Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Starlight Shore had appealed to Bramble for two reasons: the main being that it was the furthest kingdom from Riverview and the second being its king was one of two kingdoms that did not enslave the Vestige. The other kingdom that allowed Vestiges to have their freedom was Bridgeport but Bramble did not much care for the party life style the citizens there often lead.

It was her first day in Starlight Shores and Bramble knew she should not spend it brooding over the past. Head held high, Bramble headed into the small house she would call home for now. Of course, she hadn’t purchased the house happily referred to as home. No, she had less than a hundred simoleons left to her name. The small home she was currently residing in was a simply a modest foreclosure – 684 Vista Blvd. She had stumbled upon it just that morning after wondering out of the nearby mountainous forests. She hadn’t been inside yet, but even if it was completely barren she was sure it would be an improvement from her usual habit of sleeping on the dirt in the rain. Which meant she had actually been sleeping in mud and pine needles.

Reaching out a nervous hand, she slowly opened the door and peered inside. Scanning the room from left to right, she let out a breath of relief when the rooms were pitch black and no sound resonated from inside. The coast was clear. Carefully taking a step into the house, she groped around in the darkness for a light switch.  Up. Down. Left. There. She flipped it up but was let down when no light filled the room. The electricity must have been shut off. A small frown graced her lips. She really shouldn’t have expected anything else. Squinting her eyes, Bramble walked over to the nearest window and began rubbing circles through the dust that had settled like a thick blanket over the glass. Replicating the action at a few more windows allowed enough sunlight through to see.

The first thing she noticed was that there was furniture. Always a good thing. A sofa had been left behind as had a refrigerator. No stove, she noted.  There was also a bed, though it looked cheap. The second was that it was clean. Dusty but clean. Briskly walking over to the last room, which she assumed was the bathroom, she almost squealed when she saw that there was a shower and sink installed. Her pace increased as she hurried to the sink and turned the facet on. She heard a creak and then silence, “The water too?”

This fact didn’t bother her as much as it might the normal Sim. The last two months of camping in the wild of several different kingdoms had prepared her for any hardships this huge plot of land could throw at her – and that’s not even mentioning the five years of slavery. No, she was already use to relying on wild game and resourcefulness in order to obtain the nutrients she needed to survive.  Plus, she thought idly, there were those beautiful lakes not even an hour walk away. She was certain she’d be able to bathe there at night and confident in her ability to catch a fish or two. Camp fires were also a breeze. Yes, she was certain she’d manage here just fine. She quickly decided that it would be best to test her own plan. Turning on her heels, she headed out the door of her new home and headed down to Buckshot Lake.

--------~*~-------

Oh, she had been about right. The lake was only about an hour walk. With fishing pole in hand, she chewed her bottom lip.

 There was only one more thing she needed to accomplish before she could truly settle down - a source of income. Oh, and perhaps a friend or two. She pursed her lips as she stared down the length of her fishing rod. She had been finishing for the last hour with no catch to show for her effort. She roughly knew her way around town – she had just arrived in Starlight Shores a week ago and had taken to exploring the town during the day while prowling the forest at night. Her only purchase during this period had been proper sets of clothing – which is where most of the original money she saved up had gone to. Perhaps she could spare just a few more simoleons on a tiny lunch before hunting for a part-time job somewhere else. In agreement, her stomach growled. Oh, yes. That sounded like a wonderful idea.

--------~*~-------

Bramble had only been walking around the downtown area of Starlight Shores for a few minute before a sign caught her eye. Residing on the window of a bookstore, the sign declared the establishment was looking for part-time help. Perfect. She entered the store with such a confident stride that she was almost worried the owners might think she was stuck up. Instead of meeting the owners, however, she was greeted by a teenager resting in a plush black chair. He was probably fifteen – the age she had been when she had been kidnapped from her parents. Or perhaps given away. She wasn’t sure which.

Instinctively, she rubbed her left wrist where her spark was hidden behind a barrage of bracelets. Her spark wasn’t like most Vestiges’. It did not twinkle brightly, glow or give off light of any kind. It also did not radiate heat. No, it was simply a dull, dark colored spot that could have easily passed for a birthmark. It looked just like every other Sims’ idle spark – she wouldn’t look ignited to anyone’s naked eye. 

“Uhhhh, can I help you?”

Bramble head jerked up and out of her train of thought at the teen’s voice. She had completely spaced out, “Yes, actually, I wanted to see if I could apply for that job advertised?” It came out more like a question than she had meant it to.

“Why do you want a lousy job like this?” His blonde brow arched as he took in her posture. He seemed to be evaluating her for some reason.

“Well, I just moved here and I need some sort of income….”

“Then apply at the local hospital. They’re hiring. Much better pay.” He had turned his dark eyes back to the book he was reading.

“No, thank you. That was very considerate of you but I, I don’t want to.” Bramble stumbled over her own words. Oh, this was not going how she planned.

This seemed to confuse the boy, “Why not? What could you possibly get out of this joint that you couldn’t at the hospital?”

Oh, she didn’t know how to explain without giving too much away. The truth was she didn’t want a full time job at all. She was just settling in, just got away from a life where she could never enjoy anything. She didn’t want to feel confined by anything – not even a career. She wanted to live. She knew she couldn’t say that though, it would cause too many questions, “I hate hospitals. The smell and all,” She said breezily, “can I have an application please?”

The boy shrugged, “I’m not here to question you. Here,” He handed her a piece of paper and a pen, “you can fill it out here if you prefer. I’ll give it to my father later – he owns this place.”

“Oh! Um, thank you very much. I’m Bramble, by the way. Bramble Snoww.”

“Chance Dowling”

“Thank you, Chance. I hope I see you again soon.” She called over her shoulder.

  Outside the shop, Bramble glanced left and right for traffic only to be she stopped dead in her tracks. There was a tanned skinned man standing across the street. As he stood there, waiting for a taxi she assumed, she couldn’t take her eyes off of him. His hair was sun-bleached dozens of different shades of blonde and his eyes. She was sure they would swallow her whole if they were ever to meet hers directly.  Bramble had never been so stricken at the sight of a man before, it was quite unsettling. Surely, it must be her nerves. She wasn’t one to swoon over guys - especially not ones she didn’t even know.  The cab pulled up and as he climbed inside the vehicle their eyes met for an instant. Then he was gone.

She could have sworn she saw the slightest hint of a smile on his lips.