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Getting up from the ground of the basement, Shane tried to fix his ragged clothes on. The walls were full of scratches, like his skin, and everything that lasted of the previous owner destroyed. The only thing that resisted to the time in that abandoned farm, and him, was the metal door that locked him in during those nights of full moon; he didn’t see the full moon since he was a kid. Not like that, at least.
He got out of that old cottage, and headed himself to the ranch. The field was full of overgrown trees and weeds, and it could have been considered not a farm, but a forest. He hoped no one was ever going to take that place, leaving him without a safe space. Safe for him, and for the townspeople. He thought that, with the howls and cries that could be heard from everywhere in the valley, no one was ever going to really buy it.
Entering the ranch, Marnie gave him a concerned look. He checked around, glad that his goddaughter was nowhere to be seen. He got into his room, and changed his clothes, wearing the uniform requested to the employers of the JojaMart of that little town. Sighing he let the worn-out clothes fell on the ground. He obviously didn’t sleep that night, and his body ached, but he couldn’t let Marnie see his pain, already full of worries as she was.
Shane almost ran to his job, afraid of being late. He got in just in time, and Morris gave him an angry look, pointing to his wrist where an expensive watch rested. He wearily nodded, got in the backroom, took the boxes and began to fill the empty shelves.
«Tonight we heard those sounds again.» Sam informed the cashier during their break.
Shane stood alone, with a glass of what he wished was beer, and not water. The woman he didn’t even remember the name and the young man weren’t distant from him, and the guy’s voice was usually loud, but he could hear her too. His co-workers learned that it was useless to try and talk to him, and now it was like if Shane was invisible.
«Yeah, we heard them down in Grampleton too.» she replied with a shiver.
Sam’s expression fell. «It’s useless to beat around the bush: it must be a werewolf.»
The cashier didn’t immediately answer. «You know, I heard in my town that, if your Mayor doesn’t do anything about it, they’ll send someone here in Pelican Town to search it and take care of it.»
Shane felt the blood in his veins run cold, but his heart started beating faster at what the prospective of that sentence meant. And it could only mean one thing. Strangely calm, he took another sip from his glass.
He didn’t tell Marnie, the only one to know about him, what he heard during his break. If it was really going to happen, she will probably be sad, but a big weight was going to fell from her shoulders. She did already too much, taking him and Jas at her place, finding somewhere for him where he wasn’t going to kill anyone, and sharing with him something that, if they knew she was somehow involved in, would make her a target as well.
He spent the weeks until the next full moon in a routine of stocking shelves at the JojaMart, drinking his problems away at the Stardrop Saloon, helping Marnie with her ranch, and with the only positive thing in his life: Jas. She had to remain unaware of what was happening, especially since she had already too much pain to bring in her heart.
While he was helping his goddaughter searching for some wild plums in Cindersap Forest, so that their aunt could make her a pudding, she was holding his hand, squeezing it. The autumn air was cold that day, and Shane worried if the clothes she was wearing were warm enough, but she always giggled, reassuring him that she was fine. The wind was blowing, making the red leafs falling from the oak trees around them.
Since those sounds could be heard every night of full moon, no one roamed through Cindersap Forest anymore, fearing of encountering the beast making them. Shane smirked, since they did every time he got to work or to the Stardrop Saloon. Leah didn’t move out of it since she was quite close to the square of Pelican Town, and Marnie gave the same explanation when Lewis asked her.
Once, in the saloon, he heard Marlon ask Marnie various questions about the sounds, telling her that he was doing this because she seemed to be closer to the source. Marnie didn’t give him anything, and when he kept pressing her she told him that it was from the old tower, where she heard the strangest things. Marlon gave her a weird look at this, but then he stopped insisting.
«Uncle Shane?» Jas called him.
Shane looked at her, and his face immediately softened. «Yeah, kid?»
«Why is everyone scared of those sounds?» Jas was watching him with big, bright and confused eyes.
Trying not to show the pain on his face for the way his body ached during the action, he crouched close to her. «Because they think an ugly monster is making them.»
Jas didn’t seem to be convinced by this. «Do you think this too?»
Shane bit his lip. «The only thing I think, and that I want you to know, is that you are safe there in the ranch.» he hoped so.
Jas giggled. «Oh but I know that, but I don’t think it’s a monster!»
«And what do you think it is?» Shane asked with amusement.
