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Amazon Prime (How to Build a Cult) Challenge - 2/13
KingCobbler
Posts: 176 Member
This challenge was heavily inspired by the Amazon Challenge (hence the name) which was created by Isaria (Mod the Sims) and updated to a Sims 4 version by lovejess2, here on the forums. The original concept (a female dominated Sim society) and formatting belongs to them. While this challenge is also called How to Build a Cult, it was not intended to reflect the beliefs of any real-life cults, religions, or persons. It is intended solely as a fictional challenge used for fun in a computer game and nothing more. Now that that's out of the way, here are the rules (also heavily borrowed from the Amazon Challenge):
You start as a young woman who, inspired by the fabled amazons, builds a female-centric cult (the Amazon Primes) over time. This cult is female dominated with men as second-class citizens. Women hold all the power and prestige while men aren't allowed to do anything outside the lot.
Men
A maximum of three can be married to one woman. They are in charge of gardening, cooking, caring for infants, and basically any other on lot duty you can think of. They can't leave the lot or get a job, but they can provide income in the form of gardening and fishing.
*Begin with a YA Female
*She needs to be outgoing, ambitious, or self-assured.
*You can build or buy any lot you'd like.
*Money cheats are okay to purchase the lot of your choice, but they may not be used after that for any reason.
*Set Money to $0 using testingcheats true money 0.
*This means that (if you use a detailed lot) you're not going to be able to afford the bills, so get to recruiting/marrying right away for the extra income.
Rules
*Women are allowed to have multiple husbands and concubines. Men are not allowed to have multiple wives or concubines.
*You may recruit 2 women every 2nd generation.
*Males born have to be married off to one of the Amazon Primes or killed.
*Men cannot leave the lot or get a job.
*Boys still go to school.
*Newcomers shall not bring in any money.
*A man or woman who tries to leave is punished by death.
*Only the current leader/heiress can marry/recruit outside of the current amazon prime members.
*The heiress is the first born female of the cult leader she will take over in the event of the cult leader's death. Like the cult leader, she has her lifetime to max out charisma or the cult is disbanded.
*The creator/heiress must max charisma in her lifetime, or the cult is disbanded.
*There is no place for love in the Amazon Primes, loyalty to the cult itself demands complete devotion. Men and women who grow to care for each other must be separated at all costs. How you do this is up to you, but I recommend marrying the man in question off to another woman or killing him off.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Eve, Chapter 1: http://simschallenges.com/2014/11/eve-chapter-1/
Eve, Chapter 2: http://simschallenges.com/2014/11/eve-chapter-2/
Eve, Chapter 3: http://simschallenges.com/2014/11/amazon-prime-eve-chapter-3/
Eve, Chapter 4: http://simschallenges.com/2015/02/amazon-prime-eve-chapter-4/
Eve, Chapter 5: http://simschallenges.com/2015/02/amazon-prime-eve-chapter-5/
Cheyenne, Chapter 1: http://simschallenges.com/2015/02/amazon-prime-cheyenne-chapter-1/
You start as a young woman who, inspired by the fabled amazons, builds a female-centric cult (the Amazon Primes) over time. This cult is female dominated with men as second-class citizens. Women hold all the power and prestige while men aren't allowed to do anything outside the lot.
Men
A maximum of three can be married to one woman. They are in charge of gardening, cooking, caring for infants, and basically any other on lot duty you can think of. They can't leave the lot or get a job, but they can provide income in the form of gardening and fishing.
*Begin with a YA Female
*She needs to be outgoing, ambitious, or self-assured.
*You can build or buy any lot you'd like.
*Money cheats are okay to purchase the lot of your choice, but they may not be used after that for any reason.
*Set Money to $0 using testingcheats true money 0.
*This means that (if you use a detailed lot) you're not going to be able to afford the bills, so get to recruiting/marrying right away for the extra income.
Rules
*Women are allowed to have multiple husbands and concubines. Men are not allowed to have multiple wives or concubines.
*You may recruit 2 women every 2nd generation.
*Males born have to be married off to one of the Amazon Primes or killed.
*Men cannot leave the lot or get a job.
*Boys still go to school.
*Newcomers shall not bring in any money.
*A man or woman who tries to leave is punished by death.
*Only the current leader/heiress can marry/recruit outside of the current amazon prime members.
