Yanderes in Cottage Country

Cody tried to shake off the weirdness with Nyrah. He wasn’t sure if he believed all that Heart of Gold stuff. He was far from perfect. Yes, he did lots of heroic stuff in Velasarin, but he felt like a different person back on Earth. He wouldn’t run into a burning building now. At least, he didn’t think so. But mostly because he knew he didn’t have all the strength and skills he had back in Velasarin. It was different when you knew you were strong and capable and had a bunch of health potions in your Inventory, but all of that was gone now. He traded it all for this life, the one he wanted with Morgan. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Before Nyrah had sidetracked him, he was heading to the library to return some books. He made sure no one was looking and then pulled his canvas book bag out of his Inventory and headed into the building.

“Ah! My favorite patron!” Lexi said with a big smile.

Cody paused pulling the books out of his bag. “Who? Me?”

“You always return your books on time,” Lexi explained. “You’re like the only one in Cornerstone who does that.”

Cody dropped the books into the return bin. “That can’t be true.”

Part of the reason he was so diligent about returning books was he was still half-convinced it was the answer to Lexi’s Friendship Levels, but so far he had been proven wrong every single time. Maybe this time it’d actually work. Maybe it was a quantity thing.

“It is very true,” Lexi said. “Your girl Morgan is one of the worst offenders.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And on top of that, she always likes reading the new, hot arrivals–the ones other people have holds on. So, it’s extra bad that she doesn’t return her books on time. Other voracious readers are waiting.”

“Does she have overdue books right now?”

“Yes. Two.”

“Do you…want me to get them?” Cody asked, mentally crossing his fingers that this was a lead into an overdue library book fetch quest and the answer to his Friendship Leveling with Lexi.

“Oh my god, would you?” Lexi asked, grinning.

“Sure thing. I’ll try to go get them right now.”

“See? You are my favorite patron!” Lexi said with a big grin. “Go get those books.”

* * *

Cody stepped back outside and sent his book bag into his Inventory. He really wished this game had an official Quest Log. He’d know for sure he was on the right track, but it didn’t seem to be that kind of game.

He knew Morgan was working, but Doug was probably working, too. With a mental ‘click’, he brought up his game [Map] to double check where everyone was. Maybe if Doug was in the breakroom or something, he could sneak in and talk to Morgan and ask her about her overdue library books.

Sure enough, Morgan’s red glowing dot was in the Food Mart, but Doug’s dot appeared to be home, along with Gracie’s dot. Huh, guess he wasn’t at work then. Cody looked for Nyrah on the Map, and was relieved when he saw her glowing green dot headed back to the cottage, walking along the gravel road. Yana’s dot was inside the cottage, presumably watching TV.

He smiled to himself, happy the Food Mart was Doug-free, and headed in that direction. When he arrived, Morgan was cashing out a family, but she waved to him. He grabbed a basket and picked up a few things before heading to her till.

Morgan started scanning his items, but tilted her head, giving him a quizzical look. “How did you know Doug wasn’t here?”

“I…um…didn’t see his car parked in the lot,” Cody lied, and Morgan saw right through him.

“Doug often walks to work.”

“Huh,” Cody said, unsure how to cover up his little lie. “But…I’m right? He’s not here?”

“No, he’s not. Gracie ran away from the babysitter. Apparently, she was trying to get to Grandpa Sam’s workshop. Doug took her home and he’s keeping an eye on her.”

“You told Doug they’re welcome to come by and use the workshop anytime, right?”

Morgan frowned. “I did. Doesn’t mean Doug is going to take you up on that offer.”

“But Gracie is running away from her babysitter because she wants to play in the workshop?”

“It’s not new,” Morgan said. “She’s run away from the babysitter a few times the past few months. Not necessarily to play in the workshop, just because she doesn’t want to be there. We trust the babysitter, it’s an older woman who used to watch me when I was a kid. She watches a few kids at her house. Gracie is just…Gracie. She likes to be out, walking in the woods, climbing trees, doing things on her own.”

Morgan had finished scanning his stuff and had his total ready, and there was an older couple waiting in line behind him. He tapped his card to pay. “By the way, you have overdue library books.”

Morgan laughed. “Excuse me?”

“Are they upstairs in your apartment? Permission to use your key and grab them for Lexi?”

“Wait, you’re serious? Did Lexi put you up to this?” Morgan glanced over his shoulder at the couple who started putting their items on the conveyor belt.

“It is very important that I return your library books.” He wasn’t lying, but he also had no idea how to explain this turn in conversation.

“You are so weird sometimes.” Morgan pulled a ring of keys out of her pocket and passed it to him. “It’s the green one. The books are in my bedroom, on the nightstand. Bring the keys back asap, because I need them for work stuff. Now go. I have customers.”

Cody took the keys from her, grabbed his bag of groceries, and left the store. He knew he weirded her out, but at least she agreed to let him grab her books. Probably because she had customers and needed him to leave.

