Theme Song: The Sound of Silence - Disturbed
She woke up to a soft knocking on her cabin door. The sun was already streaming through the window, so she wasn't terribly concerned about it being anyone dangerous. She stumbled out of bed and to the door, opening it a crack just to check. She could see Marnie standing outside, two furry animals in her arms.
"Oh. Hey, Marnie…" The farmer opened the door wider, doing her best to smile through the sleep haze.
"Good morning! Sorry, I know it's early, but I thought these two might want to see you as soon as possible…" Marnie beamed.
"It's fine. This is when I normally get up," the farmer said with a yawn, then relieved Marnie of the puppy, placing it inside the house.
"Well, I checked these two out. They're fine. A little tired and freaked out to be away from you, I'm sure. Though Sebastian mentioned that they might not even be yours," Marnie set the cat down as well. The small creature immediately went to the farmer and rubbed against her leg. "Although…"
"I thought so, at first," the farmer said with an apologetic smile. "But I think they might actually belong to me. I'm not entirely sure, but I have this… hazy memory…"
"Ooh! Memories are coming back?"
"Not entirely," she rubbed the back of her neck. "It's… hard to explain. I think I might be dreaming about what happened to me the night Sebastian found me, so I can't be too sure. It might be just a dream…"
"I'm sure it's your memories! It's so nice that you're starting to recall things!"
"Yeah…"
"Alrighty then! I'll just hop back to the ranch and get my morning chores started. Animals need caring for, afterall. You just let us know if you need anything at all. We're here to help!" Marnie waved as she left the farmer on the doorstep, staring at the two animals.
"Looks like it's just us again. Listen… I can't remember your real names, so I'm going to have to rename you. Who knows… Maybe they'll end up being your actual names," she stared at the two animals who looked right back with adoring eyes.
She started with the cat.
"Okay… Um… You remind me of… A beverage. Coffee? No… Cocoa? That's even further away… Uh… What about… Mocha?"
The cat mewed loudly and rubbed against her again. Wait…
"Did I just… Did I just rename you your name? That would be… nice for you. Weird for me. Okay then… Mocha."
She turned and looked at the dog.
"You're a little bit harder. Let's stick with the food theme… What about… Cookie?"
The puppy's head snapped up and her tail started wagging.
"Either you like your new names, or I'm just really good at thinking of your old names without knowing they're your old names… But I guess that would make sense if you did belong to me before. Alright then… Mocha and Cookie. We'll take care of each other from now on, alright? Just like we probably did before… I'm going to go do some chores. You're welcome to help."
The farmer was excited to see that she had actually made 436 gold pieces the night before. Finally, she was feeling like she could at least survive doing what she was doing. Along with the money, her mailbox also had a couple items. She stared at the 100 gold pieces that had been placed there overnight, congratulating her for meeting everyone in town and forming friendships. It wasn't signed.
This place… Sometimes it just feels weird. But is it really Stardew Valley, or is it me? I don't know because I can't remember anything! I should probably go talk to Dr. Harvey about going into the city today… Like Sebastian suggested.
Sighing, she pulled out the second letter and read:
To our valued JojaMart customers:
Our team members have removed the landslide caused by our drilling operation near the mountain lake. I'd like to remind you that our drilling operation is entirely legal (pursuant to init. L61091, JojaCo Amendment). Responsible stewardship of the local environment is our top priority!
We apologize for any inconvenience this accident may have caused. As always, we value your continued support and patronage.
-Morris
Joja Customer Satisfaction Representative
She wondered, as she read it, if that was the landslide that Emily had mentioned was blocking off the mine. If so, she should try to go up there and see if she could find some gemstones. Emily would probably love that. She trashed the letter, though she thought it was nice that the cooperation had at least cleaned up after itself, though the defending of the drilling the way they had made her wonder. It seemed a little sketchy.
Alright, first things first. I am tired of carrying everything around. I need somewhere to put things, and I think I can use some of this wood…
Before long, she had built a wooden chest to keep items in when she wasn't using them. She quickly distributed the wood and stone that she had been gathering for a while. After that, she started to clear some trees and weeds away from the ruins of some sort of building near the cave she'd found earlier.