*The heiress is the first born female of the cult leader she will take over in the event of the cult leader's death. Like the cult leader, she has her lifetime to max out charisma or the cult is disbanded.
*The creator/heiress must max charisma in her lifetime, or the cult is disbanded.
*There is no place for love in the Amazon Primes, loyalty to the cult itself demands complete devotion. Men and women who grow to care for each other must be separated at all costs. How you do this is up to you, but I recommend marrying the man in question off to another woman or killing him off.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Eve, Chapter 1: http://simschallenges.com/2014/11/eve-chapter-1/
Eve, Chapter 2: http://simschallenges.com/2014/11/eve-chapter-2/
Eve, Chapter 3: http://simschallenges.com/2014/11/amazon-prime-eve-chapter-3/
Eve, Chapter 4: http://simschallenges.com/2015/02/amazon-prime-eve-chapter-4/
Eve, Chapter 5: http://simschallenges.com/2015/02/amazon-prime-eve-chapter-5/
Cheyenne, Chapter 1: http://simschallenges.com/2015/02/amazon-prime-cheyenne-chapter-1/
Find me here at: Sims Challenges
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
Post edited by KingCobbler on
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Comments
I'm having trouble deciding which leg of the Challenge to start first: Cheyenne's, Michelle's, or Eve's. Here's what I have so far:
I’ve decided to write three separate stories based on a what if scenario wherein the Amazon Primes (a cult) had three different founders. As a result, each cult is slightly different from each other when it comes to rules (although all are amazon inspired), structure, and their future. The severity of their rules and rigidity of their practices can also be traced back to their founder. Below is a picture of each potential founder as well as their personality and reason for starting the Amazon Primes. Choose your own adventure by clicking on their portraits:
Name: Michelle Ledbetter
Traits: Perfectionist, Outgoing, Self-Assured
Description: Michelle Ledbetter was an A student, Valedictorian, and Student Council President. If there was a club to lead, she led it–and well. Sure, she demanded a little more from her fellow students than the teachers, but it was all in the name of improving them. She started the Amazon Primes as a student help group for women in college. Over time, she found herself taking more and more control of her fellow students lives–all in the name of improving them.
Name: Cheyenne Bean
Traits: Outgoing, Cheerful, Self-Assured
Description: Cheyenne Bean was a cheerleader, and a sorority sister, and a member of child pageants before that. She’s spent her whole life as part of something bigger than herself, and she likes the feeling of being in a familial-like group. She created the Amazon Primes to form a support group for herself and her other displaced sorority sisters who had no where to turn after college.
Name: Eve Girard
Traits: Ambitious, Loner, Creative
Description: Eve Girard was a no one in elementary school, a no one in high school, and a no one in her work place. She wasn’t picked on or bullied, but she wasn’t praised or held in high esteem either. The reason why was because Eve Girard was perfectly ordinary in every way. She created the Amazon Primes because she was tired of being ordinary.
Which leg do you think I should write first? Please vote below.
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
I vote for Eve Girard btw.
drimagardtales.blogspot.com
I figure I'll do a few chapters of each story on the same lot and evict the families afterwards, that way it can all take place on the same compound. That might not work out in practice, but I hate to have to build separate lots for each of them (mainly because I'm a horrible builder).
Thank you for reading the wall of text above (and below) and most especially for voting!
The current tally is: Eve Girard: 1, Michelle Ledbetter: 0, Cheyenne Bean: 0
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
There's no cult(ish) behavior yet, but the seeds are being planted and a back story is there. I wanted to wait a full week for people to vote, but I was just too excited to hold back, so Eve, being the only one who got a vote by @Silvereyes83, will be the first one who's story is written. I know that it can be a hassle to cut and paste when you don't know whether or not you'll even enjoy the story, so I'm putting the chapters up on here too, although they won't have pictures yet (Sorry, still a New Member). So, here you go. Enjoy:
----------------- Chapter 1: Eve -------------------
When Eve was told that her father had died, over the phone by her tearful mother, she was devastated. They had never been very close, but she had always secretly hoped that would change one day. When Eve was told that her father had left her something in his will, also over the phone by her tearful mother, she was confused.
