Simmywood Sucks

 

“Come on babe,” Jimmy said. “It’s the second to last day of senior year! There’s no point in doing homework!”

“I just feel like I should really–” He interrupted Annelise by kissing her. She dropped her textbook and kissed him back.

He pulled away and looked at her with big sad brown eyes - those eyes that showed an earnestness that had attracted her to him to begin with. “Don’t go,” he pleaded.

“I have to,” Annelise said.

“But I love you!”

“I love you too, but I have to chase my dreams!” She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “Besides, we’ll talk every day. It will be like I’m not even gone!

“Please? You can’t go!”

“Why not?”

Because I’m going to marry you, Annelise Andrews!” he proclaimed. Annelise gasped.

“What?” she asked, surprised. She had dreamed of this moment, but she hadn’t expected it to happen right when she was about to leave.

“I’d marry you right now if I could!” he proclaimed. “But…I don’t have any money…”

“I don’t care about money,” Annelise said.

“But I’m going to make money! I’m going to save up until I have enough money to marry you!”

“Oh, Jimmy,” she said, smiling and falling into his arms.

“I want you to have this,” he said, digging in his jeans pocket and pulling out a ring. “It represents my promise to you. I will marry you one day, Annelise. I promise.”

Annelise began to cry. She was so overwhelmed with emotions, and contradictory ones at that! Happy that he was making such a serious promise, sad that she had to leave, nervous about starting her new life…

He wrapped her in his arms and held her quietly.

Then he finally spoke again. “Do you know why I fell in love with you?” he asked. “All of the other girls I dated only wanted to be with me because I was the star of the football team. All they cared about was being popular. They didn’t even know me. But you did. You saw right through all my big talk. You saw who I really was, not who I was pretending to be–and you didn’t leave.”

“This is harder than I thought it would be,” Annelise said, holding on to him like she would never let go. “I thought if I prepared myself I could do this and everything would be fine. But it’s not fine. Not without you!”

“You know I have to stay here and help my dad down at the shop, but as soon as I make enough money, I’ll go to Del Sol Valley and marry you!”

“How long?” she asked quietly.

“I don’t know,” he said with a frown. “But one day, I’ll just show up at your door. Will you wait for me?”

“Of course I will!” she said.

He took her in his arms and kissed her passionately. “I love you,” he said again.

“I love you too,” she said.

She pulled herself away from him and turned her back so that he wouldn’t see her tears. They had promised each other they wouldn’t say goodbye, so she simply walked away.

She wanted so badly to run back to him, but she kept walking. She knew if she looked back, she would never leave.

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Mother of Vampires

It was the day before me, my boyfriend, Ryan, and my best friend, Valerie, were to move to The Forgotten Hollow. Creepy name, I know, but it couldn’t be that bad a place. My aunt had sold me her small house there for cheap, and I was excited to be out on my own for the first time after college.

I sat in Val’s tiny apartment sipping some decaffeinated coffee and chatting happily. It was late, but she was drinking regular. She was planning to go to one of the hottest clubs that night and wanted to be energized so she could show off her best moves. Val was a bit of a party girl and had never quite abandoned her days as a sorority sister. If she’s not tearing up a rug at the hottest club, she can probably be found watching her favorite sports team at a party with a red solo cup full of beer in her hand. We were always very different, but somehow we just clicked, and we’ve been best friends ever since high school.

“It’s gonna be great,” Val said enthusiastically. “I’m sure we can both get a waitressing job there. I can show you the ropes. It’s not hard!” Val had been waitressing since our first year of college to help pay for her classes. I had been fortunate enough to have parents who were not rich, but who were financially comfortable and were willing to pay for my classes.

“I dunno,” I said uncertainly. “You’re always telling me about weird customers. What if I have to serve one?”

“Oh, you will,” she said with a smirk. “But it’s not that bad. Just be polite. Remember, the customer is always right!”

“Okay,” I replied. “I can do that.” I was not so sure I’d be very good at it. Although I am naturally cheerful, I tend to be emotional. I really hoped I wouldn’t start crying or shouting at a customer when something went wrong.

“You look beautiful,” Ryan said when I walked into the restaurant.

