@DivaDoodle Thanks! Yeah, the elevator breaking is a bug in the game, however, it could be realistic, because elavators sometimes breaks in real life too, of course. ;)
Also, I will try to squeeze in one more update here before the holiday sets in, but if I don't get around to it, merry christmas to everyone reading!
The next morning, the nurse was already there. It was Isaac that had to let him in, because Natalie still wasn't awake. And of course, the first thing he noticed was the filthyness of the surroundings.
https://i.imgur.com/vP7jiv1.jpg
He looked around and immediately concluded that this probably wasn't an optimal place to raise kids. Now he wanted to talk to Natalie, so he sat down on a kitchen chair to wait for her to wake up. He wasn't very happy about how the place looked... uh oh, Natalie.. Natalie finally woke up so the nurse could introduce himself.
https://i.imgur.com/BTkRApy.jpg
Preben Muren: Hi, good morning.. you must be Natalie. I am Preben, the nurse from the hospital. I was sent here by Dr. Lovensteen... Your son Isaac was so kind to let me in. So.. how are you now, Natalie?
https://i.imgur.com/UMAszom.jpg Natalie: Oh, I am fine... I took the medication last night, doctor! And I will take it today too, I just haven't.. it's in the bathroom, in the medicine cabinet.. if you want to see!
https://i.imgur.com/fS7NGHg.jpg
Preben: Oh, I don't have to watch you take the medicine, Natalie.. as long as you take it. I am here because the doctor is a little concerned for your wellbeing and as a routine check.
Natalie: Oh, but I will show you that I am taking it! It is in the bathroom!
Nurse Preben follows Natalie into the bathroom as she takes her medicine. He is disgusted also by the state of the bathroom, as it is just as filthy as the living room and kitchen area.
https://i.imgur.com/Dp3bhpE.jpg
"Look, doctor! I am taking it now!" Natalie says.
Preben: That's very good, Natalie, but.. and don't take this the wrong way, but.. have you uhmm... looked at your surroundings, Natalie? I would suggest you try to clean up a little.. not only for yourself, but also your kids....Natalie... it is not at all healthy to live in such conditions...
https://i.imgur.com/Q3BnltY.jpg Nurse Preben has the neat personality trait and cannot at all stand such filthy surroundings.
https://i.imgur.com/Q8nVtZZ.jpg
Natalie: Maybe so, but I think that's a litte rude of you to say.. I took the medication. Isn't that why you came here?
Natalie: I think you should leave now, doctor..
https://i.imgur.com/A5yV8Rx.jpg Preben: My work is probably done here for today, but Natalie, I will have to come back on Tuesday, and please, try to clean just a little before then, ok? As a start, maybe.
https://i.imgur.com/H414jaf.jpg
Well, Natalie didn't improve much with the cleaning, but she did make sure to buy a treehouse for the kids, complete with a fully grown tree and everything..
https://i.imgur.com/jD5LrRR.jpg
And she continued to take her medicine, once in the morning before breakfast, and once in the evening after work. Now she was carrying it on her all the time, instead of putting it back into the medicine cabinet for each time. "It should make it a little easier for me to remember", she thought.
https://i.imgur.com/cfNtA3h.jpg
Ah yes, doesn't that smell good, Natalie? Fresh, clean clothes. Now I'll give you that, the nurse was probably a little rude for telling you to clean your own home like that, perhaps especially considering what you are struggling with, but at the same time, I agree with him.. it's not really good for you, nor your kids, to live like that.. Now I am curious to see what effect the medication will have on you, now that you seem to be taking it. That's very good, Natalie! Keep it up!
https://i.imgur.com/5Zj8NvM.jpg
"Hmm, this oven actually is very dirty... maybe I should clean it..."
Yes, Natalie..! You are a chef. How can a chef want to cook on such a dirty oven!? If Schmordon Gamsey came to your home, he would give you a scolding out of this world, I am sure!
https://i.imgur.com/uZlSYIQ.jpg
Natalie: Go to you room! And stay there!!