Their family had always had enough to keep empty bellies full and roofs over unsoaked heads, as well as the occasional treat, but never more than that. Eve didn't even know her father had a will, or what he would put in it besides his prized coin collection. When Eve was told, also over the phone, also by her tearful mother, exactly what she inherited, she was aghast. It was not Dad's prized coin collection. It was something much bigger.
A hunting cabin in the middle of the desert. How Dad had the means to buy a hunting cabin, as well as what exactly he was hunting out in the middle of the desert, her mom didn't know, but it was hers. Eve thought, and thought, and thought, and then thought some more, and ultimately decided that she couldn't afford to keep the place and would sell it after the funeral.
Eve spent most of her time before then arguing with Mom over flower arrangements and other petty, unimportant things. Mom usually won.
Eve tried her best not to step on any toes, but it felt strange to be back home after all this time. At 18, she had left with dreams of career success, a social life, and adventure. Now, at 23, she was still doing entry level work, had only acquaintances, and her life was not going at all like she planned. Five years had seen no advancement in her career, social life, or life in general.
Two days after her Dad's casket was lowered, Eve started to pack. She was headed to Oasis Springs, the town where her Dad's hunting cabin was located. It felt strange to be leaving her Mom at a time like this, but as bad as her relationship had been with Dad, her relationship with Mom was even worse. They rarely got into big arguments, but they bickered constantly. Mom had always had a strong personality, and Eve felt like a wilting flower in the face of her opinionated responses. Sometimes, Eve wished she was more like her Mom. Most of the time, just the thought made her feel all shaky inside.
She left. Mom didn't try to stop her.
When she got there, she was surprised at how healthy and vibrant the town was. In her mind, she had pictured something more sleepy, but it wasn't. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. The place itself was . . . massive. It was much bigger than the house she grew up in, and she couldn't help but wonder if that was because Dad was spending his money on this place instead. They had never been close, but she felt guilty at the thought. Of course Dad wouldn't spend more money on his hobby than his family, right?
It was called "Desert Bloom" and was designed like some kind of high class resort, with small suites secreted into separate cabins, with a main cabin for a living space and kitchen. On the outside, there was a giant harvest table, a kids jungle gym complete with its own moat, a set up that looked like it was designed as some sort of painting class, a gardening center, and a stage set up for a singer with musical accompaniment. The whole place was green and lush, and there was even a fountain in the front yard!
It looked like a millionaire's get away, not the tax accountant she had known her Dad to be. Again she wondered where this money had come from? How had he afforded something this grand? And why, if he had this kind of money, had they lived in a middle-class neighborhood, with middle-class bills, and middle-class aspirations? Why didn't she have a trust fund and a mom with diamonds around her neck? Why had Dad said they couldn't afford to help her pay for college?
She felt greedy for thinking these things, but she couldn't help it. It seemed like Dad had been lying to them for a long time, and she felt betrayed, somehow, that he hadn't at least shared it with her. It's not like she would have demanded he send her to college, or spend his wealth on her. It was more like she wanted Dad to want to do those things, and he obviously hadn't. Why? She would never know, now.
Mom didn't know. She said she didn't, anyway. Sometimes, Eve had her doubts, but they remained, thus far, unproven. Mom had gotten her own settlement in the form of Dad's life insurance, which while not as luxurious as Dad's hunting cabin, was more than enough to keep her comfortable for the rest of her life, provided she budgeted for it. That's what Mom said, anyway. Sometimes, Eve had her doubts about that too, but she wasn't about to contradict Mom, and Mom said she didn't need the hunting cabin or profits from its sale.
Eve was flabbergasted. The Desert Bloom was worth a lot of money and she couldn't believe Mom would give it up so easily. She also couldn't believe Mom was so accepting of Dad's betrayal. Mom had always been a hot head, and she was never afraid to let the whole world know it. That she wasn't angry at Dad for keeping secrets was bizarre. It made Eve wonder if the secrets Dad kept had only been from her. Had Mom known about the hunting cabin all along? She would never know, now.
The one thing the Desert Bloom did need was a good cleaning. It looked like it had been abandoned for quite a few years, and while the yard had been meticulously maintained, the inside was covered with a thin layer of grime and dust. Eve knew that cleaning the place up would make it easier to sell, so, after much thought, she decided she would move in to do it.