He walked around the building to the metal steps that led up to Morgan’s apartment, looking through the keys. She had at least twenty of them on the ring. He managed to find the one with the green silicone keycap and used it to open the door.

He hadn’t had a chance to spend much time in Morgan’s apartment, other than the night she made chicken stir fry. It definitely reminded him of her old bedroom, with lots of pastel colors and floral curtains and throw pillows. He didn’t want to feel like he was snooping around, so he made a beeline to her bedroom and her nightstand. He thought the books were going to be sitting on top of her nightstand, but there was nothing but her bedside lamp. He shrugged and opened the nightstand drawer. Sure enough, there were two paperback romance books tucked in there, along with a bunch of random bookmarks and a thick manila envelope that had photos poking out of it. He recognized himself in the photo on top. Curiosity got the best of him, and he picked up the envelope and slipped the stack of photos out.

The first photo was from their last summer together: sitting on the dock at the Callahan cottage, with him in swim trunks and Morgan in a blue bikini. He had his arm around her shoulders and they were both smiling. He remembered her mom taking the picture. He was stunned by how young they both looked, but he knew they had to be eighteen in the photo.

Cody sat on the edge of the bed as he flipped to the next photo. It was another one of the two of them together: they were eating burgers at Grandpa Sam’s picnic table. The next picture was just Cody, once again at eighteen. It was a close up with him holding his hand up, as if he didn’t want his picture taken, but he was laughing. Another one of him eating a burger. Fishing off the edge of the dock with his back to the person taking the picture. Out on the lake canoeing with Grandpa Sam. He kept flipping through them. More and more pictures of him. He remembered Morgan liked taking pictures, but he was not aware how many she took when he wasn’t aware. And that she went the extra step and had them all printed out. And she kept them in an envelope in her nightstand. And that she had kept them for an entire decade.

He started to feel uncomfortable looking through them. There were so many, at least a stack of fifty. He quickly flipped through the rest so he could get back to the first picture and put everything the way he found it. He shut the nightstand drawer and stared at it for a moment.

On the one hand, it felt a little unsettling to find out she’d taken that many pictures of him and he had no idea. On the other hand…he supposed, he was her boyfriend at the time. If she asked, he would have said it was fine, so did it really matter? He also couldn’t help but admit it was kind of sweet that she kept them all this time. She hadn’t thrown them out in anger the second he broke up with her and left town. She also kept them in her nightstand, so…maybe she liked to look at them on lonely nights. He was perfectly fine with that scenario.

He got his book bag from his Inventory and tucked Morgan’s books inside, carrying both the books and his bag of groceries back down to the Food Mart. Morgan was busy cashing out more customers, so he quickly handed her the keys. He made his way back to the library and held up the book bag triumphantly as he entered.

“You’re back? Already?” Lexi asked, eyeing the bag. “And those are Morgan’s overdue books?”

“Yep!”

Cody handed over the books, and Lexi gawked at him. “You’re my hero.”

Cody gave himself a mental pat on the back for being right about the overdue book fetch quest. He was also relieved there wasn’t a note about unlocking Romance Levels with Lexi.

“Any more?” he asked Lexi.

“No, Morgan just had these two.”

“No, I mean–you said everyone in town is bad at returning books on time. Want me to go round up some more?”

“Seriously?” Lexi narrowed her eyes, studying him.

“I am one hundred percent serious. Let me be your overdue book errand boy.”

“You’re kind of weird, you know that?”

Cody shrugged. “You’re not the first person to mention that.”

“Well, let me check the computer.” He waited as she typed and then scrolled with her mouse.

“This isn’t an invasion of privacy, is it? Letting me know who has overdue books and what books they’re borrowing?” Cody asked.

Lexi shrugged. “It’s a small town. Everyone knows everything already, and I highly doubt anyone is going to care.”

“If you say so. Who am I visiting next?”

“Um…Marigold Parker. She works at Cornerstone Critters. Do you know her?”

“We’ve met.”

“She has some overdue fantasy novels. Mind returning them?”

“I’ll be right back.” Cody gave her a salute, feeling pretty pumped about actually getting shit done, and headed back outside–where he immediately ran into Temica. She scowled and then gave him a big, performative yawn. All of his happy adrenaline faded and turned into a hard lump of anger in the pit of his stomach.

“What do you want?” Cody asked, and kept walking.

“I’m bored. As usual.” Temica fell into step with him with her long, graceful strides. Henry rode on her shoulder, as creepy as ever.

“Isn’t this your game?” Cody asked. “Aren’t you the one who is controlling this very boring bookish fetch quest?”

“Henry takes care of this stuff,” Temica said with a wave of her hand towards the bird.

“Why even have a game? You’re supposedly a goddess or something. Why not just go where you want and cause chaos?”