“You don’t look too bad yourself!” I replied. Ryan was very handsome. He was blonde and muscular with a perfect smile. Ryan chuckled. A waiter seated us, and we ordered. Ryan whispered something in the waiter’s ear. Vino’s was an unusually fancy restaurant for us, and after the way Val smiled at me and Ryan whispered to the waiter, I couldn’t shake the feeling that tonight was a big night.

“Are you excited for tomorrow?” Ryan asked with that charming smile of his.

“I’ll finally be on my own! Ready to chase my dreams of becoming a novelist!” I said happily. I had wanted to be a novelist since I was a child. I especially loved fantasy books. They captured my imagination in a way that mundane, everyday life couldn’t. I was also pretty good at art. Sometimes I would draw my own illustrations to go with my writing.

“You’re going to be amazing someday,” he said, putting a hand on my shoulder. “I know it!” I smiled and leaned over to give him a quick kiss.

“Are you sure you won’t be bored at your new job?” I asked. Ryan had made sure he had a job lined up. He was ambitious and had managed to get a job at a consulting firm and was hoping to climb up the corporate ladder. I never knew how he could stand the boredom of the corporate world.

“I’ll be fine,” he said, kissing me on the cheek. “Drinks are here.” He seemed nervous and fidgeted in his chair. The waiter placed some white wine in front of me, and I stared. There was a diamond ring floating in the wine.

“Melanie Elizabeth Day,” Ryan said, getting out of his chair and kneeling. He took my hands and looked into my eyes. “Will you marry me?” I stood there stunned. I had known something didn’t

seem right, but I had not imagined that Ryan would make such a big move, especially not on the night before we left for The Forgotten Hollow.

“I should go,” I said, finding my words and getting up to leave.

“But babe,” Ryan protested sadly.

“Ryan, you knew I wasn’t ready!” I said, my eyes welling up with tears of frustration. Everything had been going so well. We were about to move and continue our relationship in a new town. Why did he have to ruin everything?

“I thought--” Ryan started.

“You thought wrong!” I said letting my tears fall freely. I turned around and ran out of the restaurant.

I sat at my parent’s house crying. Dinner had been ice cream. Why would Ryan do this? I wondered sadly. We had discussed moving in together and getting married, and I had always told him I wanted to wait. I knew he wanted to settle down and have a family, but I was only 23. Had I missed signs that he was getting ready to propose? Had I done anything to make him think I had changed my mind?

The hurt look on his face made me cringe. I knew I had hurt him, but I felt that he had asked for something I wasn’t ready to give - and in public, no less. I sat there sobbing until about 1:00 AM when my phone rang.

“Hey babe,” Ryan said. His voice sounded tired. “I’m at the door. Please let me in.”

I ran to the door and opened it to find him holding a single rose. “I’m sorry,” he said, offering me the rose. “I should never have pushed you. I knew you weren’t ready. I just thought maybe--” he cut himself off. “I’m sorry,” he finished.

“I’m sorry I hurt you,” I said, taking the rose. Tears slid down my cheeks. Ryan wiped them away and embraced me tenderly.

“I love you,” he said quietly.

“I love you too,” I replied.

The next morning I was exhausted. My eyes were still red and puffy from crying, but I was so happy that Ryan and I worked everything out. Today was the big day.

“Take care, honey,” My mother said, giving me a big hug.

“Stay in touch,” my dad said, hugging me too.

“If you need anything, we’re just a phone call away!” My mom called after me as I got into the taxi.

“Now, now, Felicity, Melanie will be fine,” my dad said, putting his hand on my mom’s shoulder.

“Oh, Charles,” my mother said, burying her face in his shoulder.

“I love you both,” I called, through the open window of the taxi.

“We love you too,” they shouted together.

The taxi driver began to drive, and my heart pounded with anticipation. Here I was, starting my journey like in the epic fantasy books I so longed to write. I would pretend I was about to have an adventure. I was at least setting out on my own, going to a new town and getting my first job, but it would certainly be short of fantastic. Maybe my new life would give me some inspiration to write my first best-selling novel. I was out on my own now, and I would have to write my own story. I just never expected my story would be anything like it turned out...

