Rolling The Dice

[Caspin]

Drugs Are Bad

With Veronica away, Vicky had a lot more time in the house alone with her mother. Careful observation revealed what she had started to suspect - Vanessa was unhinged.

She walked around in a sleeveless top no matter how snowy and cold the day. She spent hours eating cakes but never seemed to gain any weight. And she talked to herself constantly in the mirror, often gesticulating wildly and making no sense at all. Vicky could see that her mother was delusional, sometimes paranoid and at others seemed to think herself invincible.




Vicky started to wonder - was her mother always like this? She had vague memories of a much calmer figure from her childhood. And wasn't it odd that her mother had such perfect skin at her age - not a wrinkle in sight. Not one grey hair, although Vicky had never seen her buy or use hair dye.

One day, while Vanessa was out partying with some of the guys from her rock band, Vicky was tidying a cabinet in the living room. She came across some old photo albums, from years, no DECADES, ago. She stared in amazement. Vanessa had looked just the same then as she did now. And who were all these people? All these children, clinging to her mother as though she were theirs. Her mother was not a vampire, so how had she lived so long and stayed so perfect?

Vicky rang her oldest living relative, great-aunt Violet. She demanded answers.




After a long pause, Violet told Vicky the truth.

Violet: You are old enough now to hear this, Victoria. Your mother has an ambrosia addiction. She started taking it as soon as she became a young adult. She has outlived many generations of children and grandchildren. Years ago she moved away from Midnight Hollow and went to live in Sunset Valley. I heard that she'd started a new life and had more children, but she didn't keep in touch and I was glad she was gone. She was not a good influence. I am sorry that she hasn't managed to get over those old habits. I dabbled in life fruits a little bit myself, hence am still around to tell you this sad tale, but fortunately I was able to stop before I mastered the catching of deathfish.

Vicky had a long chat with Violet. She learned about the incredible age-defying properties of ambrosia. Afterwards she looked on the internet for more information.

Vicky: Side-effects of long-term use of ambrosia include psychosis, murderous tendencies ...... oh dear.

She went to the fridge and hunted around in the salad drawer, where nobody ever really looks. She found plate after plate of the sparkling quiche that she had occasionally seen her mother eating but had never tried for herself. It smelled revolting. Vicky arranged the plates on the table. When her mum came home, she sat her down and confronted her with her habit.




Vanessa: What's going on? Have you been meddling with my quiche?!
Vicky: No. I would like you to stop eating this ambrosia, Mum. It's sending you mad and murderous.
Vanessa: That is nonsense. It's good for my skin, that's all!

Vicky handed her a print-out of the information she has found online. Vanessa stared at it. There was no escaping the facts. In her quest for glossy hair and eternal youth, she had turned into a heartless killer. And now her daughters hated her.

Vicky: If you keep eating it, the side effects will become more extreme. You will lose your mind and you will probably kill again. Maybe you will kill me! You must stop this or I am leaving.
Vanessa: I will eat one more plate. Just one. Then I will try to live one normal life. I will live it to the full! Then I will give up ambrosia. I am the only one in this family who has ever learned the recipe, so then it will be over for all of us.
Vicky: And then?
Vanessa: Then I will diminish and go into the west and remain Vanessa.
Vicky: Sorry, what?
Vanessa: Apologies, dear. I mean that I will die, hopefully a natural death.
Vicky: OK, what about all the rest of the quiche? There's at least five portions.
Vanessa: It will make spectacularly sparkly compost.
Vicky: Promise?
Vanessa: Promise.




Vanessa tucked in to her final plate of ambrosia. It was really disgusting but very filling. She felt the magic work and youth was restored to her for the final time.




She bagged up the remainder of her stash and took it out to the composter. She thought that she would feel angry, upset, resentful - something negative at any rate. But she actually felt hugely relieved. The stuff had turned her into a killer - preying on some poor old guy who only had days before Grim would have taken him anyway. She had felt sanity slipping away and now it was time to take it back.




Improvements

Vanessa stayed home for several days, trying to come to terms with the prospect of mortality. She had to make things up to Vicky. She made good use of her handiness skill, fixing up a laptop for her daughter.




When Vicky came home from school one night, she was amazed to find her room transformed from the messy jungle that she had shared with her little sister, to a grown-up room just for her. She had a new bed and relaxed there often, enjoying the peace and quiet.




Vanessa made an effort to play a more useful role in Vicky's life, helping her with her homework each night. She took up Caspin's role of Biology tutor.

Vanessa: I've been alive so long I've amassed quite considerable knowledge, you know. My head feels too full - maybe this is how the madness starts. As I get old, perhaps I'll start to forget things.




Peggy often came over in the evening. She seemed a nice girl and Vanessa was pleased to see her daughter so happy. They studied quite a lot, often comparing books.




Vanessa made an effort to get to know Peggy. She was shocked when she heard that Peggy was homeless. When her parents fled their mob connections in Monte Vista, they had arrived in Sunset Valley penniless and unable to afford even the cheapest of homes. Her mum and and lived out of their car. Peggy herself was currently living in a squat with twelve other teenaged sims, but often just slept at school or some other public venue with access to showers. She always looked clean and neat but secretly lived in frightening circumstances. She was studying hard in the hope that she would win a scholarship to university and perhaps be able to drag herself and her family out of poverty.

After careful thought, Vanessa decided to ask Peggy to move in. Vicky was getting older and was bound to end up living with her girlfriend before too long anyway. If Peggy moved in, then Vicky might not move out, and Vanessa would at least keep one daughter with her while she faced her fear of ageing.




Peggy was amazed and delighted and immediately accepted the kind offer.




Aw, sweet!