This place is in pretty sad shape. I wonder how long it's been abandoned like this? Long enough that Mayor Lewis was desperate enough to let a stranger take care of it, I guess…
She was getting pretty tired when she realized that she hadn't watered her plants yet. She quickly dropped what she was doing to do that, grateful she had remembered. By the time that was done, she didn't have much energy left for more manual labor. She headed into town to buy more seeds so she could plant more crops before the season ended. As the clinic and Pierre's store came into view, she noticed Mayor Lewis heading up to the park. She wanted to ask him about the ruined building, so she followed him until he came to a stop in front of the abandoned building she'd seen before.
"Mayor Lewis?"
"Oh, hi there," the mayor gave her a kind smile before he turned back to the building with a sigh. "What an eyesore… This is the Pelican Town Community Center… Or what's left of it, anyway. It used to be the pride and joy of the town… always bustling with activity. Now… Just look at it. It's shameful."
"What happened?" she asked, feeling a touch of the Mayor's sadness herself.
"These days, the young folk would rather sit in front of the TV than engage with the community. But listen to me, I sound like an old fool…"
"I don't know about that," the farmer said, placing a hand on the door. "I see a lot of the young adults out and about when I'm walking around. And Vincent and Jas both seem like happy kids who are excited to converse. The only one I've seen watching TV since arriving is George, to be honest."
"Hm… Maybe you're right, but it's in pretty bad shape. Joja Corporation has been hounding me to sell them the land so they can turn it into a warehouse… Pelican Town could use the money, but there's something stopping me from selling it… I guess old timers like me get attached to relics of the past…" he placed a hand on the door as well. "Ah well. If anyone else buys a Joja Co. Membership I'm just gonna go ahead and sell it." He gave a soft sigh before pulling out a key. "Here, let's go inside…"
The mayor pushed the door open and stepped inside. The windows were covered with dirt, so not much light was filtering through and the building had a dark, cold feeling to it. As they stepped further in, the farmer noticed a hut-like structure had been built off to the side of the main room.
"Hmm? What's this?" Mayor Lewis seemed to notice it at the same time. "I guess Vincent and Jas must've been playing in here."
"My friends and I used to build huts like this during the summer," the farmer said quietly. It was hazy. Very hazy. But she had this memory of dragging wood and tall weeds to use as the roof…
"Oh! You remember?"
"It's… vague. But yes. Not the faces of my friends. Not anything more. I just remember building the hut with other kids."
The mayor nodded before continuing, his face hopeless, "This place is even more dilapidated than I remember."
That's when she saw it. Behind the mayor, near the corner, she saw something move. As she squinted her eyes, she could make out a shape that was vaguely apple shaped… Which confused her. What on earth could it be? It came closer, and she realized she was staring at some unexplainable creature.
"What on earth!?" she stumbled back and the mayor turned quickly. To her immediate amazement and horror, the thing disappeared in a puff before he saw it.
"What?" He looked back at her. "What's the matter? Are you ill?"
"No! I saw something… Something weird…" she pushed past him, looking around the corner. "But it disappeared as soon as you looked!"
"You saw something?" He asked. "Hmm… I wouldn't be surprised if this place was full of rats."
But it wasn't a rat. That became even more clear to her when the creature appeared in another puff of smoke behind Lewis once again.
"It's there!" she stumbled back. It was like nothing she'd ever seen before.
Mayor Lewis, however, missed it again as it disappeared once more, "You're worrying me, Farmer…"
"It looked like an apple! A living…" she trailed off, realizing how crazy she sounded. "Apple…"
The mayor looked at her with sympathy, "Look, I think I'm going to head home. I need some lunch…" He paused. "Hey. I'll keep this place unlocked from now on… It seems to help you remember, and it could help you recover your memories. And maybe you can help catch that rat if you have some extra time."
"Yeah… Sure…" She said, hunching over and folding her arms to ward off the sudden chill she felt in her bones.
"Be careful!" Mayor Lewis closed the door behind him, leaving her alone in the dimly lit building.