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From Peasant to Princess

It was the day of the Harvest Festival, and Esmerelda was humming to herself as she did the laundry.

She hated how dry and calloused her hands got from all the washing, but doing laundry for the village was a decent way to make money, and she desperately needed it to support her elderly father.

Her father was deathly ill, and Esmerelda was terribly worried about him, but today was a special day. Esmerelda was pretty sure it was the day that Zachary was going to ask her to marry him.

Esmerelda and Zachary had grown up in the same village, but it wasn’t until about two years ago when he asked her to dance with him at the Harvest Festival that they started spending time together.

Before her father had fallen ill, he told her that Zachary had asked for his permission to marry her, and she had recently overheard Zachary talking to a friend about asking her something at the Harvest Festival. So, for the first time in a long time, she smiled.

“You seem to be in a good mood today,” a voice said. It was her best friend, Clarissa.

“I think today is the day!” Esmerelda said, unable to hide her excitement.

“Well congratulations in advance!” Clarissa said. “Zachary is one of the best looking men in the village–aside from Roland, of course!”

“Do you think Roland is going to propose soon?” Esmerelda asked.

“I wish! Sometimes I think all he thinks about is hunting! I mean, it’s a fairly lucrative profession, but he barely ever has time for me. He used to be so romantic,” Clarissa sighed. “I remember when he first started courting me. He said I was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. He’d read me poetry and bring me flowers…He says he loves me and is just trying to make enough money to provide for me and our future children, but I’m getting tired of waiting. I have to admit, Esme, I’m a little jealous.”

“I’m sure Roland is planning something,” Esmerelda said with a grin.

“Do you know something?” Clarissa asked.

“My lips are sealed,” Esmerelda said.

“No fair!” Clarissa complained. “If you know something you have to tell me!”

“I promised Zachary I wouldn’t!” Esmerelda said. “I’ve already said too much…Just…give Roland a little more time. I promise, it will be worth it!”

In the afternoon, Esmerelda went to see Zachary. He wiped the sweat off his brow and smiled when he saw her.

“You’re covered in soot!” she exclaimed.

“Perils of the trade, I’m afraid,” he said, brushing some off of his apron.

“Well…you do look kind of sexy like that…” she said, caressing his cheek. “It’s very manly, you know…working all day at a hot forge…Do you think you can sneak away from work for a few minutes?” she asked.

“I think that can be arranged,” he said with a grin.

Esmerelda took Zachary’s hand and led him to the stables.

“I thought we could spend some time alone,” she said, seductively.

“Have I ever told you, you have the most amazing eyes?” he asked.

“Kiss me!” she said, throwing her arms around his neck.

He did as she asked, and pushed her down onto the hay bales. His blue eyes were burning with desire.

“You have no idea how badly I want you,” he said, kissing her hungrily.

She ran her fingers through his blond hair and opened her mouth slightly as he kissed her. Their tongues danced, and they felt a growing heat between them.

Esmerelda desperately wanted him to take her right there, but much to her disappointment, he stood up. “I had better get back to work,” he said reluctantly. “I’m sorry I’ve been so busy.”

“At least give me one more kiss,” she said with a pout that always drove him crazy.

He had already started walking towards the door, but he turned around and pulled her into a deep kiss.

“I’ll see you tonight,” he said with a grin.

“I can’t wait,” she replied breathlessly.

She brushed some hay off of her dress and went back to work, fantasizing about their secret tryst in the stables.

By the time she had finished everyone’s laundry, the sun was setting. She met up with Clarissa to get ready for the festival.

“How do I look?” she asked, posing.

“You look beautiful!” Clarissa said. “How about me?”

“Gorgeous!” Esmerelda said.

“I can’t believe you’re getting engaged!” Clarissa gushed. “When it happens, you have to promise to tell me everything!”

“Of course I will!” Esmerelda said, hugging her best friend.

“You clean up well,” Esmerelda said when Zachary arrived at the old barn. “Push me on the swing?” He smiled and complied, allowing his hands to linger on her waist just a moment too long before he pushed. “Esmerelda looked back at him in amusement. “You washed your face.”

