@DivaDoodle And thanks for liking the real update, too. Your last reply there snuck in before I could see it. It is nice to have one person continuously reading my stuff. Sometimes I think about where AlexaKry and Tamijo also went, but I don't want to bug them. They will come back to the forums if they want to?
Hehe, I didn't know Texan kids spoke like that, I have never been to Texas. I don't know excactly why, but again it just felt natural to have Billy talk that way to Natalie at first. And that's kind of how I write stuff, at least the more detailed things, in the spur of the moment, and I usually aren't doing to many edits either, so it is like you're reading a first draft... but I have always been like that.. (of course I try to not make spelling errors, and well, hope that my grammar is correct).
Natalie was being a bit sloppy with the oils thing, eventually not doing it daily and once she ran out of oil, she didn't bother to go back and get more...
Vaults - Premonitions
Let's take it right back to where we used to go
But we never look back
No, we only look forward to other new pain
And violence turned to blame
No, we never look back
No, we only look forward with all our faith
Hearts broken from the start
With the feel that we were born to a fault
Only to be held tall by the writing on the wall
We don't need no premonitions, no
Aaron: Rooaar!! Raawaarr! Raawrr! Aaron, is that really necessary? Your brother is trying to sleep...
Hmm, and by the looks of that stinking pile of clothes, it seems Natalie is slipping up when it comes to keeping the house clean again..
You don't need those gemstones anymore Natalie, so no need to think about that. Instead of sitting down to play with that toy.. maybe you should do some laundry? It's piling up...
As Isaac went to bed really early in the afternoon, he wakes up in the middle of the night fully rested. Natalie still hadn't gone to bed.
Natalie: What are you doing up at this hour, Isaac? Have you been drinking coffee? You know I have forbid you to drink coffee!
Natalie: I'm going to slap you, if I catch you up at night drinking coffee again!!
Isaac got angry naturally, and had no idea what she was yelling about.. he had not been drinking any coffee.. they didn't even own a coffee machine.. where would she get that idea!? And saying you're going to slap your own child.. that's a line you shouldn't be crossing, Natalie.. but you live what you've learned I guess...
When the kids went to school the next morning, Natalie was still asleep. She didn't go to sleep until around 3 in the night.
Natalie woke up to the phone ringing, a few minutes past twelve.
It was Teresa Mater, the nun, calling. She was holding a feast to celebrate the arrival of spring and wanted Natalie to join.
Before entering the party, Natalie had to stop and taste the rain for a while. Still a child at heart..
Natalie: Can you believe how ridiculous Teresa is.. thinking that these crosses and whatnot is good to ward against demons.. ha! I don't really believe in any of this.. I think it's stupid!
Normally the nunnery wouldn't allow males to enter, but I guess they made an exception for this event.. or maybe this guy standing next to them is registered as female, I don't know..
Idun (trying to be diplomatic): Yeah.. I kind of ... understand where you're coming from..., but I wouldn't say it like that. Teresa is very kind to invite us to this feast! Let's enjoy ourselves!
Natalie (mumbles to herself): "Let's enjoy ourselves..." bah! These people are so stupid.. I'm gonna find the kitchen to make myself a pumpkin pie.
The phone rang as she was cooking in the oven. It was Elisa calling.
Elisas voice is heard mumbling through the phone.
Natalie: Someone uninvited? What.. who can that be?
Natalie: What are you trying to say, Elisa? Someone that is something they are not...?
Natalie: Now you listen to me, Elisa. I believe what you say just as much as I believe in giant monsters living in mountain lakes... that is, not at all!
Natalie: Don't call me again with this nonsense Elisa! Goodbye!
Natalie: Stupid old witch and her doomsday sayings... This must be one of Natalies grumpy days...
Natalie: Oh, and I now I burnt the pumpkin pie... I'm not eating that...
Then she goes upstairs to talk to another one of the nuns, Birgit, about rain. And give her a scare. You're some angel, aren't you, Natalie? Scaring a nun..
Some angel indeed..
I mean, lets face it, you are evil, Natalie. Maybe not fully, but atleast in part.
And then, you also have this tender side that sometimes shows itself...
Teresa: Thank you for coming to my feast! How have you been since last time, Natalie? Have you been sleeping well?
Natalie: Oh, thanks for asking! I am sleeping just like an innocent child!
Natalie: But that is not because of you and your silly book and figurines! All that is pure nonsense! Teresa: How dare you!? Listen to me, little girl!
Teresa: There are dangerous things out to harm you! Quite possibly put an end to you!
Teresa: However, I am not mad at you, Natalie.. but rather disappointed and sad. Little one, we are praying for you! And by the looks of things, you're going to need all the prayers you can get..we are only trying to help you, Natalie..
Natalie: Whatever, I need a shower.. Teresa: *sigh* She doesn't get it...
-- After showering and changing to her sleepwear, Natalie finds another nun hanging around..
Natalie: Haha, you nuns are so silly with all your stupid talk about dangerous things all the time.. Thelma:Who invited you here!? I will tell our Mother Teresa to have you kicked out and to never return!
Natalie (in a whiny temperamental voice): But I want to use your rocking chair!
Wow, Natalie.. you're behaving just like a four year old with a temper tantrum. I can't believe you're actually 36 years old! This is embarassing to watch!
Natalie:@#&% nun!! I want to use that rocking chair!!
Thelma: You can't behave like that around here. This is a nunnery! Such words are completely unacceptable. Go home. Now.
Thelma: Shoosh! Go on! Natalie had no choice here, but to listen and go home... The morning after looked relatively normal in the Goth-Asli household, with Aaron, still in his dinosaur costume, doing homework, and Natalie preparing breakfast. Isaac was resting in the rocking chair, as he often did, and Billy was upstairs, just about to wake up from sleep.
And then one of the nuns came over. This one just walked in without knocking. "Mind if I sit down" the nun said, before she sat down giving Natalie no time to answer her question.
This nun clearly did not approve of Billy for whatever reason. The nun made eye contact with Natalie, before she started talking.
"You are in great danger, Natalie" she said.
"You need blue healing diamonds and crystals in your home. That will keep the danger away."
Natalie does not respond, but continues on with her business..
"Gemstones, holy rituals and crystals.. when is this nonsense going to end?" Natalie thought to herself. "Not even in my house will they let me be..."
"I am serious, Natalie" the nun continued. "If you do not listen to the warnings you get, The Great Dragon himself will get you!"
"This is just getting more and more ridiculous" Natalie thought.
Natalie: Get out of my house, nun lady! And stop spreading these nonsensical lies!
Nun: Well, you are going to regret those words once the Dragon gets to you, and you will scream in eternal pain as you are burned by his fire!
Natalie: That sounds like a threat, nun lady! Get the #$%&! out of my house before I slap you silly!! Natalie raised her hand as if to slap the nun across the face..
Nun: Alright, I'll leave, but you will regret these words one day... Natalie: Just get out..
And so the nun lady leaves...
...!!!!
Something tells me that wasn't a nun lady!! And the neighbours have noticed the fire, but they are all useless, just standing there panicking.. someone call the fire department!!
Well done, Natalie! You put the fire out, or maybe it died out by itself, but holy bagpipes what was that!? Now I would start to be very afraid if I was you, Natalie...
@Sprottenham I really miss Tamijo & AlexaKry, too, last I read Tamijo said he had family stuff to do. I just always hope I see them again. yes I feel the same not wanting to bug them.
I have some Texan cousins so I heard them say mam and sir a lot when visiting, when I was young. I remember asking my Dad if my cousins were in a 'kids army'! My only reference was the next door neighbor little boy playing with his G. I. Joe action figures. 'YES! Yes, Sir!'
It sounded very natural for Billy to speak to Natalie like that at first! I always think you are completely fluent in English, you have a great command of the language, correct grammar and everything! Good job! How do you practice? In your line of work or?
I will come back later to read the next update! Sorry, ---I'm late on everything!
@DivaDoodle Haha, well over here kids being overly polite like that would be completely weird an unnatural. Nobody views their parents as a superior in that way, at least not that I am used to. So maybe it was something I did subconsciously to underline the unnatural relationship between Billy and Natalie. I don't know, but I guess ones writing can say a lot of things not immediately thought about. :P
Thanks about my language, I am pretty used to hearing, seeing, writing in english. Its everywhere, in music, movies, tv-shows, and was a huge part of my education too, because for higher up classes, there are no textbooks in my language. And scientific articles are typically written in english. However, I still find myself resorting to online dictionaries every now and then.
Don't worry about being late, it happens to me too.
Aaron is so cute dressed up as a dinosaur playing make believe!
Poor Isaak, the sims never know when it's best to nap or sleep for 8 hours, then his Mom accuses him of drining coffee. No wonder he looks so mad!
haha so cute of Natalie to taste the rain great pic capture, I know they can do these cute thing so fast, it's easy to miss getting the pic.
ah, interesting spoiler. I never thought about males not being able to enter a nunnery or not.
hmm more interesting is the witch calling her on the phone!
scaring the nun! hahaha
This is maybe not so smart for Natalie to seem to not believe the nuns anymore about the danger. I wonder what has caused her to change her mind?
I do love how Natalie gets into her sleepwear when ever possible! hahaha
yes everyone loves the rocking chairs, especially childish Natalie! hehehe she really wants it! But no, she is shooshed to go home. Probably for the best.
omg the nun goes up in flames! (but how did you do that?) and Natalie tries to put out the fire, that is nice of her!
wow! very interesting update!!! 👍
Oh higher learning text books aren't in your language, I never knew that! There is so much I just assume. I only am familiar with Spanish and French (about a child's or pre-teen's level of conversation, probably, lol)
I have a Japanese friend who was born in Portugal while her parents were traveling and it was her first language, then Japanese and through her parents traveling about while she was growing up, she now knows 8 languages. she is lucky because living in these different places she really fully understands the nuances and emotions of these languages instead of just textbook learning.
She says you can always tell if people really 'get it' or fully understand the language by the jokes. If it isn't that funny to you then something is lost in the translation, because the peoples are so different. I thought that was so interesting of her to notice and tell me that!
I have a question, in which language do you dream and when you travel to other places, do you ever dream in that language?
oh haha I use the dictionaries too, but because every now and then I have found words, over time start having different meanings.
Ach, and I always use spell check, my fingers try to put the letters out of order, all the time!
Thanks for the comment! Yes, I was lucky to get that shot of Natalie standing out in the rain! So far I think that is one of the best sims screenshots I have made!
Hmm, I don't know what the rules are of a real nunnery, I just imagined that it would be "females only". There is a monastery that looks just identical on the opposite end of the park, where the monks live, and that one is (supposed to be) males only. If Natalie was a male character, she would have sought advice there, but since she is female, she can't.
There is a mod called "Demonic powers" that allow sims to create fire and do other dangerous and deadly things.. it has a few "instant kill" options... so if something really is after Natalie, then yeah, its probably not to wise of her to completely dismiss what the nun has told her...
Interesting about your Japanese friend! I have a friend from the US, currently working as a Spanish teacher. She has traveled to many countries, and I don't know how many languages she knows, but its a lot. Its impressive how some people can do that. I would say that I only know two languages... I tried to learn German, but I wouldn't say I know it.. leider kann ich nicht Deutsch zu sprächen! :P
When I dream, there usually isn't much language, but when there is, it is Norwegian. When I was a student, I had an exchange semester where everything happened in English, and eventually all my internal thoughts as well ended up being in English, so I was always thinking thoughts in English, too. I don't remember about dreams, though. Another interesting thing I discovered then is that doing everything in a different language alters my personality a bit, too! I am much more reserved and shy in Norwegian than in English for whatever reason.. English made me feel more outgoing and lively. I can't really explain why! I notice this when I am travelling, too.
Natalie feels strong and brave after the fire was put out.
The one with the white wings that Natalie talks to, is Matityahu, her uncle. They hardly know each other, as she was never close with any of her uncles when she grew up. Matityahu has white wings, because he is a pure angel. But just like his sister and Natalies mother, Bianka, he has the evil trait, which might explain why he didn't help out, but seemed to take delight in the fire occuring.
The purple winged lady is Vibeke Helland. One of Natalie's colleagues at the Zombie Kitchen. She has purple wings because she is an angel-vampire hybrid.
And then her boss at work, Ramona Velle-Bentsen wants to talk to Natalie. Ramona is a human and have no special powers, apart from being hard working and a brilliant chef, of course. I must say, everyone around looks pretty chill after such a dramatic event... I'm happy the boys didn't see this, as they had already left for school.
Ramona: Natalie... are you ok? I mean, that was quite dramatic... I think you should take some days off work and maybe talk to someone...
Natalie: What do you mean, Ramona? Everything is just fine!
Natalie wasn't sure if she wanted to involve Ramona and her colleagues into all this business that had been happening to her lately..
Ramona: No, Natalie.. everything isn't fine.. I am really concerned for you and your childrens well being.. Please, Natalie, take the next month off, and promise me that you will go and see someone.. ok?
Natalie: But.. but..
Ramona: No buts this time, Natalie. I mean it! In fact, I think I will personally walk you to the doctors office first thing in the morning myself!
Natalie:But.. but I.. what are you saying? What would I need a doctor for?
Ramona: Natalie, please... I will come see you tomorrow morning, and we will go to the doctor's office together and everything will be fine, I promise. I will have Vibeke take your shift tonight, and we will sort this out. You don't have to think about us at the restaurant, we'll always manage. Get some rest now, Natalie..
"Get some rest now, Natalie".. "I will take you to the doctor's office, Natalie". Like they think something is wrong with me. There is nothing wrong with me, I have no need to go to any stupid doctor's office!
"...but I could always need a nap. Atleast I got the day off from work!"
And after she woke up from her little slumber, her phone rang again. It was Elisa, and this time she asked if they could meet up. It sounded like something important was up, and the visit from the nun lady had made Natalie concerned as well, so she agreed to meet up. And maybe this time Elisa would give an answer to what she meant with the great grandsons thing...
And so it was back to the forest again...
No limo this time, just an ordinary taxi. "Well, atleast something is by the normal!" Natalie thought to herself.
Elisa lives pretty far up into the forest, so it had already started getting dark by the time Natalie got there. Elisa was already out on the front porch when she arrived.
Natalie: Hi, Elisa. I came up here as fast as I could! Elisa: Good evening, Natalie. Good to see you.
Maybe Elisa could tell me something more about the dragon that the strange nun was talking about...
Natalie: I had a strange visit earlier today.. this nun came over, and threatened me with some fire breathing dragon or whatever it was.. and when I told her to leave, she went outside and disappeared into a burst of flames! Do you know anything about what that could be??
Elisa: Oh, poor child, let me hug you.. I think that's pretty obvious.. that wasn't a nun, Natalie. That was the demon in disguise... like I tried to warn you about...
Natalie: But.. what do I do now.. and why did you invite me here...?
Elisa: There isn't to much you can do at this point, I'm afraid.. but I came across a book the other day that I had forgotten about for many years.. and that's why I called you to get here.. just stand still in the opposite corner for a moment...
Natalie: Ok...?
Elisa: Projiciam a tutela hoc carmine vobis, Natalia Gothi
Natalie: Oh dear, please help me.. what is that??
Elisa: Sanctorum invocabo Agatha, in Sicilia, Elisabeth Hungariae, venerationi habitus est Petri apostoli ordinavi Ambiani Natalie: Don't hurt me.. please!!
Elisa: Scutum! Protegat! Hic puer pauper et angelus a malo! Per verbum Ephesiorum...
Natalie: Aaah!! Elisa: Auxilium puer iste fortis sit in Domino, et in potentia virtutis eius!
Elisa: Exorno eam accipite armaturam Dei, ut sumeret eam sibi poterit stare adversus insidias diaboli!
Natalie: I feel cold! What was that?? What did you do?? Elisa: I cast a protective spell on you, which I read for the first time in the Book of Esephiam a long long time ago. It is an ice formula to call upon the protective saints and keep the fires of evil away. That's why you feel cold..