Umm.. well, Natalie still struggled a bit, but she also cleaned a lot more now. Its hard to say if it was because of the words from nurse Preben or if it was the medication working and making her see things more clearly. Either way, a positive development, for sure.
https://i.imgur.com/BRyqYov.jpg Natalie was both doing the dishes, and remembering to take her medicine. Ah, things should be improving now...
https://i.imgur.com/jrgtwBe.jpg
The rocking chair was always a good place for Natalie. It calmed her down whenever she would start to feel anxious. As long as it wasn't occupied by someone else, of course...
https://i.imgur.com/7B0irs1.jpg
I like what I am seeing, Natalie! This is good! I am sure both the doctor and the nurse will be very pleased now! :)
https://i.imgur.com/Q413hjf.jpg
No, wait, hold on.. where are you going? What are you doing? Your laundry machine is inside... Natalie?
https://i.imgur.com/J4ChjJ7.jpg Natalie.. what the hell? o_O Where are you going??
Well, now I have seen that, too... she is actually using someone elses laundry basket on their home lot...! Natalie...! That's a clever trick, but seriously....
https://i.imgur.com/mwmGdRz.jpg
Ok, so they have their laundry basket outside, that's a little odd, but I am sure that is only because they had no space inside.. these small shacks belong to people living in the poor quarters of the town..
https://i.imgur.com/XNMqRRJ.jpg
Natalie looks very pleased with herself, now that she has gotten rid of the dirty laundry...
https://i.imgur.com/bmj8O63.jpg Then she randomly changes clothes and has a small panic attack by the laundry basket.. yeah, you're not fully well yet...
https://i.imgur.com/6DDYYQe.jpg
Here comes the man that lives there. Turns out its a fire fighter by the name of Edvin Hemmingsen.
https://i.imgur.com/k3Bt5y8.jpg Haha, he just greets her. Of course, he probably doesn't know she just dumped her filthy laundry on him.. "Welcome in to my humble abode" he says.
https://i.imgur.com/fhzyoNS.jpg
"Ah, sorry, can't stay.. I have to go to work" says Natalie. Good for you, then..
https://i.imgur.com/xfwkNdU.jpg
Isaac had for a very long time now wanted to buy a chess table so he could practice playing chess, but since Natalie had barely been at home, he hadn't had much of a chance to ask her to get one... luckily, maybe, he knew where she kept some spare money in her bedroom drawer.. so he snuck in and got some, before he headed to the Solebant consignment store, hoping they had some used ones he could buy...
https://i.imgur.com/JVR9CVB.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9nasliy.jpg
The consignment store clerk, which also works as a fire fighter by the looks of it, said that they just got one in the other week. It was heavily used, and the previous owner had "improved" the look of some of the pieces, but other then that, the store clerk of course said that it was in good condition for it's price.
https://i.imgur.com/xFpqFbU.jpg
"I'll take it!" says Isaac, and so he went home with 150 simoleons less in cash, but with a chess table, as he had wanted for such a long time now.
https://i.imgur.com/i2ylt0u.jpg
Of course, he didn't buy chairs for it, so he had to move around and use a couple of the dining table chairs.
https://i.imgur.com/EfxWDKB.jpg
"I should probably go back to the consigment store and buy an easel for Aaron too, so he can finally learn to paint!" says Isaac.
Aaron has for a long time had a wish to learn painting, but again for the same reasons as Isaac, hasn't gotten around to ask his mom to pay for a course or to buy him an easel yet.. poor kids!
https://i.imgur.com/Nuu4Z4u.jpg
Natalie has no reaction at all to the new chess table or the chairs that have been moved around. She is just thinking about her medicine and doing dishes..
https://i.imgur.com/XRKIwWY.jpg
Actually, she goes over to use it herself, not questioning anything. I guess when you're used to seeing all kinds of unreal things, a chess table suddenly appearing in your house is probably just within what you would expect.. as long as the chess table isn't moving or talking on its own, everything is just fine, right?
~~~~
I hope that everyone reading has the opportunity to enjoy the holidays with their friends and loved ones. The next update may be posted before New Years or early january. It might feature a bit of heavy content.
Ah good that Nurse Preben came so see the house, hopefully with Natalie's continued meds she will feel better and clean up a bit! I didn't realize how stinky it was in there, until I saw Preben's reaction! lol
? that is so funny that Natalie went to use Edvin's laundry hamper! He seems like a nice guy, or maybe he didn't notice! That happened once in my game too, when Cabana Boi walked across the street to use Dante's laundry basket! hahahaa! I would love to see happen more often!
