Barimen Legacy

Chapter 8.13 – Figment

zoxell — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:05:52 +0000

Stress from recent events has been building inside Luke, and it has finally come to a low boil.

He had planned the visit to China as a relaxing escape from his troubles, and he is still bitter about having to cut the visit short after only one night. But Mark’s ghost was right. Wandering so far away from the estate was not only unsafe, it was foolish. It’s sad that the only bright spot in his personal life comes from the memory of a sim he met in during the short holiday. And as it turns out, she was only just a figment of his imagination. Surely, the realistic quality of the fantasy was only a product of his subconscious “feeling its oats” after years of sleeplessness (and dreamlessness).

Luke knows better than to dwell on the contents of dreams. Even now, Luke finds his memory of Ying fading as the days progress. If anything, Ying was a representation of Sandi in his mind, and it has made one thing perfectly clear. His love for Sandi is stronger now than it was when she stormed out on his birthday. He just has to find a way of expressing this without driving her further away.

Employment at Fort Gnome provides enough distraction over the next week, to keep Luke’s mind from fixating on the problem. As a kid, he would spend his long and sleepless nights pretending that he was wearing a military uniform, doing all the G.I. Joe stuff he imagined them doing inside the secretive walls of the military base.

But in real life, it is nothing at all like those childhood fables. Cleaning latrines, peeling potatoes, and washing mountains of dishes was not exactly what he had in mind. These must have been the parts his father left out when he told his stories.

Peak physical conditioning and limitless stamina work together to set Luke apart as something special, however. His uncanny preparation, made possible by the long hours he spends studying while his co-workers sleep, has paid off. The promotions have come quickly. But he senses the weary, side-eyed glances he gets from his superiors. At first, Luke imagined this was due to his status as a Barimen.

The family is now one of the most wealthy in the world, and some level of notoriety will always accompany any Barimen. Luke is no different, although he hardly commands the level of attention his celebrity grandparents have continued to enjoy. No Landgraab or Alto would ever consider subjecting themselves to the kind of manual labor Luke gladly accepts. But the Barimens are different, and this is the message he communicates to his peers.

Luke continues working himself ragged. He’s not sure why he does it, exactly. He certainly does not need the money, and the stress he’s been exerting on himself isn’t worth the pitiful compensation. But the same urgent sense he’d had as a child, still drives him to this day. Something is going to happen here, and he needs to be present when it does. Just recently, it has became evident to Luke that his superiors are not only hiding something, but they also fear giving him too much access to the base.

But why? When his promotion to officer was declined by the base commander, Luke was unceremoniously dumped into the motor pool to grease axles, spit-shine fenders, and reticulate splines. The move was unpopular with his co-workers. But this is the military and not a popularity contest. Luke took the rebuke in stride and tripled his efforts, excelling at every task thrown at him.

Just as it was in school, Luke finds that he has made more friends than he’s able to keep up with. Not wanting to come across as rude or snobbish, he commonly finds the time to hang out with them at the Train-wreck Tavern. Honestly, the discomfort he feels from being around so many people is a lot better than sitting alone at home thinking about Sandi.

He’s had plenty of time to consider the situation, but he remains uncertain of what he should do. The monstrosity that has been posing as her father, still retains his stranglehold. And he is more dangerous now than he was before Luke discovered his true nature.

Spinning his cell phone on the tabletop, Luke flirts with the idea of calling her. He had called a number of times right after his birthday, but his calls just went to voice mail. She knew it was him calling, and she knew why he was calling, so Luke never saw the point in leaving any message. Luke sits up straight when he hears a raspy voice from his past, speaking over noise of music and patrons inside the tavern. The voice is slightly deeper now, and colored with an odd mix of sarcasm and sensuality.

There is no doubting that it is Anna. She was one of his earliest friends from childhood, but she had moved away when her parents were redepolyed to another city.

Still wearing her uniform, Anna boldly takes the seat next to him and announces that she’d always known he’d eventually find his way into Fort Gnome. But with all his money, she didn’t think it would be working as a scrub. Luke smiles, buys her a drink, and they spend the next hour or so catching up with each other. After a short pause in the conversation, Anna asks him what “her” name is. After Luke musters nothing more than a confused, blank stare, Anna cocks her eyebrow and observes how he’s been sitting alone and messing with his phone for more than an hour, now. Luke chuckles, then smirks.

Leaving out most of the details, Luke tells her about Sandi, and the fight on his birthday. Anna sits back and nods, then asks if it is the same dopey blonde who always had a major crush on him. Luke complements her memory, but feels somewhat odd about the derogatory slight. He drains the dregs of another draft, then makes an off-hand comment about Sandi’s father being a real monster.

Anna perks herself up, exhales loudly, and informs him that she did not come over to listen to him whine about his wrenched love life. In fact, she came to ask him for a dance. If Anna had given him time to answer, he’d have said no. But she grabs his arm, nearly yanking him out of his chair, and onto the dance floor.

Oddly enough, he actually has a good time. The night melts away, along with his stress, while he mingles with Anna and his other co-workers. When the lights in the tavern finally cut off, it is very, very late. The small group of enlisted-sims still remaining in the tavern, drag themselves out to the parking lot. Most of them have to work in just a few hours, including Anna. But unlike Luke, they all require sleep.

Anna leans heavily on Luke and breathes a tired sigh. She really does not want to report for duty tomorrow. She giggles and gives Luke a hungry, seductive look. She perks up again, then urges him that it would be best to just go ahead and call Sandi. Luke frowns, asking what would cause her to think about something like that.

Luke nearly falls over when Anna moves in quickly, then leans aggressively into him; her lips barely an inch away from brushing against his. Her breath, which has suddenly become rapid with excitement, is warm on his face while she suggestively rubs her body against him.

She flashes a wicked smile, then backs slowly away after noticing the physical response she had been going for. Spinning on her heal, she struts to her car then tells him that she doesn’t expect to be going home alone after dancing again next week.

Besides that, he’s going to have a good bit of steam to blow off after being dumped by Sandi; and seeing how intense he is already, it promises to be a ride worth waiting for.

Tagged: Barimen Legacy, Legacy Challenge, Love Stories, Sims 3, Sims 3 Ambitions, Sims 3 Generations, Sims 3 Late Night, Sims 3 Pets, Sims 3 World Adventures, Sims Fiction, Sims Legacy, Sims Stories, The Sims 3

Chapter 8.12 – Lesson

zoxell — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:25:04 +0000

I apologize ahead of time. This post is significantly longer than my typical offering. The whole thing kind of flows together, and it just didn’t read the same way split up. Sorry!

–

Shang Simla occupies a special place inside the hearts and minds of the Barimen family.

Luke’s trip here was not planned. Well, not entirely planned anyway. The idea had come to him after Desiree McAllister’s ghost suggested he speak with one of his ancestors. It is probably safe to assume that the arrangement did not actually require him travelling to China. The honest truth is that Luke has become very restless since his birthday, and needs time away from Sunset Valley.

The supernatural being that has “attached” itself to Luke, also had similar relationships with every Barimen heir and heiress beginning with David. One side-effect of this unusual symbiosis, is that Luke is able to draw upon the life experiences of his ancestors. Mark’s memories of Shang Simla are particularly vivid and moving. Luke finds himself visiting some of the places that were most memorable, even before taking one step into his family vacation home inside the village square.