Luckily, her work had a call center in the area that she could transfer to temporarily. She put in the papers and cleaned out her desk. A few of her coworkers stopped by to say goodbye, but she could tell they were only niceties. She hadn't made any real friends here, just friendly acquaintances she would occasionally nod to if they happened to walk down the same hallway. She had always kept to herself, but it didn't stop her from wishing she could have made more of an impact. Would anyone even miss her? She didn't think so.
After her two weeks were up, she moved in. She stayed in the kid's suite, because it was the least totaled of all the rooms. She still had to spend some time cleaning before it became habitable, but after she finished that, and one of the bathrooms, she settled in for the night.
It was difficult to sleep in a strange place, still surrounded by dust motes and her father's lies, but she tried her best. She fell asleep to the memory of her Dad reading her favorite bedtime story, wondering if he had been keeping his secrets even then.
She had a few days to settle in before she had to go to work, and she spent the next one cleaning. She pulled her usually messy hair into a loose braid and got to work. After scrubbing down the kitchen, Eve made dinner, and went to the giant harvest table outside to eat.
It was very big and very, very empty. Eve wished, fiercely and suddenly, that she knew someone, anyone, who could share this with her. That she hadn't spent her whole life being polite without connecting and lurking in dark corners wishing she could be brave enough to have friends. She wished she wasn't Eve. After washing her plate, she settled into bed, feeling lost, alone, and cowardly. She wished it was a new feeling.
The next morning, she convinced herself that she needed to investigate the neighborhood. She decided to start with the library in the nearby Willow Creek, a smaller, greener town to the West. She hoped that it would give her the chance to talk to her Mom. The Desert Bloom was fancy, but it was also old fashioned. It didn't have WiFi and Mom preferred emailing to phone conversations. She took a shower and put her hair up again. She also put on some lip gloss and eyeliner, determined to look her best before going out in public.
Eve worked in computers, which she hated. She had never been very good at using them, so it was difficult to help others troubleshoot theirs. She decided that would change. She emailed her mother, after some difficulty, and decided she would start her new quest by first getting familiar with computer games. It couldn't be that hard, right?
It was strange to not even be able to work a game of BlikBlok, but that's what it came down to. Eve despaired. She had been at an entry level position for all these years for a reason, and now, she had failed to do what your average elementary school student could. It was humiliating. She looked around, sure that someone would see her failure and laugh. It didn't look like anyone did, but as the library filled up, she knew it was only a matter of time before someone picked up on her awkwardness.
In fact, a young man around her age kept looking at her and even stood up as though he was going to approach. It was agonizing. Eve knew that he had seen her trouble.
She quickly got up and out of the way, eager for an excuse to leave. The last thing she wanted was to have a conversation with a stranger. It was sure to be awkward. She left for the relative safety of the hunting cabin immediately. She took a bath to wash off the now half congealed makeup off of her face.
Afterwards, she looked at herself in the mirror, not pleased with what she saw.
Looking at her reflection, she felt ashamed. Why couldn't she talk to people, be normal? Why couldn't she be brave for once? She didn't know, but she wanted to try. She wanted to be the kind of person that others gravitated to. The kind of person that could carry on a conversation with a complete stranger without thinking twice. She wanted that, so, so, badly. She went to sleep that night with the hope that somehow, someway, she could get better at this, that she wouldn't have to be trapped forever in her loneliness. How this would happen, though, she didn't want to think about.
The next morning, she got up, ate breakfast, and cleaned. Then, she took a break. She decided she'd play a game of chess. She was an old pro at playing by herself. Sometimes her dad would join her. Mom didn't have the patience. While she played, she thought of him. It was cathartic in some ways, heartrending in others. It was difficult to think of her dad now when he was gone and she was left with so many conflicting emotions. It was difficult to mourn a man who had lied to her.
She wondered if he had been conflicted too, or if he'd even cared. She hoped he did, but Eve didn't put a lot of stock in hope. She looked around at the wonderful, terrible place Dad had hidden from her and felt abandoned all over again. This was not how she wanted to remember her father. This was not how she wanted to live her life.
That night, she pulled up her hair and put on her makeup one more time. She went to the little stage with the microphone, meant for people much bolder and carefree than her. She looked out into an imaginary crowd, took the microphone from it's stand, and pretended to be a different Eve. One who could stand in front of people without shaking in fear, and who didn't worry about every little thing, an Eve who was stronger, and an Eve . . . who could sing.