Elisa: And this formula is most effective when the moon is growing, thats why it was so important for you to come up here just now...
Natalie: Ok, and this works and from now on I will be safe?
Elisa: Well, it will work for a while.. but the effect of the spell will wear off eventually. The demons are clever, and they are constantly looking for ways to penetrate and exploit loopholes wherever they can.
Natalie: And then what do we do?
Elisa: Well, there might be a few more spells I can cast if I dig a little more in my old books, but all I can do really, is to buy you more time and delay the inevitable, I'm afraid. My powers can only do so much...
Natalie: So what you're saying is.. I'm doomed, am I?
Elisa: If everything goes as the demons have planned, it is not only you, Natalie...
Natalie: Why are you always so cryptic? What do you mean? Elisa: You are in possession of something very valuable to them, you just don't know it yet...
Natalie: This really didn't explain anything... is it me or my sons they want?
Elisa: What I am saying Natalie, is that they will slowly lay the groundwork to gain access to what they need.... keep all your senses sharpened. When you start to notice unusual things happening again, please come back to me sharply, and I may just be able to cast another protective spell over you..
Natalie: Elisa, you have to tell me...
Elisa: Bye for now, Natalie, and best of luck...
And, so with the protective spell cast on her and a head full of more questions then answers, Natalie the red-winged angel, went home for the night..
In the taxi on the way home, she got another phone call... it was Elisa again..
Natalie: Hi, Elisa!
Elisa: Just one more thing I forgot to mention, Natalie..
Natalie: Oh.. what is that?
Elisa: Just.. beware of burglars..
Natalie: Burglars? Ok, well, I haven't had any burglars here since before Aaron was born.. but sure, I'll look out for burglars...
Elisa: That was all, good night! Natalie: Ok.. uh, good night!
Natalie: Calling me up because she forgot to warn me about burglars.. how strange, but I think my house is pretty safe from burglars..
The next morning Ramona came over to Natalie's house, just like she said.
The first thing she noticed after Isaac had let her inside, was the smell of dirty clothes lying around all over the house...
Ramona: Well, not that the kids have gone off to school, I will say this bluntly.. I am shocked at how smelly and unclean your house is, Natalie! Really, how are you doing nowadays? We're worried about you, you know.
Natalie: I think my son Isaac doesn't like me anymore!
(The speech bubble means she lost a friend, and she is no longer friends with Isaac.)
Ramona: Oh, I am sorry to hear that, Natalie, but I suppose you know why I'm here.. I called the doctors office yesterday, and I have fixed an appointment for you today with Dr. Spagliori. So, lets go over there, shall we?
Natalie: Doctors, urgh.. they're just a waste of money! What's this doctor going to do?
Ramona: Well.. I wouldn't say doctors are a waste of money, and I think you need to go there, Natalie. The doctor can help you dig through your problems. Come now, I'll follow you there.
Natalie: Will you take me back to work at the restaurant if I go?
Ramona: Honestly, Natalie, I can't promise anything, but I think we have to go now.. we can't leave the doctor waiting..
Natalie: Ok, I'll go with you...
-- Hospital Receptionist: Good day, ma'am. How can I help you?
Ramona: Umm, we are looking for Dr. Spagliori's office.
Hospital Receptionist: Ah, it's right through the doors to your right, then turn left past the elevator and it will be the first door on your right hand side.
Ramona: Come along now, Natalie. Doctor's office is this way!
Dr. Spagliori: Welcome, please sit down. You must be Natalie?
Ramona: Hello, doctor. No, I am Ramona, Natalie's friend.
Dr. Spagliori: Ah, I see. Well, you must be Natalie, then. Welcome. Oh yes, do please sit down..
Dr. Spagliori: So.. what can I help you with, Natalie?
Natalie: Umm.. I don't know. You tell me, doctor?
Ramona: Natalie... can you tell the doctor what happened yesterday?
Natalie: What do you mean yesterday?
Ramona: You know, when you were outside your house screaming that the ground was on fire and emptying a fire extinguisher all over the place... Natalie: Oh, but I had to do that to put out the fire, because of the demon nun lady.. when she left, she disappeared into that fire!
Ramona: See, doctor.. this is what I'm talking about.. can you help us?
Dr. Spagliori: Oh, I should think so, but, Natalie, now I'm going to have to ask you a few questions and do a little examination. Ramona, there is a waiting room out in the lobby, if you would be so kind.
Ramona: Oh, most certainly doctor. I'll see you afterwards, Natalie. I'll meet you in the lobby when you're done.
Dr. Spagliari: Alright.. so, Natalie.. like I said, I'm going to ask you a few questions, but first, how would you say you are feeling today, right now?
Natalie: Umm, right now.. well, I'm a little.. I don't know, honestly. A lot of crazy things have happened lately, you probably wouldn't believe...
Dr. Spagliari: Tell me more about these crazy things, Natalie..
Natalie: Oh, there is so much, I'm not really sure where to start..
..and so Natalie tells the doctor everything, from the ghost hauntings and Aarons “plush doll friend” Billy, the letter about gemstones from the Philosphical Centre, the potion and the visits to Elisa in the forest. The feeling of being followed/not being alone, the taxi and the limo, the visits to the nunnery, and lastly, the visit from the uh.. fake nun that disappeared into a fire..
Dr. Spagliari: I see.. can you tell me more about Billy first? Did he become real? Can Aaron and Isaac also interact with and talk to Billy?
Natalie: Oh, yes both Isaac and Aaron talks to and plays with Billy. He's just like a normal kid now. He goes to school and does homework and all the usual things kids do!
Dr. Spagliari: Most interesting. Does Billy have any friends at school? Could we perhaps schedule another appointment where you bring Billy along?
Natalie: Oh, sure.. but I would have to ask Billy about that, of course.
--
Dr. Spagliari: Of course. Now, onto some other things... You mentioned a letter from the Philosophical Centre, and then you brought Aaron along there. And they gave you this, what did you call it.. an..
Natalie: Oh, you must mean the collector's helper! I have it right here, actually! I'll put it on the floor and show you!
Dr. Spagliari: Hmm, so that's a collector's helper. How do you use it?
Natalie: It's pretty simple. There are three buttons on it, the left and the right button are used to cycle through what you want to find, such insects, seeds, fish or rocks and gemstones. Then you press the middle button to lock it to your selected choice. Then it will show a small map, as well as an arrow that points you in the direction of the nearest object. It also beeps when it gets closer, a bit like a metal detector.
Dr. Spagliari: Really, that's fascinating.. could you perhaps run a demonstration?
Natalie: Sure, say I wanted to find insects. So, I set it to insects and then look at the map and get something like this!
Natalie presses a few buttons and shows the map to Dr. Spagliari.
Dr. Spagliari: Well, now I have never... but if this is real, then that must mean that your visit to the Philosphical Centre actually took place?
Natalie: What do you mean “actually took place”? Of course it took place! What do you take me for?
Dr. Spagliari:I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have worded it that way. I see the evidence right in front of me!
Dr. Spagliari:But Natalie.. you said that yesterday, you had a visit from a nun.. and that when she left, she disappeared into a fire.. that is, no matter how I try to look at it, most extraordinary! Can you.. uh.. tell me more about that?
Natalie (now a little more nonchalant): Well, ok, so what happened.. well, I was just eating breakfast when this nun walked in, without knocking.
Natalie: And after a while, she started talking about gemstones, and how I would need them to protect myself against evil demons, and then she went on to threaten me with dragons and fire and eternal torture or something like that!
Natalie: So naturally, I got very angry and told her to get out of my house. I followed her to make sure, and that's when it happened! A fire appeared, and she literally flew into it, actually, and disappeared!
Dr. Spagliari: I see.. but did anyone else see the nun, besides you?
Natalie: Well, Isaac and Billy hadn't left for school yet when she came through the door, so they should have seen her. And all the neighbours that came out when the fire happened.. well, they probably didn't see her because she was already gone, but they must have seen the fire!
Dr. Spagliari: Well, I haven't spoken to your neighbours so I don't know what they saw, but Ramona said she didn't see any fire.. only you emptying a fire extinguisher outside.
Natalie: I... but, .. I saw the fire!
Dr. Spagliari: Ok, Natalie. There is no doubt in my mind that you think you saw the fire, but your friend Ramona says otherwise, so who am I to believe?
Natalie: I don't know.. I only know what I saw...
Dr. Spagliari: I see.. now, please follow me downstairs, I think I will have to run an examination on you...
They take the elevator down into the basement of the hospital, and the doctor leads her into another room divided by a glass wall...
Dr. Spagliari:Ok, Natalie.. please take a seat in the low chair in the other room behind the glass door, and I will do a little checkup on you. It won't take long.
Natalie: You mean you will run a brain scan on me to figure out if I am just as much of a nutjob as you think I am!
Dr. Spagliari: Well, I wouldn't excactly phrase myself in that manner... now if you would be so kind..
Natalie: I won't be kind, but I'll do it. Then you will see that I am right, and you are wrong!
And as they are doing this, the camera zooms up and out to this woman, Anne-Berit Reistad-Langseth that died of old age, just outside the hospital. She faces the grim reaper and accepts her fate. I don't know what life she has lived, but I hope it was a happy one. Rest in peace, Anne -Berit.
Meanwhile downstairs.. the results are in.
Dr. Spagliari: Hmm.. well, this is interesting. Your brain scan, Natalie.. it looks perfectly normal, like a well-functioning brain should be looking.
Natalie: Isn't that what I told you!
Dr. Spagliari: As far as I can see, anyway.. but I will send these results to the Psychiatric Department for further examination. Anyway, I think we are done for today. I will follow you out, and you can schedule a new appointment with the receptionist. Oh, and please bring Billy next time, if you can.
Hospital receptionist: Dr. Spagliari, yes.. lets see.. how about same time next week?
Natalie: Sure, that could work.
Ramona: Hey, Natalie. So, what did the doctor find out?
Natalie: Oh, he found out just what I thought he would! That there is nothing wrong with me, of course! So.. will you let me go back to work now?
Ramona: Hmm, well, if the doctor says everything is as it should, I can't really do much else, so yeah, you show up on your shift for tomorrow afternoon. Alright, I'll see you then, Natalie. In the meantime, take care...
Later that night.
Natalie: Hahaha, we fooled them there, didn't we? Our plan is working!
Right... well, aside from acting strange, Natalie had also fulfilled her wish of buying an extra bunk bed that she had placed in Aaron and Billy's room. Why.. are you planning to have more children, Natalie? If so, with whom? Or are you just spending money buying additional things you don't really need? Sorry for the dark picture, but I didn't want to turn on the light and wake the sleeping kids.. :P
@Sprottenham Oh your mod Demonic Powers sounds scary!
Oh that is interesting that you're are more shy in Norwegian and more outgoing in English!
I remember when I lived in Paris I did end up dreaming in French, my sister's didn't say I acted differently when I returned after a year, but did notice that my voice was higher. lol
~~~~~~
Haha I love the brave stance that Natalie does!
I love that there are white winged angels with the evil trait. Very interesting!
I wonder why Ramona is so insistent that Natalie see the doctor.
OMG! That Nun was the demon in disguise!
Thank goodness Elisa learned to cast a protective spell on Natalie!
ah yes the deamons will look for loopholes to be sure! And want something that Natalie has.
Oh that is too bad she lost a friend in Isaac.
Oh nooo so Ramona might think Natalie is a bit off her rocker, for saying the deamon Nun disappeared in the fire!
I'm glad she could prove the collection helper and visit to the Philosphical Centre.
And Natalie's BrainScan looks perfectly normal, like a well-functioning brain should be looking.
Oh No this is disturbing! ''Hahaha, we fooled them there, didn't we? Our plan is working!''😱
Why don't you call my name?
Let it bounce between the walls
Through the halls of time
A sign for me to go by
So find me the wormhole
So that I can be by your side
The next morning...
Aaron: Maybe I will be a journalist when I grow up..
Natalie exits the bathroom and walks towards the kitchen counter.
“Morning, kids! Time for breakfast!”
“I have already had breakfast” says Billy.
Natalie (to Billy): I will take you for a visit to the hospital today. There is someone there that wants to talk to you!
Billy: To the hospital? But I'm not sick, mom..
Aww, he's started to call her mom. How cute.
Natalie:No, none of us are sick! It's just a man there being a little nosy. He thinks you're not real, but we will show him!
“I am real, mom!” says Billy. How rude of the doctor to give the kid an existensial crisis at such a young age...
Natalie: Of course you're real, Billy! Come along now, who knows, we might just have a long day ahead of us...
Taxi driver: Where are you going today, ma'am?
Natalie: We're going to the hospital. Just have to wait for Billy, he had to use the bathroom.
As they came to the hospital, Natalie's phone rang again. Who could it be this time?
It was Birgit, one of the nuns. Natalie didn't want to talk, she had an appointment with the doctor.
Dr. Spagliari: Hello Natalie. Good to see you again. Did you bring Billy with you, like we talked about last time?
Natalie: Oh yes, he's right behind me out in the hallway.
Dr. Spagliari: Splendid, please have a seat.
Dr. Spagliari was a little surprised when a little boy actually entered the office. He wasn't really expecting that...
Dr. Spagliari: Oh, hello... hi there, you must be Billy? Please, take a seat...
Dr. Spagliari's eyes followed Billy with amazement and peculiar interest as he was about to sit down, and then Natalie's phone rang.. again...
Natalie: Excuse me doctor, my phone just keeps ringing all the time.. never a quiet moment, I tell you!
Dr. Spagliari: I see that as a good thing. Must mean you have a lot of friends that care for you, Natalie.
Dr. Spagliari: So, Billy.. can you perhaps, tell me a little bit more about yourself? How old are you, Billy?
Billy: I am... seven years old, 4 months and 13.. no, 14 days old, doctor!
Dr. Spagliari: *chuckles* That's very impressive, Billy! And how did you come to live with Natalie, Isaac and Aaron?
Billy: I came to them in the mailbox!
Dr. Spagliari: You.... came to them in the mailbox?
Billy: Yes.. I was only a little plush toy at first, but I remember everything! Natalie wasn't very nice in the beginning, she was mean. She didn't feed Isaac and Aaron, and they were always alone and crying! After they had been crying and screaming for a while, she would just go up to their room and yell at them! I was often alone in that room too, with the lights out and she didn't feed me!
Billy (continues): So I told my teddy bear to call up Mr. Ghostlight to scare Natalie straight! It worked for a while, and she became nice. Then she took my teddy bear to the forest, but he came back! Then I got older and learned to walk and talk! And then Aaron brought me a potion from an old witch, and I became just like I am now!
Natalie became a little flustered and embarassed from some of the details that Billy shared, her cheeks starting to feel a little warmer than usual.
Dr. Spagliari: I must say.. you have quite an imagination there, Billy! But you also said some things that are a little concerning... Then Dr. Spagliari turns to Natalie with a more serious look on his face.
Dr. Spagliari:Tell me, Natalie.. is there any truth to what Billy just told me?
"Oh, everything I just said is true doctor!" Billy exclaims.
Dr. Spagliari: Billy, Billy, my boy... there is a room with toys out in the hallway on the second floor! Please go and talk the receptionist in the lobby, he will be more than happy to show you the way! Me and your mom is going to have a little talk now...
With Billy out of the room, the doctor started asking questions..
Dr. Spagliari: So.. Natalie.. Billy just mentioned a few things that concerns me. Is it true that you left your kids starving and alone when they were younger?
Natalie stiffens up and stares blankly into the air.
Dr. Spagliari: Natalie.. please answer my question. Did you neglect your own children when they were younger?
"I..." Natalie started. "I don't... I didn't.. I.. "
Natalie: I never harmed my own children! Billy is lying! How can he know!? He wasn't real then, he was just a toy!!
Dr. Spagliari: Ok, calm down, Natalie.. I never accused you of harming your own children, but neglect is still a very serious thing that I must..
