Chapter 1.44

Chapter 1.44- Zebra Striped Lobster Tails

            The night before the twins age-up sees Layla again coming home late. Picking her way through the yard, trying not to step on anyone’s snow angel or knock over the small army of snowmen littering the yard Layla had looked over her shoulder to see something rather strange hovering over the street.

            It was like a small, concentrated, sparkling aurora. The lights were so pretty! Dancing and flashing just for her. It made her feel happy. And light. And just a little bit sleepy.

            When the lights suddenly extinguished revealing a, is that a spaceship? Layla’s legs are nearly numb from the cold. She probably wouldn’t have run anyway. What was that? It almost looked like a video game controller. Only it was spinning, and glowing…

            Numb legs or no why is she feeling weightless? She doesn’t like this. And wait? Why is she glowing? Or is that glow coming from… $#!+

            Finally realizing what is going on and getting her brain to respond Layla starts running as fast as she can. She’s a track star, she should be able to outrun this, right?

            Well, all her running skills might have worked with her feet on the ground. But as it is, naw.

            Legs suddenly behind her, top half falling forward Layla threw out her arms, trying to brace for the impact living with gravity has taught her expect. But the fall doesn’t come. Instead the ground is falling away from her.

            Reaching, clawing the air, screaming for her Daddy, kicking, Layla desperately tries to make it stop. But she’s still rising. And suddenly very sleepy, Layla blinks and everything goes fuzzy.

            With a flash the spaceship streaks away into the night. You’d think it would be gone for hours. But just moments later:

            The ship reappears, this time seeming to park on the street outside the Sixkillers’ home.

            It’s a tiny thing really. With spinning arms that Layla can only later describe to her skeptical listeners as “Zebra striped lobster tails” and cool blue lighting the color of Luke Simwalkers original Light Saber (Before George Simcas “fixed” it) tracing along its contours. Inside a dome perched on top, a smooth skinned green alien sits punching buttons with a flash of limbs and without an expression on its taut features.

            Another blinding flash and Layla is standing on the sidewalk directly next to the strange vehicle. Eyes closed to block out anything else unpleasant Layla’s only formed opinion is that aliens suck. Like really suck. Big hairy balls suck.

            Opening her eyes a shocking sight sits in front of her. The alien is still there, finger flying as it calmly pushes button after button on the control panel. A sudden whirring noise is the only warning Layla gets that it might soon shock her even more while taking off as she watches.

            Just as things begin spinning, flashing, and rising Layla’s eyes find a focus. One that will haunt her dreams forever.

            Yeah. That’s how it feels.

            And Layla runs inside hoping to never ever have to relive this birthday gift from the stars again.

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            Heart hammering in absolute happiness Galen looks around with elation. At his demand he’s getting the first ever birthday party the Sixkillers have ever thrown.

            At Layla’s demand, it is for him only.

            There’s probably never been so many people in the living room at one time. But the one person Galen wanted to be in the crowd isn’t here yet. Arden is graduating today, right now in fact, and was very upset that Galen wouldn’t be there. But Helen had already sent out invites and didn’t want to change the time and it wouldn’t be a party without him there.

            As it was, Arden was going to be doubly pissed off that her older brother Jack had blown off her graduation to be here and gawk at the Photography legend Helen had become.

            There are so many things Galen wishes for as he prepares to blow out his candles, but none so much as his wish for Arden to be able to come soon. He thinks today will be the day he officially proposes. It’s the only thing he’ll probably ever be able to surprise her about. She had decided that he would propose as soon as he graduated.

            A cold rush of air announces a latecomer. Galen looks over excitedly hoping it’s Arden. Instead it’s her brother Thorne. But if Thorne is here, surely Arden will be here soon?

            Sparkles!

            Looking up from his survey of himself Galen’s heart leaps as Layla’s stomach sinks. Arden is here.

            Marching past Helen, Galen, and Layla all, Arden gets right up in front of Buck.