Strange. Should I explore this building further? It gives me the creeps, but Mayor Lewis is right. I did remember something when I walked in here…
She looked around a little bit, feeling slightly silly as she took a deep breath and started talking out loud, "Alright. He's gone. You can come out now… I don't know why you wanted me to see you and not him, but… It's just us. What are you? What do you want?"
Her small greeting went unanswered. She could feel her nerves getting to her as she lingered in the dark building, but she was finally able to convince herself to move towards one of the hallways. She thought she could hear some squeaking, and she spoke out loud, mostly to comfort herself.
"Hello? Are you there? Apple thing?"
As she walked down the hallway, she felt goosebumps rise on her arms and a chill ran up her spine. Images from her dreams started to fill her head, and she could feel the man's hand wrapping around her wrist as he pulled her backward… Her heart started to race and her vision blurred with tears. She was starting to feel light-headed and her chest was constricted… She struggled to even step forward.
You need to leave!
Just when she was ready to turn back and flee, a light caught her eye, coming from one of the rooms. It was enough to bring her back to reality, and she quickly walked in that direction. She could see some sort of golden scroll lying on the floor, glowing… And behind it… The apple!
She quickly ran forward, but the creature turned and faded away as it ran. Was it a ghost!?
The scroll held no more answers for her. In fact, it was covered in symbols that she could barely make out, let alone decipher…
You're going to get caught! Get out of here!
The emotions from before returned full force. Any bit of peace the light had given her vanished, and she immediately listened to her inner dialogue this time. Dazed and confused, body shaking, she fled from the building, slamming the door shut behind her. She fell to the ground, gasping for breath as tears flowed down her cheeks. Had she really been in danger?
I can't do this anymore. It's affecting me in very bad ways. I have to go talk with Dr. Harvey!
She stumbled to her feet, limbs still weak and shaking, and stumbled her way down the mountain and into town. She reached the door to the clinic, barely able to stay on her own feet, and had to compose herself so she wouldn't worry anyone inside. It wasn't an emergency, after all. She was just very freaked out. When she opened the door, Harvey stood behind the counter, looking down at some papers on the desk.
"Good morning," she tried to sound cheery.
Harvey smiled when he heard her voice, "It's a beautiful day, isn't it? I wish I had less work to do…" But when he looked up, all signs of contentment disappeared from his face. "Are you alright? You look so pale! Come, sit down!" He raced out from behind the counter and quickly led her to one of the chairs in the waiting room, despite her protests.
"I-I'm fine. I just had a scare, that's all," she took a seat anyway, her hands still trembling as Harvey pulled a chair up to sit directly in front of her.
"What happened?"
"Mayor Lewis took me inside the old community center and I just… I remembered something…" she shook her head, tears threatening to spill out again. "Is there another town nearby?"
"Not that I know of. Why?" the doctor's eyes were filled with concern.
"I-" she stopped. She did not want to burden anyone, but she had to talk about it with someone. "I think I might have come across someone else in the woods, before Sebastian. But it wasn't anyone I've met in Pelican Town."
"You remembered!?" his eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Not really, I just… It's probably nothing."
"Don't say that! I firmly believe that every small impression you get could be helpful in recovering your memories."
Oh gosh. The way he was looking at her… The concern was overwhelming, and all she could think was that she had overreacted and gotten into her own head, and now…
"I did remember something from my childhood," she was finally able to calm her heart down. "And then I saw this… rat. I guess I don't like rats."
The dark clouds parted a little, "Ah! A phobia!"
"Yeah… Sorry. I didn't mean to worry you…"
"Not at all!" he waved the idea away, but it was obvious that a weight had lifted off of his shoulders with her slight fib. "Sometimes those types of things trigger a severe physical response that we can't control. It's not your fault."
"Thank you," she gave her best smile. "I think I just… needed to talk to someone about it. Someone who might have an explanation…"
"It's always a little scary when our bodies react to something. Especially if we don't understand why, which I'm sure was the case due to your memory loss," Dr. Harvey said with a comforting voice. "I'm glad you came in to talk with me."
"Me too," she said with a nod. "Though I didn't mean to alarm you. I'm okay now, so I'll get out of your way."
