Chapter 1.12 – Memories – Stories by Zoxell

Julian stands frozen in time before the statue of the reaper. The statue itself is not particularly shocking; sims walk past it every day. This is a graveyard, after all. But for Julian, it has the same effect as walking into a busy street without paying attention to the cars.

Even as a statue, sight of the reaper is enough to unsettle an unsuspecting sim. And he realizes, rather suddenly, that this sighting was not his first. He had seen it once before, when he was a small child. The part Julian does not realize is the nature of the reaper’s visit that day.

The images are suddenly vivid in his mind, but having been so young, he barely understood what was happening. He remembered his dad being gone quite a bit at night. They often argued about it when he was home, but there was something different about that night.

He had been caught by the police for something and spent some time at the jail. He and his mother had just returned home from picking him up after he was let go. As usual, his dad wanted food. And that’s when it started.

They argued for a long time, and some very mean things were said.

By the end of it, his mom had told his dad to leave the house and to never come back. He didn’t like hearing that.

Julian watched as thick black smoke poured form the stove. He didn’t think that was supposed to be happening. But his mother didn’t seem to notice.

When she did, it was already too late. She screamed for him to hide in the bathroom.

But the fire spread too quickly for her to get there.

After the fire had burnt itself out, is when Julian saw the cloaked figure for the first time. He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he remembers is being taken by his father form the burnt out house. And Julian can remember wondering why his dad seemed almost happy, when he himself was very, very sad.

The memories, having finally been freed from their mental prison, leave Julian feeling tired, drained, and alone. The sudden urge to embrace Bebe is overwhelming, and he welcomes it without resistance. But first there was one thing to finish here.