It’s been nearly two weeks since his birthday, and he still has not heard from Sandi. Luke has played the exchange over and over again in his mind, trying to figure out what it was that set her off. Maybe it wasn’t just the words, I love you that spooked her, but the manner in which he said them. He had been thinking about it all night, and for some reason just blurted it out while caught up in the emotion of the moment.

Judging by her reaction, you’d think he had slapped her, then insulted her family. He’s tried to get in touch with her numerous times, since then. But his calls always go directly to her voice mail. It just doesn’t make sense. Luke unpacks and tidies up the house. It’s been a long time since anybody has lived here. Luke does some shopping, buys food, then fully relaxes with a book about Shang Simla folklore. Best of all, there are other no sims to bother him.

But Luke is not the kind of sim to do nothing for too long, and enjoy it. He decides to acquire the services of a highly recommended tour guide to lead him on a week-long wilderness hike. Honestly, he’d expected a withered, old, bark-skinned mountain-man. But when the guide arrives at his door, he is surprised to see that she is an attractive young woman. Her name is Ying. And she clearly has a passion for adventure and the outdoors.

Luke’s unnatural stamina allows him to keep up with Ying easily, as they begin their trek into the wilds. In fact, he can see that she she has probably been pushing herself harder than normal just to prove some unspoken point. Luke laughs when she finally sits to take a breather, after sprinting for nearly an entire mile uphill. Giving Luke a dirty look, she comments on his superior stamina, asking what he does to stay in such peak physical condition. He allows himself some measure of smugness and comments that he goes rock climbing quite often in Sunset Valley.

Ying continues at a curiously fast pace; nearly the same pace he would use hiking by himself. They set up camp at dusk and sit together by the fire, going over the plan for tomorrow’s hike. When she digs into her pack and offers Luke some kind of dehydrated jerky as a meal, he smirks and asks if she is serious. The absent look on her face makes him wonder how she survives out here without taking advantage of the resources all around her. But his stomach is growling with pangs of hunger. So he grimaces, takes the rations, and chews through the unpleasant stuff. When finished, he raises an eyebrow and tells her that he’s been camping his entire life, and has never eaten anything so foul. Then he insists on cooking tomorrow’s meal. Ying responds with a sideways laugh, stating that she does not cook, clean, or do windows.

As nighttime sets in, Luke can feel the effects of being away from home. Something about the land where the estate was built, allows him to go without sleep. But when he is away, his body’s natural need for rest returns. Today’s physical exertion has probably exasperated this condition. Having already set up their tents, Luke and Ying sit together by the fire and talk about the history of Shang Simla. He studies her youthful face as she dramatically spins tales about the spirits of lost souls who have died, either by trap, curse, or starvation, while seeking adventure in these woods. Ying does an excellent job of portraying an expert woodsman and guide. But in reality, she couldn’t be any older than mid-twenties or possibly thirty years old. She catches him staring at her a number of times before finally smiling and blushing in response.

Ying reaches for his hand and asks if there is a woman for him. Luke breathes a sigh, answers yes, immediately changes it to no, then settles for I don’t know. Ying raises her eyebrows and laughs at his unintelligible response. Then she levels her gaze and challenges his answer with a throaty chuckle, asking which one it is. Luke smiles and squeezes her hand, admitting that it was yes just over a week ago. But she ended it on his birthday. Ying lets loose with a few Chinese words he can only assume are uncomplimentary, and he finds that he can’t help but join her contagious laughter.

His laughing turns into a yawn as he releases Ying’s hand and sits back, reclining into his chair. The very unfamiliar haze of sleep feels unbelievably welcome. But falling asleep now would be exceedingly rude, so Luke asks Ying about herself. Is there a man? She scoffs sarcastically, then announces that she has not found the man who can keep up with her. Ying holds Luke’s eye contact with her own piercing gaze; which Luke finds to be filled with intent. She stands and moves to Luke’s side, then bends to place a soft and passionate kiss onto his lips. Afterwards, she glides sensually to her tent leaving a trail of clothes behind her.

Luke’s mind races. What about Sandi? He still loves her, and wants desperately to find out what happened that night. Would it be so bad just to have a little bit of fun with Ying? Sandi would never even know…

This idea remains incomplete, as his conscious thoughts become engulfed by a deep and dreamless sleep, from which he does not awake until morning. He wakes feeling sore, but well rested. Sometime during the night, Ying had covered him with a blanket and propped his head on an a rolled up jacket to spare his neck from the pain of sleeping on a chair all night.

Luke stands, stretches, and yawns, then looks for Ying. Even though he has known her only a day, Luke realizes they are more alike than different. She is accustomed to being alone, and probably prefers it most of the time. He searches for the place where he would go in this situation. He spots a challenging rock face and stares up at it’s summit, some thirty feet above. Picturing the hand and toe holds in his mind, he easily scales it to the top.

He finds her sitting, looking out over the landscape. Ying turns her head slightly and muses that he sleeps like the dead. He walks next to her and offers his hand. After a moment, she takes it and uses him as leverage to stand. He smiles and observes how she still hasn’t found the man who can keep up with her. Her laugh is natural, almost reflexive, and she smiles to show her appreciation for his humility. They enjoy the view together for a short time before Ying speaks, apologizing for her unprofessional behavior. She has never done anything like this before. Luke smiles and expresses his appreciation for her regret, but insists she has no reason to apologize. He should be the one begging forgiveness for leaving her in such an awkward situation. Ying smiles sweetly and bows her head to show her own appreciation.

They spend the next couple days and nights sleeping alone in their prospective tents. Luke prepares the meals using fish caught in the mountain fed streams, and fruits and vegetables found in the wild. He wraps them inside large palm fronds, and cooks them over the fire. Ying eats in an almost trance-like state, seemingly detached and distant. He quietly attempts to start conversation during these times, but she seems completely unaware that he is even present. She returns to her normal, jovial self after the meal is cleaned up, however. And oddly, she never mentions anything about his cooking, the quality of the food, or that hey had even eaten at all. It concerns him, but he says nothing.

Knowing that Luke is more capable than most of her clients, she leads the way to remote locations where the wilderness has overtaken ancient ruins, and waterfalls flow into crystalline ponds. The trail is difficult, but well worth the effort.

They visit ancient temples (many of which are still used to this day) and mediate with monks for a short time. It leaves them both with a profound sense of reverence. And what else can be said about the Dragon’s Maw or the Terracotta Army, other than they invoke a sense of awe inspiring wonderment and the feeling that they’ve somehow travelled through time.

They return back to the village square with the appearance of a pair of grungy adventurers who had attempted to tame the wild, and lost. Ying sees Luke to his door and thanks him for the memorable hike. Ying’s monetary payment had been made in advance, so they stand expectantly on his doorstep for several moments, waiting for the other to speak.

Luke has been thinking about a rare artifact he found inside the vacation home before embarking on the hike with Ying. Luke would have completely overlooked it, had it not been for the memories shared through Mark. Luke invites Ying inside, then shows her the unremarkable coin. It is rumored to give adventurers luck and good fortune during their travels. Luke places it in her hand and tells her he wants her to have it.

Ying smiles her contagious smile and whispers, seductively telling Luke that she believes it is already working. Being sims of few words and decisive action, Luke and Ying stumble into the bedroom while undressing. They fall together into bed, where they share in each other’s deepest desires until the soft and sensual sounds of their intimate affair are joined by the gentle hum of the evening insects; who have come alive to sing their eerie song bidding the day farewell.

