Haven – Wish You Were Here

You paint the heavens with your fingertip, connecting stars into unnamed constellations until you find one that you like.

The stars always shine brighter with you.

We’re lying on our backs in the tall grass, side by side. Our heads are gently touching. Your hair – waist-length and white, snatched from a fairytale – smells like appledew and creamberries.

(this one)

With your finger you point to a single star, then trace an arc below it.

“Boba nut.”

(boron’s hope)

The cool air shifts slightly. We’ve been doing this for hours. If there was a creation story, this would be ours.

“Moonvale.”

(electro socket)

“Beruberu – The Whale.”

(oh, i like that. beruberu)

You turn your head towards me and smile. In your eyes I see a million constellations. The night stretches on forever.

Now, near the bottom of a crater, staring into the blinding geyser of molten energy that threatens to erase your existence, there are no stars.

The deepest chasms are always the ones inside us.

You speak, but I can’t hear you. They’re coming to take you away from me. That or we turn to rust and ashes trying to stop them here.

A tremor shakes the islet violently. Rocks rattle and tumble. A blast of stifling hot air escapes up into the night. It’s dangerous just being here, on this ledge.

Your voice comes to me in a whisper, even though I know you’re shouting.

(we can do this)

(i love you)

Wish You Were Here is a column that combines virtual photography and creative writing to capture a moment from within a game’s world. Click on the images above to view their full-sized versions, and Patreon supporters will receive two exclusive images from the set.

Haven is available now on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. It is also currently featured on Xbox Game Pass.