Happy to see Isaac get the chess table he has wanted! that is a great price!
Yes it would be great to get Aaron an easel for his painting! Does Billy have wishes?
@DivaDoodle Thanks, yeah lets Hope things get better in the house. ;)
Oh yes the laundry thing surprised me quite a bit, haha. I had forgotten all about the homes of the poorer people being forced to have their hampers outsider. ;)
Oh Billy hasn't had to many interesting wishes. I think mostly he wished things like playing with Aaron and eventually playing in the treehouse. Only Aaron and Isaac had wishes to buy things and learn skills.
Thanks for enjoying the update. :)
(I am away for the holidays so my comments and replies May be sparse)
The chapter title is from a Metallica song, however I chose not to use this song here to "soften" this chapter a bit, as that song is pretty raw, and this chapter is probably already heavy enough on the content...
You say you want it all But with the demons in your head You can't see straight
But give me a chance to be the light To guide you through and be your eyes
The darkness in your soul Always a part of you I'll be by your side Just follow me, follow me..
Follow me Don't be afraid I will lead you to a better place Free from the sorrows away from the let downs You will find a home
In Flames - Follow Me
Things slowly improved for Natalie now. She has her job back, remembers to take her medication (apart from the occasional slip up, but hey she's only... an angel.. or more correctly, half angel, half human), cleans up more around the house, and is no longer so troubled by hallucinations and anxiety attacks... would she finally begin to understand and acknowledge that Billy is in fact her son, and that how she used to treat her kids was wrong?
https://i.imgur.com/5AB0uTE.jpg
Aaron woke up from having spent his night in the tree hut.
https://i.imgur.com/uug6a76.jpg
Of course, slowly improving didn't mean perfect, as there was still some things that needed to be cleaned up..
And now that Natalie, thanks to the medication, was seeing improvement, Sara at the doctors' office, had started digging to get some answers..
Sara: So, Natalie.. we haven't talked about Elisa in a long time now.. has she stopped calling you?
"Yes.. yes, she has.." Natalie answered with a faint voice.
https://i.imgur.com/HEQcZKW.jpg
"It's .. strange kind of.. but... like.. after about a month of taking the medication.. I stopped.. hearing from her.." Natalie pauses for a moment.
"So I thought.. I had to call her myself one day, but I... I looked through the numbers on my phone.. I had no... there was no Elisa on my list! So I thought I must have.. deleted her number by accident... so I dialed the number information service and asked them for Elisa Kittilsen, but.. well, they found a few people by that name.. but none of them lived where Elisa lives... or lived?"
https://i.imgur.com/8z0ecjw.jpg
"So I mean.. this is very hard.. and scary to believe... I so want her to be real, you know... we had such a good connection, I felt.. and.. but now... I still don't know what to believe... is it true that... could I really have made.... have made it all up?..... but how!? How does one do that!???"
https://i.imgur.com/f3F1bwU.jpg
Sara: Well, hallucinations in most people that suffer from it is due to biochemicals in the brain, and again this is usually due to a genetic predisposition, but environmental factors, such as stressful life events, can also be at play.
Natalie: So... I... my brain is just wrong.. then..?
Sara: Well, its.. it's gotten a little of course, you can say. I mean, your brain is pretty wonderful.. you are perfectly able of functioning... but.. something has tipped it down a path where it shouldn't be... And your results show that likely it is something external.. have there been any particularly stressful events or periods in your life, Natalie?
https://i.imgur.com/6XisQwe.jpg
Natalie: I.. ummm...
Sara: You mentioned to Dr. Spagliori an ex of yours. The father of your two oldest children. How was that relationship, Natalie?
