CHAPTER 13: The Touchpaper

 

On a cool, Wednesday evening on a typical day on a typical week on a typical month in Sim City, Suzy Kent took a trip downtown to the Willow Creek Archive to do some research. She was angling for a promotion at "Hey, Wow" magazine and the way to do that was make sure her articles were better written, with a snappier style and eye-catching prose. She also needed the money as she wanted to renovate her drab little house into something more fab and with-it.


She asked the librarian whether they had any good books on writing.

"Well...." he began. "There's some basic writing books I could recommend but do you just want to improve your skills or do you want to excel at them? How good do you want to be?"

"Oh....well I guess I want to stand out. Be great at it" she replied.

"Then you'll need to check upstairs....that's where we keep the really good stuff!"

"Are you talking about books?"

"Of course I'm talking about books! What else could I be talking about? This is a library...not a hashish den!"

"Yes, sorry....upstairs. Any particular book?"

"How good do you want to be?" He peered into Suzy's eyes.

"The BEST!"

"Then you'll want Kenton Fabricant: The Best"

Suzy went upstairs to the library and looked up the book in the index cards. Walking over to the shelf where it was kept, she couldn't help but notice a book lying on the floor with a couple of pages lying loose and sticking out in it. She picked it up...it was called "The Wonderful World of Gardening" but it was the two loose pages that took her interest. She sat down and began to read them.

It has been observed... the pages began …that these beings live and walk among us. What their purpose is; unknown. Where do they come from; unknown. What do they want...also unknown. They form part of the Triangle of Power that exists with Sim City: The Visitors, The Fengs and The Landgraabs. The connection between The Visitors and the Landgraabs goes back at least a century, when Gregory Landgraab came into his mysterious fortune. The rumours that Nancy Landgraab controls all the criminal networks in Sim City still persist. She is opposed by Lily Feng, whose wealth comes from legitimate sources but her ambitions know no bounds. She is interested in making contact with the Visitors in order to....

And that's where the text on the pages ended. The rest of the book was about gardening. Who wrote those pages? What book were they originally from? Who left them here to be found...seemingly at random...by Suzy?

Shocked and stunned, Suzy left the library and mulled over what she had discovered. Was it all just nonsense, someone's idea of a joke? Or was it written by a crazy person; one of those who made a lot of noise about "government conspiracies" and who believed that the President had been shot by his own people?

As she got ready to head home, she bumped into Cassandra Goth. The Goths! They were an old, established family in Sim City. Maybe they knew what it all meant?

"Hi, Cassandra" said Suzy.

"Do I know you?" replied the rather gloomy girl.

"Suzy Kent...I interviewed you last week about your liking of black and grey as a fashion statement"

"That sounds like something I would say."

"Your family's been around here for a long time, haven't they?"

"Since the 19th century, when the city was founded although I can trace my family tree back to the early 18th."

"Does the name, The Visitors, mean anything to you?"

"I have heard it...I don't know who they are though"

"Or the Triangle of Power?"

"I heard someone mention that once....let me think....oh, it was Malcolm Landgraab"

"The son?"

"Yes...hmmm, don't you think he's dreamy?" Cassandra suddenly went weak at the knees thinking about him.

"I wouldn't know. Thank you, Cassandra, you've been a help"

Suzy began to think there may be something to these writings....

CHAPTER 12: A Little Gossip

 

"So you've actually met her?" asked Suzy Kent to her guest, Summer Holliday. They were talking about their neighbour and friend, Jeremy Saint.

"Oh yes...she seems nice and he seems very happy" replied Summer. "Did you....you know....ever see anything in Jeremy?"

Suzy tilted her head in thought for a moment. "Well, he's kind of cute...in a square kind of way" she said. "But I'm looking for a guy who's with it. Someone in with the in-crowd."

"Who goes where the in-crowd go?" replied Summer.

"Yeah, I could dig someone like that. What about you? Do you like Jeremy?"

Summer looked in to her coffee cup, trying to find the right thing to say. "Well......let's just say I'm keeping my options open. However, it looks like he's now with this Bianca so I may have missed my chance"

Meanwhile over at Crick Cabana...