«I don’t know, but I think that it’s sad, and that’s why it sounds like that.»
Shane was taken aback by this. Jas though, watching behind her godfather, got distracted. «I’ve found a plum!»
«Why you are always covered in those scratches?» Emily asked while handing him a mug. No judgment could be found in her voice or on her face, but Shane felt too exposed anyway.
«I prefer not to talk about this.» he begged, taking his beer from her hands and ready to get away from her.
She tightened her grip on the mug. «You don’t… harm yourself, right?» The concern in her voice made him feel guilty; he knew how scared she was of the sounds he made.
«No, Emily. Don’t worry about it.»
The blue haired bartender finally released her grip, stronger than she looked; or maybe he was just incredibly tired and weak from those nights. «Shane, I consider you a friend of mine, and you are here for a year at least. I hope you know you can talk to me.»
Shane wanted to laugh; if she knew, she wouldn’t be so kind. «Yes Emily. Don’t worry.»
«Talk to Harvey at least. He is a great doctor, and would do anything to help the townspeople.» her caring eyes pierced him.
Not for him, not for what he had. No one could help him, only the one the Mayor of Grampleton wanted to send. «I know. Thank you.»
After another night of terrors, he entered the ranch. This time it was Sunday, so, at least, he could rest a bit before going back to work. The days before he became that thing – a “werewolf”, as Sam unconsciously called him – the pain in his body made him irascible, and more the night of full moon got closer, more he felt like ripping off his own flesh. Then, he had vague memories of what happened to him in that horrendous state, and, human again – if he could be considered such just because he resembled one – it was just weakness and pain again.
He found Marnie crying, sobbing, and he rushed towards her. She took his hands, trembling, and told him that Lewis wanted to bring in town a monster-hunter. Shane swallowed, thinking that winter wasn’t going to kill only plants that year. His time was over.
«Why is Auntie Marnie sad?» Jas whispered to him. It was a rainy evening, and Shane, knowing that he wasn’t going to be around for a long time, preferred to drink alone in his room, but only after Jas went to sleep. They were playing with her dolls, sitting on the ground of her room.
«Do you think she is sad? But she smiles all the time.»
Jas shacked her head. «She is sad and you know it.»
What a smart kid. He asked himself if she was going to miss him, and he hoped not; it wasn’t right for her to mourn over other people too, especially over him. «See kid, she got to know she is goin’ to lose something soon.» he explained, trying to be vague.
«You know what she is going to lose?»
«No idea kid.» Shane then studied her face. «You would prefer to know if you are goin’ to lose something?»
Jas pondered about his words. «Yes, this way I could find a way to keep it.»
In Pelican Town there was a lot of talking about the niece of the farmer that lived in the abandoned cottage he used as a refuge, or as a prison to contain himself. Most of the townspeople were excited about it, especially considering that this mysterious woman wasn’t only the niece of a farmer, but of a monster-hunter as well.
They all wondered how she was going to be; if she was polite, if she was rude, if she was nice, if she was upsetting, and, especially, if she was going to be able to kill him.
Shane felt tranquil those days, not feeling anxious for the first time in his life, while Marnie was a nervous wreck. She even scolded him once for the calm he showed, and then cried immediately after that. His heart broke at the sight, not wanting to make his aunt this miserable. But soon it was going to be over.
While Shane was bringing the hay inside the ranch, settling it down, he heard Lewis entering into their house. He rolled his eyes, thinking that his aunt could do much better than him. The Mayor greeted her with too much comfort, and she didn’t answer with his same excitement; he didn’t notice, or he didn’t care about it. Shane remained in the other room, not wanting to talk with Lewis.
But then his goddaughter got out of her bedroom, and without saying anything she took his hand and walked with him to the other room, heading out of the front door.
«Shane! Jas! Nice to see you two.»
Jas quickly hided behind her godfather, and Shane tried not to sigh. «Morning Lewis.»
Lewis smiled, and bent over Jas. «Are you excited about the news?»
«What news?» Jas murmured back.
«Of the monster-hunter! Stardew Valley is going to be safe again.» Lewis reminded her with a laugh; Marnie had tears in her eyes by only hearing him say those words, and Shane for the first time felt fear, but not for himself.
Jas slowly came out of her hiding spot, placing herself in front of Shane. «Is she going to hurt it?»