Natalie: It was... umm.. it wasn't to bad, it was.. I mean, I... I was very young when I... when I first met him, and..
https://i.imgur.com/PaJbjxb.jpg
Natalie: ... I was working at the grocery store downtown.. I was only 17 years old when he first came by as a customer... He wasn't a good looking man, but... there was something about him still... I kept noticing coming by every now and then, and eventually a little more often... until one day, he finally asked me out.. I.. I went with him for a date, but.. and eventually we became friends and I started going to his house..
https://i.imgur.com/Rdbsu6q.jpg
Natalie: I didn't really have a... I was without a home... at the time... or, I did have a.. I used to live in... the cabin... because... I..
https://i.imgur.com/yz7GH4p.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/581THtM.jpg
Natalie: ...I survived by.. by tending to the beehive and fish... fishing from a nearby pond... so, when he... offered me to live at his place, I... of course, I accepted...
https://i.imgur.com/APih5TF.jpg
Natalie: ..and I... I actually did fall in love with him.. and... eventually we married... and... then we got Isaac... it wasn't really... I mean, it was also hard to.. I sometimes still went up to the cabin.. every now and then... and he was always a bit upset with how he said that... how he didn't like it when I.. in his words just... took off and didn't say where I was... where I was going... and we would often get into fights about it...
https://i.imgur.com/6qguxT2.jpg
Natalie: ... but I felt so... locked up sometimes... he never did... he was always... he is a good man...
Tears start showing on Natalies face.
https://i.imgur.com/FE8aK7J.jpg
Natalie: He never did anything wrong.. it was... it was.. it was me.... it was my fault...
Sara: But Natalie.. why did you tell dr. Spagliori that... that he...did what he.. umm, that he wasn't always so nice to you? Was it not true, Natalie?
Natalie: No, no... it was not true.. I... I... I didn't want to...I.... I...
Sara: You didn't want to do what, Natalie?
Natalie: I didn't want to talk about... I don't want to talk about... Sara: I am sorry, Natalie, but I am going to have to keep asking questions... what is it that you don't want to talk about?
Natalie: I.... I.... it's.. it is... it was....
...
....... mom.....
Sara: What is it about you mother, Natalie?
https://i.imgur.com/0iRR4hX.png
The room is left in silence as Natalie shuts down, her eyes fixed on the floor and her mind racing. She wants to be anywhere but here.
Sara: Natalie, what is it about your mother?
https://i.imgur.com/OLIquxO.jpg
Natalies face changes character. All the suppressed rage starts to build up inside her.
Sara notices the change in Natalies face. She has seen this before.
Sara: You can tell it to me, Natalie. I am here for you, and I promise, I will not tell anyone. I have the duty of confidentiality. What you say in here, will stay in here.
Even though Sara had done this many times before, the next question was always a painful one to ask, but the lid had to be opened... there was no way around it..
Sara: Did your mother hurt you, Natalie?
Natalie didn't want to look at Sara. These emotions had nothing to do with Sara, and everything to do with her mother.
https://i.imgur.com/alOV4pk.jpg
Sara: I see you are angry, Natalie.You can let it all out to me, and I will not take it personally.
Natalie finally found herself able to look at Sara, her face was one of disgust, anger and hatred. Whom she hated and blamed was not clear, if it was her mother or herself. These feelings were so intense, they had no name. It was all blurred together until black was everything that remained. Every muscle in the body was tense, her fists were clenched and she could no longer feel her own heart beating. She drew back her lips, bared her teeth and just snarled, like an animal. She had no words and her mouth was unable to speak.
https://i.imgur.com/SeyVDA9.jpg
When Natalie finally was able to say something, what came out can't be repeated here, and it ended with Natalie losing herself in crying and tears and repeatedly banging her fists into the table in front of her...
Natalie still didn't have any words for it, she only knew there was lots of feeling, and that she didn't want to feel this way. She wanted it all to go away, but didn't know how to do it, because it always came back. It didn't matter how many times she would run away, how many times she would curse, yell and scream, it always came back.
https://i.imgur.com/n6zcRFJ.jpg The only one that had ever soothed her properly, was Elisa. Elisa was like a mother to her, but now, thanks to the medication, Elisa was no longer there and Natalie was all alone with everything she felt.
https://i.imgur.com/HBDwarY.jpg
This was going to be a long road. She had just coughed up a giant wet ball of cardboard, and it was now sitting on the desk in front of her. From here begins the job to analyze this wet ball to make the pieces stand out, and eventually puzzle them all together....
https://i.imgur.com/2EEERCR.jpg
It was now that therapy and healing could finally begin.
