California

Chapter Two - The Escape

The smell of fresh pancakes drifted through the house, as Isobel worked hard in the kitchen. It was a Sunday, which meant she had all day to attempt to teach her daughter how to be a woman of the house. A sudden bang from the hall caused her to drop the pan, and the newest pancake along with it. Moving into the hall, Isobel saw her husband sprawled on the floor, seemingly tripped on the rug. The cardboard box he was carrying was lying on the floor, open, and clothes from her daughter were thrown out of it. Her daughter was behind him, holding another box. "What is the meaning of this? What's with all the noise and why are you carrying your clothes in those boxes?" Isobel demanded.

"I grew out of a bunch of clothes, so I decided to donate them to the local orphanage. I also have some old toys too. There's a few more boxes left to bring downstairs, then there'll be done, no more noise." California cooly said. However the shaking of her hands, and her raised heartbeat tell us a different story. Would her mother believe the story?

"I'm glad you're not throwing them out, at least some poor child can have use of these outdated clothes." Isobel nodded, before returning to the kitchen. As she knelt down to help her dad repack the box, she heard a whispered "Nice one!" After another few trips up and down the stairs, all the boxes were in Rohan's van. What was really going on was that instead of the orphanage, the father-daughter duo were dropping off most of California's belongings at the movers, who would take the boxes to the farm within the next week. They had already contacted the Mayor of the local town, who would be there when California arrived. Once they had gotten home, Isobel was none the wiser. All there was left now was for California to leave her job. She could barely sleep.

The following day, Monday, was a wet one. The rain poured onto the streets of Zuzu city, clogging the drains and flooding parts of the city. Rohan offered to take California to work, in front of Isobel, who didn't really care. It was a fast drive to Joja Corporation. Standing in front of the glass door, California took a deep breath and walked in. Coming to the reception, she waited until the receptionist was free. In a calm, but to the point manner, California spoke to the woman. "Hello Ms, I'm here to hand in my resignation, effective immediately." The girl was startled, but nodded and accepted California's letter of resignation. "Very well then, good luck with your next job." She said before California turned on her heel and walked out the door for the last time. Getting into the van, the father-daughter duo celebrated California's freedom as they drove to the bus stop. It would take too long for Rohan to drive her to Stardew Valley, so they parted with a hug at the bus depo, California getting onto the bus with her rucksack and bag of essentials. Rohan sat in the van and watched as the bus with his only child on board drove away. He didn't sit long, as he had his work to go to, but for a moment he sat, staring at the bus, which soon disappeared into the bustling streets. Rohan then started up the van, and drove to work.

After purchasing a ticket to Pelican Town, the closest settlement to Rosewood Acres, California chose a seat at the back of the bus. The bus is anything but luxury, the seats dulled by the grime of many years. When it rolled off the assembly line, California guessed that the seats were a cobalt blue, the chrome hand-rails mirroring the sunlight. Years later, the brilliant blue had faded to a grey-blue colour, and the chrome hand-rails had become blemished and battered. As it pulled away from the stop, California turned, and watched her father's van, parked by the side of the road, through the rain splattered window. The bus turned a corner, and she could no longer see the van. Spinning around in her seat, California dug into her rucksack and pulled her earphones out. She settled back into her seat, as music flooded her ears.

While the bus traveled through the outskirts of Zuzu City, both California and Rohan were thinking the same thing. They had done it, California was free from her mother.