Stories ]

Great Bear 1: The Rakenface Sisters and Bert Labum

"Established in 1880, the town of Great Bear lies along the Lazy Elk River, in the heart of a rugged, forested wilderness at an altitude of 4,012 feet. Over the years, Great Bear has become a popular base for hikers and walkers as a gateway to the surrounding wilderness. So, enjoy the fragrant, pine-fresh mountain air...what happens next is up to you."

The brochure looked great to the Rakenface McDark sisters.

Trippy was uneasy at their father living nearby. If it became known who he was, her political career would be over.

Jelly wanted to try something new. "Once you've been an astronaut, there's nowhere else to go."

The girls decided they liked it so much here that they would stay. Trippy was offered the post of temporary Mayor and loved it. She liked being a big fish in a little pond.

Her first important task was to organise the rebuilding of the Town Hall.

After some reflection, Jelly decided to follow in their father's footsteps and join the Criminal career. She would like to be a Master Thief.

Her father had warned Jelly that he had heard Hannibal Lecter was also moving to Great Bear. "Might be someone to watch out for. He's very clever, dangerously so. Keep your distance."

In fact, the Great Bear police thought so too. No sooner had Hannibal moved into town than he was hauled off to jail. But with only suspicions and no proof of any actual wrong-doing in this town, nor no extradition treaty with anywhere else (which was why he had come here in the first place) the police couldn't hold him long. He settled into a little house with his four cats after arranging with a neighbour that they would keep an eye on them if (and when) he was detained again.

Bert Labum lived in a squat, the old de Zargentay house. Bert had no intention of getting a "real" job, but reckoned he could make enough to live on by just bumming around, or maybe fishing. And maybe he could find a wealthy widow or a desperate housewife. He might be a bum, but he kept himself clean and fit; looking in the mirror, he was still a catch.

Bert is Stupid. Reading the local paper, it slowly dawned on him that he could be a Lifeguard! He couldn't imagine many Sims would want to swim here, and the summer is very short. It should be an easy life, just the way he liked it.

Headed over to the one and only beach to check it out.

So he took a couple of classes in swimming and scuba, and signed up for the Lifeguard post. But he thought he would need to acquire a wetsuit. That water was COLD!

The LifeGuard "uniform" was inadequate at best. At first it was quite pleasant while the sun shone, even though his feet were buried in the snow. "No problem, I can't feel them."

The beach was generally very quiet at first. "What is this human doing on MY beach?"

Bert painted up one of the beach huts, and let it out to Hannibal Lecter. That was good money, he would do some more as soon as he could afford more paint.

"It's bracing!" said Hannibal. "Come on in, the water's lovely! You can't feel your legs after a minute."

"Sausages, Kathy?"

"Sausage, Hannibal?"

"Maybe later. Swim first."

"Oh, I like to swim," said Kathy, who had turned into a centaur when she got into the water.

"And you can jog in the snow afterwards to get your circulation going!"

As the day wore on, he got colder and colder.

Clonk. And lay there, for three hours. "This isn't as nice as sleeping."

Still getting colder and colder. "Can't think no more, brain's froze."

A saviour!

Nekhbet Elleveau (visiting from Manu Valley) found him and thawed him out with a hairdryer she had in her pocket.

"There you are!"

"Thank you!" Nekhbet, startled at being spoken to, ran away.

Jelly, more outgoing, took him home with her to thaw. "Don't mind her, she's very shy. You live in a squat? No heating? I can't let you go back to that. Come back with me, we have hot water and a central-heated house! And I'll make you something hot to eat, while you reconsider your career choices."

Vaguely wondering if Jelly might be a wealthy widow, he thawed nicely in the bath. It was a big house, he could be well in here.

He cleaned up quite well.

"Bert? Don't go yet, come and join us for dinner. This is my sister, Trippy. She's the Mayor here."

"I'll eat outside, if you don't mind. I'm more used to the cold, and it's a lovely evening."

But he didn't go back to the squat. Heating had suddenly become far more important to him.

Jelly arranged digs for him with an acquaintance, JJ Mullins, who had a spare bedroom. She knew JJ Mullins from work - he was a cutpurse, but not very good at it. Jelly hoped Bert might join the same career and help build her power base.


Credits

Great Bear is made by Johnnywr and is available from the Sims 3 Exchange.

The de Zargentay house and family here from Bourgeneuf by MANU.

I built the Town Hall.


Continued