@Sprottenham Glad to see that you're back with an update! :)
Uh Oh! That warning ''This chapter deals with difficult and unpleasant subject matter.'' yikes, shall I proceed or not...Dun dun dun! I grab a coffee, (it might make the blood in my veins turn to steel, if I make it strong enough!) and continue...
I really like the title "The unnamed feeling" and the very hopeful beginning about the improvement in Natalie!
Also the first picture is so adorable or Aaron in the treehouse.
That must be Very strange for poor Natalie that Eliza's number is no longer in her contacts. How upsetting for her.
I really liked the way you incorporated the pictures, which enlivened Natalie's story that she was telling to Sara.
She must have felt like the cabin was her Haven.
Oh well done with Natalie's memory of her Mom shown in black& white!
Poor thing was a victim of abuse. that is so sad. Fortunately she is in therapy. No wonder she had Eliza.
oh lawdy a wet ball of cardboard! That is the first I ever heard this! It is very descriptive!
''It was now that therapy and healing could finally begin.'' Excellent! I always love a hopeful end of a chapter!
Good Job on the chapter! I'm so happy for me that it wasn't as hard to read as the warning! Perhaps it was Because you put in the warning? Or was it my strong coffee? and I always love that Hope is at the end!
@DivaDoodle I hope that coffee wasn't to strong just for my sake! :P
Ah, well, who knows if it was necessary to have all these warnings here... I don't know, I think this is a difficult topic that should be handled with care... out of respect for those that have actually gone through something like this.. so I hope I have done a good enough job there..
Also.. I don't know how other people will react to this, people are different.. for some, this is probably nothing.. others might find this awful, so I give a warning to be on the safe side so that people are prepared and not to shocked... And of course, there is also the age of the reader.. I don't know the age of people in general reading this forum, so there is that one too...
If I had written this story on a personal site or blog, I don't think it would have been to different. Some things will probably have been more fleshed out, and I would not have censored all the curse words, but in general I think the reading experience would have been pretty much the same.
---
Thanks about the pictures of Natalies past. I did write a chapter about that too, but only for me to understand fully where she came from, so that one won't be posted anywhere... besides, she has already recounted the most important of happenings. ;)
The wet ball of cardboard thing.. I don't know, that just showed up as a visual when writing this chapter, and putting myself in Natalies place.. writing this chapter, and a few others, has been an emotional experience for me too..
My empathy and feelings (yes, feelings! For a made up character!) for the character that is Natalie increased greatly after writing the chapter of her past... Admittedly, I didn't like her in the beginning, because she looked like a terrible mother herself... but then I had to uncover why she was who she was...so I went back in time to figure it out... and then I took a step back after I had written that part, and looked at it like..."Wow!"...and then I felt bad... "This is awful! This is terrible! It's so bad!"...
Poor, poor thing... :(
I lost interest in the story for a while, and felt a bit like abandoning it, but not entirely, because I had an idea of where I wanted it to go. So far, this story hasn't gone there, or it is certainly taking a detour! I never intended to write about bad parenting or abuse in the first place.. it just so happened to be..!
And yeah, though I may not have my rose coloured glasses on.. I don't think I would ever be able to write a story without there being hope. ;)
I did watch some youtube videos to learn about the horror genre... and apparently in some books there is no hope and everyone dies at the end.. and some people may even be disappointed if everyone doesn't die at the end.. imagine that! Hmm, but as for people dying in this story.. well, I don't know.. you'll just have to wait and see... :open_mouth:
Go to sleep, sister Go to sleep... - Madrugada, Sister
https://i.imgur.com/pJlx2qF.png
Jamala – Sister's Lullaby
https://i.imgur.com/ggyiqqU.jpg
Natalie continued to take her medication and go to therapy sessions, and now that the lid was opened she revealed everything to Sara, and slowly learned to understand, deal with and put names to her emotions. Unfortunately, though, the memories of a bad childhood that were still left in Natalies head could not be erased. Another thing also came out of their conversations, that Natalie has a sister, and as far as Natalie could tell, her sister still lived with her mom... This concerned Dr. Sara, because if Natalie – who managed to escape – had it this bad, how bad wouldn't her sister have it? And why was she still living at home, with such a mother?
https://i.imgur.com/V5cawFE.jpg
Yes, isn't it satisfying to do laundry, Natalie. ;)
https://i.imgur.com/5ifaCvT.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/LcgZSfD.jpg
Hmm, and it looks like all the brothers are choosing to stay at school after hours... instead of going home. Isaac at the new school building, and Aaron and Billy at the old one. But mom is getting better, so the home situation should be improving.. right? I guess the kids aren't quite convinced yet...
https://i.imgur.com/FoS3Ka6.jpg
Isaac was even taking a nap on the couch at school instead of going home...
