Doc gives the all-clear signal to Gerard through the open door, then quietly sits down next to Kacey.   Having lived on the streets all his life, Doc has become very familiar with the signs of emotional defeat; when a sim’s spirit has been completely crushed. This is what he sees when looking at Kacey. There are no tears to cry, and no dignity left to preserve; she appears as a sim who has surrendered to despair. Still, there is some sign of hope. Although she has said nothing, he can sense through her body language that she is glad … Continue reading Chapter 6.12 – Butterflies

Ben spends weeks at the hospital, quickly learing that cooperation is the key to avoid being given his “medicine”.    —   Faith and Jimmy come to visit him almost every day, and often leave in tears when they learn that his “problem” has not improved. He’s not sure what the doctors are saying to make them think so. Ben has not said a word to anybody about “end of the world” stuff, and he has done his best to steer clear of the topic with his new doctors. He has seen Dr. Kennedy around the hospital, but she has avoided him since the night Maria was … Continue reading Chapter 6.11 – Smoke

  It is shortly past midnight when Ben wakes up in an unfamiliar hospital bed.   His head is still swimming from the sedatives, and he doesn’t remember much about what happened after Sarah yelled at him. All he knows is that he seriously freaked out, and caused some major damage. He really doesn’t know where the rage came from, and he starts to feel guilt about the trouble he has caused. This is not how he wants things to be. He doesn’t want to be the troubled, high-maintenance kid any more. But even now, he cannot suppress the feeling that … Continue reading Chapter 6.10 – Connection

The combination of Doc’s tired eyes and tricks played by shadows cast in the moonlight, make for difficult hiking through the dense woods that line the seashore. Had it not been as simple of keeping the shoreline in sight through the woods, he would have become hopelessly lost. It is difficult for Doc to fathom that a thriving town should be here in place of the woods. He has given up trying to come up with a scientific explanation for now. Whatever is happening defies the laws of physics, nature, and mathematics. There is a high probability that the dreams he and Hope … Continue reading Chapter 6.9 – Cabin

A small hotel on the main highway leading into Sim City acts as a staging area for Doc and Gerard as they travel to Sunset Valley. They find themselves with quite a problem, however. It seems nobody has ever heard of Sunset Valley. After the long flight from France and a gruelling rush-hour commute out of the big city, Doc feels his patience being tested like never before. He showers in his tiny efficiency room, wondering how many more curve-balls are going to be thrown at him. As if in spite, the water goes ice-cold part way through his shower. — … Continue reading Chapter 6.8 – Map

Ben finds himself standing alone at the beach, strumming at the strings of Papa Mark’s old guitar. The ability comes to him with amazing ease and quickness. Perhaps the countless hours spent banging on that old xylophone as a toddler weren’t such a waste of time after all. He allows his anxieties about the disappearing world to also disappear as he plucks out melodies fresh from his imagination. It almost feels as though he can repel the forces consuming his world with nothing more than a guitar. A new door has been opened for him, providing a way for him to lose himself … Continue reading Chapter 6.7 – List

Sarah has said nothing to Ben about their ghostly meeting with Jiang Xi. — Granted, great-grandmother Mei’s passing that same evening was especially difficult for her. Their mother, Faith, was amazing in the way she explained it to both Ben and his sister. And even though she worked really hard not to cry when talking about it with them, Ben could see the sad feelings in his mother’s eyes. It is real quiet around the estate over the following days. But it becomes even more quiet when Papa Mark leaves for China. He apologizes, especially to Ben, for making a … Continue reading Chapter 6.6 – Invisible