Change is a wonderful thing
Maisie Grace's mother cried joyful tears when she told her the good news about the farm. About leaving Zuzu City—a topic she'd harped on for far too long. Maisie Grace was sure she'd only heard her mother this happy once before, when her little brother, Nico, was born. That day in winter was rather dull, besides being Nico's birthday. The hospital's heating fought a losing battle against the biting cold, and there were no flowers, no birds, just monochromatic snow and litter lining the sidewalk. Still, there was happiness. Pure, unfiltered happiness.
Maisie Grace thought that if there could be joy in such monotony, maybe the city wasn't the problem. The job, the apartment, the life—all luxuries. Maisie Grace convinced herself she was simply greedy. A greedy and unfulfilled young adult who didn't know what was best for her.
She believed that for a while. She had to. To admit otherwise was too uncomfortable, too frightening.
And to add insult to injury, Noah had seen it too. He called her greedy when she dared to want more out of life. He called her stubborn when she wouldn't hear him out about how "change is a terrible thing."
"You're projecting," Maisie Grace spat back, her voice tight, her eyes locked on his. She refused to look away, no matter how much her hands trembled at her sides.
"Better than you gaslighting yourself," Noah snapped, his tone sharper than she'd ever heard.
A year ago, maybe she'd have agreed with him. A year ago, change was a terrible thing. It meant not making enough money to support her mom and Nico, who were already struggling. It meant leaving behind the love of her life. Change meant stepping out of the haze only to get caught in the fog.
But that "fog" turned out to be a lot clearer than Maisie Grace ever imagined. It wasn't some shapeless, unknowable mist, waiting to swallow her whole. There were no clouds in her way.
There were trees.
Hundreds of them, their branches reaching the sky like they were ready to catch her.
"I'm gonna need an axe," Maisie Grace muttered, staring at the overgrown path that wound through her grandfather's land. She sighed and reluctantly crept toward his old shed, its weathered wood leaning slightly to one side.
The door creaked as she opened it, a sound that somehow felt louder than anything she'd heard all day. Everything inside was coated in a fine layer of dust, untouched for years. She spotted a row of tools hanging on the back wall, their metal edges rusted but still solid.
Maisie Grace reached for the axe, her fingers brushing against the rough, splintered wooden handle. The weight of it grounded her in the moment, reminding her of the reality she'd chosen.
Splinter, pulled muscle, or poison ivy first? she wondered, heaving the axe over her shoulder and bringing it into the daylight for the first time in years. The blade caught the sun, its dull sheen revealing patches of rust along the edges. Maybe, if the axe were sentient, it would thank her for liberating it from years of neglect. More likely, though, it would injure her the first chance it got.
The axe didn't feel particularly appreciative.
Maisie Grace sighed, dragging the tool along as she surveyed the overgrown chaos before her. Where should she even start? This was supposed to be a farm, but right now it looked more like a jungle. She'd need good farmland first. She spotted an old chicken coop hidden behind a wall of foliage and debated clearing it out, but without chickens, it didn't feel like a priority.
And so she started.
The grass fell easily under the blade of her scythe—a pleasant surprise, considering the tool had been rotting away in her grandpa's shed for years. It was sharper than expected, slicing cleanly through the tall weeds as if eager to prove it still had some fight left in it. Maisie collected smaller logs into neat piles and broke larger ones into manageable pieces with the axe, each swing sending a dull ache through her shoulders.
It was monotonous work, yes, but it wasn't gray. It wasn't artificial.
By midday, Maisie Grace had settled into a rhythm, humming a tune as she swung her pickaxe against a stubborn boulder. Frustratingly, the stone didn't budge. "How did..." she huffed between strikes, "these even get here? Did they grow out of the ground or something?"
She wasn't expecting anyone to answer.
"That's probably from the hurricane," a voice called out.
Maisie Grace jumped, the pickaxe slipping from her hands and landing mere inches from her feet with a dull thud. She spun around, her heart hammering in her chest, to find a stranger standing just beyond the treeline.
"What!?" she sputtered, unsure of what else to say. Her eyes locked on the figure, and she relaxed slightly. The girl looked harmless enough. A little... odd, but harmless.
The stranger, a purple-haired girl with bright blue eyes and pale skin, seemed to misinterpret Maisie Grace's surprise as confusion over the mention of a hurricane, not her unannounced presence. "Yeah! Two falls ago. A big one. That's probably how half this junk ended up here." She tilted her head, her gaze flicking between Maisie Grace and the pickaxe on the ground. "Hey, what're you doing out here, anyway?"
