, breaths coming hard. I rolled my shoulders and kicked him into motion. We were reaching the peak of the mountain. As we reached the top, I realized we were almost there and started pushing him harder.
Suddenly, Ferdinand bolted to the side, throwing me off to the other side. I cried out as sharp rocks dug into my back and side. Blackness engulfed me as another larger rock struck my head. When I work up, there was a bright light in my face. Someone gripped my wrist hard. My eyes shot open, my wrist throbbing.
"Ah…" I cried out and pulled my hand out of his grip. "Let go!" I pulled myself into sitting position, panting. My eyes adjusted to the light, I saw a boy about my age kneeling next to me.
"Are you okay?" he asked reaching out to put a hand on my shoulder. I flinched away. He stopped advancing. "Laney!" he called over his shoulder, "Go get Doctor Ayame and Hiro! Bring them to Howard's Café!" I looked behind him, but my vision was blurry so I only saw a blurred figure running away.
"What happened?" I asked, my head began throbbing. I held the back of my head. "Who are you?"
"I'm Cam. What's your name?" Cam asked, holding out his hand. I looked at his hand. I looked at my bandaged one and back at his.
"I'm Lillian." I said, not shaking his hand. I looked away and he put his hand down.
"I need to carry you, it's a long way down the mountain. I don't want you to injure yourself further." He said.
"Be careful." I said tentatively reaching out form him. He lifted me under my shoulders and knees. Everything hurt. Everywhere he touched hurt. Just like… images entered my mind.
Cuffs around my wrists. Chains attached to the wall. Angry hands. Bruises. Cuts. Burns. Cruel words. I could feel my breathing accelerate. My heart was pounding in my ears. I could see Cam's mouth moving, but I couldn't hear him. I was panicking. I was frozen. I couldn't move.
Cam set me down by a small stream. He pulled a handkerchief, wetted it in the stream. Pressing it to my forehead. He wiped the sweat away from my face.
"It's okay," He said smoothing my hair back from my face. Wiping sweat from a growing fever. My ears stopped ringing. I could hear him talking. His voice was soothing. My heart slowed. Cam rubbed my forehead and lifted me up again. We entered the bottom of the mountain.
There were some benches under colorful cherry trees. He walked up a cobblestone path. We walked under an arch. It had places where flowers and balloons would go, for a festival.
Cam rushed past the buildings, up large stairs, around a fountain and into a building call Howard's Café.
"Hey Cam!" My head wheeled around when I saw his shadow fall over us. Howard was a large man. He had short blonde curls and wore a small amount (for a woman that is) of makeup. "Where- Oh my goodness!" Howard began to fuss over me. He took me from Cam, and took me into a room behind the counter. Laying me on the bed I noticed beautiful flowers in a vase on the bedside table.
I could tune out Howard's fuss. I was intrigued by the sun filtering in through the window I was soon asleep. Dreaming about Forget-Me-Not Valley. And Nami.
†
My hands were bleeding. I was able to pull my hands free of the cuffs, along with several layers of skin. I was wearing rags that were dirty, filled with holes, and soaked in blood. I was limping because of a badly healed break. I reached Mother Hill between Mineral Town and Forget-Me-Not Valley. I passed Celia's farm. It was raining heavily and her crops were close to being flooded. I came to the bridge across the stream. I stumbled across. I stopped running when I made it and looked to the right. The farmer had come her after her parents died. She, Jill, started over. She started a family with Marlin. Her black hair blue eyed daughter was only a few years younger than me. Jill was old enough to be my mother. Maybe I could do the same thing. I started shivering. My hands began stinging, bringing me back to reality. I took a sharp left.
Nami's yurt came quickly into view. It was very colorful. I knocked on the doorway. The door opened with only a moment's hesitation. Nami looked half asleep, but she was fully dressed.
"Lillian?" seeing me shocked her awake. "I thought…" she didn't want to finish her sentence. She pulled me inside immediately. Nami was like a second mother to me. I was close to my adopted mother, but not closer than I was with Nami. She pulled me into a tight hug and turned the lantern on dim. I saw Laurent. Her little boy. He was fast asleep. "Where have you been?" she asked into my hair. "What happened to you?"
"I want to leave and start a ranch." I murmured. "Like Jill did."