"You're the best! You're a tiger! Grrrrr!" Jeremy Saint was practicing a motivational speech in his bathroom mirror. He'd just finished reading the book "How To Win Friends And Influence Sims" and was putting some of the lessons into practice.

He was making some progress when his alarm clock rang....time for work. He quickly spun into his business suit...shabby though it was...and rushed off to Dewey, Cheathem & Howe.

The day passed uneventfully and when he returned home he made himself some dinner....usually when he did that someone, usually a woman, would knock at his door, befriend him in public or otherwise try to distract him from eating. However, this time he ate without being bothered. It was only after dinner that the doorbell rang.

It was Travis. "Hey dude...I was looking for a specific book which I thought I had but didn't but I'm pretty sure you have a copy." he said.

"Sure, my bookshelf is in the study; first door on the right down there" replied Jeremy. "Hey, did Summer tell you about...." he was about to tell Travis about Bianca when there was another knock at the door. Jeremy abandoned his anecdote and answered the door; it was Zoe Patel standing outside.

"Hey there, Johnny" she said.

"Actually, it's Jeremy" he replied.

"Sure...that's what I said. Can I come in?"

Jeremy ushered her inside. Travis was still looking for the book.

"Yeah, all the guys were out this evening and I hate being in that house alone" explained Zoe.

"Who are 'the guys'?" asked Jeremy.

"Oh J, Gavin and Mitchell....my housemates"

"You share a house with 3 guys?" said Jeremy, incredulously.

"Oh sure, it's a totally groovy thing. Everyone's doing it; you know, you have friends you like to hang out with and you move in with them."

"I don't think my folks would like it if I lived with 3 girls" said Jeremy, shaking his head.

"You need to lighten up, Johnny...get with the times"

"Yeah..." said Travis, returning from the study. "Like I'm with Summer and Liberty and it's all natural, cool and without hang ups"

"Exactly!" said Zoe. "Looks like you could do with a woman's touch around here" she said, looking around at the drab furnishings.

Jeremy let out a disgruntled sigh. "Let's look for this book" he said, getting up and walking off to the study.

Zoe looked at Travis and mimed drawing a square with her fingers. Travis shrugged his shoulders. "He's cool, Zoe...but not in a modern way"

CHAPTER 11: So Is This A Date?

 

Jeremy Saint's hand hovered over the phone. "Shall I do it?" he thought. "I should...I should be brave, seize the day and call her. That's it! I'll just pick up the phone, call Bianca and set up a date!" He picked up the receiver and prepared to dial Bianca's number. Then he looked at the wall clock...6:32am. Too early. In fact, he hadn't bathed, dressed or had breakfast either. First things first and THEN courage, mon brave.

A little after 9am he phoned her but got one of those new-fangled answerphone messages. "Hi, this is Bianca, leave a message after the tone....BEEP"

"Erm...hi...this is Jeremy. Jeremy Saint. I was wondering if you...I mean, would you like to go....I mean, I'm free today, hope you're free today give me a call. Erm....bye" he hung up. He felt like a nerd who'd just blown his chance.

He couldn't afford to wait by the phone doing nothing so he got on with his study of logic. His textbook and guidebook to chess competed for his attention to the still, silent phone which sat there...motionless. Hour after hour he tried to concentrate when suddenly, at midday, it rang. Springing into action, Jeremy threw down his book, dived for the phone and picked it up in a neat barrel roll.

"Jeremy Saint here" he said, calmly.

"Hello, it's Bianca" came the reply. His heart leaped into his mouth.

"Oh, Bianca...nice to hear from you. Yes, I was wondering if you were free at any time....oh you are? Right now? Do I know the Rattlesnake Juice Bar? Oh yes, I go there all the time. In 20 minutes? Sure, I'll see you there"

He put the phone down and punched the air in delight, smashing the light bulb in the process. After sweeping up the broken glass and replacing the bulb he got out a street directory and looked up where the Rattlesnake Juice Bar actually was.