Luke wakes before sunrise and smiles when he feels Ying’s warmth beside him. Sensing that he is awake, she stirs and turns to face him. They kiss, woohoo, then share breakfast in the kitchen. When Ying refuses to eat, Luke asks her why she becomes so distant at mealtime.

Ying blinks and snaps out of her trance, then smiles at Luke and stands, beckoning him to follow. They stand together in silence, embracing on the patio facing the garden, until Ying speaks again. But it is a far away voice that seems most un-Ying-like.

She smiles sadly, calling him qíngrén, then tells him that she must leave now. She wishes desperately that she could stay. But it is the way of things. She touches his cheek and states that he came here searching for answers and found her instead. And for this, she will be eternally thankful. Ying pauses, then relents. Luke’s future is not here with her. She breathes a yielding sigh, reminding him that he has already found his future. But he needs to understand how to reach her.

Ying steps backward and thanks Luke, before telling him that Sandi loves him more than he can know. Luke’s mind spins, and his feet become unstable. Or is the floor that has become unstable? Luke tries to reach out for Ying, who is now retreating into some kind of strange vortex. He shouts, asking why she thinks Sandi loves him. Ying’s voice echoes in his mind. She can see Sandi’s love intertwined within his soul, and his love within hers.

Now yelling in his loudest, most desperate voice, Luke asks how she knows these things. Her voice is distant but clear. She knows these things because she is not real; and he is dreaming. It was a beautiful dream, and she doesn’t want it to end. But he is presently in grave danger and he must wake up… NOW!!

Luke wakes abruptly and completely alone. He glances at his watch and frowns. He had fallen asleep while reading. It is still just the first night of his vacation. Beautiful Ying; she was nothing more than a vivid dream. He silently gets out of bed and stands perfectly still in the dark bedroom suite. Something here is not right. He feels his nerves igniting like a network of black powder fuses. Details that would ordinarily seem mundane, unimportant, or nearly imperceptible, stand out abruptly and scream that there is in intruder in the house. He has reason to suspect that this is no ordinary intruder, too. Luke had sensed the tattered remnants of evil radiating from both Corwin and Reid. But whatever has come here, has the full-on stink of corruption and hatred; and it fills the house with its foul presence.

Luke’s awareness comes alive in a manner he had never imagined possible. His mother had told him how she possessed an almost supernatural level of focus and perception. But never in his wildest dreams did he believe it would be like this. He moves with the silence of a ghost, and manages to barely disturb the air he travels through. Both his mother and Mark Barimen had been marital artists. Mark had been recognised as the best in the world during his life. Luke draws upon these shared memories and skills to prepare himself. Luke can sense it, just on the other side of the bedroom door. No matter how prepared he is, going through it would be suicide.

Luke imposes his will onto the door leading from the bedroom to the patio. It obeys, and remains soundless while he opens it and slips through; then to the open door (used by the intruder) leading into the main living space. He passes through the door without producing as much noise a feather would make striking the floor.

He is there, stalking the bedroom door. The blade of a long knife he is carrying shines malevolently in the moonlight, hovering at throat-level. Luke moves swiftly, silently, and decisively into the room; delivering an impossibly destructive strike that breaks or fractures numerous bones in the man’s arm and shoulder. A few centimeters more, and it would have been his spine.

The bones yield easily while making loud and distinctive CRACK! sounds. But to Luke’s dismay, the man does not scream. The long knife he was carrying, however, does drop from the hand on his now-useless arm.

Recognition is immediate upon looking into the man’s cold eyes. It is Sandi’s father. Or is it? He spits toward Luke, and in a mocking tone, questions his wisdom for leaving the safety of his estate, given the value of his very precious cargo.

Luke eyes Sandi’s father and takes a cautious step backward. He continues in a hissing whisper, asking if Luke really thought he would be permitted to just waltz away from the walls of his fortress without being hunted. Luke fights against the urge to panic. This man… this THING… he has been using Sandi to get at Luke.

The awareness he sensed earlier has now kicked into high gear, straining his mind with sensory overload. He staggers back another step and attempts to make sense of the flood of information. How long has it been planning this? Has it been grooming Sandi for Luke since the beginning? Sorrow mixed with outrage surges, and forces Luke’s voice to break with emotion when he considers the possibility that that Sandi’s mother may have been killed just to orchestrate the scenario at church. Did he know Sandi would run to Luke? Did he predict that Luke would take her to the one place his family has always gone for comfort and prayer? But why lead her to Luke only to rip her away? What purpose could that possibly serve? To create doubt? confusion?

Subservience! Sandi’s father spits the word out before Luke can finish speaking. Sandi’s father continues in a mocking, hissing voice, telling Luke that he has been sewing seeds in the girl’s mind since childhood.

ENOUGH! The booming voice instantly silences the vile hissing from Sandi’s father; or rather, the evil that has consumed him. The powerful and commanding word resonates through Luke’s his mind. Obviously, Sandi’s father heard it as well. Luke does not need to hear any more than one syllable of one word to know who spoke it.

Mark Barimen was relentless in his quest for justice. He was dreaded throughout the criminal underworld as a loose cannon with a perfect record for taking down his foes. Mark had never been a rigid authoritarian, but possessed an unmistakable leadership quality that few could ignore. Seeing Mark now invokes equal measures of respect and fear in the young Barimen.

–

Mark looks at Luke squarely in the eyes and grumbles that he should not have come here. Nor should he have risked bringing the seed. Sandi’s father squints its eyes and begins speak, but Mark issues a withering reprimand; causing him to wince instinctively and return to nursing his ruined shoulder.

Mark continues, asking if he would be allowed to view the seed. Luke hesitates, but only for a moment, then produces the alien-looking artifact. Mark just nods and tells Luke that it is as important as the entity itself, perhaps more so.

If it were to fall into the wrong hands, and the algorithm unlocked, it could very well mean the end of everything. Luke’s eyebrows furl to give away his confusion. Mark explains that he had had two sisters. Each was a genius without peer in her own right. Together, they could have changed the world. Deirdre had discovered the algorithm while working at the science lab. She also learned that a military man named Buford had intended to exploit it. Both Deidre and Claire were murdered because of their understanding of the algorithm. More specifically, for refusing to share their unique insights with Buford. Luke shakes his head in frustration and asks what is so important about this algorithm?

The algorithm is a mathematical expression that attempts to articulate the relationship between time and space; the two governing forces that keep the universe and everything in it, balanced.

Jiang Xi’s calming voice is a sharp contrast to Mark’s commanding tone. For those who are capable of understanding such a thing, and likewise possess the means to act upon it; the algorithm could be used to deal unthinkable harm. Luke asks why it even exists if it is so dangerous. Jiang Xi smiles and tells him that it was the innocent product of a charming but gullible, young woman. Having no intellectual equal with whom to discuss her profound understanding of the universe, she scribed the thing onto paper while writing in her diary. Her intent was harmless, but the consequences of her action are not. Still, it is not too late to correct it.

But to do so, Luke must be very careful to stay where he is protected from those who would stop him. Jiang Xi frowns, regarding Sandi’s father. And from men who chose corruption over virtue. Although he was defeated today, he will continue to pose a serious threat. And so will others who still remain hidden.