“Just for you,” he said, chuckling. “You look beautiful tonight–just like that night two years ago.”

“What made you notice me that night, anyway?” Esmerelda asked.

“It would have been impossible not to!” he said. “Remember how I asked you to dance, and you told me you were waiting for your boyfriend?”

“How could I forget? He didn’t show up until hours later and by then I was so angry at him that I decided to dance with you. I probably shouldn’t have kissed you to make him jealous, though…” she said apologetically.

“It was worth it,” he said with a grin. “After he punched me, you felt so bad for me that you danced with me for the rest of the night.”

More people had started to arrive, and the bonfire was blazing. People had started dancing happily. They had a lot to be grateful for at this Harvest Festival; the crops thrived in the past year, and they had enough that they were able to eat a meal every day even though the king demanded most of their harvest. They walked up to the bonfire hand in hand to join the other peasants.

“Well, shall we dance?” he asked, bowing slightly and holding out a hand.”

“Only because you asked so nicely,” she said curtseying back.

“I’ve been practicing,” Zachary said proudly. He spun her around and dipped her. As he leaned in, she expected him to kiss her, but instead he whispered, “I have a surprise for you.”

Esmerelda’s heart skipped a beat. It was silly really. She had known that Zachary was planning to propose for a while, but now that it was really about to happen, she was nervous. Was she really ready to get married?

She looked around at everyone talking and laughing and dancing, and she felt like a trapped animal. Lightning sparked at her fingertips, and she clenched her fists, digging her nails into the palms of her hands until her knuckles were white.

She thought Zachary might have asked her if she was ok, but she was so overwhelmed that she barely heard him. The more she tried to hold back the lightning, the more persistent it became, and she ran.

She heard Zachary calling her, but she didn’t turn back. She stopped behind the barn and tried to take deep breaths. It took a few minutes for the sparks at her fingertips to die down, but when they finally did, she began to sob.

No one knew about her magic–not even Zachary. Could she really withhold that kind of information from him? And beyond that, as much as she loved Zachary, she was starting to doubt that she was ready to marry him.

She scolded herself for being so foolish. When she found out he was going to propose, she had been overjoyed and hadn’t even bothered to think about what it meant. Marriage was still at the comfortable distance of “some day,” but now some day was actually happening.

She loved Zachary but what did marriage mean? Marriage meant staying in this village for the rest of her life. Marriage meant having children. Marriage meant growing old together. She wanted all of those things, but it was too soon.  

 
“Are you ok?” Clarissa asked.

“I think I just freaked out a little bit. What if I’m not ready for marriage?” she asked.

“You’re just getting nervous,” Clarissa reassured her.

“He told me he had a surprise, and I just lost it…”

“It’s perfectly normal to be nervous about something like this,” Clarissa said gently.

“I don’t know…” Esmerelda said doubtfully. “I started thinking about our future together and I just–I want a future with Zachary–I do–but I’m still young, and when I think about the rest of my life I start to panic!”

“Well, of course you panic when you look at things from that perspective!” Clarissa said. “The Watcher knows, life isn’t easy, but it’s much easier to take things one day at a time than to try to handle it all at once.” Clarissa gave Esmerelda’s hand a comforting squeeze. “Just take deep breaths and follow your heart.”

“Thanks, Clarissa,” Esmerelda said. “You’re a good friend.”

Zachary found her the moment Clarissa went inside. “I knew I’d find you here,” Zachary said. He took her hands gently. “What happened back there?”

“I…I don’t know…” she couldn’t tell Zachary the truth.

Zachary looked up at the dark sky. “It’s starting to rain. Come inside with me,” he said. “People have already started to leave, so it will be less crowded.”

She smiled at Zachary’s kindness. He was a good man, who could give her a good life, and she loved him. Maybe she didn’t need to be nervous after all.

 

Zachary pulled Esmerelda close to him, and his hands began to slide down her backside.

“Hey!” she said, swatting at him playfully. “Stop that! People will talk!”

“Let them,” he said in a husky voice that drove her wild. She gasped and giggled as he pinched her. Then she rested her head on Zachary’s chest and sighed contentedly. All of her worries seemed silly when she looked into his gentle blue eyes; everything just felt right. Maybe she could marry him after all. Clarissa was probably right–she was just getting nervous because she was thinking too far in the future.