..but what about those still living at home.. maybe I should have a peak into the household of Natalies mother and sister...
https://i.imgur.com/GEdj1DB.jpg
This is the house were Natalie and her sister had their childhood... and where Natalies sister apparently still lives... but nobody is home right now...
https://i.imgur.com/XXXswo1.jpg
I look for Ingun and I find that she is one of Natalies colleagues at work.. And both of them are at work right now. So.. it seems that Ingun does have some independence.. much unlike the memories that appeared inside Natalies head. I didn't show all of them to you, because some of them were really bad... but Bianka, their so-called mother, would often keep them locked up inside their room or in the house, not allowing them to go anywhere... that alone is a terrible thing for a mother to do. Kids should be allowed to play freely, of course, within safe boundaries, but they should not have to grow up in what is effectively a prison... and that wasn't the worst of it, but.. I really don't want to talk about that right now...
Alright, now where is the so-called mother.. Bianka...
https://i.imgur.com/9ZBrThF.jpg
She's at the grocery store... This is the same grocery store where Natalie had her first job, and where Natalie met Ragnar..
Lets follow her around and see what she does...
https://i.imgur.com/ZqaP2Uf.jpg
Bianka: And then the big llama said to the little llama: I'm going to eat you! Bianka: "No, don't eat me big llama! I am so small and weak, and you are so strong! Please don't eat me big llama..."
I guess she is not quite right in her mind ether, that might explain something.. I don't know what she is doing here...
https://i.imgur.com/Ospsft6.jpg
It doesn't look like she is there to do any actual shopping.... maybe she is just there to make fun of people.. she's not out to become popular, I see...
https://i.imgur.com/iHKW3hI.jpg
..then she just bought a simple juice and went into the local spa to drink it.. (The spa is located on the same block as the grocery store..).. Maybe I should check back later when they are both home to learn about their home situation...
https://i.imgur.com/LKXCgLf.jpg
Aaron has gone home now, but Isaac and Billy still hang out at their respective school buildings..
https://i.imgur.com/hLGm6bk.jpg
Natalie is now finished with her shift at work.. but Natalie, if your sister works with you.. and if she is in trouble.. now that things are getting better for you, maybe you should give your sister a hand? Surely, you must have some breaks at work where you can talk, right..? That is, of course, given that your sister is in trouble.. I need to do a home inspection, to figure out the truth of this...
Well, now that shift is over, what is Ingun doing?
https://i.imgur.com/99IdJPV.jpg
This is Ingun, Natalies sister, just leaving work.. now, where could she be going..
https://i.imgur.com/FuM5j6x.jpg
She's.. going home... of course, so I follow her there...
https://i.imgur.com/ETeVBA4.jpg
Well, the first thing I notice when I look inside is that their house is filthy with old rotting food in the kitchen, just like it was when Natalie grew up.. no wonder Natalie is or was so bad at cleaning.. it must run in the family...
https://i.imgur.com/MHqMOXv.jpg
Good girl doing chores, eh? Where's your mom at..?
https://i.imgur.com/neH2DWa.jpg
Well, she just returned home from the spa... what will she do..?
https://i.imgur.com/AIKKqY6.jpg
Oh, right... she just goes to sleep. And for some reason, in Natalies and Ingun's old bedroom..
https://i.imgur.com/dlzvJNy.jpg
In Natalies household Isaac and Billy had made it home, and Natalie was reading a bedtime story for Billy..
https://i.imgur.com/0bn409G.jpg
Hahaha, what is this? She just picked up some clean laundry, and now she is really excited while thinking about writing. Do you want to write, Natalie? Maybe I should let you be the Narrator... what do you say? Well, no, I don't think so.. I want to include more perspectives than just yours... you can be a Narrator sometimes, but not always...
https://i.imgur.com/m5HCuIf.jpg
Hey, don't look so mopey, it's alright.. sssh....sshhh.... I am telling your story...