            “You must be Buck,” Arden introduces herself. “Cute. We’ll be great friends, I’m sure. Look! I’ve brought Salmon!”

            Buck ignores the Stepford twin be with a roll of his eyes. Galen is about to cut the cake!

            Setting down her plate on the table Arden looks over her shoulder. Sha Sha Black. Ick. Steeling herself to deal with the “rabble” in the house she turns to watch the proceedings.

            “Hi, Helen!” Arden chirps loud enough to be hear across the room. “I’m your future daughter in law. Arden!”

            Galen actually has to take a minute after this. Slowly blinking hoping Arden doesn’t pull this on Layla. They know who Arden is. And just because they’ve never met her it's not like he hasn't talked about her plenty or shown them pictures.

            To his relief Arden behaves very well as everyone has cake and visits the buffet Helen insisted be set out. But she begins her pompous act the moment cake has been cleared, grabbing Galen’s arm and announcing that everyone can dance now. Leading Galen to the center of the room she puts on an overly bright smile making small talk.

            “That loner Lau got Valedictorian for my class. It should have gone to me.” She’s still smiling, but her voice would make babies cry. “And I thought you said your dad was in good health? He’s awfully old isn’t he?”

            Glancing at his dad Arden gasps as Buck doubles up, whimpering about death always visiting when there is a large gathering of sims.

            “Is he okay?” Arden is truly alarmed.

            “Oh,” Galen tries to dismiss his Dad’s odd behavior. “That’s normal. Really, really normal. I swear. He does that all the time about all kinds of things. He even had a phase where he was terrified of Mom because she looked older than he thought she should have.”

            “Well, so long as you’re sure. But it’s just confirmation. Aren’t you glad we’re sticking around to help them out as they get old and senile?”

            “I’m very glad we’re staying here to take care of them.”

            “Here? In town.”

            “Yes. Yes, and No,” Galen gulps in air for a moment. He really hadn’t wanted to tell her his plans right now. “We’re still going to be in town. And we’re going to be in this house with my parents. I want to stay here. With them.”

            Arden’s smile is long gone, her eyes flashing warning signs for the room to see.

            “Really?”

            “Yes, Arden. At least, I’m going to stay here. You can stay or you can go. It’s your choice.”

            Strangely, Galen feels good about saying that. He’d expected to melt into a puddle of goo after making such a declaration to Arden, like maybe her eyes would turn into lasers and she’d melt him for daring to have an opinion of his own, but he’s still standing.

            Arden surprises him still further when she lapses into silence for several songs. Usually she is the first one to assert her right to her own way, but she hasn’t yet.

            

            Just as Galen is starting to feel like he put that little ring in his pocket for nothing a small smile brightens Arden’s face.

            Nodding in time to the music Arden takes a deep breath.

            “Ok,” her voice small and almost meek. “Ok. If that’s what you want, then we’ll live here. But only if I can redecorate the house.”

            His heart flying on newly grown wings the ring in Galen’s pocket starts to sing to him. It’s time.

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            Layla will have a birthday next time. And before anyone says anything about a cliff hanger, we’re not going to see the proposal. Just know it happened. I’ll let you know the outcome next time though. At about the point he was going to propose I needed to focus on Layla who was aging up in another part of the house and couldn’t be in two places at once. As soon as human cloning is viable though, I’ll give the whole two places at once thing a whirl though. Lol.

            As to the abduction the chapter started with, that was my first one ever in game. I had just cleared a haphazard path through the mess of fun Helen, Buck and Galen had unattended in the yard when she got the action “Investigate Strange Anomaly”. Since she goes around collecting anything she can lay her hands on she’s picked up a ton of space rocks which makes your chances of abduction higher. So now it’s happened I’m off to go and get a mod to make it not happen again. But as it was the first, and will now be the only time it happens, I showed it.
            And finally, I've abandoned the use of birthdays in story. I'm using the gamer-esque age-up instead. Seasons totally borked sim"birthday"'s in my brain. And my brain is fried enough on it's own thank you.

Onward!