Romancing the Apocalypse Chapter 1 – Hopelessness (Eileen faces hopelessness in a brief chapter designed to complete the circle started at University)

Welcome back to Romancing the Apocalypse! This is where the real challenge begins as Eileen Jones tries to lift hopelessness while observing all sorts of harsh restrictions.

(01/05/2008)

Hi, everybody...I've just arrived at Lorin's brand new Mountain Challenge 'hood. And I know, the shirt is a little over-the-top.

Well, I asked for it, and I got it! This is White Radiance, the newest of Nemo's safehouses. I especially like the floating first level, perfect for the grill and other items that need to be covered and off the ground. And it's got a Jetsims-meets-the-Apocalypse feel.

The inside is light and spacious, but the bathroom's pretty grody.

What to do, what to do? No paper arrived today, so I can't find a job until tomorrow.

I only threw the stick for this guy once before I heard what I'd been so anxiously waiting for...I think the welcome wagon has arrived!

"Hello-o-o in there..."

Omigosh, it's Little Nemo himself to welcome me! I was thrilled when my hair got stuck in his helmet.

"So Nemo, may I call you that?, doesn't it get a little lonely in there?"

"My girlfriend in Riverblossom Hills can't get enough of this getup. Besides, I'm known as the king stringpuller for outings and best friends."

"I made 21 best friends while I was at college!"

"Chump change...try 130." eep

I played hostess as best I could with my daily rations.

This is Kathi aka Dellyo, my neighbor down the street. "Not bad, huh Kathi?" "That's what all you new arrivals say, just wait 'til they start coming out your ears."

Kathi: "It's too bad we can't have dessert, like a cookie or a cupcake." ;)

Nemo: "This is what I think of Pinstar and his Culinary rules. I want a cupcake!" Kathi: "Nemo!"

"What? Kathi did it."

Kathi: *sobs* "I thought you had ten Nice points! What if Pinstar finds out? We'll be gonners for sure." Nemo: "We're in the middle of nowhere. How's he gonna find out?"

Kathi: We're toast. Pinstar: "Are you guys trying to pull a fast one? I better not catch you eating anything but those hotdogs I saw you flipping, got it?" Kathi and I spluttered assurances that we'd be good. Nemo of course was nowhere to be found. Ten Nice points, hah!

I finally tracked him down, and for the gajillionth time that evening I gossiped with him. After all, I'd learned from the master.

Nemo: "Please, enough with the Toby story! Can we change the subject?"

"Okay, how 'bout we talk about you?" Nemo: "Now you're talkin'!"

The next day was Tuesday, and I couldn't believe my luck when Science came up first. I scanned for other listings related to my Political Science major: Politics, Military, Law, and Show Business. Nothing.

But the best thing was I could invite my honey over!

I couldn't believe he was actually here! It seemed so much longer than just two days since I last saw him.

"You know, Sullivan, we've had so many good times together, but I really don't know that much about you." "Well, let me see...I'm a Sagittarius 2/3/9/7/4, Knowledge, and my dream is to become a Hall of Famer." "Uh, I don't know about that last thing..." "It's okay, I'm just sharing, right?"

"And the stinkier you are, the better." "Ew! I guess that won't be a problem around here."

"I'm not into buff, I much prefer cuddly." "That's so sweet, but not gonna happen." I showed him my finger...it was still sore from yoga.

"Hmmm, I can't decide if I want a skill point or to kiss you." "Can I choose for you?"

"And I couldn't bear it if you left me." "Awww, c'mere."

"Grilling over, baby. Time for work."

I tried to befriend Wanda Tinker by playing Catch. She only knew Drop.

I was moving quickly up the Science career ladder. Ironically, it required the only three skills I didn't have maxed, but I was still way ahead in those skills for the promotions.

Kathi was right about the hotdogs, but I did set up a nice eating area to enjoy the view.

I was pretty good at spongebathing on my own, but sometimes I was locked in to give me a little nudge.

Another Tuesday arrived, and I finally got to see Katherine. Katherine: "Nice car. Wow, this place is pretty impressive, Eileen."

Katherine caught me up on all the latest gossip. It wasn't until a couple of hours later that I noticed Sullivan was missing.

"Yo Sullivan! Will you quit playing with the freaking dog and play with us instead?!"

That evening the Apocalypse didn't exist for me. My world was my honey and good friends.

Reality came back as the evening wound down. "I've tried and tried to get through to you, Eileen, but the lines are always jammed." "I know it's hard to stay close when we can only talk once a week. Just don't give up on me, okay?"

We were trying to be optimistic, but neither one of us really knew what the future had in store for us. So what could we do but hold on as tight as possible?

After the evening with my friends, I was primed for another promotion.

The day before I expected to become a Mad Scientist, a Show Business job was the third one listed in the paper. This was what I had wanted to do all along, but I knew the timing wasn't good, and it was the most difficult choice I've ever had to make. Rationally I knew that Science would give me and my family a chance at eternal youth. But I felt in my heart, what quality of life would it be for us? Years of being hungry, stinky, isolated from each other by meditating just to survive, and the threat of the social worker always over our heads? I would have lived that way if the opportunity for a different kind of existence hadn't presented itself, but it had. Being true to myself meant enjoying my time with the people I love. My heart won out, and I quit Science.

For the only time in my life, meditating became my norm, but there wasn't much for me to do anyway. Most worrisome was with phones available only on Tuesdays, I was losing at least one friend a day.

At first, panic over my decision almost got the better of me. But I had no problem getting promotions, and one time I got promoted twice in one day using my car.

Tueday rolled around again and I had another get-together, this time with my Secret Society friend Jacqueline.

I always invited Sullivan so he'd be good and ready to move in when the time came. This Tuesday though I couldn't throw myself into the fun as much as I wanted to. I had to call some of my friends who were getting frustrated with me from lack of attention.

As bad as a visit from the burglar was, I felt fortunate he came by only once. But he took my poor car! By this time I had over 50,000 simoleans in the bank and I was able to replace the car almost immediately, but I missed my car!

I had to resort to snagging walk-bys for new friends, and Brandi was more than cooperative. In fact, she practically begged me to let her help me out.

Yes!, I was an Icon! Life for us would not be easy, but it would be a good life, thanks to outings and dates.

I was three days from becoming an elder, and I drank that entire bottle of elixer. Creator's note: Eileen lost an entire week of her time with Sullivan when she lost three friends on Monday and missed that final promotion by one friend. She had to work on Tuesday from 10am until 5pm, then spent the next seven hours calling friends and inviting a few best friends over. She had one extra friend to spare, and I hoped they'd last through her Wednesday off and Thursday at work. She did lose that one spare friend on Thursday, but she squeaked by and got the promotion.

The thought of waiting so long to call Sullivan was unbearable to me, so I chose to meditate four days of my life away, from Thursday night through the following Tuesday morning.

At one minute past noon, I called my honey. Life was hopeless no longer.

"You did it, Ei! You're a vision, I've never seen anything so beautiful."

At last we were living in the moment we had both waited so long for.

And just like he promised, he brought us back to me.