Natalie became more worked up, and jumped out of her chair.
Natalie That's what he used to say!! That we were just little toys!!
Dr. Spagliari: Who.. who said that, Natalie?
Natalie hears a yelling voice and a door slamming shut in her mind..
Natalie: My m.. my ex.... he threatened to.. if we told anyone, he said he was going to ...
Dr. Spagliari: Going to what, Natalie?
Natalie (begins talking inchoherently): ..he was going to dump us (....), and that we.... that In... that uh.... that Isaac shouldn't have been born..
Picture: The Corbo Gleb river floating peacefully through town in the pale moon light..
Natalie: ...about how he used to... how he used to always.. to always (...).. I got.. (....) and it hurt...(..)..
Natalie starts crying.
Natalie: I managed to get out..., but I was so lost, I couldn't.. I didn't know what to.. I never wanted..
Dr. Spagliori: It pains me to hear about this, Natalie. But you did get out of there with Isaac, and then..?
Natalie: And then Aaron was born.. and I.. I tried my.. best sometimes..., but I just couldn't..
Natalie:..I can't.. it was all my fault of course, but I can't ... why I didn't ... like a mother should, I was terrible....
Natalie (talks incoherently):.... myself, and wanted to.. I had already made (....)... happen at night, I wanted to...(....) ...of course and then all the..pain..and trouble would be (.....) I was so lost...
Dr. Spagliori: So,so Natalie... I am really terribly sorry about all of this and it aches my heart to hear about what you have gone through. You should have gotten much more help much sooner... I will immediately set you up for an appointment with our psychiatrist Dr. Lovensteen, and I promise you will be in the best of hands.
And so he did, knowing that he had to let Natalie go. Dr. Spagliori, as good of a doctor he was, he was not a specialist in dealing with trauma and abuse victims, so the best he could do was to further her to someone that was. Though he couldn't help the feeling that there was something about Natalies story that didn't seem right. Her feelings looked genuine enough, but still... he wanted to tread carefully here. For now, he thought, the wisest thing to do based on everything she had said, was to transfer her to a psychiatrist that should be better able to figure out what it was that plagued her and how to solve it...
~~ Let it bounce between the walls
Through the halls of time
A sign for me to go by
So find me the wormhole
So that I can be by your side
@Sprottenham Love the update Am I Real? And all that you put into your story, including the pic of Billy looking into the mirror and seeing his plush doll self!
Yes it is very cool that he started to call her Mom!
''How rude of the doctor to give the kid an existential crisis at such a young age...'' exactly!
''Billy: I came to them in the mailbox!'' haha the poor doctor to hear this!
Ah! so it was Billy who initiated the call to Mr Ghostlight!
Hm. very telling this ''Natalie That's what he used to say!! That we were just little toys!!'' And all her trauma she experienced, that is awful!
I'm glad the doctor will transfer Natalie to a specialist!!!
@DivaDoodle Thanks, I am glad you caught that it was a mirror, because after posting it, I was thinking it might not be clear since I put so much white in there (a.k.a. there should have been more things reflecting to show that it was an actual mirror and not just another Billy standing there.)
Give me the eyes so I see
Give me ears so I hear
Give me love so I know what love is
Give me the freedom to think
To believe
In something
Give me wings, so I can fly...
The following weekend, things were as normal as normal is in the Goth-Asli household. Natalie playing with the kids toys and the kids pulling pranks on each other.
But when Isaac tried to pull pranks on Natalie, she wasn't to happy about that.
And as night falls she starts an argument with Aaron for no good reason.
Natalie: What are you doing in your brothers room dressed like an astronaut?
Natalie: Aaron, get out of that stupid outfit, or I'll kick you out of the house!
And on Sunday morning when Aaron woke up, he noticed that there was something about Billy that wasn't quite like before..
Aaron (thinking): There is a bright orange glow behind Billy's neck that wasn't there before.. does he all of a sudden have wings like us? What ..? How can that be..?
Aaron: Whew.. what did I just see? How could he...?
Umm.. and apparently that puzzled Aaron so much, he somehow didn't go to the bathroom in time.. Natalie saw this and got up from the rocking chair to curse at him..
Natalie: Darn it, Aaron.. what is wrong with you!? Don't 🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸 on the floor.. I thought you were potty trained you little 🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸!!
Wow, Billy suddenly getting wings really got to Aaron.. or maybe it was his mommys shouting, but he looks really scared of something here..
He didn't even make it to the shower before fainting...
Billy wakes up, will he notice that something is different?
Not yet it seems, but maybe he will notice when he sees his own reflection in the bathroom mirror after.. finishing some pressing matters.. just don't do it on the floor like your brother Aaron did...
Billy: Wow.. what is this.. I can.. float in the.. air?
Billy: Aaron.. did you get that..? I am floating.. I am floating in the air, just like you can!
Aaron doesn't notice.. he thinks he better do some chores around the house to make sure mommy isn't mad at him after wetting himself on the floor...
Speaking of house chores, Natalie could probably need to do some herself.. there are dirty piles of clothes everywhere...
----
Next monday morning it was time for Natalies first session with Dr. Lovensteen..
Dr. Lovensteen: Welcome, Natalie! I am Dr. Sara Lovensteen. Nice to meet you. Please, don't be shy, have a seat!
Natalie is a little nervous for this first meeting and does not know what to say. Dr. Sara Lovensteen looks at Natalie with her kind and friendly eyes.
Dr. Sara Lovensteen: So, Natalie.. I have talked to Dr. Spagliori and read your file that he wrote..
Natalie starts fidgeting and gets visibly nervous, her eyes wanting to look anywhere but at the doctor. This doctor's office was a little different from Spaglioris'. Here she felt more like a student being called in to the principals office for some mischievous doing...
Sara Lovensteen: ..and, so, what I am going to do now is to ask you to fill out some forms for me, asking you some questions. Don't worry, this is just standard procedure and everything is fully confidential. After you have filled out your forms, we will have a discussion about it so that we can figure out a plan for how things can get better for you. How does that sound, Natalie?
Natalie: I, uh.. I guess that's alright..
Sara Lovensteen: Wonderful, feel free to ask as many questions as you like if anything is unclear.
Natalie takes a long look at the forms lying on the desk in front of her...
Natalie: Depressive symptoms? Hmm... I'm pretty sure I am not depressed! I think I'll just answer 'no' to all of these!
Natalie: I mean, I don't feel depressed.. I don't even know how you do that? What does it mean?
Sara Lovensteen: Ah, well it's good you are saying that. It probably means that you aren't. Now, if you were depressed, typically you would have noticed that things that once interested you and meant a lot to you, no longer have any meaning. In short, depression can be a sense that nothing really matters, so to speak, and well, that there is no longer any point in trying anymore.. a general sense of hopelessness if you will. Have you experienced any of this, Natalie?
Natalie: Uhmm.. I'm not sure.. no, I don't think so.. there have been a lot of strange things going on, which is probably why I'm here.. and I do worry about the future.. but I feel a lot more scared than hopeless...
Natalie: I mean, I don't want anything bad happen to me... and I have been warned.. I just want to live my life, you know... I want to... watch my kids grow up happy and... you know, I want to.. I have always been kind of curious about different things, I like to sometimes try new things, you know...
Sara: What bad things are you afraid might happen, Natalie?
Natalie: I don't know... I'm afraid of... I don't want to.. I don't want to die... I feel like something wants me to die...
Sara: Do you have any enemies, Natalie? Has anyone told you they want you die? You said you had been warned, who gave you that warning?
Natalies face brightens immediately when she gets to talk about Elisa.
Natalie: Oh, it was..That was Elisa, but she does not want me to die! Elisa is a friend of mine! She has promised to help me and protect me! But she has also seen this.. I think she said she read it in a book or something.. that I am in danger.. she did not say I was going to die, but I think.. I don't know, I just got that feeling..
Sara: Interesting. What book was that, Natalie?
Natalie: Oh, I don't know, some old book.. some Esephesomething, I have no idea.. she has many old books and knows a lot about many old things... She is a.. well, she knows how to do.. I mean, she can do things that I cannot do!
Sara: What things can she do that you can't, Natalie?
Natalie: Umm... she can cast.. she can cast spells and such.. it makes green and blue lights appear from her. She spoke many words I don't understand, and she made me float up in the air!!
Sara quickly reacts with skepticisim. She does not believe in the supernatural...
Sara: That sounds incredible! When... uh, when and where did.. uh, did you meet her? Does she live in town?
Natalie: Oh, I kind of know it sounds crazy, but... I.. I have.. I met her first time in.. the cabin.. in the forest, that's where she lives... up by the Deathfish Pond..
Sara: Ah, I think I know that cabin.. but Natalie, that cabin.. has been abandoned for years.. nobody lives there...
Natalie: But I saw... I have seen.. she did... she was there, she lives there!??
Sara: Oh, I am not doubting what you have seen with your own perception, but.. Natalie, I must say.. nobody has lived in that cabin since, well.. I don't know for how long it has been empty, but nobody has lived there since I was a kid. I remember we used to play around in that cabin, even though our parents strictly told us not to go there...
Natalie gets up from her chair and walks onto the floor.
Natalie: But.. but.. how can that be!? Because I talked to her.. and I saw what she did when she.. and she promised to protect me from.. from whatever is after me..
Sara: I will tell you this, Natalie.. the mind is very powerful, and it is capable of creating the most seemingly unimaginable things and sometimes even bring them to life right in front of our eyes..
Natalie: So you're saying she is not real.. but how..!? I have talked to her so many times.. she has even called me on the phone.. and.. why do I feel so afraid about.. about what she warns me about!?
Sara: Well, it is very natural to feel afraid, when your senses tell you that all this exists and is happening – I would too – but.. Natalie.. I'm afraid that.. Elisa probably does not exist.. I also think that.. you are not in danger... I am sorry, in a way, but I must say this..
Natalie couldn't believe the words she said. For all she knew, Elisa was very real, everything was real, no matter how strange. It just seemed so far fetched that her mind had created all these things... She didn't feel that Sara was helping her one bit by saying these things, and it left Natalie at a loss for words... This was an eye opener and a mind closer, what a shock to the system... It couldn't be, it had to be wrong...
Sara: Also, I think our time for today is up.. but Natalie, please take the forms I gave you home, and do your best to fill them out for me, and I will see you again for our next appointment.
Sara: Please, Natalie, take care of yourself and treat you to something good. I think you deserve it. And if you feel you need to talk to someone, here is our phone number that is open 24/7.. do not hesitate to call if something should come up...
Sara hands Natalie a paper card with the phone number to the Psychiatric Emergency Unit before walking her out the door and into the waiting room. Sara: Take care, Natalie. Take care..
Thanks for the comment! This whole going to the doctor stuff, well, I'm hoping that it seems believable, like what would actually happen in a doctors office, so I have done some research on these doctor scenes and mental illness, and I did learn quite a few new things, even something quite, wow! that will come later..
About Billy growing wings: It happened late to him, because of his very difficult early years, but as both his father and his mother had wings, naturally, he should have them, too. He's got an orange hue to his wings, because of his fathers yellow wings and his mothers red wings. His genetics there are a little complicated.. He's got 50 % angel genes (gives white wings, or wings in general), 25 % magician genes (adds yellow colour to wings), and 25 % human genes (adds red colour to wings). :P
Oh, cool you noticed the artwork in her office! It was handpicked to be bright and colourful, to give a postive feeling to the otherwise white and stale hospital walls. Dr. Lovensteen is a very friendly kind hearted person with lots of love and compassion. She has a very big heart and genuinely wants to help and treat people, that is her mission in life. Her only "drawback" is being a supernatural skeptic, but all doctors are that anyway. They believe in science and medicine, not this magic humbo jumbo.
Once home from the doctor's office, Natalie naturally wanted to do her favorite thing.. to play with the doll house upstairs in Aaron and Billy's room..
Billy was by the kitchen table doing his homework, Aaron was attending the boy scouts and Isaac was still outside the school building doing his homework.
Natalie went straight for the dollhouse and did her best to ignore that there seemingly was another girl in the room..
The little girl followed Natalie downstairs, as she was going to prepare herself a meal. Whatever this little girl is doing there, she seems to be a little grumpy about something.
Little girl: Have you ever thought about getting married?
Natalie: Oh, haha, not really..
Little girl: The rising moon is a bad sign, so says my mom. You have to get married before the moon rises again.
Natalie has no desire to get married anytime soon. She ignores the little girl and gets up to do the dishes.
It was getting late and Isaac hadn't gone home yet. He was still at school playing with a doll house in the kids playroom. Isaac sometimes does this... stays at school after hours and doesn't want to go home..
Little girl: Mommy says a good girl always does the dishes. A good girl always does what she is told.
Little girl (mumbling to herself): A good girl stays in her room, and always listens to her mommy.
Little girl: A good girl always does her chores, so that mommy won't get mad.
~~~~~~
Natalie eats yesterdays leftovers for breakfast the next morning when the phone rings.
Natalie: Hi, Elisa. What's up?
Elisa: I haven't heard from you in a while, Natalie. How are you doing?
Natalie: Oh...I'm doing fine, but I had to go to a doctor the other day, and she says you don't exist.
Elisa: Yeah, I knew the doctor would say that. What else did she say?
Natalie: Umm.. well, she said something about the mind being very powerful and that she also thought I was not in danger.
Elisa: Hmm, well that is the doctor's job... and for what she believes, of course, that is true. But unfortunately she doesn't know everything. I don't mean to scare you Natalie, but you are in danger. Maybe it's time for you to pay me another visit. The effect of the protective spell I cast on you is wearing out.
Natalie: Aha, ok, so the protective spell is wearing out.. uhmm, well, I have to go see the doctor again tomorrow.. but I'll come back up as soon as I can after that...
Elisa: That's good to hear, Natalie.. and please do visit the doctor, she is only trying to help, but unfortunately, she cannot defeat the danger.. Now don't forget to visit me, Natalie. It's important.
It is very generous of Elisa to not dismiss the doctor entirely, even though they have pretty opposing views on certain things...
Natalie: I.. I understand.. I'll come back up as soon as I can, I promise.. I don't want to be in danger..
Elisa: That sounds good, Natalie. Take care..
Natalie: You too, Elisa.. ok, bye.
Then Natalie had to sit down and fill out her forms, like the doctor said. A good girl always does her homework.
Little girl:I want to go out looking for diamonds.
Little girl: But mommy says I have to do the dishes. I don't like doing dishes.
After filling out the forms as best as she can, Natalie goes upstairs to play with the doll house again, but Aaron is already there. The little girl follows Natalie upstairs, so instead Natalie turns to the little girl...
Natalie: I don't like doing dishes either.
Looks like Natalie and the little girl understand each other perfectly...
Little girl: I have a teddy bear in my room. It is the only toy I have.
Little girl: My mom said it was a present from an old witch that lives far, far away.
Little girl: My mom says that if we are not nice, she will take me and the teddy bear and leave us out in the forest at night.
Little girl: But one day a man came to our school.. and he said that if I found a special type of diamond, I could make the teddy bear come alive! Natalie: You must always do as your momma says, and clean the house!
Natalie: Mommy will get very angry if you don't clean the house!
Natalie: Go to your room, now! And stay there until you can behave, or else..!
Natalie: Mommy is really angry with you now!
Natalie: "Do what mommy says, Natalie"
Natalie: "Go to your room, Natalie"
Natalie: "Ok mommy, I will do anything you say mommy."
Natalie: Didn't I tell you not to steal food from the fridge, Natalie! That food is MINE!!
Natalie: Come over here, you little piece of @#%$!!
Natalie...? What the hell...?
Natalie: "Please don't hurt me, mommy. I'll be a good girl, mommy.."
Oh, yikes... just.. yikes...umm...
After this rather unsettling episode, Natalie got an invitation to a party over at Idun Skullerud-Morales house. Natalie was feeling a little uneasy, but thought she couldn't turn down the invitation, so she decided to go.
