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[I am writing this story as it plays out in my legacy challenge game. I don't always like the outcome of events in the game, but that's part of the challenge.
Also, note that the title of the legacy story has changed from "Simplicity" to "Summer Hill."
I hope you enjoy it reading it. I certainly enjoy playing it out!]
Also, note that the title of the legacy story has changed from "Simplicity" to "Summer Hill."
I hope you enjoy it reading it. I certainly enjoy playing it out!] Gamelia crawled out of her tent at 5:00 a.m. She felt stiff and sore, but ready for her next adventure. After a quick shower, she prepared breakfast in the camp's rudimentary kitchen. "Kugh!" she coughed. "Egyptian grains don't taste anything like Captain Crispy, that's for sure!" As the sun rose over the desert, Gamelia straddled her scooter and cruised over the sandy seas. She was determined to find all the turquoise she needed before noon. She headed toward the great pyramid first. She had heard a rumor that turquoise was often found there. After searching for two hours, she found one of the required gems buried right at the base one of the smaller pyramids. Then she was traveling on a long, dusty road when she glimpsed some turquoise deposits shimmering in the sand above. She scooped them right up. Gamelia only needed one more piece of turquoise. On a hunch, she headed toward an oasis in the west. It was a long journey and she was tired and hot. Finding no gems, Gamelia decided to relax by the water. Then she remembered the collapsible fishing rod in her pack. Gamelia fished as the sun passed overhead. The lengthening shadows signaled that midday had come and gone. She was just about to give up and go back to camp when she felt a tug on her line. "Let 'er be a monster fish!" she cheered. "Hmmmm . . .You're a monster alright, but not a fish," she said aloud to a large, slimy frog. "You'll get no kiss from me, but I bet your legs will be tasty." Gamelia packed up, ready to leave. Then she spotted some debris in the shade. She scratched at the dirt with her bare hands. Buried amongst the ancient rubbish pile, she found a relic, $297 in gold, and a piece of turqoise. Not a bad haul! With her mission completed, Gamelia headed back to town to report to Aisha. Aisha gratefully accepted the turquoise and paid Gamelia, who jingled the money in her hands for a few minutes, trying to do the math. "Let's see. I found $432 worth of turquoise and was paid $392 simoleons..." Aisha invited her inside. "I have some personal concerns about MorcuCorp," she announced to Gamelia's surprise. "The locals are growing hostile. I want you to get close to some villagers and see what they think of MorcuCorp. Do you think you can do that for me, Gamelia?" Gamelia warily accepted the assignment. She made use of the mirror in the loo and practiced what she would say to the locals. Finally confident in her charismatic abilities, she said good-night and headed back to camp at 10:00 p.m. The next morning, Gamelia ate a quick breakfast of bread and jam as she enjoyed the view. The crazy French guy sat across from her, talking to himself as he ate a stale baguette.
When he was about to leave, Gamelia stopped him, saying, "Good morning!" After chatting about the desert heat and the unchanging weather, Gamelia asked, "So. . . have you heard of an Egyptian company called MorcuCorp?"
The crazy French guy laughed hysterically.
Gamelia made a note: 'Crazy French guy thinks MorcuCorp is a joke." Next, Gamelia went to the market. Soon after she arrived, the skulking Egyptian man showed up. She decided to use this as an opportunity. She approached him with a cheeky smile. "Hi," she said in a swanky southern American accent. "I don't think we've met officially, but I noticed that you keep following me around the market. So I just thought I'd save you some time and introduce myself. I'm Gamelia." The man seemed confused for a moment, then he laughed. "Good to meet you, Miss Gamelia. I do apologize for following you, but you were going in my direction."
"Oh?" she asked. "And what direction would that be?"
"Toward the market," he said with a bold smile. "I work here." "Do you really?" Gamelia suddenly felt silly.
"Youssef Nagi, special merchant, at your service," he bowed.
Abashed by her own presumptuous behavior, Gamelia clumsily apologized. He waved her apology off and assured her, "I have already forgotten." Then he whispered, "You must know, I am a little bit crazy and can't recollect much from one moment to the next." Youssef made a face to demonstrate. Gamelia laughed so loud, everyone in the shop stared at her. "Oh, good," Gamelia said. "I'm a bit of a loon myself!" She stuck out her tongue at him. Disarmed by his charming manners, Gamelia talked to Youssef about her travels. Knowing that he shared her sense of humor, she told him about the crazy Frenchman. Youssef chuckled. Flashing his broad white smile at her, he touched her arm and said, "Gamelia, you are too much for me!" The two of them exchanged stories and laughed together for hours. Gamelia finally remembered the task at hand and asked Youssef about MorcuCorp. He told her everything he knew. Then with a serious expression of concern, he added, "Gamelia, they are bad. Stay away from dealings with them." With that, he kissed her hand and left. She stood there for a moment longer, savoring the tingly sensation of infatuation. That afternoon, Gamelia rung Aisha's doorbell. Once inside, she told Aisha, "The locals don't have much respect for MorcuCorp."
Aisha shriveled her nose and contemplated this for a moment. Then she let Gamelia in on their plans. "MorcuCorp wants flame fruits from the Tomb of Burning Sands. The fruits will be used to develop post-atomic propulsion. Gamelia, I feel confident in your capabilities. Please, get these fruits for us." On her way back to camp, Gamelia thought about Youssef's warning. She decided to postpone the completion of the assignment. Her visa would expire at midnight, and there was no time for tomb exploration.
She called Youssef to say good-bye. To her disappointment, he was very formal on the phone--not like the charmer she had met at the market earlier that day. Maybe she had misread him? The next morning after a long flight, Gamelia took a cab back to her empty lot on Summer Hill. She felt sad. "I just need some rest," she thought. "And a regular job. And a normal life." Staring out over the ocean, she tried to imagine what this place could be like in ten or twenty years. She pictured a grand estate with a labyrinth of rooms and an intricate garden spanning several acres.
Gamelia took a deep breath, savoring the salty air. She laughed to herself, "If I'm to build a castle, I better get a job."
[End Chapter 2.]
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16 Comment(s) posted so far
#7 On Mar 22, 2010 muggelx1 wrote:
very good story...
#8 On Mar 23, 2010 Emil99 wrote:
#9 On Mar 26, 2010 j_girl87 wrote:
I love the little bits of humor you incorporate into this story! Also beautiful screenshots! 5.0!
#10 On Mar 26, 2010 Peachybitz1 wrote:
Had me smiling and laughing all way through
...Brilliant...
#11 On Mar 27, 2010 Midnight222 wrote:
Brilliant I am loving this story! Your style is easy to read and the humour throughout is fantastic.
I never knew there were so many crazzzy people in Egypt! 
#12 On Mar 28, 2010 missbettyevelin wrote:
love it!
#13 On Mar 30, 2010 Jennifer_R wrote:
Wonderful second chapter! I really like Gamelia, she is quite a character! Off to read chapter 3.....
#14 On Apr 4, 2010 Illandrya wrote:
I am so glad I live alone, so that I do not have my family staring at me as I laugh out loud at your descriptions and characters ... encore! encore! (I especially love the crazy Frenchman)
#15 On May 6, 2010 mogan44 wrote:
Awesome chapter! Thanks for sharing!
#16 On Oct 23, 2010 fabrizioammollo wrote:
Well done!