Natalie: That's not it... I'm having flashbacks.. I need the rocking chair to calm me down..
Oh, I'm sorry.. I'll leave you alone then..
https://i.imgur.com/M8l2b4w.jpg
"I hate my mom...."
https://i.imgur.com/sdJUNzA.jpg
The next morning Natalie soothes herself with the music box, and Aaron does his homework when he should be heading for school.... Natalie notices and decides to give him a solid warning...
https://i.imgur.com/QDKSz3r.jpg Natalie: You are in BIG trouble, young man. You're not doing that again, you hear me? Maybe you should help out a little around the house to get me in a better mood again... Aaron finally leaves for school, and Natalie spends the rest of the day doing much needed housework...
https://i.imgur.com/KMvuqRb.jpg
Wow, you think all that can fit into the laundry machine, Natalie?
https://i.imgur.com/XGOmkVl.jpg
Yeah, I think you overloaded it a little to much.. no, it's not the ghost doing that... those times are past.. I hope...
https://i.imgur.com/Zg5mKZk.jpg
In Bianka and Ingun's household, Bianka just went out the door, I don't know to where. Ingun seizes the opportunity to call someone now that her mom is out..
https://i.imgur.com/j2MLYLU.jpg
Bianka eventually returns and the rest of the day goes by with Ingun resting on her bed or talking to herself while Bianka is watching TV ...
https://i.imgur.com/NpnvbEH.jpg
When they go to bed, Bianka is sleeping in the same bunk bed as her daughter again..
https://i.imgur.com/g1f1rzx.jpg
Aaron with the night owl trait is still up doing homework..
https://i.imgur.com/7owINVR.jpg
Aaron really likes the treehouse, and prefers to sleep there rather than in his bed. As far as he knows, ghosts and goblins can't get to the treehouse...
https://i.imgur.com/BJuGrwr.jpg
Isaac woke up the next morning thinking about the baker's station that all of the kids have been wanting to get for such a long time. Now that Natalies health was improving, thanks to the medication and the still ongoing therapy with Dr. Sara, she had promised to buy them one. She still has a long way to go yet, though. She still has some recurring troublesome thoughts and nightmares...
"I don't want to die!" she will sometimes say to herself in sleep..
https://i.imgur.com/tJga24l.jpg
I check up on the household of Ingun and Bianka.. they just woke up, Ingun stays behind in the room to read on the bed. Bianka goes downstairs to play in front of the mirror in the bathroom. Bianka also has the childish trait, so that is probably where Natalie got it from.
https://i.imgur.com/VCdh6se.jpg
Preben the nurse drops by Natalies household for what will probably be the last visit to check up on her. She has made a lot of progress now, with things improving in the home for every visit.
https://i.imgur.com/P9tyUuE.jpg
He is very happy to find the home in an almost pristine condition.
https://i.imgur.com/hqdi4qX.jpg
He is a bit of a neat freak, though, and can't resist automatically cleaning up the toys that the kids have left behind.. but he knows that its nothing and perfectly normal for a house with children to have the occasional toy lying around..
https://i.imgur.com/GbycEQ6.jpg
And yeah, he's just being himself, and can't avoid telling Natalie not to skimp on doing dishes...
https://i.imgur.com/95HkaB5.jpg
"Oh, no problem" says Natalie, "I feel much better now, so I have no issue getting the dishes done"
https://i.imgur.com/yICg8al.jpg
He tells Natalie how happy he is that things are looking better, and that this will be his last visit. Then the conversation progresses to vacation plans for the summer, before he has to go.
https://i.imgur.com/Ah31mpV.jpg
Natalie had bought the bakers' station as she promised and placed it outside so that it will be the first thing the kids see when they get home from school.
https://i.imgur.com/2vvQUcl.jpg
Ingun is still in her bedroom reading a book on the bed. She is 37 years old, and still lives with her mom... I don't know, for some people that might be the right choice for their life, but I think it's a little peculiar, maybe... especially considering how it was when you grew up and how Natalie decided to run away... What kind of grip does your momma have on you, Ingun? Obedient little girl doesn't leave her home, and stays quietly in her room...