"I could ask you the same thing," Maisie Grace replied before she could stop herself, instantly realizing how stupid that sounded. The girl probably lived here. Maisie Grace didn't. Well, she hadn't until ten hours ago.
The stranger snickered, which was odd since nothing about their interaction seemed particularly funny. "What do you mean? I come here all the time. I'm Abigail, by the way."
Abigail extended her hand, and Maisie Grace reluctantly took it, her mind racing as she reassessed the situation. Abigail's hair, eyes, and skin were all so unnaturally vibrant it was almost disorienting. Bright purple hair, piercing blue eyes, and pale, almost translucent skin. Her bloodshot eyes didn't help.
Shit. She probably came out here for a smoke, and I'm intruding on her space.
It took Maisie Grace an embarrassing time to remember this was her space, not Abigail's.
"I'm, uh, Maisie Grace," she said quickly, dropping Abigail's hand like it was hot. "I guess I live here now."
Abigail raised an eyebrow, a bemused smile playing on her lips. "Chill. Did you tell Lewis?"
Maisie Grace blinked. "Uhh—sorry, who? I kinda got here on a whim last night. Shit, is that illegal? The farmland's technically mine, though."
Abigail shrugged, unbothered. "Even if it was, I'm sure no one would care. I'll just have to find new woods to wander, I guess. Wait—you said you live here!? How'd you do that?"
Maisie Grace giggled softly at her astonishment, leaning the pickaxe against her hip. "My grandpa, Archie Fields? He left it to me."
Abigail's jaw dropped. "No fucking way. You're Archie's granddaughter? Woah, woah, woah, wait—Maisie Grace? Daisy Maisie?"
Maisie Grace froze, her eyebrows furrowing. "Uh—how did you—?"
"Fucking Yoba, man, it's been forever!" Abigail cut her off, stepping forward to wrap Maisie Grace into a tight, unexpected hug. Maisie Grace stiffened under the gesture, her arms pinned awkwardly to her sides as Abigail squeezed her like a long-lost friend.
"You've got to tell Lewis," Abigail said, finally releasing her, though her excitement didn't diminish. "He's gonna be stoked. And the whole town, too! You're, like, a local legend."
Maisie Grace blinked, thoroughly confused. "Sorry, do I know you?" she asked, brushing dirt off her shirt as she tried to piece together the connection.
Abigail laughed, running a hand through her vivid purple hair. "Yes! When our dads would go duck hunting together, and our moms were off shopping in Grampleton, you and I used to hang out here! At this farmhouse! Your grandpa would watch us while they were out. Don't tell me you don't remember."
Maisie Grace tilted her head, trying to pull a thread of memory from her foggy past.
Abigail's voice sped up as she continued. "We used to play in the fields out back! Actually, I called you Daisy Maisie first because, duh, you were obsessed with the little fuckers. And I—" She paused, grinning like she'd just unlocked a long-forgotten treasure. "Oh, Yoba, the picnic! Do you remember that? Your grandpa packed us sandwiches and let us climb that giant oak tree? You fell out of it and scraped your knee, and I cried more than you did because I thought you were dead."
Maisie Grace's breath hitched. The memory surfaced, bright and sharp, with Abigail's voice acting like a match against the flint of her mind. The giant oak tree, the sun filtering through the branches, Grandpa scolding her for scaring Abigail...
"When was the last time that happened?" Abigail mused. "When I was, like, seven? Maybe eight?"
Maisie Grace's chest tightened as another memory rushed in. She was eight. Eight when her dad died.
"That checks out," Maisie Grace murmured, her voice quieter now. "I was eight the last time I came to Berrybliss Farm."
The smile on Abigail's face faltered slightly as she seemed to pick up on the shift in Maisie Grace's tone. "Oh," she said softly. "Right. That's... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"
Maisie Grace waved a hand dismissively, forcing a smile she wasn't sure she felt. "It's fine. I just didn't think anyone here would even remember me. It's been so long."
Abigail tilted her head, studying Maisie Grace for a moment. "Well, I remember you. And I bet half the town does, too. Archie was kind of a big deal, you know. Everyone loved him. You showing up out of the blue? That's, like, huge. I can't believe I'm the first one hearing of this!"
Maisie Grace chuckled nervously. "Guess I'd better make a good impression, then."
Abigail grinned. "Oh, trust me, they're gonna roll out the red carpet for you."
