How did life change after you turned eighteen?
A lot more responsibilities were given to me, but the biggest change was that I was now allowed to have sex.
"Welcome to class. Today we are going to introduce you to intimacy now that you are of age. We will be discussing the reproduction schedule and answering questions after watching this short video about intimacy."
After the video is done, Camo pipes up as usual with an uncomfortable question that makes the teacher cringe.
"Why don't you just call it sex? That's what it is, isn't it?"
"Camo! We refer to it as intimacy because the word sex has dirty connotations. Intimacy is supposed to be the act of creating life. Sex is The Strangers term for it. The word is demeaning and takes away from the beauty of the act."
"Whatever. It's the same thing."
"ARGH! Camo! Must you be so infuriating?"
"What? You said you would be taking questions after the video, and I had a question."
Titanium laughs under his breath. The teacher's face is bright red. She looks incredibly embarrassed and uncomfortable, which is hilarious.
"Moving on. We have a Reproduction Schedule in which all residents of age are required to participate. I have an example of one here. You will be matched up with another resident and given a time to visit the clinic. It is your responsibility to make sure you do not miss your assigned time or you will be punished."
Zinfandel raises her hand.
"Is it supposed to be fun?"
"Yes, intimacy is fun and satisfying. However, having intimacy for fun is not allowed. Any residents caught engaging in intimacy other than during their assigned time will be punished. Those are the rules. Otherwise, now that you have seen how to do the act, you could be put on the schedule as early as the weekend. Enjoy this new addition to your lives."
How did you feel about this new addition to your life?
The whole situation was intimidating and awkward. It seemed daunting and I didn't like that there were yet more rules that I had to follow.
Titanium and Camo are in their room sitting on their beds.
"I feel awkward, Camo. I think it will be weird to be naked in front of someone I don't know. Especially since they're always telling us to be modest."
"Well, you're probably right. It will be weird. At least the other person will be naked too, you can both feel awkward together."
The alarm clock on the wall starts beeping, signaling that it is time for class again.
"Welcome, class. Sit down, we have a lot to talk about today. Now that you are adults, there are many more options for things to do in this house. You can get a job, so long as it does not interfere with your class schedules, or break curfew, which is at 10pm. You will be expected to keep an eye out for people who you think may need The Compound's help. Remember we are here to help save The Strangers from their miserable lives. There is also a weekly gathering that The Leader sets up in the conference room where we invite The Strangers to come and listen to music, eat free food, and talk with them. This is a mandatory gathering for adults. If you get a job, it must also not interfere with the weekly gathering."
"Will there be alcohol at this weekly gathering?"
The teacher glares at Camo, annoyed that he has interrupted her.
"No, we in this house do not taint our pure natures with alcohol or drugs of any kind."
"It's just one big party, right? Music, food, girls?"
"Camo, please just be quiet. The weekly gathering is not a party, it is a social gathering for getting to know the people in this community and saving them so they can have a chance to become pure as well."
What was the weekly gathering actually like?
It was a party of sorts, but the teacher wanted it to seem like it stood out from the parties The Strangers had, which she told us were alcohol soaked and full of impure behavior. We were helping people with our party, rather than having parties for fun like The Strangers.
The Leader has opened the doors to The Compound and set up some tables for food. Some people are listening to music and dancing. Others are mingling with each other, drinking soda and coffee. The Leader is talking to anyone who walks by and inviting them to the gathering.
Zinfandel is enthusiastically talking to someone about The Compound and the wonderful things it is doing for the community, while Titanium and Camo are sitting by the fountain.
"Look at her. She's so annoying. You can kind of hear the crazy in her voice. I don't know how she can love this place so much."
Camo points towards Zinfandel, who looks like she's enjoying the gathering a little too much.
"Camo? I checked the Reproduction Schedule, and I'm on it tomorrow."
"Wow, really? I guess the teacher was right, that it would happen soon for some of us."
"I'm scared."
"Just do what the guy on the video in class did and you should be fine."
"Thank you, Camo. How are you so confident about this?"
"I'm not really, I just pretend like I am. Not going to lie, though, I am excited about it. I am scared too, that it'll suck because I've built it up in my head like it's the best thing ever."
Camo happens to look up from his conversation with Titanium and notices the aqua haired boy from the beach.
"Titanium, isn't that your crush over there?"
"Yeah, what's he doing here?"
"I don't know, maybe you should go talk to him."
"I can't, he's a Stranger, I'll get in trouble."
"Not at this party. We're supposed to, remember?"
"Will you come with me?"
Camo nods and Titanium nervously gets up and walks towards the boy. He stands next to him and smiles shyly.
"Hey. How are you?"
"Fine. How are you?"
"I'm all right."
All three boys stand in awkward silence for a few minutes. Finally the aqua haired boy asks a question.
"You live here?"
"Yes, me and my friend Camo live here. Why are you here?"
"Free food. My dad's a drunk and I ran away from home a year ago. I'm eighteen now, but I still don't make a whole lot of money. I try to find free food whenever I can so I can save my money for paying bills."
"My name is Titanium, by the way."
"I'm Absolon."
I look up and see Absolon smiling at me. Remembering the first time we ever talked to each other was a fond memory in itself despite the circumstances. He's even wearing his hair like that again. I was so grateful to him for showing me what it meant to truly love somebody.
CREDIT: Mypalsim's Poses for Sims 3
Ugh. I have an uneasy feeling that this mating date of Titanium's might be Zinfandel... poor sod :/
ReplyDeleteLOL! Titanium's just screwed in general because he doesn't look at women that way, no matter who he gets.