"Nonsense," he chuckled. "You aren't in the way. I'm here to help, remember? I was just about to head out to Pierre's anyway…"
"I should probably go buy more seeds… And there are other errands I have to get done."
"See? We're going the same way anyway. I'll walk with you."
Once they entered the store, Harvey started to inspect some of the produce. The farmer started to approach Pierre to ask about some seeds, but she froze halfway to the counter. She really didn't have much money, and what if something were to happen? She could barely afford to feed herself, and maybe it would be better to wait until her parsnips were ready to harvest…
"Did you change your mind?" Harvey said as he walked up beside her, arms full of fruits and vegetables.
"I think I'd better wait until I have more money," she admitted. "Just in case I need what I have."
Harvey nodded, as if this did not surprise him, "Parsnips grow fast. You won't have to wait long. In the meantime, I've picked out some fruits and vegetables for your meals…"
"Oh no!" she put her hands out and waved them back and forth. "You don't really have to do that."
"I really do," he looked down at her and his glasses slid to the tip of his nose. "I'm your doctor while you're here in Pelican Town, and if you're going to be running around doing farm chores, I need you to be well fed and full of energy. Otherwise it's just going to result in more work for me…"
She felt a blush rise to her cheeks, "I guess it's better to spend a little on groceries than have to pay my hospital bills, huh?"
Harvey looked caught off-guard, "N-no, that's not it at all!"
"It's okay. I figured you'd probably taken care of it, since you never said anything about charging me after you found me…" she gave him a sad smile. "I get the feeling you're the kind of doctor who really does put his patients first… Even over his own well-being and expense. I'll take the groceries, but I will pay you back as soon as I can." She held out her pinky towards him. "I promise."
He took her pinky, though she noticed a moment's hesitation before he did.
"Alright. I'll rest easier knowing that you're at least getting proper nutrition," he looked over at Pierre. "I'll get these checked out and walk them to your cabin. You go ahead and get your other errands done so that you can go home and rest. I'd tell you to take the day off, but…"
She turned and shot him an incredulous look.
"But I had a feeling that you'd give me that look."
"What look?"
"The look that says you can't believe I would even mention resting when you have so much to do and you're already low on funds."
Wow. He was really good at reading people.
"If you're sure…"
"Don't worry about me," he waved her away. "I need the exercise and I'm just trying to help. I deliver medicine to Evelyn and George all the time. This is just… More organic medicine."
The farmer caught Pierre nodding his head in agreement, though he was looking down at a catalogue and clearly trying to appear like he wasn't eavesdropping.
"Thank you," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes and forcing her to make a hasty exit. She was halfway up the mountain before she even realized what she was doing.
What was she doing?
Running. You're running away because you feel bad having strangers help you. But face it… You're a stranger to yourself, too. You can't do this on your own, so maybe you should start letting people in and accept a little help.
"Please don't destroy my tent."
She jumped and turned to face Linus, suddenly aware that she had, in fact, been staring at his residence while she was lost in thought.
"It's happened before."
"S-sorry. I was lost in thought. I didn't even realize… I definitely won't destroy your tent, don't worry…" she stammered.
"You looked like you were upset, so I thought…" Linus walked over, dumping some foraged plants onto a crate.
She paused, then with her mind made up, she spoke, "I am upset. Not at you, but at myself."
"Oh?" Linus took a seat, motioning for another crate. "Do you want to tell me?"
She sat down, letting out a soft sigh, "I've been having these nightmares… I think they're memories of what happened before Sebastian found me. I want to ask Dr. Harvey about them… Maybe go into the city and speak with a doctor who specializes in memory loss… But…"
"But?"
"But I've already been so much of a burden on Dr. Harvey. He bought my groceries for me today! And Sebastian lent me his hoodie. And Mayor Lewis is letting me live on the town farm and everyone just keeps giving me things and I don't want to be a burden! I want to pull my own weight and do things on my own…" now that the words were coming out, she couldn't stop them. Or the tears that were now streaming down her cheeks once again. "But I don't even know what 'on my own' looks like, or even who I am. I just know I might have been attacked in the woods and now I'm lost and I don't remember who I am or where I came from and if someone is looking for me I'm worried they won't find me here, but I don't know how to even begin looking for them. And… And… I really didn't want to talk about this because I'm supposed to be strong! I'm supposed to be the one who is always okay and able to take care of herself and be independent! But I'm not. I'm not okay! And… I just… I need help. And I don't… I don't like that."