Maisie Grace hesitated. She wasn't sure who "they" were. Surely Abigail didn't mean the whole town.
"In fact—hey, you're not busy, right?" Abigail asked, her expression suddenly alight with an idea.
Maisie Grace glanced at the overgrowth around her, then at the pickaxe lying at her feet. "Uh, actually, I—"
"Perfect!" Abigail interrupted, grabbing Maisie Grace's wrist before she could finish. In one swift motion, she was being dragged down the dirt path toward Pelican Town.
Maisie Grace couldn't get over how different it felt here compared to Zuzu City. Back in the city, getting yanked away by a stranger meant certain death—or worse. But here, there was an unexplainable sense of safety as Abigail pulled her along, her purple hair catching the sunlight and her nonstop chatter filling the air.
By the time they'd been walking for five minutes, Maisie Grace had already learned half the town's residents' names and their scandals.
"Hmm, who else?" Abigail mused aloud, walking backward so she could face Maisie Grace. She snapped her fingers. "Oh! There's this, like, 30-something-year-old dude named Shane. Total bum. I don't think he does anything except drink beer and sulk. But his aunt—this might be useful, so listen—"
She'd said that ten times already.
"—she sells animals and crap. Oh, and she's totally banging the mayor. Which is so weird, because he's, like, 75, and she's... 40?"
Maisie Grace giggled. "Gross!" she exclaimed, half to keep Abigail entertained, half because it was gross.
Truthfully, she was enjoying Abigail's company. Even if she wasn't getting a word in edgewise, it felt good to laugh with someone. Back in Zuzu, her few friends were so bogged down with their own misery that the idea of laughing, let alone sharing interesting gossip, felt impossible.
Abigail snickered. "Ugh, I know. And their attempts to keep it a secret? Hilarious. Worst poker faces ever."
Maisie Grace smirked. "Probably because they've got you running your mouth to everyone."
"No doubt," Abigail agreed without missing a beat. "But, hey—I only blab about the shallow stuff. If I had a rep for spilling the real dirt, no one would tell me anything anymore."
Maisie Grace raised an eyebrow. Abigail confused her. She couldn't tell if this girl was the town's biggest open book or its most underestimated keeper of secrets. Either way, Maisie Grace wasn't sure she wanted to find out.
Fifteen minutes later, they arrived in Pelican Town. The square was bustling with small-town activity. Two children were chasing each other around the cobblestones, their laughter ringing out like bells. A strawberry-blonde woman stood nearby, yelling after them.
"Vincent, slow down! You're going to fall!" she called out, her tone stern but warm.
"Yes, ma'am!" the boy yelled back, his voice full of mischief. He turned to his playmate—a little girl with black hair tied back with a large bow—and sped up instead of slowing down.
Maisie Grace smiled at the scene but didn't notice the boy barreling toward her until it was too late. Vincent collided with her legs, sending her stumbling backward. She crashed into Abigail, knocking her over as well, and tried to steady herself before catching the boy.
Vincent, of course, was perfectly fine. He stood up twice as fast as Maisie Grace, smiling cheerfully. Maisie Grace got up slowly, her head spinning. She glanced back at Abigail, who was sprawled on the ground with an exaggerated groan.
"Fuuuuuuuuuuu—" Abigail began, only to lock eyes with the kid. "—dge. Frick. Ow."
"HI, MISS BLABBIGAIL!" Vincent shrieked, bouncing excitedly as he hovered over her.
"Hi, Vince. Running fast today?" Abigail asked, carefully getting to her feet.
"Yes, ma'am! I'm very fast! Who's your friend? I dunno her!"
Maisie Grace squatted down to his level with a smile. "Hey there! I'm Maisie Grace Fields. I just moved here."
"Hiya, Miss Maisie Grace! My name's Vincent! Vincent... uh..." He paused, thinking hard. "Oh! I'm Vincent Foster!" He spun around to face the little girl, who was now peeking out from behind a lamppost. "Jas! Hurry! Meet Miss Maisie Grace!"
The girl hesitated, creeping forward slowly but keeping Vincent between her and Maisie Grace like a shield.
"Don't be scared; she's nice," Vincent whispered, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Jas peeked her head out from behind him, her big bow bobbing as she nodded slightly. "...Hi," she muttered, avoiding eye contact. She lingered for a moment before turning and darting off in the opposite direction.