She anticipated a proposal all night, but when they got back to her door, Zachary just kissed her goodnight.

“What about my surprise?” she asked.

“It’s late,” he said. “It can wait. Good night.”

“I love you too,” she said, stunned by his abrupt departure.

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Strangerville Things: Part Five

 

Freddy wanted to run all the way home, but then he had an idea: with the bizarre fruit and the spores, he just might be able to make a vaccine. He used his ingredients to make one–now all he had to do was test it.

The sky over Strangerville was even darker and filled with more spores. He knew he had to destroy the Mother, and quickly–but he would need help.

You've discovered the source of the infection plaguing Strangerville: an enormous "Mother" plant buried in the base of the lab. The only way to get the town back to normal is to defeat the vile creature!

Find a cure for the infection and assemble a team to destroy the Mother Plant.

He tested the first vaccine on the mayor, but it didn’t seem to work. He spent the next few days collecting more bizarre fruit and spores. Maybe if he tweaked his formula just a little bit, he could get his vaccine to work!

He got another promotion at work, but when he went home, the unthinkable happened.

He was abducted by aliens! “Wait! I have to save Strangerville!” he yelled.

The aliens must have been satisfied with their tests, because they kindly dropped him off at his house. “That. Was. Awesome!” Freddy exclaimed. Sure, the aliens had run invasive tests on him, but seeing the aliens and their advanced technology had inspired him! But he couldn’t lose focus. He still needed to work on the vaccine.

Then he got back to work. His second test went better than his first, but it still wasn’t quite right.

The third time was the charm! This time it worked perfectly. Now he just had to make vaccines and recruit other sims to help him fight the plant! Maybe soon this nightmare would be over.

Freddy went straight to the Secret Lab to develop some official vaccines. He used the Chemical Analyzer to convert the last remaining experimental vaccine and made one new one, but he was exhausted.

He grabbed a Sleep Replacement potion and drank. He couldn’t sleep on the job–not when he was so close! The potion perked him right up and he was able to make a few more vaccines before going home. By the time he left the Secret Lab, he had six vaccines!

Freddy got another promotion!

And got abducted two more times…

But when he got back, he finally managed to assemble his team to defeat the Mother Plant.

“Here we go,” Freddy said. Then he opened the final door in the Secret Lab.

The Mother Plant was fierce, but with all three of them fighting against it, it didn’t have a chance. They sprayed the remaining vaccines all over the Mother plant until it shriveled up and died.

And at last, peace was restored to Strangerville.

With one last screech the Mother Plant collapses. Returning home, you notice that things are beginning to return to normal. The Bizarre Plants are subsiding and the infected are waking up from their nightmare. Strangerville owes you a huge debt. You are a Hometown Hero!

You have defeated the Mother Plant and returned Strangerville to "normal"! You can return to the Mother Plant at any point to re-awaken her. Once resurrected, you can have her set the infection level to your desired strangeness. This will allow you to replay the story with other families.

Strangerville Things: Part Four

 

Freddy continued to work hard at his job. He managed to develop his logic skill to 5, his handiness skill to 3, his gemology skill to 4, and his rocket science skill to 2. When he got home from work, he practiced programming. He might need to hack into some computers to get more evidence…

Freddy got a promotion to Serum Sequencer! With the additional money, he bought a few bugs and a listening device. Maybe some spying was in order.

With a few days off from work, Freddy decided to go back to visit the mayor.

“So great to finally meet you!” he said, slapping the mayor on the back and attaching the bug.

“Uh, who are you?”

“Oh, I stopped by when you weren’t here once and met your wife. She said I should come back another time to meet you. I’m Freddy.”

“Ted,” the man said with a nod.

“Freddy tried to think of a natural way to make his exit but didn’t have much luck. “Well…bye!” he said.

Freddy grinned as he started listening on his listening device. He felt a little guilty for spying but he knew he was doing it for a good cause.

The screen had targeted the local bar, and above the noise, he heard Ted speaking to someone.

“I mean…everyone’s got a secret child somewhere, right?”