Luke instinctively grabs Sandi’s father by his good arm and expels him from the home, warning him not to return. Mark and Jiang Xi have already departed, but he can hear the elder instructor’s gentle voice in his head.

This is your lesson. Consider it carefully.

You sacrifice balance in your life so that others may possess it in theirs.

Your actions are noble. But your efforts to protect may only result in hiding the truth from those who need to hear it most. And more importantly, it may not afford them the opportunity to choose whether they accept it as the truth, or not.

Ask yourself this: can you ever achieve real balance in the absence of real truth?

Chapter 8.11 – Progress

zoxell — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:15:24 +0000

When looking out from the top-floor breezeway, the sea stretches all the way out into the horizon.

There is nothing but water, as far as the eye can see. As huge as this mansion is, the sea could easy swallow it whole, and it would never be found. And it (the sea) is only just a small spot on the planet when viewed from space. Even the universe is just one paper-thin layer inside an infinitely complex system. And Kacey is out there, somewhere. The entity has reached out to her every night since the visit with Desiree McAllister. It sings to her and soothes her troubled spirit.

But it is Luke’s troubled spirit that goes unsoothed. His relationship with Sandi ebbs and flows much like the tide from the sea. Some days the waves crash with excitement and energy, and he thinks she is the one he will spend his life with. Other days, it is motionless and still. On days like these, it would be easier to coax the sea to produce a wave from its glassy surface, than it would to coax a smile from Sandi.

Being a year ahead of him, she had graduated school and started working in politics. Even though they are barely a year apart in age, Luke can understand her need to keep a clean image. The last thing a budding politician needs is to be caught smooching some high school kid. Even so, Luke suspects that her father still applies a great deal of leverage onto his daughter. And her early dealings in the town council seem to support his theory.

Luckily, there’s been no lack of stuff to do, to keep Luke busy. He has been studying for his final exams and meeting with military recruiters from Fort Gnome. There is also the going-away party for Chase. Chase and Alex have been his friends longer than anybody else, with Sandi being the only exception. Alex’s dad is close to retiring, so he’ll probably finish out his career in Sunset Valley. But Chase is a different story. His parents are still young, and his father has been deployed to another city. The farewell celebration is fun, but ends on a gloomy note. Chase is Alex’s best friend, and the news is not sitting well with him, or with Chase’s girlfriend. Luke is used to these kinds of goodbyes, however. He smiles while shaking Chase’s hand and wishes him luck.

Luke wonders if this is how his life will be; traveling from city to city, or out of country dragging his family behind him. Or worse, leaving them behind. But he knows that this is what he was made for. His life experience will round out the skills of the entity before it enters into this world. And Luke may just provide the most important skills it learns. Luke senses that this entity will be extraordinary, even among its kind. It will be a general among generals, and will one day help lead a great army to victory in the final battle against evil. But that day is still a very long time away.

–

Luke finds himself at another party a few day later, at a gathering inside the estate to celebrate his birthday. Luke had asked his parents permission to refurnish the empty reception hall for the party. After hiring the town’s best interior designer, and giving her a nearly unlimited budget, the results are amazing. Luke normally does not enjoy large crowds. But he wanted to add one fond memory of his own, to the pool of shared memories the entity has of the good times enjoyed in this room.

Luke Barimen (Ambitious, Loner, Lucky, Unflirty, Workaholic)

–

Luke knew Sandi wouldn’t miss his birthday for anything. And, indeed, she is there to give him a birthday kiss. He had noticed Sandi trying to quietly leave a couple of times, shortly afterwards, but she stopped after finding Luke’s confused gaze. Each time, all she could offer was a weak smile in response.

–

He can sense that she is not in a good place. Nevertheless, he is careful to pay special attention to her while also keeping up with friends and family. If there is one thing he can count on Aunt Tina and his cousins to do flawlessly, it is throwing a party. So while the guests enjoy elegant five-star catering and drinks at the estate (and the antics provided by his cousins), Luke manages to sneak away with Sandi.

He silently leads her through the estate and onto the top-floor breezeway overlooking the sea. He holds her, and tells her that he comes up here to think all of the time. The amazing view clears his head and helps him to relax. She stands comfortably nested in front of him, his arms wrapped protectively around her. He can feel her stress melt away. Then he simply asks her to talk to him. Sandi breaths a heavy, shuddering sign and relents.

It’s her job. And her father. They’re both making her crazy. He continuously pushes her to peddle his ideas to the town council. She does her best to stand up for herself. But he has a way of getting into her head, and making her feel like a silly little girl. She’s not even good at the job. In fact, she hates it. But her father always reminds her how he has spent half of his life getting her ready for this kind of work. He demands that she stop being selfish, and start thinking about how much progress they can make. But sometimes, she worries that what he’s asking her to do isn’t really progress at all.

If it were possible, Luke would hold her even closer. He tries nonetheless, and she smiles in response. Why not do something she wants to do instead? What would it be? Sandi laughs out loud and shakes her head, telling him that it is really stupid. Luke smirks and tells her that he’s already signed up to be in the military and he starts his first deployment at Fort Gnome in a few days. It is something he has always dreamt of doing. And now it’s becoming reality. Dreams are only stupid to those not dreaming them.

Sandi turns to face him and kisses him soundly on the lips, then asks him if he knows how long she has wanted to hear those words. Luke smiles and asks her again what it is she would love to do. She blushes and laughs again, then says, half-embarrassed, that she wants to publish her sketches and her poetry. Luke steps back explains that his dad is a publisher, and can probably help her make it happen. Sandi searches his eyes, then after a moment asks if he is serious. But then, Luke can see the excitement disappear. Sandi shrugs her shoulders, then falls into another embrace with Luke. She shakes her head, and reveals that she couldn’t stand living with her father if she were to quit her job.

Luke minds works, as he tries to find the words to express his feelings. Sandi has become far closer to him than he has allowed any other sim. In his mind, living together would bring them even closer. And it would remove her from a controlling, conniving father who seems to be using her to forward his own agenda. Luke has often explored his feelings for her, but has never voiced them out loud. The words, I love you, slip out past his lips almost on their own accord.

–

Sandi’s curious reaction does not allow the opportunity to for him to finish the thought, which had been asking her to move in with him. She struggles out of their embrace and moves away from him, frantically shaking her head. Half crying, half shouting, Sandi warns him not to use those words ever again. She runs away, before he can speak, disappearing into the estate, and leaving Luke confused, upset, and wondering what he did wrong.

He had hoped Sandi would return to the party so they could talk about her outburst. But it didn’t happen. By the end of the night, he is pretty stressed out from being around so many people, and is relieved that they’ve started to go home. Twice now, Sandi has completely flipped out about things that make no sense. The first time was at the church, and she later explained her odd behavior after apologizing. Hopefully, she’ll come around and explain what happened tonight.

Luke returns to his spot on the breezeway after the last guests leave. If he had the ability to sleep, he could at least stop thinking about Sandi for a little while. What troubles him more than tonight’s display, is the eerie feeling he gets that her father is somehow at the center of this issue too. Is he still attempting to drive them apart? He contemplates this, praying that he has not damaged their relationship irrevocably. And while he prays, he can hear the deep and masculine voices of the entity, once again reaching out into the cosmos, singing its comforting song for Kacey. Luke presses his lips together and frowns.

If he could, he would do the same for Sandi.

Chapter 8.10 – Poetry

zoxell — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:00:42 +0000

Luke stops reading when he hears Sandi’s breathing slow to a soft, whispering snore.