Vincent sighed dramatically, shaking his head like a world-weary adult, which was funny to see on his young face. "She's shy. Doesn't get it from me. Nice meeting you, Miss Maisie Grace!" He waved cheerfully before racing after Jas.
Maisie Grace chuckled, watching the kids disappear down the street. "They're cute," she said, brushing off her knees.
"Yeah, cute until they sneak up on you in the middle of the forest and ask, 'What kind of flowers are those?'" Abigail quipped, rolling her eyes.
Maisie Grace snickered as Abigail gestured for her to keep walking. "Jas is Shane's, I think," Abigail added as they strolled down the cobblestone path.
"What do you mean, 'I think'?" Maisie Grace asked, tilting her head.
Abigail shrugged. "I think it's... messy. They both live at Marnie's, and he's technically her guardian, but I don't think he's actually her dad. They kind of dance around the topic. Honestly? I don't think she knows either."
Maisie Grace opened her mouth to reply, but the voice from earlier interrupted her.
"Abby!"
Maisie Grace turned to see the strawberry-blonde woman who had scolded Vincent waving them over. She stood next to another woman who immediately caught Maisie Grace's attention. Shorter than Abigail, with strikingly familiar features—blue eyes, sharp cheekbones, and seafoam-green hair that looked somehow both natural and surreal.
Abigail let out a groan under her breath but led Maisie Grace over. "Hi, Jodi," Abigail greeted the blonde before turning to the other woman. "Hi, Mama."
Maisie Grace blinked, glancing between Abigail and the woman she'd just called Mama. The resemblance was undeniable now.
"Who's your friend?" the green-haired woman asked, her tone warm but curious.
Maisie Grace straightened up. "I'm Archie Fields's granddaughter, Maisie Grace. Nice to meet you."
Caroline's eyes widened, her expression shifting from polite curiosity to genuine shock. "D-Daisy?" she stammered. "Daisy Maisie? Oh, Yoba, I haven't seen you in ages! How are you?"
Before Maisie Grace could reply, Caroline pulled her into a tight hug. Like mother, like daughter, apparently. If the rest of Pelican Town was this touchy, Maisie Grace would have to adjust quickly.
"I'm good, actually," Maisie Grace said, her voice slightly muffled by Caroline's shoulder.
"Good to hear!" Caroline exclaimed, finally letting go. "Oh, sorry! You probably don't remember me. I'm Caroline—Abigail's mom."
Maisie Grace shook her head apologetically. "Sorry, I don't. But it's nice to meet you—again."
Caroline smiled warmly. "I had no idea you were moving to the Valley!"
"Neither did I," Maisie Grace admitted with a small laugh. "It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment decision."
Jodi, who had been standing quietly, chimed in next. "Well, it's nice to have you here. I'm Jodi, by the way. Vincent's mom."
"Nice to meet you! Or, I guess... nice to meet you again?" Maisie Grace said with an awkward laugh. "How many people here already know me?"
Caroline laughed. "Anyone who's been around long enough. By the way, how's Bianca? Is she here too?"
Maisie Grace shook her head. "My mom's doing well, but no—she lives up north now. Her and Nico."
Caroline's face lit up. "That sounds just like her! I might have to catch up with her over the phone sometime."
"She'd like that. She misses the valley, but... I don't think she'll ever come back, y'know?"
Caroline and Jodi nodded in agreement, their faces solemn. The reason her mom would never come back?
Death.
Two deaths, to be specific. Well, three now, if you count Maisie Grace's grandfather. Her mom was convinced the Valley was a cursed space for her after her sister, Maisie Grace's Aunt Laura, passed away, so she packed up her things as soon as she could and moved to Zuzu City with Maisie Grace's dad.
Visiting Pelican Town one year when Maisie Grace was eight, her dad passed away.
But she didn't want to harp on it, not right now. Jodi turned to Maisie Grace with a kind smile. "Hey, Maisie Grace, I'm having Caroline and her family over for dinner tonight. You're more than welcome to join us."
"Woah, woah, woah, I didn't know about this," Abigail interjected, but a pinch on her arm from Caroline shut her up.
Maisie Grace didn't need much convincing. She hadn't thought about food since she arrived, and she definitely didn't have anything edible back at the farm.
"Sure! Thank you, that sounds great," Maisie Grace said, smiling gratefully.
"Perfect!" Jodi said, clapping her hands together. "Meet us at my house around five. It's the big blue one, right down the road. You can't miss it." She added a playful wink before turning back to her conversation with Caroline, and Abigail dragged Maisie Grace away from the two women.