The party looks crowded as everyone gathered in the hallway. Natalie has a reaction to all the people that looks a little strange, as if she is angered by something. Idun, the host of the party, is in the green jacket to the right.
Natalie goes to stand in the corner with her back against the wall, and then her phone rings. Its Elisa calling her again.
Natalie: No, I am not at home.. I am at a party, why?
Natalie: I should be home, because the demon might find me easier when I am out? Are you telling me I can't leave the house?
Natalie: You just want me to be safe, I understand, but Elisa... I am not alone here..
Natalie: Yeah, uhh.. love you too, Elisa..
Natalie: Yes, I have been eating today.. of course I have... yes, yes, I will take care of myself.. ok, bye Elisa..
Natalie was a little confused by this strange call from Elisa.. she was starting to sound like the mommy she never had...
"Of course I have been eating!" Natalie said to herself. Even though she found it odd, she felt a little bit of warmth inside knowing that Elisa bothered to call her and ask if she had eaten.. "..and she even said that she loved me", Natalie thought. It was a strange feeling to Natalie, one she hadn't felt to often in her life. She had to stand there in the corner for a while and just feel.
It was a good feeling, but it made her a little nervous, too. Why would someone say they loved her? Mommy never said that.. Natalie wasn't sure what was going on.
Well, Natalie was getting hungry, and just made a plate of sushi in Iduns kitchen.. after randomly changing her outfit..but maybe you should go home and get some sleep now.. its getting late, and tomorrow is your second appointment with Dr. Lovensteen...
Or you choose to could chill by the pool I suppose. Idun is one of the wealthier people in town, so she does have a pretty nice house.
Well, no.. not this time...Narrator intervenes and says... you go home and get some sleep... take care, Natalie...
Sorry, I don't think I can answer the question about who the little girl is, I want that to be up to the reader/viewer to figure out. Part of the point here, is to show a bit what I think the experience of mental illness will be like to a sufferer: Scary and confusing. Hence, no answers...
Something like this might put people off from being interested in this story, but this story is what it is, and I can't make any compromise here!
Thank you for sticking out with this craziness...!
Sia - Big Girls Cry
Natalie woke up the next morning by a phone call. It wasn't Elisa this time..
Natalie (still not fully awake): Hello, it's Natalie...
Sara: Hello, Natalie! How are you? Is everything ok? Natalie: Oh, $%# doctor... I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry... I'll uh.. I'll be there shortly...
Sara: That's good to hear, Natalie. I was getting worried when you didn't show up.. I'll see you soon then, Natalie!
Natalie quickly took a shower and ate her breakfast as fast as she could, before hurrying out the door and to the hospital..
At the doctors office:
Natalie: Oh, I'm so sorry, doctor, I'm so sorry..
Sara: Don't worry about it, Natalie, you are here now! And please, call me Sara...
Sara: So, Natalie, I hope you have brought and filled out the form I gave you last time..
Natalie: Oh, oh.. yes, doctor, I have it right here..
Natalie hands the papers to Sara.
Sara: Please, Natalie.. call me Sara..
Sara takes a look at the screening papers and what Natalie answered while typing something on her computer.
Sara: Hmm..
Natalie: Is... is something wrong doctor? Sara: No, no, I mean, nothing that we can't.. cure.. I'm just.. reading through.. Natalie watches the doctor anxiously.
Sara: Ok, ok.. I'm going to be honest with you Natalie, so please, bear with me..
Sara: According to your answers you have some mild symptoms of depression..and your score is pretty high for PTSD.. that's post traumatic stress disorder. You have a moderate score for anxiety and a moderate to high score for psychosis or schizophrenia..
Natalie: What... what does that mean? Are you going to put me on drugs? Or lock me up? I don't want to be...
Sara: Oh, Natalie, dear... I'm not going to 'lock you up' as you put it, but I am going to have to look at the possibility that you will get better with taking medicine in combination with therapy..
Natalie: I am ...I am scared of medicine. I don't want to stop being myself and turn into a zombie...
Sara: Well, I can guarantee you won't turn into a zombie, neither in the literal sense or otherwise.. but unfortunately, the medicine does have a few side effects.. but I honestly think it will be better for you, and your children as well, if you choose to go on mediciation...
Natalie: So.. I have a choice?
Sara: Yes, Natalie. You have a choice. I can only offer you treatment, I can't command you to treatment.
Natalie: So.... what happens now? What does the medicine do?
Sara: Well, it's....
Sara pauses, before she continues.
Sara:...ok, I will set you up for a new appointment and you will start psychotherapy with me. And you will not have to talk to anyone else but me, unless you would want to, of course. And I think, based on some of what you answered that I will offer you a medication called Flupnaprazoline*. Don't worry, you won't have to remember that. I will give you a receipt and you can just show it to the pharmacy downstairs, and they will find it for you, easy as pie.
*I made that up, there is no real medication with that name...
Natalie But what does the medication do? I'm not taking anything before I know what it does!
Sara: Well, the bad news first.. there are some side effects.. The first days of taking the medicine you may feel drowsy, dizzy and even experience blurry vision. Do you have a drivers licence Natalie?
Natalie: Yes, but I don't own a car...
Sara: Either way, I would advise you to be careful with driving, atleast the first days until these effects start to wear off.. You may also notice a drier mouth than usual, increased heartbeat and sensitivity to sunlight..
Natalie: So it won't make me a zombie, but it will make me a vampire?
Sara: Hahaha, I'm sorry for laughing Natalie, but no, you won't become a vampire..
Sara: However, you may experience skin rashes, increased breast size, and you know, irregularities in your period, as well as a decreased desire for intimacy...
Natalie: Oh, that won't be a problem for me, I haven't had a good #$&%@ in years!
Sara: Oh, I .. uh, see..
Sara became a little embarassed by Natalies sudden outspokenness.
Natalie: But what good things does it do, doctor?
Sara: Ah, yes.. you will notice already within a few days that your.. well, that your hallucinations will begin to fade.. you will less and less often see or hear things that others aren't noticing... and within six weeks or so, most people that take this medication report that their hallucinations and delusions are completely gone..
Natalie: So.. does this mean that I will no longer get visits from the nun-demon lady, and that I will no longer have the feeling of being watched and followed.. and no longer have to fear that someone or something wants me dead? Sara: That sounds correct, yes.
Natalie: But what about Elisa? She has been such a good friend to me.. she even called me yesterday to say that... to say that..
Natalie: I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I can't....
Natalie: Its just that no one has ever... I have never heard.. I have never felt that... she said that she... she..
Sara: What did she say to you, Natalie? Can you tell me?
Natalie: She said that she.... (Natalie whispers, her lips barely moving)... she loves me...
Sara: I am so sorry, Natalie, but.. Elisa will probably fade away too...
Natalie: I never heard that... my mommy didn't.... *sniffle* ... I'm sorry, I'm sorry.... I said to much...
Sara: No, no, not at all Natalie.. that is excactly why I am here.. to listen to what you have to say...please, go on... what was it your mommy didn't do?
Natalie: Oh, my mommy did a lot of things, but she never told... she never said.. I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I just can't...
Sara: So, so... it's ok Natalie, I won't push you any further...
Sara gets up to collect a paper from the printer.
Sara:I think I will have to give you the receipt for the medicine for now, Natalie. Please, pick it up downstairs, and... I will see you again same time, next week. Please, sweet Natalie, take care of yourself and... if there is anything, don't hesitate to call. Alright?
Natalie: Alright, doctor...
Sara: Good, see you next week, Natalie. Take care...
Dmitri Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 110: V. Largo
Sometimes its very tricky to find a good relevant song that either doesn't contain expletives (forum inappropriate) etc., so here is a somber classical piece instead for this update...
Natalie had done what the doctor said, and picked up the medicine from the pharmacy as well as investing in a new medicine cabinet. The medicine was a little expensive for Natalie, at 350 simoleons per bottle, but she was hoping it was worth it. That it would make the nun-demon and the feeling of dread and of being watched and followed go away. But she was hoping that Elisa wouldn't go away, so she was also a little afraid to try the medicine...
The next morning Natalies phone rang just as she had finished her pumpkin pie breakfast.
The caller wasn't Elisa this time either, it was Idun Skullerud-Morales, one of Natalies old long time friends. For some reason which probably makes sense to Natalie, she decided to answer the phone by turning on its speaker and putting it on the plate.
Idun had of course heard about the incident with the fire extinguisher and how Natalie was temporarily laid off from her job, and was concerned about her friends well being.
Natalie stood still in front of the medicine cabinet for a long while. She remembered the instructions from the pharmacist, one pill in the morning after breakfast, and another one in the evening before going to bed. But Natalie was afraid to take the step, she didn't want to lose Elisa that had become her best friend and almost like a mother figure to her.
But she also didn't want to die, so if the medicine could help with that.... she eventually summoned enough courage and decided to go for it.
"Ok, this is it.. this is the moment", she thought before taking the pill...
"Ok, now I have done it... now there is no turning back.. but I feel no different at all.. I should give it some time, maybe..."
Natalie: Yellow tank brigade.. attack!! Wrrr, wrrrr, wrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!
I see you're no different at all.. yet, of course... I wonder if the medicine will cure the childishness too?
Natalie: .....
Uh, what's going on now?
.... Some hours later, Isaac comes home to find his mom passed out on the floor.
She woke up to the sound of a phone call..
Elisa: Hi, Natalie... how are you? Did you read my message earlier? Please come to my party, it starts within an hour!
Natalie: Oh... oh, Elisa... I'll... I'll be right up!
Natalie wasn't really expecting to hear from Elisa, because of the medication and what the doctor said...
Surely, someone that isn't real couldn't be hosting a party.. this should be interesting...
Isaac does his best to focus on his homework, while Natalie immediately heads out the door.
And so, back up into the woods we go again..
Natalie: Hi, Elisa.. I came as fast as I could!
Elisa: Hi, Natalie. Thank you for coming!
Natalie then goes up to talk to Elisa, but Elisa all of a sudden seems busy talking to someone else..
Natalie: Don't turn your back on me, Elisa! I'm talking to you!
Natalie: What is happening? Why doesn't she notice me all of a sudden?
Natalie: Aahh!! It must be the medication, it is already working!
But then Elisa finally turns to talk to Natalie..
Elisa: I think there's to many people here..
Natalie (thinking to herself):To many people? I understand nothing of this.. first she invites me to a party.. then she talks to someone invisible, and now there's to many people here..?
Natalie: This is a ridiculous party, Elisa! Where are the guests? There is nobody here but you and me, and all you did was go inside and make food for yourself!
Elisa: How dare you, Natalie!? After everything I have done for you, and how I have sworn to protect you!
Natalie: Oh, I am sorry Elisa, I got a little carried away.. did you really mean what you said the other day? When you called me and said you loved me?
Elisa: Oh, yes, of course I meant that Natalie. That's why I invited you over...
Natalie: And you will still protect me from dying?
Elisa: Of course I will, as far as my powers go.. come on in..
Once inside..
Natalie: Oh, I remember all the times I used to spend in this rocking chair..
Amazing, Elisa even has her own TV-set.. didn't know this cabin had electricity.. but shouldn't you be home by now to take your evening medicine, Natalie?
Natalie: Nah, I don't want to go home... I want to sit in this rocking chair. It feels safe to me.
And home isn't safe..?
Natalie: No, home isn't safe. I don't want to go home. I want to stay here.
But your kids are home, Natalie..?
Natalie..?
You're not going home.. and now you're skipping both your evening and your morning medicine.. Natalie, this is probably not going to make anything any better... why are you so drawn to this cabin?
Natalie: Morning, Elisa.
Natalie: *sob* *sob* ... I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry...
Elisa: Its alright, Natalie.. you are safe here..
Natalie: I really like staying with you, Elisa.. this cabin feels like home to me!
Natalie: Oh.. shoot, I have to go to work!
Oh.. well, atleast she remembers her job... but yes, it is true, she has to go back to work. Ramona didn't give her time off forever.. luckily. And of course, now that she is on medication.. or so everyone thinks.. things should be getting better... Well, hopefully going back to work will be good for you Natalie.. maybe that will help you keep some structure to your life...
Elisa follows her on the way out.
Elisa: Bye for now, Natalie.. come back soon!
And the trees reveal that it is no longer summer, and autumn is already here. This also means that tomorrow is your next appointment with Dr. Lovensteen.. what are you going to tell her now, Natalie? That you didn't take your medicine and went to the cabin again? Or what?
And surely, with a mom like Natalie, the kids would probably have to grow very independent.. she hadn't been home for some days now.. again...
After finishing her shift, Natalie didn't immediately go home, but went to dance for a while in the restaurants backyard, before she had a nervous reaction to something.
And when she came home, she was being grumpy again, taking it out on Isaac.
After which she went to bed without taking her medicine..
I hope the expensive medicine works out for Natalie. There is always the chance (because it is you very unusual story) that seeing a daemon nun and feeling the sense of dread she was feeling might be real, or for a reason, like to warn her. so I just hope that it works out!
haha I have never seen putting a phone on a plate before!
I'm glad that Eliza seems real enough to have a party! Oh I guess the guests must be invisible?
Wow Natalie sleeps a lot! But she sure seems to like this little house with Eliiza.
Uh Oh skipping 2 doses of the medicine.
Wow so weird that Natalie skips days of being at home! I have only seen that before when there were no kids involved.
Oh yeah, the medicine should work given that the doctor is right, that the demon nun thing etc. is all a product of Natalies mind and not something that actually exists.... And of course, given that she actually does take it, I'm sure that would help. :P
Oh, yeah, Natalie is a highly unusual sim I guess. And I'll admit now, she wasn't supposed to be a main character of this story, really.. just look at how I have divided the chapters. But she is so strange, and this story has certainly changed into something very different from my original idea, and its all because of her... I really disliked her for the first chapters, and I still don't know if I should love her or hate her! :P Well, I guess I do like at least parts of her, but yeah, she is definately something special...
And there is a reason why she is drawn to the cabin. I think.. I have hinted pretty much to her backstory, but I really don't know how much of it is picked up. I don't want to spoon feed anyone, because there's no fun in that... but no worries, it will all be revealed in due time....
Thanks for finding the last chapters interesting. I wasn't to happy about them, I think they didn't turn out as good as I want a chapter to be.
Oh, thanks! That's an interesting perspective on this story. I didn't think it would be considered funny, I don't know, because I think there is a lot of serious things going on here, but hmm... maybe there is some humour into the story, too. There probably is, but it is not something I purposefully put in there. Honestly, I just write.. stuff that comes to mind. :P I explore these characters, and try to get to know them... in all their weirdness...
I'm not even sure if this story will end up at my desired end goal....
@Sprottenham
Oh the music I liked is Shostakovich – Borodin String Quartet.
Ah ok, so the doctor is right! I wasn't so sure, so I left room for doubt. so IF she ever does take her medicine, it should work. She's taken one dose out of the 4, so far. We might need the talking Teddy to come again!
I agree Natalie is a Very unusual sim! For me, she would be a keeper just for that reason! It isn't too often you get an extraordinary sim! I wouldn't be surprised now at Anything, even if she were to be asked by a friend to move in, to go ahead and do it without her children. Only because she at that moment wouldn't be thinking right and the friend had better toys at their house!
But then you would have to keep switching to the kids to make sure they were OK! I had this happen naturally in one of my Sunset Valley games. The Mom moved in to her boyfriends house and left her daughter at the main house with no one else! I always though the social workers would take away kids if no parent was there!!! This was when I used story progression and everyone always moved around at whim, toddlers living with perfect strangers, and crazy stuff like that.
Yes I did and do think it is all interesting! I know it's sometimes hard to write, watching and interpreting, and trying to stay in the same line of story thinking, and you do it very well!
Comments
Hehe, I didn't know Texan kids spoke like that, I have never been to Texas.