Poetry is not his first choice of reading material. But he knows Sandi well enough to understand that reading it to her satisfies the hopeless romantic within. Luke gently picks Sandi up off of the sofa and carries her to the guest suite, then covers her with a silk and down comforter. If you had asked him yesterday about their future together, he would have told you there was no future. But the answer would be quite a bit different at this point in time.

Honestly, he’ll very likely marry Sandi some day. But there are still a lot of things to figure out before then. For example, how in the world does he inform her that he does not need to sleep? Or that he never gets fatigued? She barely tolerates his religious beliefs. How does he begin to explain that there is an interdimensional being tagging along with him for the ride? Or that his family is being hunted by demons? Luke scoffs. Good luck with that.

–

Luke descends the stairs winding down to the ground floor. The cavernous, empty room at the bottom had been filled many times with people and memorable occasions. Many great times were had in this room, going all the way back to Mark. He stands at the center of the great hall, drawing upon the shared memories made available by the entity residing with him. His mother had decided to keep the estate empty after regaining their wealth, as a reminder of what she had lost. It may be a reminder for her. For everybody else, it is just simply a creepy, empty mansion.

This land is alive with the memories and the spirits of those who have lived here before you. It is a very special place. That is the reason why she sits here; very, very close to where we are now. But she is afraid, alone, and troubled. After giving so much of herself, she still pressed relentlessly forward. And even after it was over, she made a painful and selfless decision without hesitation. It was the right decision, mind you. But it was not an easy one. Now I fear for her state of mind. You may not be able to reach her physically, but you can still reach out to her; and comfort her.

Luke closes his eyes. He sees the same broken landscape he witnessed in his vision of the massacre when he was a child. He sees her, meditating on a small patch of broken earth. The voices have emerged again, masculine and powerful, singing to her and lifting her up from where she is sitting. Then, for the first time in what might be a hundred years, Kacey smiles.

It may have been an hour, maybe more. Luke finally opens his eyes to the soft, warm glow of another spirit. But he does not know who she is. She moves gently toward him and hugs him the way Grandma Faith used to. Luke steps back and asks who she is, and how she knew where to find Kacey.

The ghost performs a slight curtsy, then tells Luke that her name was Desiree McAllister. Luke recognises her voice immediately. Hers was the first voice he heard, the one telling him to listen and obey.

She was the last in a long line of McAllisters to live on this property. A fire at the cabin claimed her life (see Chapter 1.12 – Memories). Her husband was Corwin, and her son was Julian. She smiles a sad smile and regards Luke for a long time before speaking again. If a ghost could cry, Desiree would do so. Her voice waivers as she speaks in Luke’s mind. The young woman everybody has been calling Kacey; her given name is Eva. Desiree explains how she gave birth to Eva moments after Julian was born. She knew, even before childbirth, that Eva was not going to be a human child.

Luke searches his shared memories, but can find nothing that supports this. He stammers and tells her he does not understand. Desiree smiles again. It is a warm smile that Luke likes a lot, as it reminds him of Grandma Faith.

Her ancestors, the original McAllisters, had settled this land and somehow discovered how important it was. They agreed to take on the responsibility of guardianship to a very special being. Her entire race had been slain, and she was the last of her kind. But at the same time, she was the first of her kind. Either way, she was the last hope her proud race had of one day returning.

Much like Luke, Desiree also discovered that she possessed incredible talents when she was a youth. But those talents vanished at the moment Julian was conceived. Luke detects a hint of bashfulness as she remembers. The act itself had been unforgettable. She had never before experienced such an overwhelming sensation, as the purified love she felt for Corwin.

And Corwin, who had long ago given himself to evil, experienced love for the first time in his life. But this was no ordinary expression of love. Something incredible and extraordinary was happening. It was as though they had been transported to a place were the concept of love was real and tangible. When it was finished, Eva had been delivered from the place of her metamorphosis and into this world; alongside Desiree’s newly conceived child, Julian. The event had even touched Corwin’s cold and feeble heart. And it began to change his life.

–

But it became clear that there are some things which simply cannot change. When Corwin came to understand what Eva represented, his lust for wealth and power returned. Desiree begged him to remember their special night. But it was no use. She had lost him.

–

She was forced to hide Eva from Corwin inside the family’s luminorious mine. He considered the mine to be beneath his station, and had repeatedly refused to enter it. The decision was the most difficult and heart-breaking she’d ever had to make. But it was necessary to protect Eva from certain death.

Corwin was furious. He threatened her and Julian, and used every other method he could imagine to intimidate Desiree into disclosing Eva’s location. Knowing her husband would be watching closely, Desiree could only manage to care for Eva while he was at work. She slipped into the hidden tunnels beneath Sunset Valley to visit the traumatized girl. Deirdre had learned to comfort Eva, and rock her to sleep singing an old, Irish lullaby. She did this so that she could leave without further traumatizing the the child. But to some degree, she did it so she could leave without further traumatizing herself.

This continued for a short few weeks until Desiree lost her life in the fire at the cabin. Eva remained, trapped in the cavern, being kept alive by an unearthly artifact the earliest McAllisters had hidden there centuries before.

Years later, when Julian was an adult, Corwin discovered where Desiree had hidden Eva. He was going to take her from the mine, and seize the land from Julian (see Chapter 1.18 – Debt). Desiree’s expression falters and she gazes at the floor. She had no choice but to stop him. Sensing Desiree’s difficulty, Luke finishes the story, using information he had learned from Reid.

While the questions are still fresh in his mind, Luke fires them off, giving Desiree little chance to answer them. Where is she now? How was I able to see her? Did she see us? Why didn’t she age when Julian aged? Why is she still so young? Desiree laughs when his litany of questions is finished, then comments that there is somebody he should go and see. The visit will do him a world of good. As for Eva/Kacey; age and time are meaningless to her kind. She can appear any age she wishes to appear, and travel to any time and place she so desires. What she lacks is confidence, and the will to continue.

Desiree smiles that Grandma Faith smile again, then hugs Luke and wishes him goodbye. But he senses a twinge of sadness in her eyes. He asks if Corwin is going to cause any problems for him. Desiree rolls her eyes and smirks. Corwin forgets that he is dead. Desiree shakes her head and tells Luke that he has nothing to fear from Corwin. But he does need to be wary of the living.

Because when evil strikes, it will strike from a place and time he least expects.

Chapter 8.9 – Seed

zoxell — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:00:32 +0000

It is nearly morning before Luke emerges from the fissure, more confused now then ever before.

Knowing his parents will be frantic (his over-protective mother particularly so), Luke reaches out to her as soon as his phone shows a signal strong enough to carry the call. She had once told him that he could talk to her about any weird experiences he encounters. He had failed to mention his meeting with Bebe and Julian the night Grandma Faith died. He had also neglected to tell her about the ring, and the confrontation with Corwin’s spirit. In some way, Luke had connected them all with Grandma Faith. And his mother has just now started to return to her old self after the elder Barimen’s death.

He does not attempt to interrupt her initial salvo of shouting. But when the other end of the phone finally does go quiet for a moment, Luke calmly tells her that they need to talk about something very unusual that has just occurred; one of those weird things she had told him to share with her. The revelation seems to calm her somewhat, but Luke knows that she will not be in her right mind until Luke is home safely.