She paused, Linus giving her an odd look.
"Well… I'd say you remember quite a bit about yourself."
She opened her mouth to speak, but paused. He was right. She had just spewed a lot of information about herself that she hadn't known before. She was hiding. Of course, she didn't know what she was hiding from, but it was becoming clear that whoever she had been before, she wasn't used to allowing others in to help her.
"I guess…" she wiped some tears off her cheeks with the back of her hand. "It's just… hard. It's like knowing yourself but not knowing that you know yourself. I still can't remember my name. I don't know what I did for a living. I don't even know how old I am…"
"But you remember who you are, at your core. That's what matters. You're kind. You don't want to take advantage of people. You work hard. Those are all great qualities," Linus began preparing his dinner while he talked. "I'd be more worried if you weren't feeling overwhelmed by everything that you have to face."
She took a few more minutes to compose herself again while watching Linus work in silence. Finally, when she felt she was ready, she stood up and allowed herself to be filled with determination once more.
"Thank you… You… You gave me a lot of good things to think about. You're a good listener. And good at advice, too."
"I'm nothing special. Just a man living on his own in the woods," Linus ducked his head down, though he truly deserved the praise.
"You aren't just a man," she smiled. "You're a great man. Don't let anyone tell you differently. I'm gonna go check out the mine now that the landslide is gone… But I'll see you later. And next time, I promise I won't cry the whole time."
"It doesn't matter to me either way."
She bid him farewell, gratitude filling her heart as she walked across the wooden bridge that spanned the river feeding into the mountain lake, where the landslide had been previously. Finding the mine beyond that was rather easy. She stared into the dark opening, her heart pounding once more. She may actually have a phobia of the dark, but she couldn't back down. She'd promised Emily that she'd give things a look and she needed copper to upgrade her old farming tools… At least, that's what Clint had asked her for in order to do that.
Here we go…
It was dark, of course. But she was alarmed to find, that as her eyes adjusted, that she wasn't alone. There was a man standing over a mineshaft with a ladder. Someone she hadn't met yet. She stepped a little closer, jumping a little when he started to talk to her.
"Hmmm… I was just peering down into this old mine shaft. It's been abandoned for decades. Still, there's probably good ore down there," he looked up, a grim expression on his face. "But a dark place, undisturbed for so long… I'm afraid ore isn't the only thing you'll find."
"What do you mean?" she stammered.
"I mean creatures… Creatures that mean harm."
"Okay…" she swallowed, nervous to approach the ladder. Darkness and creatures did not sound like a good thing, but there were things that she needed…
"Here, take this. You might need it," the man pulled a sword out from underneath the cloak that he wore, handing it over. She took it carefully before looking at him quizzically. "Name's Marlon, by the way. I run the adventurer's guild right outside. I'll keep my eye on you. Prove yourself and I might think about making you a member."
"Adventurer's Guild?" she questioned.
"We keep the valley safe from the monsters that inhabit the deeper and darker areas around here. I suppose you wouldn't remember that even if you were from here after your accident though," he shrugged, heading for the mine entrance. "But I've helped you enough. If you want to join the Guild, you'll have to earn your spot. See ya around, Farmer."
And then he was gone, as quickly as he'd come.
What was THAT!?
The farmer shook her head, then peered into the darkness of the shaft.
Maybe… Maybe I shouldn't do this today. It's getting late… I think I'll just… head to the saloon and call it a day.
Which is exactly what she did. As she walked towards the entrance, she could see Emily heading into work. She gave a shy wave, but Emily seemed lost in thought as she mumbled to herself.
"Ah, spring. The season of pastels. I actually prefer jewel tones, myself," Emily looked up and saw the farmer standing there. "Oh, excuse me! I was mumbling about fashion again, wasn't I?"