It was exhilarating. It was terrifying. It was life; and she was determined to live it.
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
If you're interested in something a little more modern though, I would suggest looking in the gallery under "apartments," or "sorority houses." I found that both are a great source for multi-family complexes.
I can't wait to read your story! :D
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
----------- Eve: Chapter 2 --------------
The next day, Eve woke up feeling energized. Last night had felt like the first page of a new book, crisp, clean, and high contrast in comparison to the days before it. She went to the mirror again, and this time, didn’t put on any makeup or braid her hair. She felt self conscious about it, but she wanted to be brave more than she wanted to be pretty. She left for the library in Willow Springs again determined to conquer the twin demons of BlikBlok and sociability.
It was busy when she got there, but not as busy as it had been the day before. After debating with herself for what felt like hours, she took a deep breath and sat down in the back, right next to a stranger.
She offered a hesitant smile to her neighbor and got a big grin in return. How brave would she have to be, she wondered, to strike up a conversation with such a person? He seemed nice. He had smiled. Still, it felt like it was one step too far. It was frustrating to realize that some things were still beyond her reach. Except–maybe not, because no sooner than she settled in, feeling a little embarrassed and a lot out of her depth, he started a conversation with her.
“So, here on your own?” asked the stranger.
” . . . Yes,” Eve replied. “I am.” She wanted to say more, but felt paralyzed under his expectant gaze. If her limited conversational skills bothered him, he did an excellent job of hiding it.
“I’m Mikel,” he said. “I’m a musician. You are?”
“Uh, Eve,” said Eve. “I’m in . . . tech support?”
“Pleased to meet you, Eve,” said Mikel. “So, what kind of music do you like?”
“I–um, I really don’t know,” said Eve.
“Then you haven’t listened to enough!” said Mikel. “You should hear me play the Violin some day! I’m fantastic!”
“Okay,” said Eve, hesitantly. Mikel smiled.
“Tech support sounds boring,” he said.
“Oh, it is,” said Eve, frustration bubbling up.
“Then why do it?” asked Mikel.
“Well,” said Eve quietly. “Money mostly.”
“Bah, money’s overrated,” Mikel said. “Look at me! I’ve been sleeping in the park for the last month and I’m happier than ever!”
“T-The park?” Eve repeated in shock.
“Yep,” said Mikel.
As it turned out, Mikel was an aspiring violinist, but currently not a very good one. He’d been kicked out of his apartment after failing to pay rent three months in a row and now slept in the park, using his meager savings for food, and playing the violin for passers by in the hopes of making more money. So far, it hadn’t panned out, but Mikel still seemed optimistic about his “awesome” future.
Eve couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be to live on the streets. Surrounded by strangers constantly, panhandling just to feed yourself, and being forced to use public bathrooms was literally her worst nightmare. She couldn’t believe that Mikel was so cheerful and carefree. First, she was stunned and a little taken aback, then she felt the warm cloak of admiration burn its way through and, finally, she was jealous. Jealous that this man, who had so many more problems then she did, was still so much happier. She wanted to know why. She wanted to understand why.
She didn’t dare ask, though. That would be rude. Instead she nodded along appropriately as Mikel told her his life story and occasionally even commented. It felt strange. It felt amazing. She had probably never had this long of a conversation with anyone, save for family members. Granted, she wasn’t doing most of the talking, but she never did. Mikel didn’t seem to mind carrying the conversation himself. He seemed to enjoy being listened to. She was good at that.
By the time evening rolled around she knew how many brothers and sisters he had, his favorite color, his favorite violin piece, his hopes and dreams for the future, and how many times he’d nursed a broken heart. It was weird to know so much about someone she’d met so recently, but with that came relief. Maybe, just maybe she wasn’t cursed to be alone. She could do this. Mikel could be her first real friend.
By the time she had to say goodbye, she was near to bursting at the seams with happiness and hope. She knew it probably didn’t mean as much to Mikel, but that conversation had meant the world to her. She felt downright giddy.
That night, she went home, took care of a few pressing needs and cleaned a little. She happened to notice a violin sitting on the stage by the microphone. It reminded her of Mikel. She smiled. Life had made a huge turn around. She wondered if maybe Mikel needed a new one, or a place to store his. Living in the park had to be rough on a violin.