"Like Jill?" Nami asked, "Or like Claire." She looked at my hands. "What happened?"
"I was kidnapped." I said after a long pause.
"Who?" She asked, a fire sparking in her eyes.
"I don't know." the lie burned my throat. I knew very well who. His face burned in my memories.
"When Lumina told me you went missing, we all thought you had-" She cut off. We both stifled sobs and she held me close.
"I need to leave, Nami." I said as she bandaged my hands. She walked to Gustafa's bed. "Dear I'm going out." she whispered to his sleeping form. Gustafa isn't the one I would have chosen but he makes her happy.
She wrapped a warm arm around my shoulders and led me outside. The sky was pinking and the rain was subsiding. She led me to the little farmhouse on a vast field of livestock, grazing on fresh grass.
"Jill!" Nami whisper-shouted, the door cracked open an inch. Jill appeared, half-dressed and bleary eyed in the crack.
"What?" she asked. "I was just getting ready to do my chores-" we made eye contact. "Lillian? Oh my Goddess!"
"Help me." Nami said. She and Jill half carried me to the bathroom. They put me in the bath and let the shower head run water all over me. They cried over the marks and bruises all over my body. They tears of relief that I was alive. The bathroom door cracked open. "Mother?" a voice from the door said. "What's going on?" I shrank behind Nami so she wouldn't see me.
"Theresa, go do your chores." Jill said gently.
"Yes ma'am." She said finishing the bow in her long dark hair. She closed the bathroom door behind her.
"Jill I need to leave." I told her as they were helping me dry off. "My being here is dangerous for me, but it's also dangerous for you and Nami and your families."
Jill thought for a moment. "I'll tell you what. You look exhausted." I shrugged. "You go downstairs, into the basement. There is a guest bed. Please sleep while I make arrangements. I'll get you supplies, a horse, a cart, some food, and some spare clothes?" I smiled. "You sleep while I work on this and you'll be ready to leave by dusk. She swept her hair in the back of her head into a pony tail.
"Thank you so much." I hugged her tightly.
She patted my back gently and handed me off to Nami. Nami helped me down the stairs, my legs shanking on each step. She tucked me into bed the way Lumina used to do. She stroked my face once and went to leave.
"Nami!" I called out. She turned around.
"Yes?" She said.
"Thank you." I whispered, tears streaming down my face. She wiped my face dry. She stroked my hand and I was sleeping soundly.
†
I woke up as the sun was rising. I was in Howard's cafe. I sat up and rubbed my hand down my face, noting that the bandages on my hands had been changed. There were clothes flooded next to the bed. I stood on shaky legs. I examined my feet, there were a few band aids, but no serious injury. I changed into the clean yellow and red plaid dress that hung off my shoulders, a red vest, red leggings and my boots which were still in good condition.
Something smelled amazing, reminding me I hadn't eaten since I left the Valley. I opened the door and peered out into the cafe. A young girl was putting plates on table and talking quietly. She was blond, pretty, and wearing a red cardigan and deep blue skirt.
She was serving pancakes to a tall Asian woman and a short Asian boy. They were both wearing lab coats as though they were doctors.
"Good morning sunshine." the woman turned towards me. "I am Dr. Ayame and this is my ward, Hiro." She stood and walked across the room. She shined a bright light in my each of my eyes in turn. "Vitals look good"
"Doctor, I wish you wouldn't call me that." Hiro grumbled.
"Good morning." I said, giving my best impersonation of a smile.
"Would you like some pancakes?" the young woman asked.
"Oh... " I hesitated. "Sure, I would love some." I sat down between the Doctors and Laney sat down on the opposite side.
"May I ask what happened?" Hiro asked.
"No," I said looking at him over my plate of pancakes. "You may not."I dug into my pancakes while ignoring the curious looks form around the table. Laney peered at me from across the table.
I set my utensils down and swallowed. "I came to Bluebell to get a fresh start. I've left my past behind. All you need to know is that my name is Lillian and I've come to start a ranch." They all kept staring. "Who do I speak to about that?"
"I believe it's me you're looking for ma'am." I jumped as an older gentleman with a blond mustache and a green top hat appeared in the doorway of the diner. "My name is Rutger. I'm the mayor."
"I stood and began dusting off my clothes and stopped when I realized that they weren't dirty. I extended my right hand to shake his but stopped myself when I saw the fresh bandages. Not one speck of dirt.