DeleteGiven, but Miss Z would be the worst option available so far *g*
DeleteTouche. ;)
DeleteOh man, Titanium is going into the reproduction stage? I'm nervous to see who he'll get.. And it's so odd that it's supposed to be fun ad exciting, but to go into it ONLY with fun ad excitement on your mind is not allowed? Wow, I'd go crazy in a place like this.. Hahaha
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty fucked up, for sure. LOL. They really have a screwed up sense of everything. Yeah cause they can only have fun if The Compound says so, not of their own free will.
DeleteOMG. I think anna might be right. *makes hurling noise*
ReplyDeleteWell, not to mention Titanium prefers men over women so that obviously won't help much either.
Ugh! The whole idea of the way they procreate makes me sick to my stomach. I know it's not a unique thing, and stuff like this actually happens, but in my pretty little life, it's a shock.
I LOL'ed when Camo asked the teacher why she didn't just call it sex! Ugh, calling it sexual intercourse sounds more 'official' sounding than Intimacy, but that's what they decided to call it.
I hope Camo doesn't suck his first time around, but most do hehe.
LOL! Your 'makes hurling noise' comment made me picture a Sim when they think their environment is dirty and they fake throw up.
DeleteThey chose the word intimacy because they're dumb and they think it sounds more sacred and pure, even though in reality they're taking the love part out of it, so it really is just sex without the emotional connection.
Titanium is just screwed in general because of his sexual preferences, regardless of who he is paired up with.
Poor kid. I feel bad for Titanium, and I know that's how the world is sometimes - nobody even considers the notion someone wouldn't be 'normal' or that someone wouldn't want the things they've been told to want...
ReplyDeleteI'm curious to find out what kind of consequences there might be if he can't go through with it... I mean, sexuality isn't something that can be forced (especially without the use of drugs and or alcohol) and for someone who's barely more than a kid... it would be pretty traumatizing to be forced to try... Can't wait for the next chapter :)
Hey MandySaurus! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story, and that you are sympathetic for Titanium. :) Thank you for commenting!
DeleteUh, yeah, forced sex time just doesn't sound like fun at all. And poor Titanium, he's not even into girls...I can just imagine how difficult this will be for him!
ReplyDeleteHis first meeting with Absolon is really sweet. He seems to be the type The Leader would target as a new recruit.
Yeah the whole way they treat sex is totally screwed up. Absolon is exactly the type The Leader targets, people who are unhappy with their lives. They are more vulnerable and sometimes unable to think clearly because they're desperate.
DeleteOMG, reproduction schedule! I think it's the most creepy Compound rule/contrivance so far!
ReplyDeleteCamo's comments really cracks me up, he's funny and makes me laugh out loud here I sit :D
Finally the intro of Absolon, yey! He's really cute :)
Reproduction schedule is the dumbest, most inhumane thing (well except for Isolation, that's pretty inhumane too) they have done. It's so unhealthy. I'm glad Camo makes you laugh. :) There needs to be some humor in this depressing environment. LOL. Aww, thanks, Absolon is pretty cute with his crazy colored hair. :)
DeleteI know this is supposed to be about a cult, but I feel like you're writing about the sims. I have rules about who my Sims can and cannot socialize with, what they can and cannot eat and when and with whom they can have sex....creeeeepy!
ReplyDeleteLOL. Writing a story with Sims does kind of make players need to control their actions so the story goes according to plan. XD
DeleteI am not really looking forward to this stuff. It seems horrible. But, then, they aren't robotic. They seem to be allowed a bit of autonomy. Horrible place though. Think this way, do this thing that way, don't do this, don't do that. I think Zinfandel is a lost cause.
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that I'm instilling those feelings inside you, not in a mean way. LOL. It just means my writing is having an effect. You're absolutely right, it is horrible because it's supposed to be horrible. Zinfandel is lost, she is completely brainwashed. As adults, they are allowed some freedom, mobility wise. They will never be free to think what they want as long as they live there. The Leader is hoping by now the ones who were born there are completely brainwashed so he can send them into the world to hopefully recruit new people for the cult.
DeleteI do like the word intimacy over sex but I don't see how one word is better than the other...These people are crazy! Sex can refer to a gender so what the hell are they talking about when they say it has a 'dirty connotation' *rolls eyes*
ReplyDeleteThe reproduction schedules were just absolutely ridiculous like everything else they do there. They can't force people to reproduce. This is like...Human trafficking except they're forcing them to have children...Theses people are nuts. What if they aren't attracted to the person they're paired up with? Ugh gross...It's like a brothel...Absolutely atrocious. Alot of their rules are contradicting...they want to talk about purity but apparently having sex with random people in the compound is "pure" because they're reproducing...B.S. -_-
I can't wait to see what happens to Titanium, especially with him and Absolon...Their social skills were kind of...Lacking. I understand his nervousness though, it was cute. :)
That's because one word is not better than the other. There's a lot of lies and bullshit I write in this story because in cults, lies are truth. LOL.
DeleteAttraction doesn't have anything to do with anything, that's what makes the reproduction schedule such a cruel practice. Also true in cults, a lot of things are contradictory, and only people who aren't in the cult see it that way. The main thing isn't so much that the cult actually wants people to be pure, it's that they want people to obey. That's why a lot of things are contradictory, because it is a facade to cover up the real stuff underneath.
LOL, yeah, well, they don't know any better about how to be friends with people. Absolon ran away from home, and most people don't think twice about runaways, especially if their parents don't care. Absolon doesn't have any friends either. Titanium is the first person who has approached him and even tried to talk to him in a long time.