She realized then, suddenly, that she had no way of contacting Mikel to tell him about the violin, to recapture the feeling she’d had earlier in the day, or just talk to him. She hadn’t gotten a phone number, or even the address of the park he was staying at. She buried her head in her hands. It looked like life hadn’t made a huge turn around. Typical. She went to bed tired and, once again, very, very alone.
She got up the next morning and played another, oh so rousing game of chess. By herself.
It was unsatisfying, but it was all she had. She got ready for her first day at her new job. She didn’t bother with the braid. As first days go, it was probably typical. She felt uncomfortable and embarrassed for most of it, didn’t speak to her coworkers, and mostly failed to convince anyone she was even a little competent. She came home tense and miserable.
The next day was shaping up to be just as bad, if not worst than the first, when suddenly, it was saved. By who? Who else? Mikel! Out of nowhere, he came running up to her. How he had found her or why he had bothered were both unknowns lost somewhere in the excitement she felt at seeing Mikel again.
He didn’t really explain how he’d known where to find her, but Eve didn’t mind. All that mattered was that he had. In her excitement, she asked him to move in with her. It was a spur-of-the-moment request. One that she hadn’t realized she would ask until she opened her mouth and the words came tumbling out. She froze, convinced this was the end of whatever tentative friendship they had been building, but much to her surprise, Mikel said yes.
She had only known him a day, but when he agreed, Eve was ecstatic. She felt relieved, warm, and, most of all, happy. She had only known him a day, but she knew him well enough. This way, he wouldn’t be sleeping on park benches anymore and could play all the violin he wanted. She could make him happy, she just knew it, and now, she’d never have to be alone again. Mikel seemed equally excited.
Now, when Eve wanted to play chess, she asked Mikel to play with her. And when Eve sat at the big harvest table to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, she had someone to sit with her. And when Eve settled down for the night, she was secure in the knowledge that somewhere on her property, Mikel was doing the same. It was as close to perfect as life could be.
Mikel loved his new violin. He played it every day and took all of his naps on the benches by the stage so he could be “closer to the music.” Eve was overjoyed. She knew she was providing Mikel with a better quality of life than he was used to, and she felt proud to do it. It seemed like an even trade, given all he was providing her.
Still, sometimes Mikel had his moods. Sometimes he didn’t want to talk to her, or play chess with her, or eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner with her. When that happened, she just reminded him who’s house he was living in and everything went back to blissful. She hated to do it, but it seemed like it was the only way to snap him out of his reoccurring funk.
Mikel was a little strange sometimes, in how he acted. Most of the time he was upbeat and cheerful, but every now and then the funk would wash over him and he would be sullen, depressed, and uncooperative. These times were probably the only thing keeping Eve from declaring her life truly perfect. Mikel had other quirks and behaviors that were less than desirable, but nothing she couldn’t deal with. The moods, though. Oh, the moods! They killed her.
But even a moody Mikel was better than no Mikel at all, and, each night, Eve thanked the universe for bringing him into her life. She didn’t know how she had survived without him, but she knew she wasn’t going to do it again. She and Mikel would be the best of friends for all their lives. She was willing to do anything to make sure it happened.
Mikel was in one of his better moods the next day and requested that he get to play the violin while she was gone at work. She said yes, of course, glad that he was showing more interest again. She came home early just to watch him play.
She had never heard anything so beautiful before. As he finished his last piece, she went to get the mail, dreading the huge bills she knew were eventually going to come. She had hoped originally that she would be able to pay herself back with the profits from the sale of the place, but she was starting to hope more and more that she could find a way to keep it.
It was one thing to leave Oasis Springs when there was nothing there for her, but now she had Mikel. Where would he go if she moved? There was no room at her old apartment for him, and certainly there was no stage set up for him to play music on. He wouldn’t be happy there, and she hated to do that to him. No, she’d just have to find a way to keep the Desert Bloom. It was her only option, really.
In front of the house, she was stopped by a stranger, waving his hands and shouting furiously.
“Get out of here, squatter! You’re not wanted!” said the strange man, coming closer and pointing at her.
