Chapter Text
Snufkin was running, he didn’t know where, he just needed to. The halls and corridors grew more longer with each turn and seemed never ending. But that wouldn’t matter, whatever he was running from was catching up quick, getting closer and closer each step. No matter how many times he tried shaking it off, it found him. He knew there was no way out, and began to stop. There wasn’t anything he could do, he missed Moomintroll and Little My and all his friends, but there was nothing he could do to save them. With one last breath of air, he accepted his fate.
• —— •
Moomintroll woke up, yawned and stretched, and looked out his window as the last of the winter snow melted away. It was spring, the best time for plants to grow and him and his friends to run. He opened his closet and picked out a pair of navy blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a white sweater on top. When he closed the door, he could see himself in the mirror he placed on the door. He was tall, not really lanky though. He had white fluffy hair that he had asked his Papa about when all his friends had colored hair. He told him it was genetics, and completely normal for the Moomin family. He understood, the Hemulens had grey hair anyway as he later found out.
When he opened his door and walked down the stairs, he was immediately met with Little My standing at the main staircase, clearly annoyed after waiting for him. She was the shortest of her family, standing 4 feet and 10 inches. She was staying with the Moomin family until her sister came back from her travels in the summer.
“Took you long enough,” she scoffed, “It shouldn’t take you an hour to get ready for chores.” It only took her a few minutes for the red dress with floral designs and pink scarf to be put on.
“It’s spring, Little My,” Moomintroll answered with a little frustration, “you know exactly what that means.”
She did, “Yeah, the flowers can bloom and the birds start singing.”
Moomintroll hesitated, yes that’s exactly why, but there was something else he couldn’t quite remember.
They walked down stairs and were greeted by Moominmama, who had made pancakes for breakfast, “A tradition for the start of each new spring.” She was a bit smaller than Moomintroll, and wore a yellow dress with her red and white apron on top like she usually does, even when she isn’t cooking. Moominpapa was sitting in the dining room, he had a newspaper in hand and a top hat on his head to match the suit and tie he wore everyday, even if he never left the house. In his words, it was so if he ever needed to be called out on a random whim, he would be ready. Called where, Moomintroll never knew. When they entered the room, he looked up, “Oh Moomin my boy, Little My, how was the winter rest?” They didn’t sleep the entire winter, they just stay inside and not go out unless they truly needed to, like tending to the cows and goats. “It was fine,” Moomintroll answered, “Just excited to start the spring garden and farm.”
When they finished eating, Moomintroll and Little My ran to find their friends, it had been a long winter without seeing them, and Moomintroll missed them both. They first stopped at Snorkmadien’s house. She lived with her brother, an inventor, and she loved the start of spring mainly for the flowers, which added to her beauty when she made flower crowns she had said. They knocked on her door, and she immediately answered. She had bright blonde hair with a fringe and a messy bun, and a very pastel green sweater to match. “Happy Spring! Oh my gosh I cannot believe winter went by so quick! Come on, we need to get to the flower fields now.”
“Wait Snorkmadien,” Moomintroll said as he stopped her before she ran out the door, “don’t forget we have to wake Sniff too.”
Sniff was Moomintroll’s adopted brother, and after moving out of the family house, he wanted to have his own “man cave” and now lives in a small shack made of rocks with only one room. He was as tall as Moomintroll, but very lanky and jittery, this is because he is a coward. When they got there, it wasn’t a surprise to see he was still fast asleep.
“SNIFF, IT’S SPRING,” Moomintroll yelled, and to his surprise, he bolted right up sleepily. They watched through the window as Sniff quickly, but exhaustedly, put on his day clothes. “I’m up Moomintroll, just WAIT,” he yelled as he finished putting on his shoes.
~
After leaving the shack, they all together walked back to the Moomin house and sat by the tree across the small river. The morning was quiet and peaceful, with the sound of running water and birds singing a new tune, welcoming the spring weather. Moomintroll listened. There was a familiar sound to the tune, as if he’s heard it before and wants to hear it now. He listened because he feels like there’s something missing, someone missing. The bridge especially is where he felt it. Almost every time he crosses the bridge, sits on the bridge, or even looks at it, he feels that there is something missing, but what? He just didn’t know.
“So what is the day looking like for your chores?” Little my asked, interrupting his thoughts. “Oh- yes- right sorry,” Moomintroll stuttered, “I believe, uh, I have to grab some wheat from the barn to prepare for the animals’ release.”
“Do you need some help?” Snorkmadien offered, “Sniff can always be a great helper.” This was her way of saying that she would help, but she didn’t want to get dirty and ruin her hair and makeup.
“Hey!” Sniff yelled in astonishment, “I do plenty while you just sit on your butt and play princesses all day.”
“Correction, I’m a Queen.”
Moomintroll left the group during their argument and stopped inside to grab his gloves. Moominmama was tending to the garden when he walked in, and Moominpapa was lying in a hammock between two trees by the porch. The house was quiet, no noise echoed through because all the noise that could be heard would be better outside. He grabbed his gloves and walked out, but not before feeling a chill go down his spine just before closing the door; a chill that was colder than the house and outside combined.
Upon leaving, he quickly mentioned to his mother about his whereabouts and start on the chores. “Okay dear,” she responded, “Thank you for getting a head start, and make sure Little My helps too.”
After grabbing Little My to come and help, they approached the barn that sat across the river and a bit away from the tree the others sat near.
“Is it just me,” Little My began, “or does something feel… off about today?”
Moomintroll nodded, he knew exactly what she meant, there was just a feeling that hung in the air that something was different.
But what could it be? He thought as he opens the barn doors slowly, everything is normal, the birds singing, the flowers blooming, a boy in the -
He dropped the bucket he was holding and they both stopped in their tracks. There, in the middle of the haystack at the back of the small barn, lay a boy. A boy who looked to be his age, and had tangled hair that clearly hadn’t been brushed, a green jacket with a plain white shirt underneath and tucked into brown pants. A scarf similar to Little My’s was yellow and wrapped around his neck.
He had never met this boy in his life, but why does he feel like he knows him? And what the hell is he doing in their barn?