A Big Chill

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A Big Chill

Post by contrarysims »

I.

After finally being released from their final exam, Blanca Galatea and her best friend Abigail Iscariot reconvened at the university courtyard to decompress. It was a balmy Summer evening with dusk just beginning to close around them, and the incessant droning call of the cicadas invaded their ears. After the usual discussion of gruelling exam questions and expected results, the conversation turned to what on earth they will do with all the free time that now stretched before them.

Blanca spied a familiar figure moving through a crowd of students. “Elliott?” she called out suddenly, startling Abigail. “Is that you?”

The redheaded gentleman looked over to them. It was indeed Blanca’s cousin, Elliott Thespian, whom she had not seen for several years. It happened that he was invited to the university as a guest lecturer for a class on ethics in business, and had enjoyed his time in Billa Billa so much that he was looking at real estate nearby. Abigail was instantly charmed, and was very happy to hear that he might be staying in town. She definitely wouldn't mind running into him again!

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He mentioned that there had been unseasonable snowfall at his family's holiday home in the Antipodean Alps. When Abigail admitted that she had never seen snow, he kindly offered them the use of the luxurious chalet for a weekend trip.

“Imagine!” Abigail gasped. “Being able to have a white Christmas in the middle of summer?"

Once they were back at their apartment building, Abigail spent the rest of the evening gushing about how generous and handsome and refined Elliott was. Blanca was bemused by this reaction to her cousin, and was tempted to describe how refined he had been when running through the sprinklers in his undies at family barbeques when they were kids. She also wondered at how Abigail seemed to be forgetting that she already had a steady boyfriend.

Abigail huffed defensively at the reminder. “I’m just saying that it was very generous of him to make such an offer! Can’t I be thankful about a kind gesture?"

“Mhmm,” replied Blanca, with a smirk.
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Re: A Big Chill

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II.

The following weekend Blanca, Abigail, and Abigail’s twin sister Rebecca arrived at the chalet. Their spirits were high as they explored their accomodations.

It wasn’t long before the boys arrived. Abigail’s boyfriend Brumby burst through the grand double doors, wooping with excitement. His housemate Oscar followed closely behind, laughing.

“Never fear, my fine friends,” bellowed Brumby. “I have arrived. Now we can get this party started!”

Abigail rolled her eyes at her boyfriend and turned away. She was very impressed by the beautiful house and lingered, admiring every detail and cooing over the family photos in the hall. “Elliott has such incredible taste!” she declared, brushing off Blanca’s correction that her aunt, Elliot’s mother, likely chose the decorating scheme.

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If Brumby was aware of his girlfriend's behaviour, he betrayed no sign of noticing. He and Oscar made a beeline for the bar. As Oscar mixed some dubious looking concoctions with the various liquors stored under the bar, Brumby began grilling his friend about his relationship with the lovely Miss Galatea. There had been sparks flying between the two for some time.

“Mate, what are you waiting for? I’m tired of looking at you mooning over her. Ask the girl out, already!”

“Keep your voice down!” hissed Oscar, anxiously glancing toward the doorway. "I don’t want to move things too fast with her, she’s been getting over that broken engagement..”

Brumby snorted derisively. “That was yonks ago. I’m sure she’s more over it than you are! You better get a move on, or some other bloke will. You’ve got her to yourself this weekend. Perfect time, perfect place.”

Perhaps Brumby was right, this weekend might be an ideal time to get something more serious going with the two of them.


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--


After a generous dose of liquid courage, Oscar found Blanca outside admiring the view from the deck. He waved goofily as he approached, and immediately felt foolish. Blanca smiled in acknowledgement, and turned back to lean against the railing. They stood wordlessly for a time, staring at the white blanketed landscape, each waiting for the other to break the silence.

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“I forgot how beautiful this place was,” said Blanca finally. “I haven’t been here for such a long time.”

Oscar desperately wanted to reply, but found himself unexpectedly struck dumb. He could only stare at what a pretty picture she made standing below strings of fairy lights, her red hair shining against the blindingly white snow.

“Come on,” she said, taking his hand. “Let’s get back inside to the others.”

Another perfect opportunity blown, Oscar scolded himself.


