The Runaway: A Stardew Valley Story

Sharing the Void

Sebastian

By the time I return from the Family Value Market across the street, Junox's hair is freshly washed and combed. The cheap store only sold t-shirts with cheesy designs printed on the front advertising the Zuzu City gridball team and matching shorts. I toss the grey set to Junox without letting myself focus on the fact that she's wearing a towel. The only naked women I've ever seen include Maru and Abigail. I don't need to start picturing a girl I barely know.

"There are Jumptarts and crackers in here," I say as I hold up a plastic bag. "You can eat and change while I take a shower."

Junox says nothing.

She's still silent when I exit the little bathroom toweling my hair dry to the best of my ability. She watches the street as if there is nothing beyond the glass of the window. Her green eyes are wide and unfocused. Her face is perfectly blank and devoid of all emotion. I've been there in that void-like space between reality and misery. Seeing my own pain on someone else's face for a change hurts worse, somehow, than just looking in a mirror.

"Thank you for doing all of this."

The words are so soft that I nearly miss them. Her thin lips are parted ever so slightly.

"Anything for a friend."

At this, her mouth twitches. One corner of her mouth pulls into a small smile. It's rimmed with sad eyes but still beautiful. Junox is hurting from unspeakable pain... and her smile is still genuine.

"You may come to regret that one of these days," Junox says with a low and soft tone.

"I don't think that's how it works." I try to smile the way Abigail does when she picks fun at you as her way of trying to cheer you up, but Junox doesn't join in.

She shakes her head. "The Jones family is dangerous and powerful. They have connections to everyone and everything. It's only a matter of time."

"No," I say firmly. Then, I add, "Surely you have connections too. Someone you can trust to throw them off our trail or give us a heads up if they get close?"

Junox's eyes widen ever so slightly. They stay fixed on the trails of fresh rain from the balcony above. It's several heartbeats before Junox asks me to borrow the burner phone. I swear that I can hear her whisper "bloody Meredith" under her breath.

"So you do know someone?"

"Gussy is my only friend from Zuzu. He works for my family as a media consultant. If there was a press release or a blog post that didn't paint our family in just the right light, Gussy was the one who handled it."

"And you trust him?" I ask.

Junox seems to frown deeper if that's possible. "I would trust Gussy with my life, but helping me will put a target on his back. If he agrees to this, it's going to be goodbye forever."

The defeat in Junox's voice is agonizing. I know she's replaying those last two words over and over. An itch rises from the back of my thoughts. It wants to console her, to do anything to take away this pain.

"You don't know that," I offer.

"Yes, I stole the Joja heir, Sebastian. When they find out about the baby—"

"They won't."

"When they do—"

I grab Junox's arm. "I won't let them." When I realize how that sounds, I let go and add, "No one in Pelican will let that happen. You and the baby will be safe. I promise."

"You can't promise that."

And the absolute absence of hurt, the absence of hope or fear, the complete nothingness in Junox's voice strikes a place in my heart that I've always assumed was buried far beyond all reach. It forces me to pull my gaze to hers, her empty and unseeing gaze. It makes me stand straighter. I set my jaw and harden my expression.