Within 20 minutes he was there and so was Bianca, as always, looking chic in blue. She smiled when she saw him approaching but that only made his heart beat faster. Trying to remain cool, he gave her a peck on the cheek and escorted her inside the bar.

"What can I get you?" asked Jeremy

"They do a fine Sweet n' Spicy here" replied Bianca

"Bartender...two Sweet n' Spicy's please"

As they waited for their drinks, Jeremy's mind went blank trying to think of converstation starters.

"Have you got a lot on with work?" asked Bianca

"Oh, the usual" said Jeremy, pondering the fact that work was pretty boring right now. "And you?"

"I'm still at secretarial school" she replied. She then went silent, and looked at her drink.

They made pitiful small talk as they sat and drank. Sometimes they looked like they found the ideal ice breaker only to have one of the bar regulars interject with a comment about a recent sports match or had anyone seen "Johnny" around. Suddenly Bianca stood up and began to walk off.

Jeremy leapt up out of his seat and walked quickly over to Bianca. "Look...sorry, I'm no good at small talk. I really like you, Bianca, and enjoy your company. I just don't have all the smooth things to say and...well....I'm a bit nervous."

Bianca giggled. "I was going to the bathroom. See you in a minute" she said.

"Oh...yes....I knew that"

Jeremy flopped on to a couch on the other side of the bar and waited. Would she return? He'd heard about women who would make an excuse to go to the bathroom and then leave the bar altogether just to get away from a guy they weren't hot on. He twiddled his thumbs and matters weren't made any easier by another woman sitting next to him, asking him continually for the time.

"I'm back" Bianca stood before him. Jeremy shuffled over on the couch and made room for her to sit next to him. "Would you?...." he asked. She smiled and sat next to him.

"One question I want to ask you, Bianca" said Jeremy, boldened by her presence and that she'd returned to hang out with him.

"What is it?" she replied.

"Why me? Why did you knock on my door that night? The first time?"

"Don't you want a little mystery in your life, Jeremy?" she smiled, coquettishly.

"When it comes packaged like you, I don't mind at all" he replied.

The bar was filling up and they found it difficult to speak to each other without interruption or the close proximity of the other bar patrons.

"It's a lovely afternoon out there, care to join me?" said Jeremy, standing up and offering his hand. Bianca took it and stood up.

"I'd love to" she said.

They stepped out of the bar and went down to the waterfront. The sun was beginning to set, creating a warm, romantic feel to the afternoon. They sat on a bench and there was hardly a soul around. Jeremy whispered a joke in Bianca's ear, she laughed and whispered one back.

Things were going well until a loud sound of a woman's voice could be heard, shattering the mood.

"Jeremy! Wow, it's fab seeing you here!" It was Summer Holiday waving and calling to him. "Excuse me" he said to Bianca. "It's my next door neighbour".

He got up and walked over to Summer.

"Hey, is that HER? Travis told me you liked this girl....she's lovely. Oh is she a keeper? Is she? Is she? Can I meet her? Hey, you must invite her over to our house and we can all meet her! We'll invite Suzy as well!" Summer, as was her wont, couldn't stop talking and bouncing as she spoke.

"Look...it's kind of a first date, Summer" said Jeremy, awkwardly.

"Oh, I get it! I'll leave you...." she gave a little wave to Bianca, who waved back. "Oh she's adorable and with great hair as well!" She dug her elbow into Jeremy's side and winked before leaving.

"Sorry about that" said Jeremy, walking over to Bianca. "Where were we?"

Bianca stood up and took his hand. "Let's go for a stroll, shall we?" she said.

They walked up and down the promenade, looking out over the water. They said little, but they didn't need to. This was a shared moment of two people enjoying the mere presence of each other.

Finally, they ended up going back to Foundry Cove and Jeremy found himself outside his home. "Shall I walk you home?" he said.

"I'm good, thanks" she said. "I really enjoyed today". Their eyes did not break contact but they were drawn magnetically towards each other. With their faces merely inches apart they leant inwards and........hugged.