Natalie was being a bit sloppy with the oils thing, eventually not doing it daily and once she ran out of oil, she didn't bother to go back and get more...
Thanks about the theatre lobby.
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Vaults - Premonitions
Let's take it right back to where we used to go
But we never look back
No, we only look forward to other new pain
And violence turned to blame
No, we never look back
No, we only look forward with all our faith
Hearts broken from the start
With the feel that we were born to a fault
Only to be held tall by the writing on the wall
We don't need no premonitions, no
Aaron: Rooaar!! Raawaarr! Raawrr!
Aaron, is that really necessary? Your brother is trying to sleep...
Hmm, and by the looks of that stinking pile of clothes, it seems Natalie is slipping up when it comes to keeping the house clean again..
You don't need those gemstones anymore Natalie, so no need to think about that. Instead of sitting down to play with that toy.. maybe you should do some laundry? It's piling up...
As Isaac went to bed really early in the afternoon, he wakes up in the middle of the night fully rested. Natalie still hadn't gone to bed.
Natalie: What are you doing up at this hour, Isaac? Have you been drinking coffee? You know I have forbid you to drink coffee!
Natalie: I'm going to slap you, if I catch you up at night drinking coffee again!!
Isaac got angry naturally, and had no idea what she was yelling about.. he had not been drinking any coffee.. they didn't even own a coffee machine.. where would she get that idea!? And saying you're going to slap your own child.. that's a line you shouldn't be crossing, Natalie.. but you live what you've learned I guess...
When the kids went to school the next morning, Natalie was still asleep. She didn't go to sleep until around 3 in the night.
Natalie woke up to the phone ringing, a few minutes past twelve.
It was Teresa Mater, the nun, calling. She was holding a feast to celebrate the arrival of spring and wanted Natalie to join.
Before entering the party, Natalie had to stop and taste the rain for a while. Still a child at heart..
Natalie: Can you believe how ridiculous Teresa is.. thinking that these crosses and whatnot is good to ward against demons.. ha! I don't really believe in any of this.. I think it's stupid!
Idun (trying to be diplomatic): Yeah.. I kind of ... understand where you're coming from..., but I wouldn't say it like that. Teresa is very kind to invite us to this feast! Let's enjoy ourselves!
Natalie (mumbles to herself): "Let's enjoy ourselves..." bah! These people are so stupid.. I'm gonna find the kitchen to make myself a pumpkin pie.
The phone rang as she was cooking in the oven. It was Elisa calling.
Elisas voice is heard mumbling through the phone.
Natalie: Someone uninvited? What.. who can that be?
Natalie: What are you trying to say, Elisa? Someone that is something they are not...?
Natalie: Now you listen to me, Elisa. I believe what you say just as much as I believe in giant monsters living in mountain lakes... that is, not at all!
Natalie: Don't call me again with this nonsense Elisa! Goodbye!
Natalie: Stupid old witch and her doomsday sayings...
This must be one of Natalies grumpy days...
Natalie: Oh, and I now I burnt the pumpkin pie... I'm not eating that...
Then she goes upstairs to talk to another one of the nuns, Birgit, about rain. And give her a scare. You're some angel, aren't you, Natalie? Scaring a nun..
Some angel indeed..
I mean, lets face it, you are evil, Natalie. Maybe not fully, but atleast in part.
And then, you also have this tender side that sometimes shows itself...
Teresa: Thank you for coming to my feast! How have you been since last time, Natalie? Have you been sleeping well?
Natalie: Oh, thanks for asking! I am sleeping just like an innocent child!
Natalie: But that is not because of you and your silly book and figurines! All that is pure nonsense!
Teresa: How dare you!? Listen to me, little girl!
Teresa: There are dangerous things out to harm you! Quite possibly put an end to you!
Teresa: However, I am not mad at you, Natalie.. but rather disappointed and sad. Little one, we are praying for you! And by the looks of things, you're going to need all the prayers you can get..we are only trying to help you, Natalie..
Natalie: Whatever, I need a shower..
Teresa: *sigh* She doesn't get it...
--
After showering and changing to her sleepwear, Natalie finds another nun hanging around..
Natalie: Haha, you nuns are so silly with all your stupid talk about dangerous things all the time..
Thelma:Who invited you here!? I will tell our Mother Teresa to have you kicked out and to never return!
Natalie (in a whiny temperamental voice): But I want to use your rocking chair!
Wow, Natalie.. you're behaving just like a four year old with a temper tantrum. I can't believe you're actually 36 years old! This is embarassing to watch!
Natalie: @#&% nun!! I want to use that rocking chair!!
Thelma: You can't behave like that around here. This is a nunnery! Such words are completely unacceptable. Go home. Now.
Thelma: Shoosh! Go on!
Natalie had no choice here, but to listen and go home...
The morning after looked relatively normal in the Goth-Asli household, with Aaron, still in his dinosaur costume, doing homework, and Natalie preparing breakfast. Isaac was resting in the rocking chair, as he often did, and Billy was upstairs, just about to wake up from sleep.
And then one of the nuns came over. This one just walked in without knocking. "Mind if I sit down" the nun said, before she sat down giving Natalie no time to answer her question.
This nun clearly did not approve of Billy for whatever reason.
The nun made eye contact with Natalie, before she started talking.
"You are in great danger, Natalie" she said.
"You need blue healing diamonds and crystals in your home. That will keep the danger away."
Natalie does not respond, but continues on with her business..
"Gemstones, holy rituals and crystals.. when is this nonsense going to end?" Natalie thought to herself. "Not even in my house will they let me be..."
"I am serious, Natalie" the nun continued. "If you do not listen to the warnings you get, The Great Dragon himself will get you!"
"This is just getting more and more ridiculous" Natalie thought.
Natalie: Get out of my house, nun lady! And stop spreading these nonsensical lies!
Nun: Well, you are going to regret those words once the Dragon gets to you, and you will scream in eternal pain as you are burned by his fire!
Natalie: That sounds like a threat, nun lady! Get the #$%&! out of my house before I slap you silly!!
Natalie raised her hand as if to slap the nun across the face..
Nun: Alright, I'll leave, but you will regret these words one day...
Natalie: Just get out..
And so the nun lady leaves...
...!!!!
Something tells me that wasn't a nun lady!! And the neighbours have noticed the fire, but they are all useless, just standing there panicking.. someone call the fire department!!
Well done, Natalie! You put the fire out, or maybe it died out by itself, but holy bagpipes what was that!? Now I would start to be very afraid if I was you, Natalie...
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@Sprottenham I really miss Tamijo & AlexaKry, too, last I read Tamijo said he had family stuff to do. I just always hope I see them again. yes I feel the same not wanting to bug them.
I have some Texan cousins so I heard them say mam and sir a lot when visiting, when I was young. I remember asking my Dad if my cousins were in a 'kids army'!
It sounded very natural for Billy to speak to Natalie like that at first! I always think you are completely fluent in English, you have a great command of the language, correct grammar and everything! Good job! How do you practice? In your line of work or?
I will come back later to read the next update! Sorry, ---I'm late on everything!
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Thanks about my language, I am pretty used to hearing, seeing, writing in english. Its everywhere, in music, movies, tv-shows, and was a huge part of my education too, because for higher up classes, there are no textbooks in my language. And scientific articles are typically written in english. However, I still find myself resorting to online dictionaries every now and then.
Don't worry about being late, it happens to me too.
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@Sprottenham Great Update!
Aaron is so cute dressed up as a dinosaur playing make believe!
Poor Isaak, the sims never know when it's best to nap or sleep for 8 hours, then his Mom accuses him of drining coffee. No wonder he looks so mad!
haha so cute of Natalie to taste the rain
ah, interesting spoiler. I never thought about males not being able to enter a nunnery or not.
hmm more interesting is the witch calling her on the phone!
This is maybe not so smart for Natalie to seem to not believe the nuns anymore about the danger. I wonder what has caused her to change her mind?
I do love how Natalie gets into her sleepwear when ever possible! hahaha
yes everyone loves the rocking chairs, especially childish Natalie! hehehe she really wants it! But no, she is shooshed to go home. Probably for the best.
omg the nun goes up in flames! (but how did you do that?) and Natalie tries to put out the fire, that is nice of her!
wow! very interesting update!!! 👍
Oh higher learning text books aren't in your language, I never knew that! There is so much I just assume. I only am familiar with Spanish and French (about a child's or pre-teen's level of conversation, probably, lol)
I have a Japanese friend who was born in Portugal while her parents were traveling and it was her first language, then Japanese and through her parents traveling about while she was growing up, she now knows 8 languages. she is lucky because living in these different places she really fully understands the nuances and emotions of these languages instead of just textbook learning.
She says you can always tell if people really 'get it' or fully understand the language by the jokes. If it isn't that funny to you then something is lost in the translation, because the peoples are so different. I thought that was so interesting of her to notice and tell me that!
I have a question, in which language do you dream and when you travel to other places, do you ever dream in that language?
oh haha I use the dictionaries too, but because every now and then I have found words, over time start having different meanings.
Ach, and I always use spell check, my fingers try to put the letters out of order, all the time!
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Thanks for the comment! Yes, I was lucky to get that shot of Natalie standing out in the rain! So far I think that is one of the best sims screenshots I have made!
Hmm, I don't know what the rules are of a real nunnery, I just imagined that it would be "females only". There is a monastery that looks just identical on the opposite end of the park, where the monks live, and that one is (supposed to be) males only. If Natalie was a male character, she would have sought advice there, but since she is female, she can't.
There is a mod called "Demonic powers" that allow sims to create fire and do other dangerous and deadly things.. it has a few "instant kill" options... so if something really is after Natalie, then yeah, its probably not to wise of her to completely dismiss what the nun has told her...
Interesting about your Japanese friend! I have a friend from the US, currently working as a Spanish teacher. She has traveled to many countries, and I don't know how many languages she knows, but its a lot. Its impressive how some people can do that. I would say that I only know two languages... I tried to learn German, but I wouldn't say I know it.. leider kann ich nicht Deutsch zu sprächen! :P
When I dream, there usually isn't much language, but when there is, it is Norwegian. When I was a student, I had an exchange semester where everything happened in English, and eventually all my internal thoughts as well ended up being in English, so I was always thinking thoughts in English, too. I don't remember about dreams, though. Another interesting thing I discovered then is that doing everything in a different language alters my personality a bit, too! I am much more reserved and shy in Norwegian than in English for whatever reason.. English made me feel more outgoing and lively. I can't really explain why! I notice this when I am travelling, too.
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Chapter 4.6 – Magic and Medicine
Cold War Kids – You Already Know
Natalie feels strong and brave after the fire was put out.
The one with the white wings that Natalie talks to, is Matityahu, her uncle. They hardly know each other, as she was never close with any of her uncles when she grew up. Matityahu has white wings, because he is a pure angel. But just like his sister and Natalies mother, Bianka, he has the evil trait, which might explain why he didn't help out, but seemed to take delight in the fire occuring.
The purple winged lady is Vibeke Helland. One of Natalie's colleagues at the Zombie Kitchen. She has purple wings because she is an angel-vampire hybrid.
And then her boss at work, Ramona Velle-Bentsen wants to talk to Natalie. Ramona is a human and have no special powers, apart from being hard working and a brilliant chef, of course. I must say, everyone around looks pretty chill after such a dramatic event... I'm happy the boys didn't see this, as they had already left for school.
Ramona: Natalie... are you ok? I mean, that was quite dramatic... I think you should take some days off work and maybe talk to someone...
Natalie: What do you mean, Ramona? Everything is just fine!
Natalie wasn't sure if she wanted to involve Ramona and her colleagues into all this business that had been happening to her lately..
Ramona: No, Natalie.. everything isn't fine.. I am really concerned for you and your childrens well being.. Please, Natalie, take the next month off, and promise me that you will go and see someone.. ok?
Natalie: But.. but..
Ramona: No buts this time, Natalie. I mean it! In fact, I think I will personally walk you to the doctors office first thing in the morning myself!
Natalie:But.. but I.. what are you saying? What would I need a doctor for?
Ramona: Natalie, please... I will come see you tomorrow morning, and we will go to the doctor's office together and everything will be fine, I promise. I will have Vibeke take your shift tonight, and we will sort this out. You don't have to think about us at the restaurant, we'll always manage. Get some rest now, Natalie..
"Get some rest now, Natalie".. "I will take you to the doctor's office, Natalie". Like they think something is wrong with me. There is nothing wrong with me, I have no need to go to any stupid doctor's office!
"...but I could always need a nap. Atleast I got the day off from work!"
And after she woke up from her little slumber, her phone rang again. It was Elisa, and this time she asked if they could meet up. It sounded like something important was up, and the visit from the nun lady had made Natalie concerned as well, so she agreed to meet up. And maybe this time Elisa would give an answer to what she meant with the great grandsons thing...
And so it was back to the forest again...
No limo this time, just an ordinary taxi. "Well, atleast something is by the normal!" Natalie thought to herself.
Elisa lives pretty far up into the forest, so it had already started getting dark by the time Natalie got there. Elisa was already out on the front porch when she arrived.
Natalie: Hi, Elisa. I came up here as fast as I could!
Elisa: Good evening, Natalie. Good to see you.
Maybe Elisa could tell me something more about the dragon that the strange nun was talking about...
Natalie: I had a strange visit earlier today.. this nun came over, and threatened me with some fire breathing dragon or whatever it was.. and when I told her to leave, she went outside and disappeared into a burst of flames! Do you know anything about what that could be??
Elisa: Oh, poor child, let me hug you.. I think that's pretty obvious.. that wasn't a nun, Natalie. That was the demon in disguise... like I tried to warn you about...
Natalie: But.. what do I do now.. and why did you invite me here...?
Elisa: There isn't to much you can do at this point, I'm afraid.. but I came across a book the other day that I had forgotten about for many years.. and that's why I called you to get here.. just stand still in the opposite corner for a moment...
Natalie: Ok...?
Elisa: Projiciam a tutela hoc carmine vobis, Natalia Gothi
Natalie: Oh dear, please help me.. what is that??
Elisa: Sanctorum invocabo Agatha, in Sicilia, Elisabeth Hungariae, venerationi habitus est Petri apostoli ordinavi Ambiani
Natalie: Don't hurt me.. please!!
Elisa: Scutum! Protegat! Hic puer pauper et angelus a malo! Per verbum Ephesiorum...
Natalie: Aaah!!
Elisa: Auxilium puer iste fortis sit in Domino, et in potentia virtutis eius!
Elisa: Exorno eam accipite armaturam Dei, ut sumeret eam sibi poterit stare adversus insidias diaboli!
Natalie: I feel cold! What was that?? What did you do??
Elisa: I cast a protective spell on you, which I read for the first time in the Book of Esephiam a long long time ago. It is an ice formula to call upon the protective saints and keep the fires of evil away. That's why you feel cold..
Elisa: And this formula is most effective when the moon is growing, thats why it was so important for you to come up here just now...
Natalie: Ok, and this works and from now on I will be safe?
Elisa: Well, it will work for a while.. but the effect of the spell will wear off eventually. The demons are clever, and they are constantly looking for ways to penetrate and exploit loopholes wherever they can.
Natalie: And then what do we do?
Elisa: Well, there might be a few more spells I can cast if I dig a little more in my old books, but all I can do really, is to buy you more time and delay the inevitable, I'm afraid. My powers can only do so much...
Natalie: So what you're saying is.. I'm doomed, am I?
Elisa: If everything goes as the demons have planned, it is not only you, Natalie...
Natalie: Why are you always so cryptic? What do you mean?
Elisa: You are in possession of something very valuable to them, you just don't know it yet...
Natalie: This really didn't explain anything... is it me or my sons they want?
Elisa: What I am saying Natalie, is that they will slowly lay the groundwork to gain access to what they need.... keep all your senses sharpened. When you start to notice unusual things happening again, please come back to me sharply, and I may just be able to cast another protective spell over you..
Natalie: Elisa, you have to tell me...
