Mark sits alone at the park while Mei works her shift at the police station.   After quitting his job as an international undercover intelligence agent, he has little else to do. Although he has finally made it home, he feels as though he has jumped from one raging, whitewater torrent into another. Time had not stood still while he was gone, and Sunset Valley feels like a completely different place as a result. There is no better evidence of this than from within his own family.  Hope has become a beautiful young woman, and Dara threatens to be just as gorgeous as both her sister and … Continue reading Chapter 4.15 – Fortune

She was still a child the last time Hope saw her father.   — She had never doubted once that he would return safely. But it is quite clear that her confidence had not been shared with the other members of her household.  Even her mother, who had held out longer than anybody else, eventually gave up believing that he would return.  Added to that, is the lingering anger over the fact that Mark had put his job ahead of family. But the relief and joy of knowing he is alive and back in Sunset Valley outweighs any other emotion, and the spectre that has haunted the Barimen … Continue reading Chapter 4.14 – Wounds

Grandpa David’s death had come as a shock to everybody.   Hope had missed school the Friday following her birthday party, and had also slept through the small birthday celebration for both Mary and Elizabeth. He died that night before going to bed, soon after Elizabeth moved out.  Hope felt terrible. Not only had she lied to her grandfather, but she took advantage of his trust during the party. It is something she will never be able to apologize for. The weekend that follows seems like one of the worst of her life. She wants to talk to her mother about the party, but she … Continue reading Chapter 4.13 – Alive

They used to call him “Cabin Boy”.   He had been born in the tiny cabin that was built by one of Sunset Valley’s first settlers. It stood there, over time, among the massive mansions and seemingly limitless wealth; mostly hidden from sight by the growth of trees and underbrush which had overtaken it. Despite the opulence it was surrounded by, the tiny log cabin remained, sitting proudly upon a plot of dirt far more valuable than anything its neighbors could fathom.   David had tried so hard to learn for himself what it was, exactly, that made this land so important. There have … Continue reading Chapter 4.12 – Secret

Mark regards the girl who had been Rakim’s wife. He remembers everything.   He has no words to describe how he feels about the situation. He asks her about the papers and the picture he had been carrying. She quickly fetches them and silently hands them over to him. Mark sees that her hands are trembling. Though he has known the young woman intimately, he cannot bring himself to comfort her now. He simply nods to her and tells her that the nightmare is over.   His body is weak and skeletally thin from the withdrawal he had suffered. Realizing that he has not … Continue reading Chapter 4.11 – Insurgent

Rakim has been permitted to visit with family for a last time before his mission to martyrdom.   Having no remaining family of his own, he agrees to allow his wife to visit her parents in a nearby village. The dreams have been coming to him nightly now; dreams of being buried alive and clawing through the earth to find the surface. He gets very little sleep as a result. Rakim feels ill on the morning of the trip, and his stomach churns at the thought of eating. Although it is forbidden, he quietly gives his portion of the meal provided during training to another recruit. Then, … Continue reading Chapter 4.10 – Freedom

David cheers with excitement as his two youngest children prepare to celebrate their birthdays.   It has been a rather long and challenging journey through parenthood. Mary and Elizabeth came very late in his marriage, and he had been an elder through much of their lives. Mei has done more than any sim could ask in helping to raise them despite having two children of her own. Mei is conspicuously absent from the celebration, however. She has been avoiding just about everybody since Hope’s birthday.   Hope is also missing from the celebration, but for a different reason entirely. She was … Continue reading Chapter 4.9 – Enigma

Hope makes her birthday wish (a huge hug from her father), and takes the leap into becoming a teen.    —    —   The birthday party, as expected, is massive. Hope feels pumped to have so many people around her; having fun, dancing, going crazy. It’s almost like this is what she was born to do. Elizabeth seems perfectly content to join in, and they celebrate the night away with friends of all ages. Michael has found his way back to the house too. But this time he only has eyes for Hope, and she is more than happy to soak … Continue reading Chapter 4.8 – Drunk