Eudaemonia || Sebastian x FemOc

 

I wake to a roosters crow somewhere in the distance. Much different to my alarm and the sounds of cars honking in Zuzu. I sit up to see the first small rays of the day streaming through the window. I stretch and stand, the floorboards making sure to creak loudly underneath me. I have to remind myself that I'm no longer in an apartment, and I don't have to keep my steps feather-light anymore as to not bother my downstairs neighbors. I make my way to the bathroom, inspecting the shower. I turn the hot water knob and the pipes groan, water shutters out of the shower head before creating a steady stream. I step in, savoring the hot water and the pressure that I could never get back in the city. Once done, I comb my fingers through my hair and look at myself in the mirror.

Pale, cool-toned skin, dotted by dark brown freckles across my nose, cheeks, and eyelids. Heavy bags hang under my chocolate colored eyes, indication of lack of sleep and a demanding job for the past 6 years. Hopefully I could manage to get into a better routine here. I brush my teeth and put on a dark hoodie and jeans to combat the chill of early-spring mornings.

As I step outside, I almost trip on a pack of parsnip seeds placed by my doorstep. I scan the package for directions, reality hitting me that I, from the city, am gonna have to learn a thing or two about how to have a successful farm. I stalk around the house looking for tools, and I spot a shovel, scythe, and a hoe leaning against the back wall. I pick them up and make my way to the overgrown fields.

By mid-day, I had to change into a tank top to brace the bright sun bringing day to the valley. I managed to clear a patch for the parsnips, paying careful attention to the directions and packing soft soil over the seeds. I then began weeding what I could, making sure to keep whatever spring onions I found to put into my house to store for dishes I would make.

Now dirt and sweat covered, I took another shower inside, my stomach so empty that it felt as though it began to eat itself. I decided it was time to go see what this small town had to offer as for groceries and food. I pulled on a graphic t shirt and some light wash jeans. The winding service road led me to town, a long walk but not unbearable. The dirt path shifts to a cobblestone one.

I stopped short in front of a place called Pierre's, connected to a doctor's office. The door opens with a bell as I step inside, the smell of produce wafts in through my nose. "Welcome in!" A man says. "I'm Pierre, this is my shop. It's so nice to meet you, Juliette!" I cast a smile his way as I begin to browse the shelves. I pick up whatever I would need to cook, bread, spices, flour, eggs, and some meat as well. As I was heading to the checkout counter, a girl who looks to be my age with purple hair walks out of a door on the north wall of the shop.

"Oh!" She starts, scanning me. "You're Juliette, aren't you?"

"Mhm," I start, nodding my head. "It's really nice to meet you." Her cerulean eyes look into mine. "I'm Abigail," she smiles. "My dad, Pierre, owns this shop." I look between her and the shopkeeper. They look nothing alike. "Oh, really? Well I appreciate him for owning it. I'm starving." I awkwardly laugh. I've never been good at conversation. The only people that I talked to in the city were a couple coworkers and saying a brisk 'hello' to my apartment neighbors. She laughs as well nevertheless, "Hey! You should come to the saloon tonight. My friends and I would be there and you could meet more people!" I nod, "Robin told me about that. I might!" She beams at me. "Cool! I hope you do!" She waves me goodbye and walks out of the door.

"Pierre," I ask, while putting my groceries on the counter. "Is there a library here, or something like it?" He gestures down south. "If you walk down the cobblestone and take a left across the bridge, you should see it." I smile at him gratefully. "Thank you so much!"

I finish the transaction, fisting the basket in my hand as I step out into the sun-lit valley. I look straight ahead and I could see a small sliver of the ocean in the distance. I head south as Pierre said to, and see a bridge going over a river towards a couple of other buildings. A sign above a building reads 'Library/Museum.'

"Hello, Hello!"

My eyes shoot to the front desk, where a man dressed in an all-blue get-up beams at me. "Juliette?" He asks.
"Yes," I say, the amount of introductions I'll have to make settling in. "Gunther," He says. Gesturing to himself. "Um," I start. "Do you have public-use computers?" He gestures over to a few desks and I smile gratefully. I sit down and look up a few things, noticing that the only enabled apps are the search engine and a library book-lookup. I began researching, making mental notes as well as physical ones in my notes app in my phone about farming, internet providers and numbers. I also attempted to get onto discord, the app Tear and I use to communicate, but the website was blocked. I frowned, but felt thankful for the internet use nonetheless. I stood and thanked Gunther before making my way back to the farmhouse.