Temica was silent, as if she wasn’t willing to answer, but then she spoke: “The games are my…ecosystem. Like a fish in the ocean or a jaguar in the jungle.”

“Sure,” Cody said, but was pleased that it sounded like completing the game might actually get rid of her.

“We wanted to try something quaint and cozy this time around. Turns out, I’m not a fan. We won’t be doing it again,” Temica said. “Although, I did have a teeny tiny bit of entertainment the other night, when your girlfriend got jealous and claimed her man.”

Cody clenched his jaw. “You, uh…saw that? All of that?”

“I’m a goddess, Cody Hampshire. I’ve seen it all. Don’t be shy.”

“I’m not shy,” Cody said. “But some things are private.”

Don’t worry, she’s a lying whore, Knife said. Maybe she fed off the minor bit of ‘chaos’ that night, but I’m still not buying the all-seeing bullshit.

Cody almost smiled at hearing Knife’s voice again, but managed to keep his expression neutral as Temica spoke next: “You’re going to keep those ungrateful brats at your cottage, yes? Maybe stir up some more jealousy for me? Make things interesting?”

“Or you could send them home,” Cody said, but instantly felt bad because he knew Nyrah and Yana wanted to stick around.

“No. They’re my only hope for something interesting to happen, especially the little lovesick nekofae. Why do you think I brought them here in the first place?”

Cody sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Just…fuck off already. Please?”

“I’ll fuck off when I’m satisfied. And so far, you’ve been a fucking bore most of the time.”

They arrived at the pet shop. “This is my stop.” Cody walked in, not bothering to care if Temica followed him in or not. She didn’t.

“Oh, h-hello!” Marigold called from the front counter. “Can I h-help you?”

Cody tried to shake off Temica by giving the shy girl a friendly smile. “You haven’t burned the place down yet. Good job.”

Her brows knit together in confusion for a moment, but then she shook it off, appearing to remember it was a joke. Albeit, not a very funny one, since she didn’t laugh. “Correct. I didn’t burn it down.”

His patience already running thin for the day, Cody decided to cut to the chase: “You have overdue library books.”

Marigold’s face turned bright red. “I w-was going to return them. T-tomorrow. I swear!”

“I can take them back for you right now, if you want.”

“I don’t have them here, they’re at home.”

“Right.” Cody felt his heart sink. He wanted to get the damn Friendship Levels over with. “If you bring them to work with you tomorrow, I can return them to the library.”

“I can take them m-myself.”

Well, yeah, Cody thought. She could. But then he wouldn’t be earning another Friendship Level with Lexi.

“Just let me take them?” Cody said.

Marigold quietly studied him before asking, “Y-you want an excuse to talk to Lexi? Is that it? Do you like her?”

“No, it’s not like that. I’m dating Morgan Callahan.”

“O-oh! I didn’t know. I’m sorry,” Marigold said quickly. “I shouldn’t have said that about Lexi then.”

“Well, you didn’t know so…” Cody shrugged. “Bring your books to work tomorrow and I’ll come pick them up and return them.”

“O-okay.”

Cody gave her one final nod and left the store.

You’re getting really fucking weird, Knife commented.

Oh, are you back?

Are you going to apologize? Knife asked.

For what? The name thing?

Knife was silent as Cody made his way through town, and then back onto the gravel road that led home, since he had opted out of driving today.

Stop being a petty bitch about the name thing, Cody told Knife. If you have a name, you had more than enough opportunities to tell me what it was. That’s on you just as much as it’s on me, and I’m not apologizing for something that stupid.

Fine, Knife said. I’ll be the bigger man, and I’ll go first: I’m sorry. I’m sorry I got pissed off at you about the name thing. Also, I uh…miss you. Or something. Sitting inside your head isn’t the same as actually, you know, talking to you.

So, that’s why you’re back? You missed me? Not because you’re due to visit Little Miss Puffball? Cody asked.

I apologized! Stop being a dick!

Cody laughed, feeling a sudden burst of overwhelming happiness in his chest. He stopped walking, savoring the moment. He’d been feeling like a bundle of frayed wires lately, but now he felt a whole lot lighter.

I’m sorry, too, Cody said. And yeah, I guess I missed you, too.

I know. I live inside your stupid brain.

Can I ask you something?

Go ahead, Knife said.

So, what is your name?

Knife was silent and Cody kept walking, wondering what was taking so long. Maybe Knife was getting emotional because he finally asked. Maybe Knife was being a dick and not going to tell him. Maybe Knife–

I dunno, Knife said.

You don’t know? Cody could hardly believe his ears…or, brain. Whatever it was that listened to Knife. He couldn’t believe that was the answer.

I’ve been– Knife began, but was cut off by a notification.

“No!” Cody shouted. “Control - Alt -

Music from an eighties synth wave keyboard was already filling the air, along with an electric guitar.

Wait! Knife cut in. Let it play. I’ve gotta good feeling about this one.

Cody sighed, just as the drums kicked in.