"No worries. Just wanted to say hi."
"How has your day been?" Emily asked with a smile, holding the saloon door open.
"It was… Interesting," the farmer picked her words carefully. "I was going to go into the mine, but… I guess I have to admit that I chickened out. I don't really know what's down there, and I met this strange guy who gave me a sword…"
"You met Marlon? That's cool!" Emily moved to get to work behind the counter while the farmer sat on a barstool. "You're right to be cautious. The mines are no joke, but if you're ever wondering what's down there, you should ask Robin or one of her family members. They go down there frequently from what I hear."
"Really?"
"Sure! Abigail does, too, I think. She loves adventure. She'd probably die if she heard you met Marlon. She idolizes that guy," Emily looked thoughtful. "It's a Friday night, so she's probably here with Sam and Sebastian. They usually hang out in the game room."
"Oh. Okay!" the farmer stood up quickly. "I'll go over and ask. Thank you so much!"
"Not a problem," Emily winked. "Just trying to help out! Still counting on you finding some gemstones."
"You bet!" the farmer nodded eagerly, then turned to enter the game room, where she could hear Abigail remarking how surprised she had been to realize it was a Friday.
"Hey! It's the new farmer!" Sam cheered as she entered the room. She quickly noted that Sebastian was still absent. "Come play with us."
"That's okay," she said, feeling shy. "I don't even know if I remember the rules for pool."
"I could teach ya!" Sam said, enthusiastically.
"I'm okay."
"Suit yourself!"
"So, farm girl," Abby motioned for the farmer to sit on the other couch. "How was your day?"
"Fine," she answered, almost automatically. "I was going to check out the mines, but it was getting late, so I came here instead."
That got Abigail's attention. She sat up abruptly, "The mines? That sounds fun!"
"Yeah… Again, I didn't actually go in. To be honest, I'm a little nervous…"
"Ah, don't be," Sam shot the cue ball and knocked a few more pool balls into the pockets of the pool table. "It's not too bad. Abby and Seb go in there all the time."
"And why don't you, Sam," Abigail asked teasingly. "Are you afraid of the dark?"
"I have no reason to," the blonde shrugged. "You both like to find gemstones and fight monsters. I prefer to stay on the surface and enjoy other things… Like practicing music."
"Ah. How's the band coming along?" Abigail snorted.
Sam's face took on a sour expression, and he didn't grace her with an answer. Instead, he turned to the farmer and changed the conversation.
"Did I ever tell you we used to live in the city? There's a lot more stuff going on but it's also kinda noisy and hectic… It's hard to say which is better," he took another shot, causing all sorts of noise. "Sebastian is obsessed with going to Zuzu City, but I think he'd find he actually hates it there."
"Why does he want to go to the city?" the farmer asked.
"Something to do with his dad," Sam shrugged. "His real dad."
"That's why he joined Sam's band," Abigail giggled. "If they go big, they'll go on tour to all sorts of cities."
"We'd be more successful if you agreed to be our drummer."
All three of them looked up to see Sebastian leaning in the entryway, a smirk on his face.
"Seb!" Sam brightened. "Are you ready to lose?"
"Yeah," Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Lose. Sure."
Abigail sat back with a smirk, and the farmer looked at her questioningly.
"Sebastian never loses. Sam is… Not very good at pool."
"Ah."
"Speaking of the city," Sebastian leaned over the pool table as he reset the game. "Have you talked with Harvey about seeing a specialist."
The farmer squirmed on the couch, "Not yet."
Sebastian stood up and turned to look at her with his eyebrow raised, "Why not?"
"It's just… I thought I'd wait until the bus was fixed and just… go by myself. No need to bother the doctor…"
"The bus?" Sam laughed. "That bus has been broken down for ages! It's not getting fixed any time soon. I'd take you if my family had a car, but we don't. You're better off asking Sebastian to take you on his motorcycle."
Sebastian shot a glare at Sam, "Dude."
"Motorcycle?" the farmer tilted her head.