Elisa: Bye for now, Natalie, and best of luck...
And, so with the protective spell cast on her and a head full of more questions then answers, Natalie the red-winged angel, went home for the night..
In the taxi on the way home, she got another phone call... it was Elisa again..
Natalie: Hi, Elisa!
Elisa: Just one more thing I forgot to mention, Natalie..
Natalie: Oh.. what is that?
Elisa: Just.. beware of burglars..
Natalie: Burglars? Ok, well, I haven't had any burglars here since before Aaron was born.. but sure, I'll look out for burglars...
Elisa: That was all, good night!
Natalie: Ok.. uh, good night!
Natalie: Calling me up because she forgot to warn me about burglars.. how strange, but I think my house is pretty safe from burglars..
The next morning Ramona came over to Natalie's house, just like she said.
The first thing she noticed after Isaac had let her inside, was the smell of dirty clothes lying around all over the house...
Ramona: Well, not that the kids have gone off to school, I will say this bluntly.. I am shocked at how smelly and unclean your house is, Natalie! Really, how are you doing nowadays? We're worried about you, you know.
Natalie: I think my son Isaac doesn't like me anymore!
(The speech bubble means she lost a friend, and she is no longer friends with Isaac.)
Ramona: Oh, I am sorry to hear that, Natalie, but I suppose you know why I'm here.. I called the doctors office yesterday, and I have fixed an appointment for you today with Dr. Spagliori. So, lets go over there, shall we?
Natalie: Doctors, urgh.. they're just a waste of money! What's this doctor going to do?
Ramona: Well.. I wouldn't say doctors are a waste of money, and I think you need to go there, Natalie. The doctor can help you dig through your problems. Come now, I'll follow you there.
Natalie: Will you take me back to work at the restaurant if I go?
Ramona: Honestly, Natalie, I can't promise anything, but I think we have to go now.. we can't leave the doctor waiting..
Natalie: Ok, I'll go with you...
--
Hospital Receptionist: Good day, ma'am. How can I help you?
Ramona: Umm, we are looking for Dr. Spagliori's office.
Hospital Receptionist: Ah, it's right through the doors to your right, then turn left past the elevator and it will be the first door on your right hand side.
Ramona: Thank you, ma'am.
Hospital Receptionist: You're welcome.
Ramona: Come along now, Natalie. Doctor's office is this way!
Dr. Spagliori: Welcome, please sit down. You must be Natalie?
Ramona: Hello, doctor. No, I am Ramona, Natalie's friend.
Dr. Spagliori: Ah, I see. Well, you must be Natalie, then. Welcome. Oh yes, do please sit down..
Dr. Spagliori: So.. what can I help you with, Natalie?
Natalie: Umm.. I don't know. You tell me, doctor?
Ramona: Natalie... can you tell the doctor what happened yesterday?
Natalie: What do you mean yesterday?
Ramona: You know, when you were outside your house screaming that the ground was on fire and emptying a fire extinguisher all over the place...
Natalie: Oh, but I had to do that to put out the fire, because of the demon nun lady.. when she left, she disappeared into that fire!
Ramona: See, doctor.. this is what I'm talking about.. can you help us?
Dr. Spagliori: Oh, I should think so, but, Natalie, now I'm going to have to ask you a few questions and do a little examination. Ramona, there is a waiting room out in the lobby, if you would be so kind.
Ramona: Oh, most certainly doctor. I'll see you afterwards, Natalie. I'll meet you in the lobby when you're done.
Dr. Spagliari: Alright.. so, Natalie.. like I said, I'm going to ask you a few questions, but first, how would you say you are feeling today, right now?
Natalie: Umm, right now.. well, I'm a little.. I don't know, honestly. A lot of crazy things have happened lately, you probably wouldn't believe...
Dr. Spagliari: Tell me more about these crazy things, Natalie..
Natalie: Oh, there is so much, I'm not really sure where to start..
..and so Natalie tells the doctor everything, from the ghost hauntings and Aarons “plush doll friend” Billy, the letter about gemstones from the Philosphical Centre, the potion and the visits to Elisa in the forest. The feeling of being followed/not being alone, the taxi and the limo, the visits to the nunnery, and lastly, the visit from the uh.. fake nun that disappeared into a fire..
Dr. Spagliari: I see.. can you tell me more about Billy first? Did he become real? Can Aaron and Isaac also interact with and talk to Billy?
Natalie: Oh, yes both Isaac and Aaron talks to and plays with Billy. He's just like a normal kid now. He goes to school and does homework and all the usual things kids do!
Dr. Spagliari: Most interesting. Does Billy have any friends at school? Could we perhaps schedule another appointment where you bring Billy along?
Natalie: Oh, sure.. but I would have to ask Billy about that, of course.
--
Dr. Spagliari: Of course. Now, onto some other things... You mentioned a letter from the Philosophical Centre, and then you brought Aaron along there. And they gave you this, what did you call it.. an..
Natalie: Oh, you must mean the collector's helper! I have it right here, actually! I'll put it on the floor and show you!
Dr. Spagliari: Hmm, so that's a collector's helper. How do you use it?
Natalie: It's pretty simple. There are three buttons on it, the left and the right button are used to cycle through what you want to find, such insects, seeds, fish or rocks and gemstones. Then you press the middle button to lock it to your selected choice. Then it will show a small map, as well as an arrow that points you in the direction of the nearest object. It also beeps when it gets closer, a bit like a metal detector.
Dr. Spagliari: Really, that's fascinating.. could you perhaps run a demonstration?
Natalie: Sure, say I wanted to find insects. So, I set it to insects and then look at the map and get something like this!
Natalie presses a few buttons and shows the map to Dr. Spagliari.
Dr. Spagliari: Well, now I have never... but if this is real, then that must mean that your visit to the Philosphical Centre actually took place?
Natalie: What do you mean “actually took place”? Of course it took place! What do you take me for?
Dr. Spagliari:I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have worded it that way. I see the evidence right in front of me!
Dr. Spagliari:But Natalie.. you said that yesterday, you had a visit from a nun.. and that when she left, she disappeared into a fire.. that is, no matter how I try to look at it, most extraordinary! Can you.. uh.. tell me more about that?
Natalie (now a little more nonchalant): Well, ok, so what happened.. well, I was just eating breakfast when this nun walked in, without knocking.
Natalie: And after a while, she started talking about gemstones, and how I would need them to protect myself against evil demons, and then she went on to threaten me with dragons and fire and eternal torture or something like that!
Natalie: So naturally, I got very angry and told her to get out of my house. I followed her to make sure, and that's when it happened! A fire appeared, and she literally flew into it, actually, and disappeared!
Dr. Spagliari: I see.. but did anyone else see the nun, besides you?
Natalie: Well, Isaac and Billy hadn't left for school yet when she came through the door, so they should have seen her. And all the neighbours that came out when the fire happened.. well, they probably didn't see her because she was already gone, but they must have seen the fire!
Dr. Spagliari: Well, I haven't spoken to your neighbours so I don't know what they saw, but Ramona said she didn't see any fire.. only you emptying a fire extinguisher outside.
Natalie: I... but, .. I saw the fire!
Dr. Spagliari: Ok, Natalie. There is no doubt in my mind that you think you saw the fire, but your friend Ramona says otherwise, so who am I to believe?
Natalie: I don't know.. I only know what I saw...
Dr. Spagliari: I see.. now, please follow me downstairs, I think I will have to run an examination on you...
They take the elevator down into the basement of the hospital, and the doctor leads her into another room divided by a glass wall...
Dr. Spagliari:Ok, Natalie.. please take a seat in the low chair in the other room behind the glass door, and I will do a little checkup on you. It won't take long.
Natalie: You mean you will run a brain scan on me to figure out if I am just as much of a nutjob as you think I am!
Dr. Spagliari: Well, I wouldn't excactly phrase myself in that manner... now if you would be so kind..
Natalie: I won't be kind, but I'll do it. Then you will see that I am right, and you are wrong!
And as they are doing this, the camera zooms up and out to this woman, Anne-Berit Reistad-Langseth that died of old age, just outside the hospital. She faces the grim reaper and accepts her fate. I don't know what life she has lived, but I hope it was a happy one. Rest in peace, Anne -Berit.
Meanwhile downstairs.. the results are in.
Dr. Spagliari: Hmm.. well, this is interesting. Your brain scan, Natalie.. it looks perfectly normal, like a well-functioning brain should be looking.
Natalie: Isn't that what I told you!
Dr. Spagliari: As far as I can see, anyway.. but I will send these results to the Psychiatric Department for further examination. Anyway, I think we are done for today. I will follow you out, and you can schedule a new appointment with the receptionist. Oh, and please bring Billy next time, if you can.
Hospital receptionist: Dr. Spagliari, yes.. lets see.. how about same time next week?
Natalie: Sure, that could work.
Ramona: Hey, Natalie. So, what did the doctor find out?
Natalie: Oh, he found out just what I thought he would! That there is nothing wrong with me, of course! So.. will you let me go back to work now?
Ramona: Hmm, well, if the doctor says everything is as it should, I can't really do much else, so yeah, you show up on your shift for tomorrow afternoon. Alright, I'll see you then, Natalie. In the meantime, take care...
Later that night.
Natalie: Hahaha, we fooled them there, didn't we? Our plan is working!
Right... well, aside from acting strange, Natalie had also fulfilled her wish of buying an extra bunk bed that she had placed in Aaron and Billy's room. Why.. are you planning to have more children, Natalie? If so, with whom? Or are you just spending money buying additional things you don't really need? Sorry for the dark picture, but I didn't want to turn on the light and wake the sleeping kids.. :P
Blog: The people of Simbria where I repost chapters from the beginning.
Story threads in the creative forum:
The people of Simbria
@Sprottenham Oh your mod Demonic Powers sounds scary!
Oh that is interesting that you're are more shy in Norwegian and more outgoing in English!
I remember when I lived in Paris I did end up dreaming in French, my sister's didn't say I acted differently when I returned after a year, but did notice that my voice was higher. lol
~~~~~~
Haha I love the brave stance that Natalie does!
I love that there are white winged angels with the evil trait. Very interesting!
I wonder why Ramona is so insistent that Natalie see the doctor.
OMG! That Nun was the demon in disguise!
Thank goodness Elisa learned to cast a protective spell on Natalie!
ah yes the deamons will look for loopholes to be sure! And want something that Natalie has.
Oh that is too bad she lost a friend in Isaac.
Oh nooo so Ramona might think Natalie is a bit off her rocker, for saying the deamon Nun disappeared in the fire!
I'm glad she could prove the collection helper and visit to the Philosphical Centre.
And Natalie's BrainScan looks perfectly normal, like a well-functioning brain should be looking.
Oh No this is disturbing! ''Hahaha, we fooled them there, didn't we? Our plan is working!''😱
What a Great and mysterious update!
.
Thanks for the comment!
Well, wouldn't you? I mean, if you take this out of the context of this magical world, it sounds pretty insane, right?
Blog: The people of Simbria where I repost chapters from the beginning.
Story threads in the creative forum:
The people of Simbria
Chapter 4.7 – Am I real?
In Flames - Call My Name.
Why don't you call my name?
Let it bounce between the walls
Through the halls of time
A sign for me to go by
So find me the wormhole
So that I can be by your side
The next morning...
Aaron: Maybe I will be a journalist when I grow up..
Natalie exits the bathroom and walks towards the kitchen counter.
“Morning, kids! Time for breakfast!”
“I have already had breakfast” says Billy.
Natalie (to Billy): I will take you for a visit to the hospital today. There is someone there that wants to talk to you!
Billy: To the hospital? But I'm not sick, mom..
Aww, he's started to call her mom. How cute.
Natalie:No, none of us are sick! It's just a man there being a little nosy. He thinks you're not real, but we will show him!
“I am real, mom!” says Billy. How rude of the doctor to give the kid an existensial crisis at such a young age...
Natalie: Of course you're real, Billy! Come along now, who knows, we might just have a long day ahead of us...
Taxi driver: Where are you going today, ma'am?
Natalie: We're going to the hospital. Just have to wait for Billy, he had to use the bathroom.
As they came to the hospital, Natalie's phone rang again. Who could it be this time?
It was Birgit, one of the nuns. Natalie didn't want to talk, she had an appointment with the doctor.
Dr. Spagliari: Hello Natalie. Good to see you again. Did you bring Billy with you, like we talked about last time?
Natalie: Oh yes, he's right behind me out in the hallway.
Dr. Spagliari: Splendid, please have a seat.
Dr. Spagliari was a little surprised when a little boy actually entered the office. He wasn't really expecting that...
Dr. Spagliari: Oh, hello... hi there, you must be Billy? Please, take a seat...
Dr. Spagliari's eyes followed Billy with amazement and peculiar interest as he was about to sit down, and then Natalie's phone rang.. again...
Natalie: Excuse me doctor, my phone just keeps ringing all the time.. never a quiet moment, I tell you!
Dr. Spagliari: I see that as a good thing. Must mean you have a lot of friends that care for you, Natalie.
Dr. Spagliari: So, Billy.. can you perhaps, tell me a little bit more about yourself? How old are you, Billy?
Billy: I am... seven years old, 4 months and 13.. no, 14 days old, doctor!
Dr. Spagliari: *chuckles* That's very impressive, Billy! And how did you come to live with Natalie, Isaac and Aaron?
Billy: I came to them in the mailbox!
Dr. Spagliari: You.... came to them in the mailbox?
Billy: Yes.. I was only a little plush toy at first, but I remember everything! Natalie wasn't very nice in the beginning, she was mean. She didn't feed Isaac and Aaron, and they were always alone and crying! After they had been crying and screaming for a while, she would just go up to their room and yell at them! I was often alone in that room too, with the lights out and she didn't feed me!
Billy (continues): So I told my teddy bear to call up Mr. Ghostlight to scare Natalie straight! It worked for a while, and she became nice. Then she took my teddy bear to the forest, but he came back! Then I got older and learned to walk and talk! And then Aaron brought me a potion from an old witch, and I became just like I am now!
Natalie became a little flustered and embarassed from some of the details that Billy shared, her cheeks starting to feel a little warmer than usual.
Dr. Spagliari: I must say.. you have quite an imagination there, Billy! But you also said some things that are a little concerning...
Then Dr. Spagliari turns to Natalie with a more serious look on his face.
Dr. Spagliari:Tell me, Natalie.. is there any truth to what Billy just told me?
"Oh, everything I just said is true doctor!" Billy exclaims.
Dr. Spagliari: Billy, Billy, my boy... there is a room with toys out in the hallway on the second floor! Please go and talk the receptionist in the lobby, he will be more than happy to show you the way! Me and your mom is going to have a little talk now...
With Billy out of the room, the doctor started asking questions..
Dr. Spagliari: So.. Natalie.. Billy just mentioned a few things that concerns me. Is it true that you left your kids starving and alone when they were younger?
Natalie stiffens up and stares blankly into the air.
Dr. Spagliari: Natalie.. please answer my question. Did you neglect your own children when they were younger?
"I..." Natalie started. "I don't... I didn't.. I.. "
Natalie: I never harmed my own children! Billy is lying! How can he know!? He wasn't real then, he was just a toy!!
Dr. Spagliari: Ok, calm down, Natalie.. I never accused you of harming your own children, but neglect is still a very serious thing that I must..
Natalie became more worked up, and jumped out of her chair.
Natalie That's what he used to say!! That we were just little toys!!
Dr. Spagliari: Who.. who said that, Natalie?
Natalie hears a yelling voice and a door slamming shut in her mind..
Natalie: My m.. my ex.... he threatened to.. if we told anyone, he said he was going to ...
Dr. Spagliari: Going to what, Natalie?
Natalie (begins talking inchoherently): ..he was going to dump us (....), and that we.... that In... that uh.... that Isaac shouldn't have been born..
Picture: The Corbo Gleb river floating peacefully through town in the pale moon light..