Freddy stared blankly at the screen. It was certainly a scandalous secret but he was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the Strangerville Investigation. He had wanted to find out if the mayor was involved, but his bug proved to be a dead end. Unless someone was blackmailing the mayor with the information of his secret child, Freddy was out of luck.

Desperate for more evidence, Freddy returned to the Secret Lab. He hacked into a computer and found some evidence. He also found a few more pieces of evidence by searching through the documents that seemed to have been thrown all over the floor. At last–he had collected 15 pieces of evidence!

All that was left was to get a keycard, and he was pretty sure the Curio Shop was his best bet. While he was there, he decided to buy some gear. He felt pretty silly in the colander hat, but he had no idea what he was going to find behind the door. He doubted the hat would protect him, but his skepticism about everything was starting to fade. He exchanged his dossier for a keycard, and went on his way.

He returned to the secret lab and used the keycard. “This is it…” he said to himself.

It looked like the basement was rather large, but there were purple spores in the hallways that looked dangerous–and his colander hat wasn’t going to be enough to protect him. He needed to see if he could get some hazmat gear.

When he left the secret lab, he saw that one of the plants had bloomed. He was sure it had only been a bud when he went in…

He looked up at the sky and realized what he had done.

Leaving the Secret Lab you can’t help but notice the sky has shifted to an eerie color. Something has changed in Strangerville, and not for the better. Opening that lab door must have released some kind of toxin into the air.

You will need to find a way to protect yourself from the toxic spores in the Secret Lab. Try talking to people around town to see if they know anything that might help.

He had released the spores into the air! Now he had to hurry before something even worse happened!

He went straight to the bar and spoke to someone in a uniform who told him they had an infection scanner.

“I just got this new Infection Scanner. It is really cool, it can…I mean…That is classified information! But if you can convince me maybe I can give you one…”

He tried impressing her to get her to give it to him…

But he had no fitness skill what-so-ever, so his feeble attempts at push ups failed miserably.

You have got to be joking…You think that is ‘Impressive.’ You are going to have to get stronger if you are going to impress me.”

Well, he really didn’t want to fight, and he was broke, so there was only one more option…

The art of seduction. He felt like he was betraying Leslie, but he didn’t have any other choice, so he kissed the woman on the cheek.

“Wow…that was amazing! I really should not be doing this but take this Infection Scanner.”

She giggled and handed over the Infection Scanner.

He went to speak to Irwin and asked about the spores. Irwin said he had a hazmat suit, but it was $1000, and Freddy currently only had $7! He kind of wished he hadn’t spent all that money on the listening device and gear. He would have to come back with some money, but he still needed to find a way to get his hands on a spore filter.

Unsure of what else to do, Freddy Went back to the lab. He used the Infection Scanner to collect spores.

Then Freddy used a chemical analyzer to analyze the spores. As a scientist, he had some ideas about how to use the spores to develop a vaccine.

He would have to talk to one of the scientists for more information.

He was able to befriend a scientist and convince her to craft him a spore filter. She sent it through the mail in only about one day! Then he went to buy the hazmat suit from the Curio Shop. He was about to have everything he needed to venture deeper into the Secret Lab.

Freddy was still working his way up the corporate ladder, but doing that and the investigation at the same time was draining him.

Freddy’s relationship with Leslie continued to blossom (no pun intended), but he couldn’t help but worry. He didn’t know how much longer it would be until something worse happened. He had to save Strangerville for him and for Leslie.

He and Leslie had a very successful romantic date at the local bar, and they shared their first kiss. But Freddy didn’t get to celebrate for long…

Because when he got home he saw that vines had started sprouting from the toilet, sink, and shower! He knew he had to act fast.

The bizarre fruit he planted had finally sprouted, so he harvested the fruit before leaving for the Secret Lab. Maybe he could use it to save Strangerville somehow.

The basement of the Secret Lab was filled with strange plants…

The spore mask and hazmat suit protected him from the spores, but there was one more door he still had to go through…

He gasped when he saw it; this must be what everyone was referring to when they mentioned the mother. Its vines writhed in front of him, but it didn’t seem bothered by his presence. It was too powerful to even see him as a threat!