"It's not working," Abby said with a smile. "He's been working on fixing it up for quite some time now. But Sam is right. Sebby's motorcycle will be fixed before that bus. And there aren't many people in town who have cars. Buses from Zuzu come here occasionally, but it's pretty rare."
"I see…" the farmer looked at the ground. "But if I'm being honest, I have started remembering things."
"Oh?" all three of the young adults perked up.
"Nothing super big or important," she waved her hands. "Just small things… And… Maybe one… Big thing."
"Ooh! Spill!" Sam leaned over the pool table and placed his chin on top of his hands.
"I uh… I remember running through the woods," she chose her words carefully. No need to alarm anyone. And on the off chance that it was someone from Pelican Town, she didn't want them to know she was starting to remember. "With my cat and my dog. So… I guess they do belong to me. And I think I might have remembered their names, so my own name can't be too far off, right?"
"That's awesome!" Sam pumped a fist in the air. "I wonder what it is? Let's see… Clementine?"
"Ew," Abigail wrinkled her nose. "No, her name is going to be way more pretty than that!"
"I think that's a very pretty name!" Sam pouted.
Sebastian hit Sam's remaining elbow with his pool stick, "Elbows off the table. Let's play."
"When you get the chance," Sam stood up straight, placing chalk on the end of his own stick. "You should come by and listen to the band practice. Music is medicine for the soul. Maybe you'll remember something else. And Abby, you come too. We'll test out your drumming skills."
"Ugh… Do I have to?" Abby rolled her eyes. "What a waste of time!"
"It's hitting a bunch of stuff and making a lot of noise," Sebastian turned and smiled at Abigail. "You'll be a natural at it."
"Hey!"
The three friends started laughing, and the farmer felt her heart warm. Just a bunch of kids, hanging out and shooting the breeze while talking about their dreams… It was… Nice. Familiar.
I guess I must have friends like this somewhere…
"I'm feeling a little tired," she piped up after a bit more of normal chit chat. "I think I'm going to head out."
"Have a good night," Abigail smiled.
"Don't be a stranger," Sam added.
Sebastian stayed silent, but nodded to confirm he had heard her and to bid her farewell. She moved through the saloon, dodging between various villagers. There were quite a few people milling around, but it was a Friday night. She moved to avoid running into Robin, who was dancing with Demetrius, and bumped into Shane on accident.
"Don't you have work to do?" he asked angrily.
Okay. That is it!
She turned around with the biggest smile she could muster on her face, "So sorry, Shane. Yes, I do have work. But just like you, I am a human being, and I like to relax and recover after a long hard day. And it has been a long, hard day."
Shane's scowl softened just a bit, and he grumbled to himself under his breath as she moved away and headed out. The sun was setting, bathing the town in a soft golden glow. As she walked around the side of the saloon, she could see Alex looking over the fence into the dog pen once more. She turned to walk away, but he called out.
"Hey! It's farm girl! Did you get new pants? You're doing something right."
Her face turned warm and she turned to give a shy wave, "Thanks… Alex. But they're the same pants I've worn… Every day."
Wait… That's odd. Something's not…
"Well they look nice," he grinned, leaning against the fence. "Or maybe it's you. You've got this soft glow today…"
"Nah," Her heart skipped a beat and she couldn't help but feel pleased. "That's just the sun setting on the beautiful Stardew Valley."
"It is really beautiful," Alex smiled softly. "Oh! I almost forgot! It's my day for doing push-ups! Every time I do push-ups, I try to do one more than last time. Pretty cool strategy, huh?"
"Wow," she was genuinely impressed, and she jokingly flexed her own arm"I don't think I could do a single push-up with these noodle arms."
"Eh…" Alex reached out, squeezing her bicep. "You could use a little toughening up."
She chuckled, shaking her head, "I'll work on it. I'm sure a couple more weeks of clearing the land out on that farm, and I'll be be sporting some guns just like you."
"How is the farm, by the way?" Alex's voice became slightly more serious, and for a second, the farmer felt like he was dropping some sort of facade.
"It's alright," she shrugged. "Hard work and all that. Just trying to get my first crops grown and sold so I can buy and plant more. I don't have much at the moment, but… I'm getting there."
"What about your head?"
