a Stardew Valley fan fiction: The Proper Care and Feeding of Souls

Chapter 15: Prisons & Freedoms

And she will keep

coming back to life,

over and over again,

because beneath

the skin of this gentle human

lives a warrior unstoppable.

- Annabelle M. Ramos

2009

Surrounded by piles of hardcover books on architecture and woodworking she'd checked out from the library, Robin studiously read through a fascinating explanation of architectural design elements. Engrossed in her own world, she fantasized about the day she would make use of these elements in her own work.

Jarring her from her studies, the front door slammed loudly. Robin's pulse quicken as she glanced at the clock. Just a few minutes after three in the afternoon, little Sebby was home from school, but surely he couldn't have slammed the door that hard.

Clumsily and angrily, Robin's husband, Joe, rushed about their humble home until he found Robin at a small table surrounded by books. His eyes flashed with anger.

"What the fuck are you doing, you worthless woman?!" He spouted, slamming his large hand down on the table. "Why isn't dinner ready?"

It was 3:07 in the afternoon and based on his current state and the lingering aroma of liquor, Robin's best guess was that Joe had been at the bar since noon. Briefly wondering why he hadn't been at work, Robin stood in hopes of placating her husband.

"Honey," she said in her sweetest, calmest voice, "it's only 3 in the afternoon. I'll have dinner ready by 6. Can I fix you something in the meantime?"

Joe swept his hand across the table, sending the books scattering across the room. One large hardcover book remained on the table. Joe grabbed it and threw it at his wife's face. "Don' you tell me when dinner is, you whore!"

Robin screamed even though she tried not to in situations like this. It never made things better to scream. The corner of the book hit her squarely on her cheekbone. She stumbled backward as the back of Joe's hand smacked her face sending her tumbling to the floor. Robin could feel a trickle of blood sliding down her cheek. Run, Sebby! If you're here, Sebby, get out! She screamed in her thoughts. One thing Robin was grateful for was that her son had gotten fairly good at running at the first signs of trouble. She heard the front door slip closed and knew he had gotten away.

Joe towered over Robin as she curled up against the wall on the floor. His eyes squinted with disgust as he spat down at her.

"Fix me dinner, bitch."

SEBASTIAN

I am not in the mood for anyone's shit today. I'm glad my mom got out of the fucked up situation I grew up in. I'm glad she's happy now. She has a new family, a good one, but it's one I don't really fit into. She somehow managed to escape the prison that I can't escape. It tainted me and shamed me. It haunts me every day. I cannot escape it.

Just one more screw to tighten back in and I can get the fuck outta here. I just wanna ride. Away. Away from all of it. I hear footsteps approaching but from beneath my bike, it's hard to tell who it is. I cast my eyes up and to the side.

"Hey", I said, not moving.

Grace sat down next to me on the ground. "Hi".

Damn, I find it hard to be pissed at the world when she's around. She is like a tether to me, always there to keep me from going too far, always there to bring me back to steady ground.