Natalie: ...about how he used to... how he used to always.. to always (...).. I got.. (....) and it hurt...(..)..
Natalie starts crying.
Natalie: I managed to get out..., but I was so lost, I couldn't.. I didn't know what to.. I never wanted..
Dr. Spagliori: It pains me to hear about this, Natalie. But you did get out of there with Isaac, and then..?
Natalie: And then Aaron was born.. and I.. I tried my.. best sometimes..., but I just couldn't..
Natalie:..I can't.. it was all my fault of course, but I can't ... why I didn't ... like a mother should, I was terrible....
Natalie (talks incoherently):.... myself, and wanted to.. I had already made (....)... happen at night, I wanted to...(....) ...of course and then all the..pain..and trouble would be (.....) I was so lost...
Dr. Spagliori: So,so Natalie... I am really terribly sorry about all of this and it aches my heart to hear about what you have gone through. You should have gotten much more help much sooner... I will immediately set you up for an appointment with our psychiatrist Dr. Lovensteen, and I promise you will be in the best of hands.
And so he did, knowing that he had to let Natalie go. Dr. Spagliori, as good of a doctor he was, he was not a specialist in dealing with trauma and abuse victims, so the best he could do was to further her to someone that was. Though he couldn't help the feeling that there was something about Natalies story that didn't seem right. Her feelings looked genuine enough, but still... he wanted to tread carefully here. For now, he thought, the wisest thing to do based on everything she had said, was to transfer her to a psychiatrist that should be better able to figure out what it was that plagued her and how to solve it...
~~
Let it bounce between the walls
Through the halls of time
A sign for me to go by
So find me the wormhole
So that I can be by your side
Blog: The people of Simbria where I repost chapters from the beginning.
Story threads in the creative forum:
The people of Simbria
@Sprottenham Love the update Am I Real? And all that you put into your story, including the pic of Billy looking into the mirror and seeing his plush doll self!
Yes it is very cool that he started to call her Mom!
''How rude of the doctor to give the kid an existential crisis at such a young age...'' exactly!
''Billy: I came to them in the mailbox!'' haha the poor doctor to hear this!
Ah! so it was Billy who initiated the call to Mr Ghostlight!
Hm. very telling this ''Natalie That's what he used to say!! That we were just little toys!!'' And all her trauma she experienced, that is awful!
I'm glad the doctor will transfer Natalie to a specialist!!!
.
Blog: The people of Simbria where I repost chapters from the beginning.
Story threads in the creative forum:
The people of Simbria
Sonata Arctica - I have a right
Give me the eyes so I see
Give me ears so I hear
Give me love so I know what love is
Give me the freedom to think
To believe
In something
Give me wings, so I can fly...
The following weekend, things were as normal as normal is in the Goth-Asli household. Natalie playing with the kids toys and the kids pulling pranks on each other.
But when Isaac tried to pull pranks on Natalie, she wasn't to happy about that.
And as night falls she starts an argument with Aaron for no good reason.
Natalie: What are you doing in your brothers room dressed like an astronaut?
Natalie: Aaron, get out of that stupid outfit, or I'll kick you out of the house!
And on Sunday morning when Aaron woke up, he noticed that there was something about Billy that wasn't quite like before..
Aaron (thinking): There is a bright orange glow behind Billy's neck that wasn't there before.. does he all of a sudden have wings like us? What ..? How can that be..?
Aaron: Whew.. what did I just see? How could he...?
Umm.. and apparently that puzzled Aaron so much, he somehow didn't go to the bathroom in time.. Natalie saw this and got up from the rocking chair to curse at him..
Natalie: Darn it, Aaron.. what is wrong with you!? Don't 🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸 on the floor.. I thought you were potty trained you little 🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸!!
Wow, Billy suddenly getting wings really got to Aaron.. or maybe it was his mommys shouting, but he looks really scared of something here..
He didn't even make it to the shower before fainting...
Billy wakes up, will he notice that something is different?
Not yet it seems, but maybe he will notice when he sees his own reflection in the bathroom mirror after.. finishing some pressing matters.. just don't do it on the floor like your brother Aaron did...
Billy: Wow.. what is this.. I can.. float in the.. air?
Billy: Aaron.. did you get that..? I am floating.. I am floating in the air, just like you can!
Aaron doesn't notice.. he thinks he better do some chores around the house to make sure mommy isn't mad at him after wetting himself on the floor...
Speaking of house chores, Natalie could probably need to do some herself.. there are dirty piles of clothes everywhere...
----
Next monday morning it was time for Natalies first session with Dr. Lovensteen..
Dr. Lovensteen: Welcome, Natalie! I am Dr. Sara Lovensteen. Nice to meet you. Please, don't be shy, have a seat!
Natalie is a little nervous for this first meeting and does not know what to say. Dr. Sara Lovensteen looks at Natalie with her kind and friendly eyes.
Dr. Sara Lovensteen: So, Natalie.. I have talked to Dr. Spagliori and read your file that he wrote..
Natalie starts fidgeting and gets visibly nervous, her eyes wanting to look anywhere but at the doctor. This doctor's office was a little different from Spaglioris'. Here she felt more like a student being called in to the principals office for some mischievous doing...
Sara Lovensteen: ..and, so, what I am going to do now is to ask you to fill out some forms for me, asking you some questions. Don't worry, this is just standard procedure and everything is fully confidential. After you have filled out your forms, we will have a discussion about it so that we can figure out a plan for how things can get better for you. How does that sound, Natalie?
Natalie: I, uh.. I guess that's alright..
Sara Lovensteen: Wonderful, feel free to ask as many questions as you like if anything is unclear.
Natalie takes a long look at the forms lying on the desk in front of her...
Natalie: Depressive symptoms? Hmm... I'm pretty sure I am not depressed! I think I'll just answer 'no' to all of these!
Natalie: I mean, I don't feel depressed.. I don't even know how you do that? What does it mean?
Sara Lovensteen: Ah, well it's good you are saying that. It probably means that you aren't. Now, if you were depressed, typically you would have noticed that things that once interested you and meant a lot to you, no longer have any meaning. In short, depression can be a sense that nothing really matters, so to speak, and well, that there is no longer any point in trying anymore.. a general sense of hopelessness if you will. Have you experienced any of this, Natalie?
Natalie: Uhmm.. I'm not sure.. no, I don't think so.. there have been a lot of strange things going on, which is probably why I'm here.. and I do worry about the future.. but I feel a lot more scared than hopeless...
Natalie: I mean, I don't want anything bad happen to me... and I have been warned.. I just want to live my life, you know... I want to... watch my kids grow up happy and... you know, I want to.. I have always been kind of curious about different things, I like to sometimes try new things, you know...
Sara: What bad things are you afraid might happen, Natalie?
Natalie: I don't know... I'm afraid of... I don't want to.. I don't want to die... I feel like something wants me to die...
Sara: Do you have any enemies, Natalie? Has anyone told you they want you die? You said you had been warned, who gave you that warning?
Natalies face brightens immediately when she gets to talk about Elisa.
Natalie: Oh, it was..That was Elisa, but she does not want me to die! Elisa is a friend of mine! She has promised to help me and protect me! But she has also seen this.. I think she said she read it in a book or something.. that I am in danger.. she did not say I was going to die, but I think.. I don't know, I just got that feeling..
Sara: Interesting. What book was that, Natalie?
Natalie: Oh, I don't know, some old book.. some Esephesomething, I have no idea.. she has many old books and knows a lot about many old things... She is a.. well, she knows how to do.. I mean, she can do things that I cannot do!
Sara: What things can she do that you can't, Natalie?
Natalie: Umm... she can cast.. she can cast spells and such.. it makes green and blue lights appear from her. She spoke many words I don't understand, and she made me float up in the air!!
Sara quickly reacts with skepticisim. She does not believe in the supernatural...
Sara: That sounds incredible! When... uh, when and where did.. uh, did you meet her? Does she live in town?
Natalie: Oh, I kind of know it sounds crazy, but... I.. I have.. I met her first time in.. the cabin.. in the forest, that's where she lives... up by the Deathfish Pond..
Sara: Ah, I think I know that cabin.. but Natalie, that cabin.. has been abandoned for years.. nobody lives there...
Natalie: But I saw... I have seen.. she did... she was there, she lives there!??
Sara: Oh, I am not doubting what you have seen with your own perception, but.. Natalie, I must say.. nobody has lived in that cabin since, well.. I don't know for how long it has been empty, but nobody has lived there since I was a kid. I remember we used to play around in that cabin, even though our parents strictly told us not to go there...
Natalie gets up from her chair and walks onto the floor.
Natalie: But.. but.. how can that be!? Because I talked to her.. and I saw what she did when she.. and she promised to protect me from.. from whatever is after me..
Sara: I will tell you this, Natalie.. the mind is very powerful, and it is capable of creating the most seemingly unimaginable things and sometimes even bring them to life right in front of our eyes..
Natalie: So you're saying she is not real.. but how..!? I have talked to her so many times.. she has even called me on the phone.. and.. why do I feel so afraid about.. about what she warns me about!?
Sara: Well, it is very natural to feel afraid, when your senses tell you that all this exists and is happening – I would too – but.. Natalie.. I'm afraid that.. Elisa probably does not exist.. I also think that.. you are not in danger... I am sorry, in a way, but I must say this..
Natalie couldn't believe the words she said. For all she knew, Elisa was very real, everything was real, no matter how strange. It just seemed so far fetched that her mind had created all these things... She didn't feel that Sara was helping her one bit by saying these things, and it left Natalie at a loss for words... This was an eye opener and a mind closer, what a shock to the system... It couldn't be, it had to be wrong...
Sara: Also, I think our time for today is up.. but Natalie, please take the forms I gave you home, and do your best to fill them out for me, and I will see you again for our next appointment.
Sara: Please, Natalie, take care of yourself and treat you to something good. I think you deserve it. And if you feel you need to talk to someone, here is our phone number that is open 24/7.. do not hesitate to call if something should come up...
Sara hands Natalie a paper card with the phone number to the Psychiatric Emergency Unit before walking her out the door and into the waiting room.
Sara: Take care, Natalie. Take care..
Blog: The people of Simbria where I repost chapters from the beginning.
Story threads in the creative forum:
The people of Simbria
@Sprottenham ah a chapter on Dr Lovensteen! Good! I was wondering what the therapist would say!
''Natalie: Aaron, get out of that stupid outfit, or I'll kick you out of the house!''
Wow! Billy grew wings! how strange!
Poor Aaron he does look very frightened!
Oh I do so like the artwork in Dr Lovensteens office!
Well that was quite an interesting session with the doctor. I hope it will help Natalie!
.
Thanks for the comment! This whole going to the doctor stuff, well, I'm hoping that it seems believable, like what would actually happen in a doctors office, so I have done some research on these doctor scenes and mental illness, and I did learn quite a few new things, even something quite, wow! that will come later..
About Billy growing wings: It happened late to him, because of his very difficult early years, but as both his father and his mother had wings, naturally, he should have them, too. He's got an orange hue to his wings, because of his fathers yellow wings and his mothers red wings. His genetics there are a little complicated.. He's got 50 % angel genes (gives white wings, or wings in general), 25 % magician genes (adds yellow colour to wings), and 25 % human genes (adds red colour to wings). :P
Oh, cool you noticed the artwork in her office! It was handpicked to be bright and colourful, to give a postive feeling to the otherwise white and stale hospital walls.
Blog: The people of Simbria where I repost chapters from the beginning.
Story threads in the creative forum:
The people of Simbria
Song: Alstad – The Room Upstairs
Once home from the doctor's office, Natalie naturally wanted to do her favorite thing.. to play with the doll house upstairs in Aaron and Billy's room..
Billy was by the kitchen table doing his homework, Aaron was attending the boy scouts and Isaac was still outside the school building doing his homework.
Natalie went straight for the dollhouse and did her best to ignore that there seemingly was another girl in the room..
The little girl followed Natalie downstairs, as she was going to prepare herself a meal. Whatever this little girl is doing there, she seems to be a little grumpy about something.
Little girl: Have you ever thought about getting married?
Natalie: Oh, haha, not really..
Little girl: The rising moon is a bad sign, so says my mom. You have to get married before the moon rises again.
Natalie has no desire to get married anytime soon. She ignores the little girl and gets up to do the dishes.
It was getting late and Isaac hadn't gone home yet. He was still at school playing with a doll house in the kids playroom. Isaac sometimes does this... stays at school after hours and doesn't want to go home..
Little girl: Mommy says a good girl always does the dishes. A good girl always does what she is told.
Little girl (mumbling to herself): A good girl stays in her room, and always listens to her mommy.
Little girl: A good girl always does her chores, so that mommy won't get mad.
~~~~~~
Natalie eats yesterdays leftovers for breakfast the next morning when the phone rings.
Natalie: Hi, Elisa. What's up?
Elisa: I haven't heard from you in a while, Natalie. How are you doing?
Natalie: Oh...I'm doing fine, but I had to go to a doctor the other day, and she says you don't exist.
Elisa: Yeah, I knew the doctor would say that. What else did she say?
Natalie: Umm.. well, she said something about the mind being very powerful and that she also thought I was not in danger.
Elisa: Hmm, well that is the doctor's job... and for what she believes, of course, that is true. But unfortunately she doesn't know everything. I don't mean to scare you Natalie, but you are in danger. Maybe it's time for you to pay me another visit. The effect of the protective spell I cast on you is wearing out.
Natalie: Aha, ok, so the protective spell is wearing out.. uhmm, well, I have to go see the doctor again tomorrow.. but I'll come back up as soon as I can after that...
Elisa: That's good to hear, Natalie.. and please do visit the doctor, she is only trying to help, but unfortunately, she cannot defeat the danger.. Now don't forget to visit me, Natalie. It's important.
It is very generous of Elisa to not dismiss the doctor entirely, even though they have pretty opposing views on certain things...
Natalie: I.. I understand.. I'll come back up as soon as I can, I promise.. I don't want to be in danger..
Elisa: That sounds good, Natalie. Take care..
Natalie: You too, Elisa.. ok, bye.
Then Natalie had to sit down and fill out her forms, like the doctor said. A good girl always does her homework.
Little girl:I want to go out looking for diamonds.
Little girl: But mommy says I have to do the dishes. I don't like doing dishes.
After filling out the forms as best as she can, Natalie goes upstairs to play with the doll house again, but Aaron is already there. The little girl follows Natalie upstairs, so instead Natalie turns to the little girl...
Natalie: I don't like doing dishes either.
Looks like Natalie and the little girl understand each other perfectly...
Little girl: I have a teddy bear in my room. It is the only toy I have.
Little girl: My mom said it was a present from an old witch that lives far, far away.
Little girl: My mom says that if we are not nice, she will take me and the teddy bear and leave us out in the forest at night.
Little girl: But one day a man came to our school.. and he said that if I found a special type of diamond, I could make the teddy bear come alive!
Natalie: You must always do as your momma says, and clean the house!
Natalie: Mommy will get very angry if you don't clean the house!
Natalie: Go to your room, now! And stay there until you can behave, or else..!
Natalie: Mommy is really angry with you now!
Natalie: "Do what mommy says, Natalie"
Natalie: "Go to your room, Natalie"
Natalie: "Ok mommy, I will do anything you say mommy."
Natalie: Didn't I tell you not to steal food from the fridge, Natalie! That food is MINE!!
Natalie: Come over here, you little piece of @#%$!!
Natalie...? What the hell...?
Natalie: "Please don't hurt me, mommy. I'll be a good girl, mommy.."
Oh, yikes... just.. yikes...umm...
After this rather unsettling episode, Natalie got an invitation to a party over at Idun Skullerud-Morales house. Natalie was feeling a little uneasy, but thought she couldn't turn down the invitation, so she decided to go.
The party looks crowded as everyone gathered in the hallway. Natalie has a reaction to all the people that looks a little strange, as if she is angered by something. Idun, the host of the party, is in the green jacket to the right.