"Oh," she blushed. "My memories? There are a few things that I've been able to pick up. Nothing super huge. Just… Trying to take it one day at a time."
"Gotcha… Well… If you need anything," he flashed a brilliant smile. "Let me know. And if you don't remember, try not to worry. Stardew Valley is a good place to end up when… When tragedies happen."
"That's… comforting. Thank you. I'll uh… I'll let you get to your push-ups."
"Yes!" Alex pumped his arm. "I feel so good after talking to you, I might even do two extra push-ups this time."
"Whoa there, tiger," she giggled. "You take it easy, too."
The walk home was nice. The weather was definitely warming up and Sebastian's hoodie was enough to keep her comfortable. In fact, it was almost too warm.
I should have probably given it back tonight. It's not raining anymore… But… It is kind of comfortable. Girls steal hoodies from boys all the time… Right?
She purposefully ignored the fact that the correct terms were probably girlfriend and boyfriend. She'd already tried to give it back once. Surely he wouldn't miss it if she kept it a little longer, right. It was… Comforting. It reminded her of… Being cozy at home. And it smelled like… Christmas.
Wait… What's… What's Christmas? I can't…
No. She stopped herself. She wasn't going to force it. It smelled like Christmas. That was enough for her. Obviously, that was a positive thing.
Cookie and Mocha both ran to greet her as soon as she set foot on the farm. She led them into the house, where she found some bags of groceries sitting neatly on her table. Cat food and dog food were both included with the various fruits and vegetables, and she couldn't help but tear up. She was going to be alright. She'd need a little help… But she was going to pay it back to the community. She'd make sure of it.
"Isn't that your favorite hoodie?" Abigail asked Sebastian, her eyebrow raised once the farmer had left.
Sebastian shrugged, "She didn't have a coat. I was wearing that one the day she needed it."
Sam smiled to himself. Sebastian was acting cool, but he knew how much that hoodie meant to him. It had been a gift from his father, after all. One of the few things he had.
"She is really cute," the blonde knocked another pool ball into a pocket on the table. "So if you want to pursue her…"
"It's not like that."
"Then you wouldn't mind if I started flirting with her?"
"What about Penny?" Abigail snorted.
"I like Penny too," Sam shrugged. "We've been friends forever. But she isn't picking up on any of my hints. And it's probably good for me to branch out."
"I'm not interested in dating," Sebastian sunk two balls with one hit. "Besides, unless there's a bouquet involved, no one is off-limits. So knock yourself out."
Sam's heart fluttered a little bit. He hadn't really expected Sebastian to give up so easily, but then again… There was Abigail. Seb had been pining after her for quite some time…
"She probably doesn't like childish guys anyway," Abigail laughed. "You'll be too busy playing your video games to pay any attention to her…"
"No way!" Sam laughed. "I've almost perfect my kickflip, too. She'll be super impressed."
"More impressed with that than Sebastian's motorcycle?"
"Sebastian's motorcycle is still a piece of junk."
"Hey!" Sebastian looked up. "Watch it."
Sam knew it was all teasing in good fun, but part of what Abigail said really touched a nerve. He wasn't joking around about wanting to get to know the farmer a little bit better… But she had already shown a lot of initiative in cleaning up the farm and working hard. She probably wouldn't be interested in getting to know him better at all…
That hurt worse than losing pool to Sebastian… Again.
Alex sat on his bed, push-ups done for the night. He looked at the picture on his nightstand, an ache in his heart.
"Hey, Mom. I uh… I met this girl. No, not Haley, though she's pretty cool, too. Once you get to know her. But there's a new farmer in town, and she's alright. I don't think she knows how sweet she actually is. No one else has ever really taken the time to listen to me. I want to become better friends with her… And maybe one day… Maybe one day I'll bring her to meet you. But uh… Until then… I miss you. A lot. But I'm doing okay. I'm working hard, and someday soon, I'll be ready to go pro…" He pressed the picture to his forehead. "I love you…"
Once the picture had been placed back on the nightstand, he stared at the ceiling for a few minutes. Yeah… For the first time in a while…
Things were starting to look up.
