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 … Continue reading Chapter 8.10 – Poetry

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 … Continue reading Chapter 8.9 – Seed

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 … Continue reading Chapter 8.?? – Garden

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 … Continue reading Chapter 8.8 – Entity

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. … Continue reading Chapter 8.7 – Confusion

An endearing role reversal emerges within the Barimen household after Faith’s unexpected death.   The extended family sometimes jokes with Amber about her guard-dog mentality, but there is no kidding around now. There are times when even a stoic pillar of strength must grieve. Wendell and Luke shield and comfort Amber while she does so. In many ways, Faith had been more like a mother to Amber than a grandmother. And Ironically, it is the conspicuous absence of both Lisa and Ben that further fuels Amber’s pain. Stating their belief that her memorial service should be kept a reverent affair, the megastar couple … Continue reading Chapter 8.6 – Bounty

Despite the long list of friends who would instantly drop everything to attend his birthday party, Luke’s celebration is a subdued and casual event held at Grandma Faith’s house.   Visiting Grandma Faith has always been a special treat. He’s heard the hushed conversation regarding how she’d changed since Grandpa Jimmy passed away. But to Luke, she’s the same, sweet, old grandmother he has always known. Luke was still just a toddler when it happened, so he doesn’t remember much about the man everybody speaks so fondly about. What he does recall, is that the loss affected his mother deeply.    — … Continue reading Chapter 8.5 – Promise

Amber tries her best to comfort Luke while struggling to make sense of his panicked sobs.   Whatever frightened him had been so intense, that it sent him running hysterically to his room, where he sat trembling for hours. Luke is not able to verbalize what he had seen. And despite her efforts to downplay its significance, the event has somehow changed him. Thinking back to her own childhood, she remembers the feeling all too well. There was no way for her to “turn off” the flow of stimulus to her heightened senses. It was overwhelming at times. Lacking both direction and wisdom, she … Continue reading Chapter 8.4 – Supervision

Luke crawls out of his tent, and is greeted abruptly by a blast of cold morning air.   As usual, his mom already has breakfast prepared. He’s not entirely sure how she can make pancakes taste so good, cooking them on a portable camp stove.   A second helping of pancakes later, he finally registers that his mother had asked him how he slept last night. She has that cat who swallowed the canary look on her face again. It takes him a moment to figure out what she is really getting at.   And when it finally hits him, it does so … Continue reading Chapter 8.3 – Ambush

When Luke heard about a the field trip his class was taking to the cemetery, he though it was a pretty strange place to take a bunch of kids.   Seeing all the nervous faces in class that morning, he can tell he’s not the only sim who thinks so. The classroom clock has a weird way of playing tricks. When you want time to go by fast so you can get to do something you want, each second takes an eternity. But when there’s something you don’t want to do, the day just whips by in a blur.   For Luke, … Continue reading Chapter 8.2 – Tired

Hope had been the only Barimen heir to really boast any kind of popularity at school.   While there may never be another sim quite like her, Luke has managed to develop a following of his own. He is the “every kid” who fits right into any clique or group with seemingly no effort. He mostly ignores the particular quirks and traits that divide them into their own little social circles. The honest truth, is that Luke does a pretty good job of avoiding all of the social drama that comes with being a kid, simply by avoiding the pitfalls of being a follower.   Luke has … Continue reading Chapter 8.1 – Intuition

Resourceful [adjective]: able to deal well with new or difficult situations and to find solutions to problems   This is not a word most sims would use to describe a toddler; at least not until they meet Luke Barimen.   Watching him, one would see a combination of things at work that might highlight this characteristic. For example, he learned early-on that by pushing his toy-box against the door, then crawling on top, he could reach the door handle like momma and daddy do. Imagine Amber’s surprise, after finishing off a good mystery novel and dozing off; when she finds … Continue reading Chapter 8 – Luke