Having a load of energy to burn off, Luke decides that a good sprint is what he needs more than anything. So he takes off in the direction of home, racing through the woods and hills in the same manner as a jackrabbit. And as he runs, he reflects upon what he has learned over the past couple of hours. He’s had to approach this information with an open mind, because much of it is simply unbelievable.

Over the generations, each first born child in his family has become the guardian to a formless, alien life. It has been hibernating in metamorphosis inside its chrysalis, hidden away safely between worlds. Over the years, it has gained the skills, knowledge, and wisdom from the life experiences of its hosts. And as it matured, some measure of its supernatural nature has been transferred, in kind, to its guardians. Soon, the metamorphosis will be complete, and it will be ready to emerge into the physical world.

The problem, is that Luke has absolutely no idea how or when this is going to happen.

Amber says nothing to him when Luke jogs into the courtyard at the estate, but hugs him close until he starts to squirm. After escaping from the embrace, Luke explains everything. He begins with meeting Julian and Bebe on the evening Grandma Faith died, and recounts everything through his encounter with Reid last night. Amber listens, stunned but silent, to the dismissive tale. Even knowing what she knows about the entity, Luke’s recounting sounds almost too absurd to be true. But what he shows her next, removes any and all doubt.

Reid had lead him to an area of the cave just beyond the place where military personnel have been working inside an underground lab. Once there, he instructed Luke to dig; suggesting that he would know when to stop. Before vanishing deeper into the cave, Reid told Luke that the military would kill to retrieve what he is about to uncover. Because contained within, is the knowledge of creation and destruction, space and time, life and death. It is as old as the universe itself. Reid had thought the artifact to be destroyed or lost until he discovered that this small fragment still remained buried.

Luke holds the object in the palm of his hand, feeling an almost electric sensation coursing up and down his arm. Amber remains speechless. Luke tells her that Reid was wrong. It is not a fragment of the original artifact at all. It is a seed. But it is unlike any plant or animal from this world; and could never take root in any soil here. Reid also left him with some kind of warning, but he does not understand what it means. He told Luke to find and destroy any trace of the algorithm. He said that doing so would be the only way Kacey would ever know peace in her lifetime.

Luke conceals the seed then scratches his head. What is an algorithm? And how is he supposed to find a woman who has supposedly lived for nearly two-hundred years? Amber finally breaks her silence, but manages only an apology. She thought she would be able to help Luke. There had been a time when no mystery was too challenging for her to solve. But this…

Amber and Luke sit together in silent and awe-filled reflection for a short time. When Amber speaks again, she feels somewhat silly bringing up a topic so minuscule in scope compared to the experience Luke has just shared. Sandi came over to the estate last night looking for Luke. She stayed and talked with Amber while they both waited for him to come home. She had a lot to get off of her chest and vented some of it to Amber. But as it became late, and neither one of them could get in touch with Luke, Sandi went home even more distraught than she was when she arrived.

Luke frowns and explains his version of yesterday’s events at the church. Amber listens but says nothing about Sandi’s account. She does, however, ask Luke to call her and let her know he is okay.

–

Sandi stares at the ground when Luke answers the door, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. But he immediately lifts her chin with his index finger and tells her he’s glad to see her. The gesture elicits a crying fit on his shoulder where she apologizes for the fight.

They sit together in the guest suite, watching movies and chatting about school and chores for most of the day. When dinnertime arrives, Sandi finally opens up about their argument. She explains that her father has always taught her to be weary of, if not completely avoid, “those f-ing church types”. As a child, he’d told her that they would brainwash her. Of course she didn’t know what a brainwash was, but it sounded pretty frightening at the time.

Sandi’s eyes well up with tears as she recalls how angry and bitter her father has always been about everything; and how he delivers blistering and demoralizing insults toward anybody who does not agree with his way of thinking. As a result, he has never been able to just enjoy what they’d had together as a family. She learned early that he would heap praise upon her for agreeing with him, such as writing a school paper about one of his many hot-button issues. She enjoyed the praise, of course. But more than anything, she would do whatever was necessary to avoid one of his lecturing diatribes that always came after questioning any of his ideals.

That is why she is so attracted to Luke. He is strong, silent, and deliberate. And as far as she knows, he has never once complained about anything. Sandi cuddles close and explains that she had gone back home after the fight only to be subjected to another one of his lame lectures. She felt as though validating his ideals was more important to him than mourning death of her mother. She lost her temper and screamed at him; wishing him luck in preventing her from spending time with Luke. That’s when she came here and talked with Amber and managed to calm down somewhat; at least until they couldn’t get in touch with him.

Luke grimaces and apologizes, telling her that he wanted to be alone, and went out rock climbing where there was no phone service. He didn’t realize how late it was until it was too dark to safely return home. Sandi kisses him, then asks sheepishly if she can sleep over. Luke stutters uncomfortably, looking away, and searching for a response to her very sudden and direct question. Sandi laughs and gives him a scolding look, telling him she doesn’t want THAT kind of sleepover.

After sharing a quiet laugh together, she admits that the idea has been a the very front of her mind for awhile. But something happened yesterday, where she saw Luke from a different perspective then ever before. Maybe it was something as simple as placing him and the church together in her mind, or maybe it was something else. Those thoughts have not disappeared, but she no longer wants to try it as badly as she did before. Sandi raises her eyebrow and smirks, stating that it probably wouldn’t have mattered anyway.

Because she trusts Luke; and besides that, she’s pretty sure that her chastity is safer here than anywhere.

Barimen Legacy 2011 in review

zoxell — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:50:22 +0000

Happy New Year Simmers!I spotted this on a few other blogs and thought I’d share it with the folks who continue making this blog an enjoyable experience for me to write. I too often get caught up in my daily routine and miss out on thanking those whose contributions help to brighten my day. It is the readers who fuel my desire to keep writing, and I appreciate every one of you.The WordPress simming community is a very unique and diverse group of people, all drawn together by a love of writing and, to some extent, the Sims. I’d like to thank all of those who keep up with the Barimen Legacy and take time to contribute. I’d also like to invite readers to visit the Barimen Legacy Facebook page for updates and other unrelated stuff.

A New Year’s resolution I’ve made for myself should be pretty easy to keep. I will do my best to give back to all those wonderful authors who visit and leave comments here.

Happy 2012 from the “Zoxell” family (Mike, Charlotte, Stephen, Matthew, Anthony, Mary, and “little Billy”, oh… and of course “Peaches” and “Cassie” our Lab mix dogs who seem to have confused who, exactly, owns whom).

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 15,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 6 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Chapter 8.?? – Garden

zoxell — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 20:20:36 +0000

She hangs like a delicate and pristine ornament in the alien sky, gracing it with her understated elegance and beauty.

She has traveled as far as one can travel in search of answers. Who is she? What is her purpose? What is she supposed to do?

But after decades of searching, it has become clear to her that there are no answers to those questions. Now she just feels lost. Perhaps she is intended to stay here, in this desolate void, to grow old as a reclusive hermit. It seems to be what she is best at. Besides, the times she has managed to build some small measure of motivation to search for answers, the trail always leads her back to this place. Then she wonders, is she even able to grow old?

Kacey walks the broken earth and feels its power beneath her feet. This place had been a primal garden at one time. There was none other like it in the universe. At its center, there had stood an enormous and magnificent tree. There had been many others like her then, as well. They would come here with their lifelong mates to dwell within the safety of the colossal tree, and to conceive and birth their offspring. Who can say why? It is knowledge that will be forever lost.