Natalie goes to stand in the corner with her back against the wall, and then her phone rings. Its Elisa calling her again.
Natalie: No, I am not at home.. I am at a party, why?
Natalie: I should be home, because the demon might find me easier when I am out? Are you telling me I can't leave the house?
Natalie: You just want me to be safe, I understand, but Elisa... I am not alone here..
Natalie: Yeah, uhh.. love you too, Elisa..
Natalie: Yes, I have been eating today.. of course I have... yes, yes, I will take care of myself.. ok, bye Elisa..
Natalie was a little confused by this strange call from Elisa.. she was starting to sound like the mommy she never had...
"Of course I have been eating!" Natalie said to herself. Even though she found it odd, she felt a little bit of warmth inside knowing that Elisa bothered to call her and ask if she had eaten.. "..and she even said that she loved me", Natalie thought. It was a strange feeling to Natalie, one she hadn't felt to often in her life. She had to stand there in the corner for a while and just feel.
It was a good feeling, but it made her a little nervous, too. Why would someone say they loved her? Mommy never said that.. Natalie wasn't sure what was going on.
Well, Natalie was getting hungry, and just made a plate of sushi in Iduns kitchen.. after randomly changing her outfit..but maybe you should go home and get some sleep now.. its getting late, and tomorrow is your second appointment with Dr. Lovensteen...
Or you choose to could chill by the pool I suppose. Idun is one of the wealthier people in town, so she does have a pretty nice house.
Well, no.. not this time...Narrator intervenes and says... you go home and get some sleep... take care, Natalie...
Blog: The people of Simbria where I repost chapters from the beginning.
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@Sprottenham good for you to do your research. It's fascinating what can be discovered!
Interesting and TY for telling me about Billy and his wing color!
Hmm who is this very strange little girl? Natalie? No, the little girl has white wings in a different shape, and brown hair...
Interesting call from Elisa. That must be hard on Natalie to have two opposing views of important people in her life!
Oh does the little girl also know Elisa I wonder.
''Natalie: Mommy will get very angry if you don't clean the house!'' Now Natalie sounds like the little girl.
Yikes a freak out!
''After this rather unsettling episode'' You mean Very unsettling episode!!!
Good crazy episode which fills me with more questions than answers! Great job!
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Thanks for the comment!
Sorry, I don't think I can answer the question about who the little girl is, I want that to be up to the reader/viewer to figure out. Part of the point here, is to show a bit what I think the experience of mental illness will be like to a sufferer: Scary and confusing. Hence, no answers...
Something like this might put people off from being interested in this story, but this story is what it is, and I can't make any compromise here!
Thank you for sticking out with this craziness...!
Blog: The people of Simbria where I repost chapters from the beginning.
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The people of Simbria
Sia - Big Girls Cry
Natalie woke up the next morning by a phone call. It wasn't Elisa this time..
Natalie (still not fully awake): Hello, it's Natalie...
Sara: Hello, Natalie! How are you? Is everything ok?
Natalie: Oh, $%# doctor... I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry... I'll uh.. I'll be there shortly...
Sara: That's good to hear, Natalie. I was getting worried when you didn't show up.. I'll see you soon then, Natalie!
Natalie quickly took a shower and ate her breakfast as fast as she could, before hurrying out the door and to the hospital..
At the doctors office:
Natalie: Oh, I'm so sorry, doctor, I'm so sorry..
Sara: Don't worry about it, Natalie, you are here now! And please, call me Sara...
Sara: So, Natalie, I hope you have brought and filled out the form I gave you last time..
Natalie: Oh, oh.. yes, doctor, I have it right here..
Natalie hands the papers to Sara.
Sara: Please, Natalie.. call me Sara..
Sara takes a look at the screening papers and what Natalie answered while typing something on her computer.
Sara: Hmm..
Natalie: Is... is something wrong doctor?
Sara: No, no, I mean, nothing that we can't.. cure.. I'm just.. reading through..
Natalie watches the doctor anxiously.
Sara: Ok, ok.. I'm going to be honest with you Natalie, so please, bear with me..
Sara: According to your answers you have some mild symptoms of depression..and your score is pretty high for PTSD.. that's post traumatic stress disorder. You have a moderate score for anxiety and a moderate to high score for psychosis or schizophrenia..
Natalie: What... what does that mean? Are you going to put me on drugs? Or lock me up? I don't want to be...
Sara: Oh, Natalie, dear... I'm not going to 'lock you up' as you put it, but I am going to have to look at the possibility that you will get better with taking medicine in combination with therapy..
Natalie: I am ...I am scared of medicine. I don't want to stop being myself and turn into a zombie...
Sara: Well, I can guarantee you won't turn into a zombie, neither in the literal sense or otherwise.. but unfortunately, the medicine does have a few side effects.. but I honestly think it will be better for you, and your children as well, if you choose to go on mediciation...
Natalie: So.. I have a choice?
Sara: Yes, Natalie. You have a choice. I can only offer you treatment, I can't command you to treatment.
Natalie: So.... what happens now? What does the medicine do?
Sara: Well, it's....
Sara pauses, before she continues.
Sara:...ok, I will set you up for a new appointment and you will start psychotherapy with me. And you will not have to talk to anyone else but me, unless you would want to, of course. And I think, based on some of what you answered that I will offer you a medication called Flupnaprazoline*. Don't worry, you won't have to remember that. I will give you a receipt and you can just show it to the pharmacy downstairs, and they will find it for you, easy as pie.
Natalie But what does the medication do? I'm not taking anything before I know what it does!
Sara: Well, the bad news first.. there are some side effects.. The first days of taking the medicine you may feel drowsy, dizzy and even experience blurry vision. Do you have a drivers licence Natalie?
Natalie: Yes, but I don't own a car...
Sara: Either way, I would advise you to be careful with driving, atleast the first days until these effects start to wear off.. You may also notice a drier mouth than usual, increased heartbeat and sensitivity to sunlight..
Natalie: So it won't make me a zombie, but it will make me a vampire?
Sara: Hahaha, I'm sorry for laughing Natalie, but no, you won't become a vampire..
Sara: However, you may experience skin rashes, increased breast size, and you know, irregularities in your period, as well as a decreased desire for intimacy...
Natalie: Oh, that won't be a problem for me, I haven't had a good #$&%@ in years!
Sara: Oh, I .. uh, see..
Sara became a little embarassed by Natalies sudden outspokenness.
Natalie: But what good things does it do, doctor?
Sara: Ah, yes.. you will notice already within a few days that your.. well, that your hallucinations will begin to fade.. you will less and less often see or hear things that others aren't noticing... and within six weeks or so, most people that take this medication report that their hallucinations and delusions are completely gone..
Natalie: So.. does this mean that I will no longer get visits from the nun-demon lady, and that I will no longer have the feeling of being watched and followed.. and no longer have to fear that someone or something wants me dead?
Sara: That sounds correct, yes.
Natalie: But what about Elisa? She has been such a good friend to me.. she even called me yesterday to say that... to say that..
Natalie: I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I can't....
Natalie: Its just that no one has ever... I have never heard.. I have never felt that... she said that she... she..
Sara: What did she say to you, Natalie? Can you tell me?
Natalie: She said that she.... (Natalie whispers, her lips barely moving)... she loves me...
Sara: I am so sorry, Natalie, but.. Elisa will probably fade away too...
Natalie: I never heard that... my mommy didn't.... *sniffle* ... I'm sorry, I'm sorry.... I said to much...
Sara: No, no, not at all Natalie.. that is excactly why I am here.. to listen to what you have to say...please, go on... what was it your mommy didn't do?
Natalie: Oh, my mommy did a lot of things, but she never told... she never said.. I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I just can't...
Sara: So, so... it's ok Natalie, I won't push you any further...
Sara gets up to collect a paper from the printer.
Sara:I think I will have to give you the receipt for the medicine for now, Natalie. Please, pick it up downstairs, and... I will see you again same time, next week. Please, sweet Natalie, take care of yourself and... if there is anything, don't hesitate to call. Alright?
Natalie: Alright, doctor...
Sara: Good, see you next week, Natalie. Take care...
Blog: The people of Simbria where I repost chapters from the beginning.
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This house is not my home..
Dmitri Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 110: V. Largo
Natalie had done what the doctor said, and picked up the medicine from the pharmacy as well as investing in a new medicine cabinet. The medicine was a little expensive for Natalie, at 350 simoleons per bottle, but she was hoping it was worth it. That it would make the nun-demon and the feeling of dread and of being watched and followed go away. But she was hoping that Elisa wouldn't go away, so she was also a little afraid to try the medicine...
The next morning Natalies phone rang just as she had finished her pumpkin pie breakfast.
The caller wasn't Elisa this time either, it was Idun Skullerud-Morales, one of Natalies old long time friends. For some reason which probably makes sense to Natalie, she decided to answer the phone by turning on its speaker and putting it on the plate.
Idun had of course heard about the incident with the fire extinguisher and how Natalie was temporarily laid off from her job, and was concerned about her friends well being.
Natalie stood still in front of the medicine cabinet for a long while. She remembered the instructions from the pharmacist, one pill in the morning after breakfast, and another one in the evening before going to bed. But Natalie was afraid to take the step, she didn't want to lose Elisa that had become her best friend and almost like a mother figure to her.
But she also didn't want to die, so if the medicine could help with that.... she eventually summoned enough courage and decided to go for it.
"Ok, this is it.. this is the moment", she thought before taking the pill...
"Ok, now I have done it... now there is no turning back.. but I feel no different at all.. I should give it some time, maybe..."
Natalie: Yellow tank brigade.. attack!! Wrrr, wrrrr, wrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!
I see you're no different at all.. yet, of course... I wonder if the medicine will cure the childishness too?
Natalie: .....
Uh, what's going on now?
....
Some hours later, Isaac comes home to find his mom passed out on the floor.
She woke up to the sound of a phone call..
Elisa: Hi, Natalie... how are you? Did you read my message earlier? Please come to my party, it starts within an hour!
Natalie: Oh... oh, Elisa... I'll... I'll be right up!
Natalie wasn't really expecting to hear from Elisa, because of the medication and what the doctor said...
Surely, someone that isn't real couldn't be hosting a party.. this should be interesting...
Isaac does his best to focus on his homework, while Natalie immediately heads out the door.
And so, back up into the woods we go again..
Natalie: Hi, Elisa.. I came as fast as I could!
Elisa: Hi, Natalie. Thank you for coming!
Natalie then goes up to talk to Elisa, but Elisa all of a sudden seems busy talking to someone else..
Natalie: Don't turn your back on me, Elisa! I'm talking to you!
Natalie: What is happening? Why doesn't she notice me all of a sudden?
Natalie: Aahh!! It must be the medication, it is already working!
But then Elisa finally turns to talk to Natalie..
Elisa: I think there's to many people here..
Natalie (thinking to herself):To many people? I understand nothing of this.. first she invites me to a party.. then she talks to someone invisible, and now there's to many people here..?
Natalie: This is a ridiculous party, Elisa! Where are the guests? There is nobody here but you and me, and all you did was go inside and make food for yourself!
Elisa: How dare you, Natalie!? After everything I have done for you, and how I have sworn to protect you!
Natalie: Oh, I am sorry Elisa, I got a little carried away.. did you really mean what you said the other day? When you called me and said you loved me?
Elisa: Oh, yes, of course I meant that Natalie. That's why I invited you over...
Natalie: And you will still protect me from dying?
Elisa: Of course I will, as far as my powers go.. come on in..
Once inside..
Natalie: Oh, I remember all the times I used to spend in this rocking chair..
Amazing, Elisa even has her own TV-set.. didn't know this cabin had electricity.. but shouldn't you be home by now to take your evening medicine, Natalie?
Natalie: Nah, I don't want to go home... I want to sit in this rocking chair. It feels safe to me.
And home isn't safe..?
Natalie: No, home isn't safe. I don't want to go home. I want to stay here.
But your kids are home, Natalie..?
Natalie..?
You're not going home.. and now you're skipping both your evening and your morning medicine.. Natalie, this is probably not going to make anything any better... why are you so drawn to this cabin?
Natalie: Morning, Elisa.
Natalie: *sob* *sob* ... I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry...
Elisa: Its alright, Natalie.. you are safe here..
Natalie: I really like staying with you, Elisa.. this cabin feels like home to me!
Natalie: Oh.. shoot, I have to go to work!
Oh.. well, atleast she remembers her job... but yes, it is true, she has to go back to work. Ramona didn't give her time off forever.. luckily. And of course, now that she is on medication.. or so everyone thinks.. things should be getting better... Well, hopefully going back to work will be good for you Natalie.. maybe that will help you keep some structure to your life...
Elisa follows her on the way out.
Elisa: Bye for now, Natalie.. come back soon!
And the trees reveal that it is no longer summer, and autumn is already here. This also means that tomorrow is your next appointment with Dr. Lovensteen.. what are you going to tell her now, Natalie? That you didn't take your medicine and went to the cabin again? Or what?
And surely, with a mom like Natalie, the kids would probably have to grow very independent.. she hadn't been home for some days now.. again...
After finishing her shift, Natalie didn't immediately go home, but went to dance for a while in the restaurants backyard, before she had a nervous reaction to something.
And when she came home, she was being grumpy again, taking it out on Isaac.
After which she went to bed without taking her medicine..
Blog: The people of Simbria where I repost chapters from the beginning.
Story threads in the creative forum:
The people of Simbria
@Sprottenham I like your music choice.
I hope the expensive medicine works out for Natalie. There is always the chance (because it is you very unusual story) that seeing a daemon nun and feeling the sense of dread she was feeling might be real, or for a reason, like to warn her.
haha I have never seen putting a phone on a plate before!
I'm glad that Eliza seems real enough to have a party! Oh I guess the guests must be invisible?
Wow Natalie sleeps a lot! But she sure seems to like this little house with Eliiza.
Uh Oh skipping 2 doses of the medicine.
Wow so weird that Natalie skips days of being at home! I have only seen that before when there were no kids involved.
uh-oh still not taking her medicine!
Interesting update!
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Thanks, which song was it that you liked?
Oh yeah, the medicine should work given that the doctor is right, that the demon nun thing etc. is all a product of Natalies mind and not something that actually exists.... And of course, given that she actually does take it, I'm sure that would help. :P
Oh, yeah, Natalie is a highly unusual sim I guess. And I'll admit now, she wasn't supposed to be a main character of this story, really.. just look at how I have divided the chapters.
And there is a reason why she is drawn to the cabin. I think.. I have hinted pretty much to her backstory, but I really don't know how much of it is picked up. I don't want to spoon feed anyone, because there's no fun in that... but no worries, it will all be revealed in due time....
Thanks for finding the last chapters interesting. I wasn't to happy about them, I think they didn't turn out as good as I want a chapter to be.
@The_Great_Cabal
Oh, thanks! That's an interesting perspective on this story.
I'm not even sure if this story will end up at my desired end goal....
Blog: The people of Simbria where I repost chapters from the beginning.
Story threads in the creative forum:
The people of Simbria
Oh the music I liked is Shostakovich – Borodin String Quartet.
Ah ok, so the doctor is right! I wasn't so sure, so I left room for doubt. so IF she ever does take her medicine, it should work. She's taken one dose out of the 4, so far.
I agree Natalie is a Very unusual sim! For me, she would be a keeper just for that reason! It isn't too often you get an extraordinary sim! I wouldn't be surprised now at Anything, even if she were to be asked by a friend to move in, to go ahead and do it without her children. Only because she at that moment wouldn't be thinking right and the friend had better toys at their house!
But then you would have to keep switching to the kids to make sure they were OK! I had this happen naturally in one of my Sunset Valley games. The Mom moved in to her boyfriends house and left her daughter at the main house with no one else!
Yes I did and do think it is all interesting! I know it's sometimes hard to write, watching and interpreting, and trying to stay in the same line of story thinking, and you do it very well!
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