Oh, god, Lucia thought. So yes, she hadn’t expected to get a good housing, not with her circumstances. And yes, she knew that the agency had a lot of people to support, but still… this? A tent, in a field, on the outskirts of town. Lucia could hardly reconcile the dream of finally getting out on her own, with this.
Lucia sighed, and picked up Charlie for moral support as she investigated the town. Charlie was her mummified teddy bear, and Vicky was the moped Lucy had saved for a year to buy. Deciding that the park would be the most likely place to steal some food, Lucia headed off.

‘Uh, yeah, these apples.. are for everyone!’ Lucia stammered to the nice French tourist who caught her mid-pick.

‘Oh? Then shall I take some too? I have not had your.. Sunset Valle apples. In my town, we grow many fruits,’ the lady responded.

‘Sure, I was just – ah – grabbing a healthy lunch!’ she replied brightly. ‘I’m Lucia – Lucy, by the way.’

‘Je suis Amelie,’ the elegant tourist told her. ‘I come here regularly on entreprise – business.’

Lucia talked to Amelie for a good hour, and promised to meet for brunch the next day – Amelie had an adorable French sense of humour, and Lucy was glad to find a new friend in Sunset Valley.

On her way home, Lucy stopped outside the school to take a few snaps. The fading light was perfect – until she was interrupted.

‘What’re you doing?’ a voice asked.

Lucia jumped. ‘I’m not a pedophile!’ she said. ‘I mean, uh, I’m trying to get a few good shots to sell.’ Lucy blushed as the man slowly grinned.

‘You startle easily,’ he told her. ‘I’m Xander.’

‘Er – Lucy,’ she said, totally off-balance. ‘I just moved here.’

‘On your own?’ Xander asked.

‘Yeah – I’m living in the tent on Pinnochle Way,’ Lucy answered. ‘You don’t get much from government funding.’

‘A tent?!’ he demanded. ‘That road’s full of empty trees and forests! You can’t possibly be staying there all on your own. I bet you don’t even own a gun.’

‘Well, no,’ she said. ‘In my hometown, you needed your parents to get you one, and I lived in a home.’

‘I think I should come check this field out,’ Xander said seriously.

Lucy giggled. ‘Alright,’ she said. ‘You’ll have to ride on the back of my moped.’

‘You’re living in a tent, but you went out and bought a moped anyway? I always run into the crazy girls..’ he muttered.

As they arrived at her ‘house’, Xander snorted in disbelief. ‘You really weren’t lying about the tent,’ he told her.

‘I’m not really in the habit of lying to people,’ she responded. The two talked for an hour and a half, and Lucy smiled to herself as she realized that she wasn’t really alone in this town.

Xander pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly. Lucia was a bit taken aback at first, but relaxed and realised how right it felt with him. Xander looked into her eyes, and Lucy didn’t really care that they’d just met today, or that maybe she would never had initiated the flirting.

‘Can I stay over?’ he asked her. ‘Y’know – to protect you from the wolves, and all them.’

She smiled at him.

‘It’s just a one-room tent,’ she told him.

But enough: simmers, meet the founder.

This is Lucia Griffith. She’s got an eye for photography, as well as being artistic, excitable, brave, and a light sleeper. Her lifelong wish is to have a photo collection worth 25000; and she’s just moved to Sunset Valley to achieve it.

I’ll post the first chapter soon!
- Cotys