She thinks of David, Hope, Faith, and the others. She misses them desperately. Kacey wipes tears away from her cheeks. She has no memory of her parents, or of the tree. Just a dark, cold cave and a wickedness that still scares her to this day.

The tree had been ripped away from this place and destroyed a long time ago. The roots that once held the land together withered and died, creating this unwelcome wasteland. Her artifact had been all that remained of it. Kacey sits in a comfortable patch of grass and closes her eyes, wondering what kind evil would possibly want to molest something as beautiful as this once majestic garden.

Yes, this must be what she is intended to do.

Just to sit here and contemplate…

and grow old as a lonely, reclusive hermit.

Chapter 8.8 – Entity

zoxell — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 13:30:10 +0000

Reid Kimura had been a brilliant scientist, mathematician, and engineer.

Under different circumstances, perhaps he could have been regarded as such. But things being as they are, he is remembered by those few who knew him, only for the disturbing evil he had committed. The others who did not know him, are left with the ponderous question asking what had happened to change the course of such a promising, young prodigy.

–

As a young boy, Reid had discovered a silvery-haired baby hidden inside Sunset Valley’s abandoned mine. She was alone and scared when he found her crying deep within the malevolently dark tunnels. Her cheeks were streaked where tears had left trails through the dirt and dust crusted onto her pretty face. It was evident, even during those first few moments of uncertainty and confusion, that something was terribly wrong. It was bad enough this poor girl was here in the first place. What made matters worse, is that something impossibly ancient and unthinkably evil had found the baby before he had.

The evil presence had coerced Reid into striking a deal with it. Being little more that a terrified child himself, he did not fully understand what consequences his decision might bring about. Reid did what he was instructed to do, and returned home to his mother, along with the child. The silvery haired girl was adopted into the family, and was given the name Kacey. Reid had thought his part of the deal to be complete. But the evil presence remained with Reid, slowly consuming his mind with disturbing visions that would eventually lead to his insanity.

Then, as he matured, it began to corrupt his spirit with depraved and obscene desires. Reid eventually became lost to the urges being continually fed into his mind. But some small piece of virtue still remained. Although it was minuscule and pathetic, it proved potent enough to fight against the compulsion to kill Kacey outright. It was not potent enough, however, to resist doing wicked and terrible things to her in retribution for his defiance.

What remains of Reid is fractured and broken; his forlorn remnants barely sustainable against the irresistible tide carrying him into the black abyss which will serve as his eternal afterlife.

The raw emotion that accompanies the witness of a doomed spirit, leaves Luke feeling bleak and hopeless, and unable to speak. Reid’s voice has the sound of corroded and rusted metal grinding in Luke’s mind. He speaks as would any sim facing his damnation; devoid of emotion, unsteady, and oddly contrite. He tells Luke that there is little time remaining. But there is still much to accomplish. Luke freezes in place when Reid begins to move toward the fissure and motions him to follow.

After a moment, Reid pauses, his ethereal shoulders drooping as he speaks again to Luke. He does not blame Luke for being overly cautious. It is probably a good thing considering what he will soon be squaring off against. But Luke has nothing to fear tonight. The Reid he sees now is just the hollow shell of a man who had been consumed by evil from the inside. The only thing that remains of him is the small cinder of decency that had kept Kacey alive. Besides that, the dead cannot harm the living.

Luke sets his jaw and challenges Reid’s last statement, telling him about the encounter with Corwin. Reid shakes his head and admits he does not understand what Corwin had been playing at. Perhaps it was meant as a deception designed to keep him close to home, and away from this place. While taking a few carefully places steps back toward the path he had used to come here, Luke growls impatiently. He reminds Reid that he had lured both David and Kacey into his lair a long time ago. And they barely escaped alive. Luke’s voice trails off in confusion, while he wonders silently to himself how he came to know about the event he just spoke about.

Reid nods, and does not deny the act. He also asks Luke to recall the simple fact that while he could have easily killed them both, he did not.

Luke staggers, having been suddenly overcome by a disorienting wave of awareness. The sensation is similar to having pushed hard on a barrier for a long time, only to have is suddenly give way under the pressure. He finally steadies himself, only to be dumbstruck again. Through some impossible process, his mind has been set loose upon a vast sea of memories that do not belong to him. He remembers Reid’s attack on David at the mine. He remembers kissing Kacey the night she disappeared out of David’s life. He remembers seeing her again, this time as Hope, who had fallen asleep on a bench after being severely beaten, nearly to death. Kacey saved her life that night. He remembers Grandma Faith as a teenager, pulling Kacey out from beneath countless tons of rock and earth. It was right here, hundreds of feet below this very spot where she lay trapped. Luke’s heart and mind race as he searches for a way to comprehend this. How is it possible to remember events from another sim’s life?

After a moment, it slowly comes together and begins to make sense. These are not his memories at all. They are the memories of a very old entity; a formless being that hides in a world between worlds, using Luke as an extensional anchor. David was the first Barimen to act in this capacity. The entity has since moved to the first-born of every generation, hiding safely away from those who would gain unimaginable wealth and power just simply from killing it. The whispering voices Luke heard, the ones that lead him here; it was the voice of the entity. It wanted him to find Reid.

All Luke’s abilities, including his tirelessness and near limitless stamina; they are all a side effects of his relationship with the entity. Luke’s first encounter with an “otherworldly” voice occurred at the estate after he saw ghosts for the first time at the mausoleum. The voice told him he had a unique gift. And if he wanted to claim victory, he had to listen and obey. He had always thought it was telling him to listen to his parents. But now he’s sure it meant that he should listen to the entity. It knows better than anyone what must be done for it to emerge from the place between worlds. Luke eyes Reid suspiciously. This goes far outside the bounds of his better judgement.

But even so, Luke is comforted by a peculiar sensation; accompanied by the quiet hush of a hundred whispering voices, gently thanking him for giving so freely of his trust.

Chapter 8.7 – Confusion

zoxell — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:42:20 +0000

Much has happened in this simple, little chapel.

Generations of Barimens have been married here. And just as many have been put to rest. It has provided comfort, inspiration, joy, and healing to those who have chosen to come and worship every week. What transpired here earlier today, however, leaves an ugly smudge upon Luke’s perception of this place.

Months have passed since Grandma Faith’s death and the troubling confrontation with Corwin. During that time, Luke has found himself thinking about his girlfriend, Sandi, more and more. He is not the kind of kid who falls easily to infatuation. In fact, he’s probably slower than most to get the flame started. When it comes to his relationship with Sandi, this is probably a good thing. She’s pretty much his opposite in this regard; a true hopeless romantic, always dreaming up some romantic escape for him to take part in.

The past few weeks had been especially good, particularly since he’d built up the nerve to finally kiss her. Luke has never really spent a lot of time with any one sim outside his family. So having Sandi attached at the hip every day of the week (including weekends) did require some getting used to. But it hasn’t been all sunshine and roses. There have been some sticking points, especially where religion and faith are concerned.

Sandi’s family does not attend church. In fact, they pride themselves in the fact that they do not. He discovered this when he brought up the topic for the first time. Sandi immediately became uncomfortable and upset, so he agreed not to bring it up again. There had also been a mild confrontation with Sandi’s father concerning the matter at her house one afternoon. He had made it clear to Luke that he would do whatever was necessary to protect Sandi from foolish, superstitious notions. He chided that no reasonable sim in this day and age still believes in that kind of nonsense, and that Luke should wise-up if he wanted to continue dating his daughter. Luke didn’t really understand what Sandi’s father was so concerned about, so he just dismissed it as a paranoid dad thing.