https://i.imgur.com/dK0aXDJ.jpg
Natalie has to spend a couple of hours to soothe herself with the rocking chair again before the kids come home from school.
https://i.imgur.com/aODWcKf.jpg
Aaron then learns the consequences of being a night owl..
https://i.imgur.com/BpU8uQl.jpg
I check up on the other household again, and it's not until evening that Ingun gets out of bed and finally leaves her room...
https://i.imgur.com/P0vY6B2.jpg
She goes downstairs to find rotten food, a swarm of flies, and a dirty stove. Ew.
https://i.imgur.com/Tczs9oi.jpg
And her mom immediately shows up to belittle her, putting all the blame on her daughter, of course. The dynamic is clear. Poor Ingun, you should get out of there... :/
https://i.imgur.com/wY76p7B.jpg
Ingun only went downstairs to cook a meal for herself, before going back to her room again to go to sleep... what an exciting day, huh?
Natalie has made burgers for dinner, and sat down to eat them with Billy.
https://i.imgur.com/CBs78zO.jpg
Billy: Mommy, I want to learn painting! Can I take a course in painting after school tomorrow?
https://i.imgur.com/TQVx05a.jpg
Natalie doesn't answer him, just stares blankly ahead. Hello, Natalie... earth calling? Billy continues to talk about music.
That triggered a response from Natalie. Hmm, but why did you zone out when he asked about painting?
https://i.imgur.com/gfOrOwA.jpg
"I need my rocking chair again" thinks Natalie.
Alright, I guess we're not getting any answers and I guess Billy will have to wait to learn painting..
https://i.imgur.com/JEo181W.jpg
The next morning I go to Ingun's location, and find that she is sitting in a car just outside her home. So she does leave the house! I follow it, to see where she is going..
https://i.imgur.com/PLflACO.jpg
Oh, Bianka walks out into the car shortly thereafter. Of course, you can't be going anywhere without you mommy. But Ingun is actually in the drivers' seat here...
https://i.imgur.com/yflSVkj.jpg
They stop the car here by the gym, and they go off.. And I see that someone forgot their motorbike in the middle of the street...
https://i.imgur.com/SaPJZGg.jpg
Looks like they're going to the gym to get some workout. The gym is located right next to the military base, in fact, it was once part of the military base and the old defense structure of the town from back in the day when people fought with sword and shield... That's why it looks so much like the walls that surround the entire town..
https://i.imgur.com/1qVMvko.jpg
The gym also has a small café on the first floor for the workout enthusiasts and other gym goers to grab a bite after their work out. Anyway, now you're inside, so.. what are you gonna do?
https://i.imgur.com/5iwdTRf.jpg
Interestingly, they go in opposite directions. Bianka goes upstairs, presumably to work out, and Ingun leaves to go somewhere else. I choose to continue following Ingun.
https://i.imgur.com/CcbfLPc.jpg
Follow that car!
https://i.imgur.com/zPD2HLD.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/VxbSiAv.jpg
Well, she just goes back home again.. ok, so you are your momma's private chauffeur now? She's not doing much interesting at home, except for house chores, such as cleaning the toilet...
https://i.imgur.com/0sVK1Cc.jpg
Back home I was about to say, Natalie just got out of bed and took her medicine.
https://i.imgur.com/2Qb8Olo.jpg
"I feel like a winner today" Natalie thinks, before she goes to do the same thing her sister just did, that is, to clean the toilet. But atleast the toilet Natalie is cleaning is her own...
https://i.imgur.com/mpGgiQH.jpg
While mommy is working out, Ingun practices chess.
https://i.imgur.com/RnFbSfv.jpg
Oh, it looks like Natalie has Ingun in mind too, she is sending her a friendly text message. I wonder what it reads...
Wow, Ingun got really happy to see a text message from her sister. They must have a good relation.
https://i.imgur.com/F1mJMS3.jpg
Maybe she was reminding her that their shift starts soon, because well, now the sisters have to go to work!
https://i.imgur.com/Bx2im5n.jpg
Ingun works as an ingredients taster, and Natalie works as a Line Chef. Now, this is the interesting part.. I want to follow them at their shift, to learn more about their interactions..