He looked angry, but Eve knew there must have been a mistake somewhere for him to think she was a squatter. She felt self conscious trying to explain herself to this man with the angry eyebrows and impeccable clothing, but she couldn’t let herself be driven off her own property by some stranger telling lies.
“I’m not a squatter–” she began, only to be cut off.
“Likely story,” sneered the man. “You have five minutes to get out of here before I call the police!”
Eve was shocked by his tone and certainty. She wondered if maybe he had some sort of mental problem or was suffering from delusions, but he looked perfectly sane and healthy. He was just playing a particularly rude joke, she decided, frowning.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, b-but you need to leave,” said Eve weakly, feeling bad for even thinking the words.
“Me leave?” The man parroted. “That’s rich! . . . You’ve got three minutes!”
“Wait!” Eve cried, somehow horribly anxious at the reminder of his countdown. She really didn’t want to have to talk to police officers, even if she knew she was in the right. “This place is mine!”
“Not for much longer,” said the man. “You’ll be sitting in a jail cell soon enough!”
“How can you say that?” Eve asked in a harsh whisper. “This is my house!”
“Right,” said the man. “and I guess the fact that I own it doesn’t matter to you?”
Eve shook her head, confused by the stranger’s whiplash logic. “You don’t own it! I do!” Eve said, finally fed up. “If you don’t leave right now, you’ll be in a lot of trouble!” she added.
“And how exactly do you own all of this? Lunch money?” asked the stranger, looking none too pleased. “Two minutes!”
“My dad bought it, ” Eve said, feeling unexpectedly defensive. “He gave it to me in his will,” she said, quieter.
“Your dad?” The stranger’s angry eyebrows eased for a moment before snapping back to attention. “And who is that? Santa Claus?!”
“Trevor Louis Girard!” Eve said, feeling proud of her dad for the first time in a long time.
“. . . Girard?” said the man. “I know that name . . .”
“It’s the person who bought this house,” said Eve. She felt like she was finally getting through to him.
“No,” said the man. “No. That was the guy who used to squat here! Guess you guys keep it in the family, huh?” He looked at his fancy watch. “One minute!”
“There’s been a misunderstanding,” said Eve slowly. “My dad wasn’t a squatter, he bought this place and gave it to me in his will!” She insisted.
The man looked her up and down for a long time. “I’m starting to think . . . you really don’t know what I’m talking about?”
“No,” Eve said. “My dad wasn’t a squatter.”
The man frowned deeply. “I think you must’ve misunderstood.”
The man looked genuine and had calmed down from his earlier ranting. Even his tone had gentled, like he was talking to a child. Eve was not a child.
“I didn’t misunderstand anything,” Eve said, viciously.
“Look,” said the man, “this place is mine, and in about . . . thirty seconds I’m going to call the police and prove it to you–”
“But–” said Eve.
“OR,” said the man, talking over her. “You and I can sit down and come to some sort of agreement, alright?”
Eve thought about it for a minute. She didn’t want to play into this guy’s hand, or be the butt of some mean-spirited prank, but he looked serious about calling the police. The last thing she wanted to deal with was more strangers. Slowly and with much hesitation, she nodded her head.
“Okay,” she said. “but we have to be quiet. I don’t want my roommate getting worried.”
“Fine,” said the man. “Where did you have in mind?”
Eve thought again, and finally decided “There’s an old shop–”
“I know the place,” said the stranger. “It’s as good as any. Lead the way.”
So, still hesitant and slow, Eve did. She edged around the stage, certain that Mikel would see them and demand answers, but he was too lost in his music. They made it to the shop with Mikel none the wiser.
“My name is Edmund Ligel,” said the man, Edmund. “And as far as I know, your dad has never owned this property.”
“But you knew his name–” started Eve.
“Because I had to evict him from the place last year. It took a lot of effort, your dad really didn’t want to go.”
“Evict? So what, he was a renter?” asked Eve.
“No, he was a squatter,” said Edmund. “This is my vacation home. I came back here one summer to find your dad here, insisting it belonged to him. Dementia, probably. I called the police and they took him away. I didn’t press charges because I felt sorry for him. Maybe that was a mistake.”
“How can that be? He said it was mine!” Eve said.
