The Life & Times of Meadow Thayer: 1.1
WARNINGS: 69 IMAGES, ADULT SITUATIONS, MILDLY DARK.
This is the Meadow Thayer Legacy, started by Amy (shoefleesims and her sister Jessi (wiggly_toes. It is all played on Jessi's laptop, but we came up with the story and did all the shots and such together. Here goes!
I don't really remember much of my childhood. Just what they've told me here at Summerholt.
It was a beautiful spring day and my mom was baking a pie like she did every Sunday morning.
But this morning, something went horribly wrong. She smelled smoke and ran in to find the oven engulfed in flame!
The fire spread quickly, and she called for my father's help.
In the end, it was my mother who had the presence of mind to grab the fire extinguisher and attempt to put out the blistering flames.
But it was just too much for my poor mother to handle on her own, and my father was too panicked to do anything but scream.
Within moments, the hem of my mother's dress caught fire and the extinguisher fell to the ground. Before my father could even move, the flames began to consume her.
It must have seemed to my father as if one minute she was there...
...and the next, she was only a smoldering pile of ash and dust.
Despite his grief, Dad had the presence of mind (and perhaps concern for my safety) to grab the extinguisher from where it had fallen. He set to work on the flames, shooting streams of cooling liquid over the raging fire.
He managed to extinguish the blaze, but it was all too much. The smoke had already seeped into his lungs.
And so, he died, right next to the ashes of his beloved wife.
That Sunday was a busy afternoon for the Grim Reaper.
I've been told that when the fire fighters arrived, nearly 15 minutes later, they found me on the floor in the ashes of my flame-ravaged kitchen.
No one knows how I found my way there from the nursery. Perhaps I was only looking for my parents.
Shortly after the house was discovered, the Social Worker arrived.
She scooped me up in her arms and took me away from the only home I'd ever known.
And she gave me to Sister Mary Clarence and my new home.
Summerholt Orphanage.
It's said that Summerholt was once owned by some rich eccentrics.
No one knows what happened to them, but one day they simply vanished, leaving an empty manor in their stead.
The city bought the old building and turned it into an Orphanage for girls.
And now, it's my home.
Who am I, you ask? My name is Meadow Thayer and this is my story.
It's not so bad here at Summerholt. I have a best friend, her name is Sally, and since we share a room we often spend hours just lying in bed chatting to one another.
We have classes, of course. They aren't so horrible...
...even when Sylvia goes off on one of her nerdy tangents.
And Sister Mary Clarence, who runs Summerholt, isn't so bad.
She often lets us play soccer in the back yard during our free time. We usually make Abby the goalie; because she's the best at it.
But every so often, I take a try. Sometimes, I hope my playful teasing will distract my friends...
...because I'm really not that good at catching the ball.
There are a lot of empty rooms in the Orphanage. The city couldn't afford to furnish them, but we don't mind much. They're great places to just sit and talk.
Lately, our conversations have all been about one thing; my 18th birthday party.
Meadow: What music should we play at the party, Sylvia?
Sylvia: I don't care, as long as we get ice cream!
Mary-Sue: I just hope it's sunny out! Wouldn't it be awful if it rained???
Before the party, though, my friends had something important to talk about.
Sally: Now that you're going to be an adult, Meadow, you should have a more adult look!
Meadow: I don't know...
Sally Oh come on, it'll be fun! We can use that old vanity in Sister Mary's room.
Oh yes, the old Vanity. I'd almost forgotten. It was the only thing here when the city bought the building and since it was bolted to the floor, no one could move it. And so it stayed. Sister Mary Clarence made that room hers, on the theory that no young girl should be exposed to the sort of vain fluffery an item like that might encourage.
Meadow: No, that vanity creeps me out! I mean, who bolts a vanity to the floor?!?
Sally: It's just a vanity, Meadow! Don't be so superstitious!
Sally: I promise, Meadow, it'll be quick and painless.
Meadow: Alright, I guess...
And so I agreed. Reluctantly.
I have to admit, the results weren't so bad. As I smiled into the mirror, I barely even recognized myself.
That next night was my birthday. With all my orphanage friends gathered around, I blew out the candles and made my wish. I wished for someone to love me, someone who I could grow old with.
I couldn't believe I was finally 18! At last, I could leave the orphanage for good.
I spun around out of joy, and even though it sounds crazy, I swear it felt like I was exploding in sparkles!
I, Meadow Thayer, was an adult at last.
The next night, my meager possessions in hand, I left Summerholt. My friends and Sister Mary ran outside to wave goodbye as I climbed into the awaiting taxi.
Meadow: Good bye, everyone! Goodbye Summerholt!
It was time for my new life to begin.
I spent that first night with Trixie, a friend of Sister Mary's who happened to be a Realtor. She was going to help me find a new home.
Trixie: I have quite a few lovely little homes to show you today, Meadow!
Meadow: I can't wait to see what you've found for me.
The first place may have been nice, but the rent was exorbitant!
Meadow: $600 a month? There's no way I'm paying that for a trailer!
Though the next house was just as nice, I couldn't help but notice the strangely-familiar house across the street.
Meadow: Hey, what about that place over there?
With a frown, Trixie turned and led me across the quiet road.
Trizie: This house? It's been abandoned for years!
Meadow: But it just looks so familiar...
Trizie: Do you want me to take you inside?
Meadow: No, that's alright. I'll just walk through on my own. There's something about this house...
Not quite sure why I forced Trixie to stay outside, I cautiously made my way into the derelict house.
Meadow: This blue carpet, those windows! Why does this house look so familiar?
I made my way into the nearest room and felt the shock of recognition hit me like a ton of bricks.
Meadow: That quilt on the wall... I've seen it before!
When I was younger... didn't a quilt just like this hang above my crib?
I wandered into the kitchen and when I gazed down at the pile of ashes on the floor, I realized just where I was.
Meadow: Oh God. This is my home. This is where I lived. This is where my parents died!
I couldn't take one more moment in that place and so I ran right out the front door and passed a stunned Trixie.
Trixie: Meadow, what's wrong?
Meadow: Trixie, I just realized, this was my home before my parents died!
Trixie: Oh Meadow, I'm so sorry, I didn't know. We can leave if you want...
As much as I wanted to say yes, I could feel some strange pull, urging me back to the house.
Meadow: I don't know, Trixie. I just... Trixie, is this house for sale?
Trixie: It's not for sale, but- I could rent it to you, Meadow. After all, if it was your home, you have a right. How about $300 a month?
Meadow: You know what? I think that'd be perfect, Trixie. Thank you so much.
I moved in the very next day, and immediately got to work cleaning up the dirty old house.
But before I could get much of anything done, I heard someone whistling outside! I stuck my head out the door to see who it was, and then I saw him. The man I just somehow knew I was meant to marry.
He told me his name was Don Lothario. All I could think was that he was one hunk of a man.
We talked for a few minutes, but soon he said he had to get going. I walked him to the edge of my home and waved goodbye.
As I watched his form fade away down the sidewalk, I glanced to my left and saw something odd behind the bushes!
I wondered to myself what on earth it could be as I made my way around the back of my home and towards the fence.
I reached down to clear the weeds around the strange object and gasped in surprise.
Meadow: Is that... what I think it is?
TO BE CONTINUED...
---------------------PRODUCTION NOTES-------------------------
* It took like 15 tries to get Meadow's parents to die right!
* Why is that social worker always smiling?!?
* Sister Mary Clarence -- If you know where the name is from, you get cookies!
* Copious amounts of diet coke went into the making of this first chapter.
Let us know what you think, and we promise more to come!
~Amy & Jess~