«Well, obviously, and we’ll help her if we have, right?» he asked to Marnie and Shane, waiting for them to confirm.
Jas’ face became angry. «I don’t want her to move here then.» and with this she ran to her room.
Lewis’ face frowned, watching Marnie running after her, while Shane kept standing still.
«Maybe it’s better if you leave.» he told the Mayor, who nodded, still confused.
Fixing his shredded clothes on, with his head feeling a bit dizzy by standing so quickly, he heard some noises coming from upstairs. It was the sunrise, and he thought that no one usually came to that farm, especially at that hour. Then he remembered the monster-hunter, and he had to imagine that they were going to check her new home before she moved in Pelican Town.
He panicked, and looked around, but no other doors were in the basement, just a small window close to the ceiling; he broke the glass one of his nights, trying to get out of the cottage. He was too short, but the people upstairs were loud enough to make his heart race in his chest. He tried to jump, and his body basically begged for him to stop. He tried various times, then, with his fingers, he was finally able to grab the window.
Feeling pain and praying Yoba it was going to work even if he didn’t believe in it, he hoped it was big enough for him to get out of there as quickly as possible. He crawled outside, feeling against his skin the shards of glass on the ground of the farm, between the grass, and he finally got out. He did it just in time, hearing the Mayor, Marlon, Robin and Demetrius jumping at the sight of the basement.
He run, hoping that the fog of that morning was going to make him disappear forever.
«You have to find another place.»
It was 2 a.m., and they were sitting at the table in their kitchen. Marnie was looking at him with a stern face, with her hands under her chin and her elbows on the table. Shane was looking at the ground, feeling heavy. His aunt just finished treating his new wounds, forcing him to stay still and to let himself getting taken care of.
«And for how long?» he whispered, but by her gasp he knew she heard him.
«You can’t just lose hope, Shane.» she tried to take his hands, but he was out of her reach.
«Yeah, I should be hopeful to keep living like this, between those fucking nights that tear apart my body and leave me tired and sore for the other weeks until it repeat itself, while stocking the fucking shelves at JojaMart, with only beer holding this mess together.»
«Shane…» he heard Marnie’s tears in her voice, and he hated himself even more.
Getting up he closed himself in his bedroom, locked it and drank until he passed out.
Holding Jas’ hand, they were returning home. His goddaughter, almost jumping instead of walking, was telling him something stupid Vincent said to Miss Penny, laughing remembering the face of her teacher. Shane tried to give the child his biggest smile, but the full moon was close, he didn’t have a place where to hide, and he was scared of what he could do to Jas in that state. He would have preferred killing himself if that meant saving the kid, and probably it was the best solution. He was going to die anyway.
«And Miss Penny feel like me about this “monster-hunter”.»
Shane now focused on her words. «What did she say?»
«That it screams for help, because it’s very sad.» Jas seemed happy about her teacher’s words, while Shane thought that she was just trying to not upset the kid.
Or, maybe, between miserable people, it takes one to know one.
There was still no snow, but the plants were dying; the branches of the trees didn’t even have a leaf left, and the freezing air was constantly foggy. It was that period between autumn and winter where everything was dead, but the snow still didn’t cover that misery with a pure white mantle.
Marnie found a place, in Cindersap Forest, that no one ever noticed. The woods where she took him were weird, looking almost magical, even in that moment of the season. There was a lake, and a white statue of a man inside of what it looked like the ruins of a temple.
«Get down.» she ordered, nervous.
Shane kneeled down, and Marnie began to chain him against the trees, and he hoped their roots were strong enough so that he couldn’t bent them over and escape. He was trembling, but it wasn’t because of the cold as Marnie thought, but fear. If I have to kill someone tonight, please, not Jas or Marnie, he begged.
«I think this should be enough.» the voice of his aunt was stern, but he knew she was scared. Scared of him.
«It’s better if you go, the sun is setting.»
Marnie nodded, gave him a kiss on his forehead, and hurried out of those woods.
Then, he waited.
The pale moon he hated so much barely showed, with the clouds that tried to hide it. But that wasn’t enough for keeping him in the shape of a human. Shane was in a fetal position on the ground, shivering, in pain and fear, and he felt his body starting to change, and that thing inside to come out.
During painful and long, long minutes, his body became bigger, ripping the clothes that had to keep him warm. The fur began to cover his flesh, and then he was a mess of fangs and claws. He always screamed during that transformation, and every time he was surprised he didn’t just pass out from the pain.
