Isolated (Stardew Valley)

Chapter Three

IT STILL DIDN'T occur to me just how beautiful Pelican Town was until I was once again roaming through its depths one day.

Birds of all colours flew freely in the sky, chirping their melodic tunes in beautiful harmony. They soared and soared, across mountains, trees, buildings. Their wings glistened under the sun's watch as they glided along the winds that carried them. They were so free, so careless, that I couldn't help but rest my gaze on them for a minute longer.

Flowers of all sorts sprung out from the ground or were tended to in pots and gardens. They bloomed so radiantly and popped out to showcase its magnificence. Evelyn, an older woman who probably took care of these plants, beamed at me.

My senses told me to smile back, to give the appropriate answer, but I simply kept that neutral face. She didn't seem to notice and kept that smile.

And the people, the townsfolk. They were beautiful, too. Not so much in the outward appearance sense, but on a more spiritual scale. Yes, many of them had that glowing skin, so tan from the sun's rays glistening on them everyday. That was beautiful enough as it is, for I knew many back in the city who lacked in comparison with their pale, ghost-like skin. A tan complexion is what they'd have begged for, and here, it was natural. Beauty.

But there was that internal beauty in them, one that I had never seen before back in the city. From the first day, I was welcomed and loved, and immediately treated as their own (save for a few occurrences). There was no greed or selfishness or any vices to overcome it.

It was the sort of beauty that could be faded away easily by darkness and evil, the one that people cherished.

I realized then that I liked this sort of beauty and didn't want anything to come in the way of it.

I had been so preoccupied with settling in that I forgot about the awe of town. By that, I meant by getting overly frustrated over the most simplest of things: working tools and how to utilize them.

For a city girl like me, so used to modern technology and media, I grew reliant on these devices. I slacked on physical strength, so much that I could barely use a pickaxe.

The frustration was swept away and replaced with a nauseous feeling as I passed by a bench covered in shrouds and flowers. Two familiar figures sat side by side and stared at the distant ocean ahead. Penny and Maru.

A bright laugh came from Penny, her cheeks rosy from the sun. Maru soon followed and then they relaxed, falling deep back into their discussion.

I never had friends back in the city. It was all about me, and no one else. There were coworkers that I tried to deem friends, but it was nothing more than people taking joy in schemes and business. No one understood me or even tried to, so I didn't bother making friendships. It was all about alliances. Who to stick with in order to stay in your hierarchy.

And to see such an innocent friendship... I didn't know how to feel. Hatred? Joy? No. It was more like... a desire. A need. Longing.

I found myself taking a step closer, feet padding on the concrete. It was as if I was gravitated toward them, lured in by their chatter. Penny's blue eyes looked up and she gasped. "June!"

I cringed inwardly at the mistake, not realizing I had made my presence known. I'd have been content to watch from a distance, not join the conversation. "Hello," I let out quietly.

Maru gave me a bright smile, her features lightening up. "You should join us. Penny and I like to catch up on everything in our lives."

I nearly scoffed at this. What was there to do in this town? Nothing much, I supposed. But judging from their cheery discussion, they found a lot of things interesting.