Fanon:The First Day

The First Day is the first story in the Simple Life storyline. In this episode, the Simmonds arrive in Sunset Valley, an idyllic town in Sim Nation.

In Sunset Valley, the family are divided as the parents are forced onto different sides of the growing feud between the Laandgrabs and the Altos. Meanwhile, their son, Barry, falls in love and the Mayor's decision to resign leads to trouble in Sunset Valley.

Introduction
The glittering glare of the moon reflected off a small, rippling puddle. A soft breeze blew a couple of leaves across an empty street. At the dead of night, even the calm swishing of the waves, all the way down at Old Pier Beach, could be heard.

But even as a pair of owls hooted overhead, the peaceful sounds of the night were drowned out by the sound of somebody running rapidly down the street, breathing frantically. Barry Simmonds, slowed to a stop, gasping for air. He was naked and covered in blood, his hands clutched round a large kitchen knife. He was limping badly, a large piece of glass lodged in his left leg. His eyes, terrified, were large and round. He was sick, and for a moment swayed, then fell to his knees.

A police siren suddenly burst into action, piercing the all-encompassing silence. Barry, who looked for a moment as if he just wanted to go to sleep, hauled himself up again, and ran down into the street, quickly pursued by the police car.

As he ran, a second police car rounded the corner in front of him. Barry ran towards a narrow alleyway, but put too much pressure on his bad leg and collapsed to the floor. Even then, he did not give up, dragging himself along the floor until he reached the alleyway, where the cars were too wide to follow.

In the few desperate seconds that the police officers launched themselves out of their cars, Barry scrambled to his feet again, charging as fast as he could to the end of the alleyway, only to find a large wall blocking his escape route.

He stared, agape, at the wall, too shocked to move. No, no, no, he thought miserably to himself. This can't be how it ends...'

The sound of running footsteps from behind returned him to the present. Laying the knife on the ground, he jumped high into the air, his fingers scrabbling to reach the top of the wall. Unable to make it, he spied a garbage bin, and clambered on top, but the bin slipped, and he toppled to the floor, covered in litter.

The policeman grew closer. Barry realised he knew him; he was James Fairchild. "Give it up Barry," Fairchild said softly, not unkindly.

Barry felt tears welling up in his eyes, but he would not let himself cry. He realised in the fall, his hand had landed directly on the hilt of the knife. Fate, or coincedence? Barry's hand closed around the knife.

Seeing this, Fairchild slowly drew his gun out of his pocket. "Don't even think about it, Barry," he said, a little sterner now.

But Barry didn't listen. Launching himself at Fairchild, he lunged wildly. But Fairchild was too quick, bringing his gun up in a wide arc, and pointing it directly at Barry's chest, and still Barry did not stop, screaming, his eyes ablaze with fury and anger, the knife plunging through the air as...

...Fairchild pulled the trigger.

Scene One: TWO MONTHS EARLIER
Lucy's fingers tapped away at a keyboard, her eyes staring at the computer screen from behind her thick, round glasses, even though the sun was blazing through the window and beads of sweat were running down her freckled cheeks.

Engrossed in what was happening on the computer, she was startled when the door to the classroom opened. She gasped and whipped around, but it was only a young boy, about the same age as her, and not a teacher.

The boy also looked surprised to see her as well. "You're not supposed to be in here without a teacher," he stated after a few seconds of startled staring.

"I snuck in." Lucy grinned nervously. "I got out this book on writing out of the library, and because we don't have a computer at home, I decided to test it out here. I didn't think anyone would come in."

The boy, also looking nervous, nodded, and walked in, closing the door behind him. "I'm hiding," he confessed. "Some of the older boys steal my stuff an call me names."

"Why?" Lucy asked puzzled. "You seem nice enough to me."

The boy blushed. "T-t-thanks," he stuttered, which just made him blush more. "People don't usually compliment me," he explained. "My family is...quite rich, and some people here don't like it that I have more money than them. Not that I rub it in their faces," he added hastily.

Lucy shook her head. "That's horrible," she sympathised. "I had something like that in my old school, before we moved."

The boy nodded. "I didn't think I recognised you. So you're new then? My name's Mortimer Goth, it's nice to meet you." He held out his hand.

Lucy shook it. "Lucy Simmonds," she replied. "We moved here because my dad became an advisor to one of the local representatives here. At the moment we don't have much money, but pretty soon dad said he would be getting a bonus, so we might be able to buy a computer."

Mortimer paused for a second. "Why don't you come by my house tonight?" he asked. "We have a computer you can use, and we could get to know each other a bit better."

"Okay," Lucy chirped happily. "My mum will be so glad that I made a friend on the first day...she worried that I don't spend enough time with other children." "If the people in this school are anything to go by, we spend too much time with other children," Mortimer said gloomily. "But, you'll come over tonight?" he repeated, looking happier almost immediately. "That's great! Let me just phone mum..."

He left the room, and Lucy turned back around to the computer, and continued her typing, happy that her life might finally be improving.