As soon as he became that beast, a furious anger took possession of his mind. He began to growl, to howl; nothing human seemed to be left of him.
He fought against the chains, breaking some trees, and getting angrier it the process. But it wasn’t the trees Marnie and Shane had to worry about, but the chains. He broke them in no time, and this way he was free.
He began to roam, sniffing the ground, trying to understand where to go and what to do. He entered in Cindersap Forest, tried to go closer to the tower, but as soon as he reached the stairs something invisible blocked him, hurting the creature.
The pain made him feel raging, and growling he changed his way, and a red building captured his attention. He headed towards it, and sniffed around, trying to find a way to enter in it. He began to scratch the door, but it was stronger than it looked; Marnie was no idiot, and she took care of it when Shane moved in Pelican Town a year ago, revealing her the truth.
But what Marnie didn’t consider, it was the hunger that he could feel. He jumped over the fences, sniffing again the ground, and as soon as he got close to the doors of the barn, he felt the animals inside. He scratched the doors, and the animals inside began to agitate.
Not being able to put down those doors too, he then started to dig the ground.
Once he got inside, blood splattered on the walls of the barn.
The sound of a shot made him raise his head from the dead cow he was feasting on.
«Go away.» Marnie ordered him, holding a rifle. Her face was wet with tears, but her expression severe.
He growled back, forgetting the cow. He began to go towards her, and her face fell.
«Don’t let me shoot you, please. Go. Away.» she begged, going backwards.
He didn’t hear, and his movements became faster.
Marnie pointed the rifle on him, but her hands were trembling, and she discovered that she had no courage. She ran, and he chased her. In the kitchen, she reached the front door, but she wasn’t able to unlock it, being so scared that she couldn’t even make a coherent thought.
A little gasp froze them. Turning around there was Jas, looking at the creature with a bit of fear. She didn’t hide though.
«Jas!» Marnie screamed. «I told you to never get out of your room!»
The kid didn’t look at her, and she didn’t listen to her aunt either, her attention only for the creature, that began to head toward her.
Marnie took the rifle and pointed it once again on him, now ready to shoot.
«Auntie no.» Jas murmured, looking at the creature, and then she started getting closer to him as well.
«Jas!» Marnie wished it was just one of her nightmares, and with shacking hands she shot.
She took him, but the bullet, because of her trembling, took one of his limbs, and he barely noticed it, focused on Jas. The creature was big enough to touch the ceiling, and with Jas in front of it, it looked like he did already swallow the kid.
Marnie tried to shot again, this time trying to contain herself, but she was out of bullets. She felt hopeless, and kneeled down. «Jas, please.» she cried.
Jas didn’t go away, and just stood in front of the creature ready to hurt the child.
«Uncle Shane?» she asked, a bit shyly.
He growled, and raised his claws on her.
Jas looked at him in his eyes, and the fear faded away. «Uncle Shane? It’s you the one being this sad then?»
He opened his fangs, and almost grabbed her, but Jas put a hand on his face.
«I knew you were sad, but I didn’t think you were this sad.» her voice sounded gloomy. «I’ll find a way to bring you back.» and with this she hugged her godfather.
Marnie wanted to close her eyes, but she wasn’t able to look away.
But nothing happened. He stayed there, still in that form. He didn’t growl, he didn’t scratch the little girl, he didn’t do anything. His shoulders lowered, and his head as well, but he wasn’t showing his fangs anymore. Jas was barely visible, but she was safe.
Marnie, with her eyes wide open, got up, putting down the rifle. She tried to get closer, but the creature growled at her, his claws visible again.
«Auntie no, he’s confused.» Jas warned her, but she didn’t stop hugging him.
They stayed like that until morning, and then the creature became Shane again. He was in tears, and his ragged clothes made him shiver from the cold winter morning. Jas was still hugging him, while he was kneeling down, and put his face on her shoulder. Marnie spent the whole night watching Jas, holding her biggest knife in case the creature wanted to attack her, but it didn’t happen.
Letting the knife fall on the floor, Marnie ran to hug both of them.
Jas was able to find the only human thing left deep inside him, and to bring it on the surface enough to let him stay still, waiting for the night to end. Maybe, he thought, Jas was the only reason to keep some hope for.