"Um... Sorry." I murmured, lowering my head. "I'm Lillian. I'd like to purchase some land for a ranch.
"I don't have any land for sale." He began.
I folded my hands together. I'd come so far, only to fail. They began shaking as he continued. "However, I do have a ranch you can work and keep for your own."
"Thank you!" I gasped as I ran forward and hugged him. "Thank you so much!"
"You're welcome." Rutger said. "As soon as you can stand without shaking so hard, I will start letting you by animals."
"Letting my buy animals?" I asked
"If you can barely walk, how can you care for your animals?"
"Or plants!" A sharp voice said from the entrance. "I am Ina. Mayor of the town on the other side of the mountain, Konohana."
"That's where we are from." Ayame said standing up and joining Ina in the doorway. Hiro followed her. "We are the only doctors around."
"We have a farm without a farmer. Someone who is willing to learn how to grow fine quality crops." Ina smiled at me. "And more importantly, we cook better food." Laney lowered her eyes.
"Laney's pancakes are pretty good." I said under my breath. She gave me an appreciative look and cleared the table.
"So it's plants," I gestured to Ina. "Or animals." I gestured at Rutger. He smiled. "I'm going with animals." Rutger smiled wider and then threw a triumphant grin at Ina.
Ina scowled and went to leave. "It's only because I am good with animals. Better than I am with plants."
Ina took a deep breath. She turned and walked out of the diner. Ayame ushered Hiro to follow her.
"Take this three times a day for a week and then as needed." She said, pushing a bottle of mortirn into the pocket of my vest. She gently squeezed my shoulder and followed Ina and Hiro. I thanked her quietly as her head disappeared through the door.
"Let's get you settled." Rutger said, putting a light hand on my shoulder to lead me out the door. A familiar face was waiting when we stepped out into the light.
"Cam?" I said after racking my brain for a few seconds.
He nodded. "I ... it's a releif to see you awake." He lowered his eyes and pulled his hat down to cover his eyes. He pulled a rope he was holding, "I assume this is yours?"
Ferdinand nickered and trotted over to me and nuzzled my hair. I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck. I tried to boost myself up onto his back and failed. Cam quickly gave me a boost up onto the horses back. I twisted my fingers in his mane as Cam led him. We followed Rutger out of town and we took a sharp right. The farm was beautiful. It had waving grass with two fences in front of two different barns.
"A chicken coop and a barn for livestock." Rutger explained.
"Alright." I said. Cam led Ferdinand into the barn and helped me dismount. He put his arm around my waist to help me walk to the door. They led me into the house. Cam let go of me as Rutger unlocked the door. It swung open and Cam stayed behind as Rutger helped me through the door. I looked around my new house. It was small. It had a small kitchenette in the upper right hand corner and a long pet bowl towards the front. A small table sat in the middle. Along the left wall was a long table that held a calendar and a radio. There was a bed with a bedhead.
The bookshelf had only a few things on it. I stumbled towards my bed, almost tripping over the dining table. As I reached the bed I heard something metal clink on the table.
"You don't have to lock your door around here. But you can if you want." Rutger left the house and closed the door.
I kicked off my shoes and climbed into bed. I didn't even think about locking the door. Sleep overcame me. It had been a long day.
†
It was dark. I was leaving Mineral Town after a long day of studying with Mary. She was a thorough teacher. I was by myself which was rare because most of the time, Zach would walk me home. Zach picked up the shipments for Claire, the Mineral Town farmer. I reached Mother Hill and could see the trail that led down into the valley.
There were very little lights on the trail, it was pitch black inside. I put my hand on the side of the trail that had carved a hole in Mother Hill. It would lead me into the valley which did have lights.
I was halfway through the long trail when I hear footsteps. I froze. They got louder. I pushed myself into the rock. It was dark. Whoever it was wouldn't see me. With a crack of lightning, a storm began. I continued on my way. I could almost see the lights of the valley.
I was soaking wet when I reached the mouth of the trail. I could see Celia and Skye's farm. I sighed with releif as I stopped at the mouth of the trail. I was barefoot as it was summer.
"Thought you could escape me?" A silky smooth voice startled me. Someone grabbed my shoulder hard.
To Be Continued...