More Angels

[loveSims]

Poor Lucy to have nightmares like that! But the dog's footprints let me wonder.

[wednesday21]

Your writing... I'm stunned. Every sentence is immaculate, charming and outright spectacular. No joke.

I also love the world you're playing in. I'm quite fond of worlds with no roads and, well, the inhabitants are nothing short of interesting.

[Figwit]

Thank you for your kind words.  I love writing and Sims gives me a good excuse. 

Days went by.  Each night the ghosts haunted Lucy's dreams.



She would awaken to half heard footsteps or heavy breathing; sometimes cries and sobs.  She kept her bedside lamp on during the night but still the ghosts plagued her.

They got increasingly bolder or perhaps she was hallucinating from lack of sleep for she could swear she saw a ghost cat on one of the beds during the day.



She was grumpier than ever, and it showed.



Any goodwill she had built with her brothers was being quickly being eroded away as she allowed her sharp tongue free reign.



Sometimes she apologised.



But forgiveness didn't always come because her brothers knew that she was likely to snarl again within the next five minutes.



They were getting worried about her.



It wasn't just her disagreeable moods but she genuinely seemed to be unhappy and losing her spark.

[Figwit]

Something was definitely troubling her. 

Lucy was either moping in front of the TV or frenetically exercising way past her bedtime.



One night, she finally confessed to having bad dreams.  She didn't mention the ghosts.  She didn't want anyone to laugh at her.



'Dreams are just your subconscious getting rid of garbage,' Michael soothed but he noted her unhappy face.

'Perhaps, there is something your mind is trying to tell you.' He suggested kindly. 'Maybe you are avoiding an issue that you need to face.'

Lucy's shoulders drooped.  Michael always met the world head-on.  She used to think she had his courage but lately she was just a quivering heap.

The next day, Michael and Raphael had a brief discussion before Raphael left for town. 



Michael, Gabriel and Lucy were going on a 'family bonding' outing to the new playground. 

It would be just like old times at home , Lucy thought grumpily.  Michael and Gabriel would chat to all the pretty girls while she spun herself round on the swing.  Raphael, as usual, would not be there because he would be working.  This would earn him censure from Michael when they all returned for being a workaholic and missing out on the fun family time.  For hours, she would spin, back and forth, watching the sun turning her skin pink, and then, when she was beyond boredom, they would troop back home, Michael beaming with self-satisfaction for having earned them all 'family points'.

[ApplesApplesApples]

Poor Lucy! I bet it won't be as bad as she thinks though. She always expects the worst outcome.

[Figwit]

 

The playground was fairly new to Dry Gulch and, truly, it stood out like a sore thumb.  Although it looked appealing with the play equipment bright and cheery in freshly painted primary colours, decorative fountains, and swathes of incongruously green grass which just begged you to lie on it and stare up to the puffy white clouds above, in actual fact it was less than attractive at close quarters.  The pretty green grass which bravely contrasted with the outside desert landscape was synthetic and tended to get far too warm for comfort in the relentless sunshine.  The fountains tapped into an underground stream and the water smelt strongly of sulphur.

Lucy wrinkled her nose but it was not only because of the smell.  She had just spotted the Cooke family.

John Cooke was not one to bury the hatchet.  It seemed that boy would never learn but then Lucy was only too glad to teach him his manners again.



Which annoyed Gabriel.



And angered Michael.


Lucy wished she had gone fishing instead.

Embarrassingly, he sent her to time out right in front of everyone.  John Cooke smirked openly at her discomfiture but at least Lucy had the satisfaction of knowing that he had a few more bruises than he started out with that day.



'We may as well go home,' Michael said grumpily, consulting his watch.  So they tramped home in silence.  Lucy kicked at the stones along the way. 

Her jaw dropped when she walked in the gate.  Raphael had not been at work, as she supposed.  Her brothers;  her dear lovely wonderful brothers had a surprise for her.  To cheer her up they said.

'Meet Tinkerbell,' smiled Raphael.

[loveSims]

What a nice surprise! Her brothers really care for her. It is a beautiful horse.

[Figwit]

Yes, she is a lucky girl.  It is a beautiful horse and such a nice one too.  The last horse I had for my sims was like Lucy - grumpy.   