Edmund looked a little sad, but mostly determined. “I don’t know. What I do know is that I own this place and you need to leave. I’ll give you the rest of the day to pack up your stuff.” He paused for a moment before continuing. “This must be . . . pretty difficult to hear, so for what it’s worth, I’m sorry that you had to hear it like this.”
“But?” Eve began, tears in her eyes. “He said it was mine . . .”
“Look, I’ll send someone over here to help you–”
“Wait!” cried Eve for the second time that night. “Wait! You said it was yours . . . Are you interested in renting it out, maybe?”
Edmund tilted his head to the side frankly. “No, I’m not, and even if I was, it wouldn’t be at a price you could afford.”
“How do you know that?” asked Eve, feeling desperate. She couldn’t afford to loose this place, she just couldn’t!
“Well, can you afford $5,000 a week?” asked Edmund sardonically.
Eve’s head hung. There was no way she could afford that much. “No,” she said, quietly. “but I need this place. Please?” she begged. “Please, I’ll do anything.”
“I’m sorry,” said Edmund. And just like that, the case was closed.
Eve could see all her hopes and dreams shattering in that instant, all because of her lying, cheating father who had given her something that wasn’t his to give. She felt sick to her stomach and clammy all over. Not only would she loose the first place she’d lived that was actually starting to feel like home, she’d loose Mikel too. Her first friend, her only friend. Probably the only person in the world who genuinely cared about her.
And for what? So this pompous millionaire who’d been born with a silver spoon in his mouth could keep his vacation destination? It wasn’t fair! It wasn’t fair!
Edmund fiddled with his fancy phone. “The reception here has always been horrible,” he mumbled in explanation.
Eve nodded solemnly. “I think there’s a good spot over by that table,” she pointed to the woodworking table in the small shop. Edmund had probably never spent any real time in here, so he wouldn’t know the difference.
“Ah, thanks,” said Edmund moving to the spot indicated. As he did, she slipped out the door. Not sure of what she was going to do, she stood at the door for a moment feeling alone again. Then, from the pitch, like a sign, came the sweet sound of Mikel’s playing. It was beautiful. She knew she could never go back.
She locked the door behind her. She knew he wouldn't get reception.
She didn’t look back.
Mikel’s playing really was beautiful.
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
drimagardtales.blogspot.com
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
I say this because, while I'm fairly certain this chapter stays within those limits, it may skirt a few. As such, and at the risk of spoiling everyone, I'm going to add a list of warnings beforehand so everyone can make their own choice about suitable content.
Warnings: Non graphic description of fire/burns, emotional manipulation, and off screen homicide. All the pictures are in game and unmodded.
I rewrote this chapter several times to make it less graphic to fit within the T rating. If I've failed, please let me know. It was not my intention and I'm fully prepared to remove the link to it and/or rewrite it again. For a bench mark, The Dark Knight was rated PG-13, a comparable rating to T for Teen.
To make sure no one stumbles across this chapter without sufficient warning, I'm also not going to post it on this site. Instead, I'm going to post the link to where it can be found, here: simschallenges.com/2014/11/amazon-prime-eve-chapter-3/
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
Summary: Eve grows her family.
Warnings: Manipulation, Intense Paranoia, Allusions to Miscarriage/Abortion, and Fully Consensual Woohoo with Unknowing Try for Baby.
Heed the warnings, please. I'd like to avoid traumatizing anyone!
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
Summary: Eve makes a runner.
Warnings: Emotional Manipulation, including the Use of a Child Against a Parent, Paranoia, Dissociative Coping Mechanisms, and a False Manslaughter/Murder Confession.
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge
Eve's section will still receive priority updates, but I've decided to start on the others, too. I seem to work better/faster when I have multiple projects to concentrate on, and Cheyenne's story isn't going to be as long, so hopefully this will lead to more/better updates. I attempted to write Cheyenne's story in first person, present tense, (which I've never done before), so I could use the feedback.
As always, at this point I'm just writing the back story for the challenge. The actual challenge part (with a fully functional cult/women ruling over men) hasn't happened yet. Right now, we're just getting into the origins and whys behind the cult.
Summary: One of Cheyenne's best friends betrays the other, leading to a rough breakup.
Warnings: Implied Woohoo, Bisexual Undertones, Heart-Break, and Romantic Betrayal.
The Washington Legacy // 26 Baby Challenge // Amazon Prime: Cult Challenge