---

To be continued. :)
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Re: A Big Chill

Post by telemwill »

Very intriguing start. Looking forward to reading more!

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Re: A Big Chill

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III.

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As the night wore on, Abigail and Rebecca got comfortable on the sheepskin rug in front of the roaring fire, glasses of bubbly in hand. They were pleased at the chance to catch up. Despite sharing a flat, Abigail felt she barely saw her twin sister. When they were children they had been inseparable, as twins so often are, but recently life had been ushering them ever further apart. It had become especially difficult since Rebecca had begun her cadetship program with the Police Force - a decision that shocked their mother.

While Rebecca seemed confident with her chosen direction, Abigail felt that she was still floundering, with no idea of what she wanted in life. She felt as though she should have more ambition. It was the 60s and new opportunities were appearing for young women who demanded them, according to her sister. But Abigail wasn't smart like Blanca, or brave like Rebecca. What if she was only cut out to be a housewife, just as their mother was?

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"Becs, I feel as though I am wasting my time studying," she admitted. "What if I just kept at this modelling lark?"

"Modelling work won't last forever," said the ever sensible Rebecca.

"Does anything ever last forever, though?" Abigail gazed wistfully into the dancing flames.

Rebecca laughed. "That's very existential of you. Why aren't you studying philosophy?"

Suddenly their ears were assaulted as Brumby began strumming noisily on a guitar and crooning rather tunelessly behind them.

"Ugh! Brummy, is that truly necessary? Can't we just put a record on? There must be some nice jazz or something we can listen to!"

"Oh, yes. It is most certainly necessary! The world must know of my extraordinary talents!" Brumby declared with a flourish.

"Well, at least tune the bloody guitar!" Abigail snapped.

Tune the guitar? Come now, would Elliott Thespian leave an untuned guitar lying around?"

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Before Abigail could respond, her sister nudged her and gestured to the pair wrapped up on the couch behind them. Abigail turned in time to see Oscar and Blanca share a brief kiss.

"Thank Christ for that. Those hapless idiots were giving me the pip."

The twins yelped in alarm as a carefully aimed cushion came flying at their heads.


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Re: A Big Chill

Post by contrarysims »

Note: some mild cursing in this part.

***

IV.

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"Rise and shine, girls!" Blanca sang cheerfully as she swept into Rebecca and Abigail's room . "It's our last morning here. I've made breakfast."

"I'm up, I'm up!" Rebecca protested, yawning widely. "You're awful cheerful this morning, Bee."

"Awful is right," Abigail croaked from the bed. "Should be illegal." She attempted to sit upright, clutched her head in pain and fell back onto the pillows, moaning.

"Aw," tutted Blanca. "You had a few too many last night, huh?"

“I can barely remember a thing about last night. I think… I think I fought with Brumby?"

"Yes," said Rebecca.

"We heard you," admitted Blanca.

"I don't even remember what we argued about."

Rebecca shrugged. "Something nonsensical. I couldn’t make heads or tails of it.”

“Are you done with Brumby, Abbie?” Blanca asked.

“What? Of course not. Urrgh, don’t ask me stupid questions right now, I'm in agony," Abigail wailed.

The door was suddenly thrown open again. Abigail yelped, pulling the doona up to her chin. "Oscar! I beg your pardon!"

Oscar paused in surprise. "Oh. Sorry, Abbie. Has anyone seen Brumby?”

“Er, no,” said Rebecca. “Hasn’t he been with you?”

“Yes. No. Well, I don’t know. We were up late drinking, and I don’t really remember if he came up to bed. Anyway, he’s not here now.” Oscar was looking a little frantic.

“Calm down, Ozzie, He has to be here somewhere,” said Blanca, soothingly. “He can’t have gone far. After all, there’s nowhere to go.” She gestured to the snow falling outside.

Oscar looked out of the window in alarm.

“Oh, he wouldn’t have,” said Blanca. “He’d have gone mad.”

“He wouldn’t have far to go,” came Abigail’s voice, muffled under a pile of blankets.

Oscar tuned on his heel and went thundering out of the girl's bedroom and down the stairs. After a few minutes they heard him call up to them in alarm that Brumby's coat and boots were missing.