[RavenKay]

You know I love your Angels, and I do feel sorry for Lucy. It was very nice of the Brothers to get Lucy a horse.
But...Tinkerbell? 

[Figwit]

Raven!  Nice to see you here.  I think Raphael named the horse.   

Tinkerbell was the smartest horse in the world and Lucy loved her dearly.



She was a very patient horse too and tolerated Lucy's clumsy efforts in learning to ride.  Lucy was nothing, if not persistent, and within a few short days, they were even attempting jumps together.

A few nerves at first.



But then success!



However, if Lucy thought all the extra exercise would tire her out to sleep through her ghostly visitors, she was disappointed.  The ghosts persisted and Lucy realised that she would have to do something soon or lose her mind.

Maxwell Lilybanks.  There was no getting away from it.  He was a ghostbuster and she had ghosts.  She would have to take him up on his offer to meet his family after all. 

Uncannily, as if the fates were just waiting on her decision, Jett Lilybanks rang her.



Of course she could come over and yes, his family would love to meet her.



They were a friendly bunch and welcomed Lucy as if she was a long lost cousin.



Lucy hoped she would get a chance to talk to Maxwell alone.  It seemed impossible with everyone hanging around, chatting and laughing.

[loveSims]

I hope he can help her with the ghost problem. The pictures of Lucy and the horse is awesome! The family look interesting.

[Figwit]

Thank you loveSims.  I was pleased with the pics of the horse.  I haven't bothered much about the pets so far but I find I really like this horse.

[Figwit]

At last, though, the crowd dispersed to allow Lucy some brief private moments, watched only by his grand-daughter though she seemed to be out of ear-shot.

'I think I have ghosts,' Lucy said, her voice barely above a whisper.

'Ghosts!' his voice was booming and Lucy cringed. 'No need to be embarrassed about ghosts, young lady.'



'Did I tell you the one about...hmmm. Maybe not now,' he glanced towards his grand-daughter. 'One day though maybe when you are older and there are no little ears to hear.  Now, tell me about your ghosts.'

So Lucy began, nervously at first because it was difficult for her to talk about such things, but her confidence grew as Maxwell listened to her carefully and didn't laugh or poke fun.

'The cat would be Mr Tibbs,' he said when she had finished. 'He will not hurt you and would be most offended if I tried to get rid of him.  The others...' 

He rubbed his chin in thought.  'I have never picked up any vibes while I have been at your house. It's not that I don't believe you,' he said hastily when he noticed her eyes welling up. 'I just think this might not be your usual run of the mill ghost haunting.'

Lucy bit her lip and waited.  Would he help?

'I tell you what,' he said at last. 'I will call in on you on my way home tonight and poke around a bit.'

Lucy felt as though a huge load had been moved from her shoulders. 

'I don't know if I can promise anything though,' he warned.

And, true to his word, Maxwell turned up on their doorstep just before they all turned in for the night.



Lucy still had not told her brothers of her concerns.  She almost died on the spot when she heard Maxwell mention her name in connection with ghosts,



but Raphael was being extra thick that night and thought he only wanted a ghost story.



Lucy rolled her eyes.

'I am sorry about that,' she said later when Maxwell was leaving. 'You must get enough of ghosts without hearing stories about them.'

Maxwell brushed it off with a shrug but then his expression grew serious.

'I picked up some unusual emanations here,' he said slowly, choosing his words carefully. 'I don't, however, think it is a job for me.'

He saw her stricken face and took her hand. 'Your skin,' he remarked thoughtfully, looking closely at her fingers. 'Is different from your brothers.'



Lucy felt the old rage boiling up.  'So?' she challenged, snatching her hand away. 

She couldn't believe it.  All her life she had fought the battles about her differences and now a blue man thought he could insult her as well.

She glared up at him but his expression wasn't mocking or cruel. In fact, he looked quite pleased.  It surprised her so much that the words of anger caught in her throat.

'I believe the true blood runs in your veins, Lucy.  It is time you visited Clothilda.'

[ApplesApplesApples]

Hmm! I wonder what that means? Raphael is such a dork.

[Figwit]

That cracked me up.  Sims are so silly.  Who would tell a ghost story to a ghostbuster but a sim.