The Runaway: A Stardew Valley Story

Shattered and Scared

When I moved in, there were six blue-tinted glasses in the cupboards of Grandpa's old cottage. I washed each glass with scalding water from the bathroom and tried not to be disgusted that I couldn't find dish soap. They've been the only dishes I need without the ability to cook.

The floor is now sprinkled with blue glass. Shards of my cup are scattered around my feet. The sound of shattering still rings in the air. My eyes watch in horror as Sebastian looks at me with utter confusion. His black hair falls over one eyebrow as he shifts back to look at the TV.

"Oh."

That's all Sebastian says.

I slowly bend down to collect one of the bigger shards near my foot. My eyes stay locked on the black head of hair in front of me. Sebastian doesn't look particularly strong with his skinny arms and small shoulders, but I know my own strength is practically nonexistent. It wouldn't take much to overpower me even for a bean pole.

Maybe I can cut him with the glass when he tries to grab me. That might give me enough time to get away. Then where would I go? Dr. Harvey's is the closest building. I could demand to see Mayor Lewis.

"Is that you?" Sebastian asks breaking my train of thought.

I don't answer.

When I'm a few paces from the door, Sebastian glances back at me once more. His eyes widen on the glass shard in my hand. He raises his hands in a placating gesture. The same way Josh did when we first met.

"Junox, I mean, Joy—"

"Don't say that name!"

"You're bleeding," Sebastian whispers, and I look down to find red strings of blood dripping from my hand. I didn't even feel the sting.

The sight of it makes my head swim, and I gag. I'm going to be sick, and this time it won't be because I'm growing another human. But I don't let go of the glass. I hold it higher as a warning to stay back.

"Just-just let me go, and you can take whatever you want. You can have the farm, all my money, whatever you want. Just-just please," my voice breaks, "please don't turn me in. Not to him."

Sebastian is standing now. He steps around the couch slowly. My breath is uneven, and every movement makes my heart tremble. I don't back down though. Not even when my knees buckle.

At the edge of the couch, however, the carpenter's son does something odd. He turns for the bathroom. The bathroom? Is he planning to use my shower curtain to tie me up? Oh, maybe he's giving me a head start!

A head start! Shit! I have to run.

I bolt for the door. Fumbling, I can hear Sebastian swear behind me, but I rip the door free when the handle finally clicks. My feet move faster than my eyes can process. There's not enough time to stop before I barrel into the blonde boy with a fist still raised as if to knock.

"Jun-- umph," Sam groans as we topple to the deck as one tangled mess.

Panic still courses through my veins, and I hurry to scramble off. Sam has to be working with Sebastian. That's the only logical explanation. They're going to turn me in and split the reward!

"Calm down," Sam says. "Where're you off to in such a hurry?" He laughs as I try to unhook my hair from his jacket.

"She's bleeding."

The voice from above sends chills down my spine, but when I dare to meet the gaze of my captor... He's holding the rusty first aid kit from the bathroom cabinet.

"Holy Yabba!" Sam shouts in surprise as he looks down at the mess of red on both of our clothes. "Where were you going with a cut like this?"

Sebastian answers for me once again, "This dumbass thought she could clean up broken glass with her bare hands. Then she got all fainty again when she saw the blood. I think she's in shock."

Shock is a good word for it.

I watch, dumbfounded, as Sebastian kneels in front of me and drops the kit beside me. It makes a metallic thud against the old wooden porch. He begins rifling through yellowed and moldy bandages and expired pain relievers. He swears again and shuts the lid.

"Is this stuff all from your grandfather?" Sam asks.

I nod mechanically.

Sam laughs. "That won't be any good by now."

"Sam's right," Sebastian mutters. "I'll go--"

"Don't sweat it!" Sam interjects. "It's too far to Pier's or Harvey's, so we can just use my shirt." He rips off his jacket as he says this. "It's bloody now anyways."

Gentle planes of muscle contour Sam's abdomen as he pulls away his shirt. I blink but otherwise find myself frozen in place. It's like being under a magical spell, and Sam is the prince. Then, Sebastian rips the t-shirt and the magic collapses.

"What were you doing here, Sam?" Sebastian asks.

He begins pouring water from his metal bottle over my cuts. I recoil in a hiss of pain, and Sam places a warm hand on my back to steady me. Nope, magic not gone.

"I uh... I came to apologize to Junox." Sam's tone is sheepish as his voice tickles my neck.

"Apologize?" I ask, confused.

"For scaring you away last Thursday," he explains. "I made a mess of things with my friend Penny, and I think you got caught in the crossfire. I wanted to clear things up Friday, but..."

I gulp. Had I spent the entire weekend cowering on the farm after my encounter with Elliot? Yes, I most certainly had. Had the thought of running into Sam — an employee of the enemy— scared the living hell out of me? Yes. Yes, it did.

"You shouldn't be the one apologizing," I finally say. "I had a lot on my mind that day. I was just..."

I let the words trail off, at a loss for more half-truths to tell. They hurt less than blatant lies. Thursday had been my first check-up at the clinic with Dr. Harvey. I don't know why I was so bothered by a piece of equipment that had to go... had to go inside, but it had. How could I explain that to Sam? Not to mention any of my beef with Joja Corp.

"How about we just call it water under the bridge?" Sam pats the small place his hand had rested on my back before pulling it away.

"What do a bridge and water have to do with this?" I ask.

When Sam laughs like I told a joke, my head hums in frustration. I don't understand these people or this world around me, and it's entirely the fault of my parents and Joshua Jones. It's their fault that I have to hide, that I have to lie, that I have to carve a future out of this farm.

Sebastian ties off the makeshift bandage a little tighter than I would like. His dark eyes look up for the first time since kneeling beside me, but he gazes right past my left ear toward Sam.

"You should go on home, Sam," Sebastian says. "We've got to finish up with this lumber or else Robin will kill me."

Uh oh, why does Sebastian want Sam to leave? Maybe he wants the reward money all to himself after all!

"But Junox's hand!" Sam counters. "I can cut some wood in her place."

"You'll get a sunburn with no shirt," says the boy who knows my secret. "Get changed, and pick up some rubbing alcohol and clean bandages. The shirt won't last long."

Sam nods now. I watch Sebastian with wide eyes. If Sam comes back and finds me mysteriously gone, then maybe he'll alert Mayor Lewis? Could it be that Sebastian is waiting for the perfect time to turn me in?

"I'll be right back!" Sam shouts as he kicks off the deck.

I want to ask him to hurry, but my voice is trapped in panic.

When he's out of sight, Sebastian asks, "Why are you hiding from that Joja guy? Did something happen?"

You guys have really been encouraging me to write, and I'm finally writing things that excite me. I hope they excite you as readers. You all are the reason this story is still being published, so thank you! Happy Friday!