"Why on earth would he go out in the snow at the arsecrack of dawn? Unless he's been out there all night... He was completely turpsed last night, he could have frozen to death by now!" Oscar was appearing increasingly unhinged, and Abigail, having dragged herself out of bed, was swaying slightly, looking anxious.

Rebecca began to pull on her own coat and boots. "Let's go then, we'll find him," she said, putting a hand on Oscar's arm to steady him. "He really can't have gone far."

"No, uhh.. you stay," Oscar stammered, trying for a show of machismo that he wasn't quite convincing. "I'll go." But Rebecca refused to be left behind, and the two police cadets set off in search of their friend. Blanca had helpfully uncovered some torches and an emergency radio in case they lost their way.

The pair walked quietly for a time, heading for high ground, where they hoped they might be able to spot some sign of their friend. However, as Oscar looked out across the landscape below him, he could see nothing but blinding white, and the subtle shadows of the snow shrouded pine trees.
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"Bugger," he sighed. "Let's keep moving."

The silence was eerie. Oscar felt as though the whole world had died and they were walking through a void. He though that perhaps he didn't care much for snow.

"I'm worried about him," he said, after another long pause

"I know. But I'm sure we'll find him. It'll be ok," said Rebecca.

"No... I mean... He hasn't been himself lately, he's... I think he's been really beating himself up since his Dad died."

"He seems to be pretty happy, mostly."

"Yeah, he does seem it, doesn't he. But I don't buy it."

Suddenly, Rebecca pointed ahead of them "There!"

On the ground, slumped against a tree, was Brumby. They rushed over to him, and found that he was still alive but barely conscious, no doubt from a heady combination of cold, exhaustion and drunkeness. They dragged him back to the house, not wanting to imagine what may have been if they'd taken any longer to find him.


***

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Several hours later, with everyone warm and safe, they were finally able to sit down for a very late breakfast. However, it seemed to Blanca as though a chill remained over the group. After an initially tearful reunion with her boyfriend, Abigail now refused to meet his eye or speak a word, and no one else had much to say either. Rebecca's mood was entirely impossible to read. Blanca reached for Oscar's hand across the table to reassure him, as his face still showed his anguish.

"We should clear up here and head straight home," she suggested. There were no objections.

"Let's get the hell out of here," Abigail agreed.
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Re: A Big Chill

Post by contrarysims »

Epilogue.

2 months later

***

Oscar wasn't sure what time it was when he arrived back at the flat he shared with Brumby. He'd lost track of time. But he did know that he was very annoyed at his flatmate at that moment.

It was Brumby that had convinced him to go out that night, and yet he hadn't shown up himself. For hours Oscar had sat by himself at the bar like a dag on a rock, throwing back pint after pint, with no sign of his unreliable friend.

"I've had it up to here with him," Oscar thought to himself as he let himself inside. "Gonna give him a piece of my mind..."

From upstairs he heard rock n roll playing at full volume. Great, so on top of his hangover, he'd be dealing with complaints from the neighbours tomorrow.

"Brumby!" he called as he stomped up the stairs. "Where the bloody hell were you tonight, you lousy--"

He stopped short in shock as he entered Brumby's room and saw the glowing bronze orb, floating dolefully a foot above the floor. The orb showed two masks, one outwardly joyful, and one shadowed and sorrowful. Brumby was gone, leaving only this clue to the sadness he never admitted to anyone, even himself.


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***



Sorry for a sad ending to this story - for now. I might continue it in another series if anyone is interested in more. It might be from the perspective of some different sims in my town, though.
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Re: A Big Chill

Post by SKatF »

Well, yes. How did Abigail take it, for example?
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Re: A Big Chill

Post by ErinPW »

I enjoyed reading your story! Looking forward to see more :)
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Re: A Big Chill

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SKatF wrote: 22 Jan 2018, 06:31 Well, yes. How did Abigail take it, for example?
Yeah, I'll definitely have to address Abigail's reaction somehow, even if I switch to someone else's perspective.

At the very least I can confirm that she didn't take it very well! :cry:
ErinPW wrote: 22 Jan 2018, 08:21 I enjoyed reading your story! Looking forward to see more :)
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I'll post some more story soon enough, but might take some detours from this particular plot... we'll see.
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