The Checkered Life of Erik Cantrell

Chapter Fourteen: When Panic Breeds Panic


For a time, his Obsessed Fans made themselves scarce. Erik allowed himself to relax, realizing Kayleigh was right. He was overreacting. He held concerts, without the bodyguards he sincerely thought about hiring, went about his business as if nothing inside of him had changed. In reality, he no longer felt secure. Safe. Then after he recorded, mixed and released his fifteenth album, Heart of the Country, he came home from the studios to see he had been visited. Three plates of Ambrosia, a half-eaten tiered cake and an empty plate lay on the ground just outside of his security gates.

Instead of feeling loved, as their presence used to invoke, Erik again found himself quaking. He had to think about the well-being of his family. Their safety was his priority. Erik promptly got on the phone to call his contractor. "I am in need of a Panic Room," he told the Sim. "How soon can you get it complete?" Erik listened as the Contractor hemmed and hawed about time, where he could place such a room and a whole line of what Erik considered a bunch of bull. When the Sim stopped talking for a moment, Erik said, "Can't you just transform the basement? Okay, good. I'll expect your crew on Monday. Thank you."

Within a very short time, as Erik paid the Sim handsomely for his efforts, and Aaron was instrumental in cutting through some of the red tape for the Inspectors to get their job done in a timely manner, the Panic Room was finished. What had once been a comfortable Music Room, although underground, had been augmented into a rather fine, large, nicely appointed, Panic Room. There was a fireplace in one corner of the square room, with a grouping of furniture. To the left of that was a small kitchen area with nice counters, a sink, dishwasher, stove and a refrigerator. Along the perpendicular wall from the fireplace, a Toddlers gym sat, along with a tent. His kids really loved the tent. Erik gave his wife a tour. To the right of that was a bathroom. Erik's piano and other instruments were in the opposite corner from the fireplace.

"I am surprised you don't have beds down here for us to sleep," Kayleigh said. She wasn't in favor of this move at all. Her sense of security didn't rely on Sim innovation. She put her trust in a Higher source and was troubled that her husband seemed to have lost his way. Kitchen, bathroom, play equipment for the children. She noticed it was chilly down in this basement area. Erik adjusted the thermostat and then lit the fire. That's when the stuffing hit the fan. Inexplicably, the new fireplace sparked in a way Kayleigh had never seen before. "Erik," came her whispered plea.
"Oh, my god," he hollered. "Kayleigh get the kids upstairs, now!" He said, grabbing the fire extinguisher and went about attacking the fire.

The couple grabbed their little ones and ran out the front door.
"Erik, we have four children, we only have one with us, where are the others?"

Finding Melody and Jamison out in the backyard playing on their Toddler Gym, the baby safely upstairs in his basinet, Erik gave thanks to his God, realizing He was the one important element left out of Erik's plans. In Him, he could regain the sense of security lost by the Home Invasion. Erik decided to pay a visit to his priest and get himself back on track.