Then came the news that Sandi’s mother had been accidentally electrocuted. Nobody ever practices what to do or say in that kind of situation. Luke had no idea how to help Sandi other than bring her to the place that provides him comfort. He figured it might help her too. Only, it didn’t go quite the way he had pictured it. She had been clinging to him most of the day. But when they arrived at the church, her mood changed abruptly.

She instantly became disgusted and insulted, then demanded to know why he brought her here. Luke attempted to explain that all he wanted to do was help by sharing what makes him fell better when he is distraught. But it was already too late. She lambasted him for believing something so stupid, reminding him that he had agreed not to talk about his childish fairy tales.

Luke attempted to apologize, but she was already on the phone with her father, asking him to come pick her up. And that REALLY didn’t go well. When he arrived just a few minutes later, he accused Luke of trying to fill his daughter’s head with lies while she was emotionally vulnerable. Then, after complimenting his daughter for her quick thinking, he shouted various profanities and insults directed toward Luke’s intellectual capacity (or lack thereof). Then he forbid Sandi from spending any more time with Luke.

All he wanted to do was help. Luke buries his face in his hands and closes his eyes in confusion and anxiety; wondering how something so harmless could have turned out so badly. He wants believe that it was just the grief and anger over losing her mother that had caused her to snap. But he suspects that her reaction touches on something that is buried much deeper than that. Luke breathes a heavy sigh, and just for a moment, feels badly for his oldest friend. Not only because of her mother’s death, or the falling-out; but because he cannot imagine how empty and alone it must feel to live a faithless existence.

There are many paths a sim can travel during their lifetime. And regardless of the path they choose, what matters most is that they possesses the free will to make the choice for themselves. After all, what good can come from the gift of perfect love if a sim does not wish to receive it?

The voice in Luke’s mind is gentle and kind, but peppered with an edge of excitability. During his life, David Barimen was known worldwide for his charitable medical work and keen sense of fairness. He was a gentle sim in every manner of the word, having only raised his voice perhaps once or twice over his entire lifetime. But despite his profound kindness, he was oftentimes blinded by a naive innocence. And because of this, his story ended with tragedy and heartbreak.

Somehow sensing that Luke is in no mood to talk, David continues. He tells Luke that Sandi reminds him of a sim he used to know. They had shared many conversations like the one Luke had with Sandi today. But his friend had never been quite so obstinate or abrasive. There is a long time where the two sit together in silence, before David continues. Her name was Kacey. She was a unique sim, with beautiful silvery hair and brilliant blue eyes. There had been a time when he was love with her. He had even proposed marriage. But then something terrible happened. And afterwards, Kacy disappeared only to return weeks later just to break off the engagement. It was the last time he saw her.

Luke opens his eyes and stares at David. He feels an instant connection, like he has somehow known David his entire life. Luke shifts around his pocket, finds the ring his grandmother had given to him just moments before her death, then holds it out for the spirit to see. David says nothing has he studies the object with a stunned expression on his face, as though he had just seen a ghost. He eventually recovers, and mumbles that seeing the engagement ring he gave to Kacey has brought back some very fond, and long forgotten memories.

Luke whispers the question that has been bothering him for weeks. Who is she?

David offers a weak smile in response. Even though Luke can only hear David in his mind, his voice is still distant and quiet. He had known Kacy when she was just a small baby. He can even recall the first time he saw her while visiting his best friend Reid’s house one afternoon after school. David chuckles that he had never been terribly observant or curious as a child. His mind was always preoccupied with fishing or playing pirates on the beach with his friends. So it never occurred to him to question why Kacey’s mother had never been pregnant. David pauses and smiles a warm, grandfatherly smile. He understands, now, that Faith has tasked Luke with returning the ring to Kacey.

Luke’s face contorts as he verbalizes his confusion. How he is supposed to find some ghost to give her ring back? Wouldn’t it just be easier for David to give it back to her, instead?

David floats toward a window and appears to be looking out of it for some time before speaking again. He quietly tells Luke that there is no ghost to find, because Kacey is still very much alive. His words cause Luke to shift suddenly in his seat. Knowing the response made absolutely no sense to the troubled teen, David apologizes. He has created more confusion for Luke, rather than clearing any up. David reassures Luke that he has only to keep the ring safe. And when the time is right, Kacey and the ring will find each other.

David’s spirit turns to leave, but Luke shouts for him to wait. He springs to his feet and asks, with quite a bit more emotion than he had intended, why David and the others have been seeking him out. David’s ghostly eyes sparkle as he smirks and chuckles, admitting they have all been wanting to ask Luke the exact same question.

Luke stands motionless and imperceptible while watching from a safe distance, uniformed military personnel working around the old abandoned mine. Alex had hinted to him that something big was happening at the excavation site. And he was right. Having blasted through the landslide that had covered the original entrance, workers have now built a huge structure around the entire area. What’s most intriguing, it that they’ve started moving in some massive equipment carried on semi trailers. Unfortunately, the equipment has been carefully concealed under layers of canvas tarps, so Luke is unable to make out what it is.

He is about to leave when he hears a strange sound, barely audible over the noise of heavy machinery and diesel engines. It sounds like many sims, all whispering together in unison. Or maybe it is just one sim; his barely audible voice multiplied hundreds of times.

Luke looks around, attempting to locate the source of the noise. He deftly climbs over steep rocks and around ancient trees. Whoever it is, he seems to be moving. But the question is whether he is running away from Luke, or leading him somewhere.

He finally finds a densely wooded area where the ground has caved in and exposed a small fissure in the hillside, concealed by large rocks and overgrowth. The voices have disappeared. And, quite honestly, Luke has no idea where he is. As it begins to grow dark outside, Luke can see that there is a faint light emanating from somewhere deep within the fissure. As he moves closer, he can hear what sounds like a hammer chipping away at rocks echoing from the opening. He is nearly at the mouth of the fissure when the sound stops.

Luke looks around for somewhere to hide. He should probably just run back the way he came and try to find this place again in the morning. He quietly backs away from the cave-in and walks a few tentative steps backward before turning to run. But before he can take a step, he is startled by a figure standing immediately before him. Just the same as it was with the others, Luke knows immediately who this sim was in life. His name was Reid Kimura. He also knows immediately that this meeting has been carefully arranged.

And this is what worries him most.

Nativity

zoxell — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 13:25:30 +0000

Now it happened that at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be made of the whole inhabited world.

Nativity - Baldovinetti, Alessio - 1460

This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Angels Announcing the Birth of Christ to the Shepherds - Flinck, Govert Teunisz. 1639

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

Nativity - SAMOSTRZELNIK, Stanislaw - 1527-28

And all at once with the angel there was a great throng of the hosts of heaven, praising God with the words: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace for those he favours.

Adoration of the Shepherds - MURILLO, Bartolomé Esteban, 1655

When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us. So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.

Luke 2:1-20

The “Zoxell” family wishes all believers and non-believers alike, a blessed Christmas; and we pray that the Grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, touches your lives in the same manner it has ours.

Merry Christmas!

Tagged: Christmas, Nativity