Click to read the profilesWell its finaly here. Written by Flid and Nhayes. Enjoy.
The day had arrived that every sim worth a simolean had been waiting for, the night of The Simmies award presentation. Stars of the big screen glided along the red carpet, each hoping to be better than the rest. Cameras flashed as they waved to the crowds of onlookers, beaming their best Simmywood smiles that showed off their perfect, ultra white teeth.
Stephan sat down with a distracted smile on his distinguished face. Glancing around at all the expectant faces in their designer formal wear, the ladies with their hair freshly styled, their elegant necks dripping with diamonds and other expensive jewels. The men sitting stiffly in their tuxedos, sipping cocktails and weighing up the competition. The atmosphere was palpable with nervous excitement. Each year it was the same. If you reached out your hand you could probably grab a handful of air thick with anticipation.
There is one difference this year he thought rather smugly. He knew what a number of people in the room were all thinking about, and he knew that it wasn’t the awards. It was the same thing on his mind. He looked around for the people he had chosen and he could see the item of their thoughts on their tables or sticking out of their pockets and handbags. He could tell each and every one of them wanted to talk about it, hoping that someone had figured out what the mysterious message inside meant.
Charlie Rivers, resplendent in his tailored dinner jacket, glanced surreptitiously over at his younger brother. He hoped to catch his eye without Christyana noticing. He wondered if Matt had worked out the strange message they both had received earlier that day. He had gone over and over the note since he got it, but he still couldn't decipher its meaning.
At another table, Ashton Phoenix rubbed the back of his neck and sighed loudly.
“You ok?” asked Rachel watching him from across the table
“Yeah I. . . er.” He subconsciously pulled the black letter out of his pocket and twirled it around in his hand.
“You got one, too?” inquired Sienna, suddenly interested in the conversation. “Do you have any idea what it means?”
The ceremony started as the presenters made their way onto stage and took their microphones.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” one of the elegant female presenters began, as silence descended and the Awards were introduced.
As the ceremony progressed, only Stephan noticed that some of the audience wasn’t as rapt as the others. Some of them looked decidedly distracted as they fidgeted and fiddled with small black envelopes. He noticed Charlie trying to catch his brother’s eye, Sienna and Ashton whispering animatedly to each other and Clay with a brooding look on his face as he sat quietly, lost in his thought. A triumphant smile crept across Stephan’s face as he watched his plan pan out beautifully before him.
Christyana watched anxiously as the nominees for best actress began. She hoped it was her name that was called out to receive it. Already a three time winner, she desperately wanted to make it a fourth.
“Welcome to Simmywood’s Simmie awards. I am Megan Zimmerman and this is Julia Devonshire. " said Megan over the microphone.
The ceremony was coming to its conclusion when Julia made a special announcement. “Tonight we have four very special awards to give out. These four people are outstanding stars and I hope you will all agree. "
Julie smiled and looked over the crowd of waiting celebrities. "So with out further delay. The first award tonight is Outstanding Female Performance. Now I am sure you will all agree that this actress is by far one of Simmywoods most admired female actresses, if not one of the most envied."
The room waited in anticipation and Julia paused and smiled.
"This award goes to Aimee Salinger."
"Now where is our dear Aimee?"
Aimee approached the stage as the camera and the spotlights followed her. She took her place at the microphone and breathed in. "Wow I don’t know what to say. I am overwhelmed. I guess I should start by saying thank you to my co stars in Chalk and Cheese, I really couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you very much everyone."
They watched as Aimee made her way back to her seat with her award before Megan began the next award.
"Well we have had Outstanding Female performance, its only right that we give the guys a chance too. Now this man came into our lives as a little known actor, but his role in his last film, certainly marked his arrival to the big time. Tonight I announce that the winner or Outstanding Male performance is Clay Denver. "
Clay walked up to the stage, not letting his nervousness show. All this time in front of the camera and he could still feel the edge of stage fright.
"I am so stunned to be here. I can’t believe it. Standing here looking at all of you and knowing I won makes me very proud.
Let’s hope Matt doesn’t steal my title next year. "
They all laughed at Clay's parting comment as he quickly went back to sit down in the comfort of the crowd.
Julie cleared her throat and smiled broadly for the cameras. "Now this next award makes me very proud to be here. The winner of this one definitely deserves it. She has made us laugh, cry and above all entertained us. The next award is life time achievement. And I am very honoured to be giving this today. "
"The winner is…Christyana Jobert. "
Christyana took hold of the microphone without hesitation. She smiled confidently as everyone watched her.
"It's a funny thing about winning a Simmie Award, this will always be sort of synonymous with your name from here on. Simmie-winner Christyana Jobert, life time achievement 2006.
It’s nice to know that they got one award right tonight. Hey, I’m joking…well mostly.
I'm honoured to be presented with this award for lifetime achievement award; I'm making it my aim to be the first person to win this twice! I'd like to take time to thank the most important person in my career so far.. so well thanks to me without whom I wouldn't be where I am today standing here in front of you all with a smug grin on my face. Oh and thanks to the writers, producers and stars that I’ve worked with over the years. "
"Well, erm thank you Christyana." Said Megan not sure what to say after Christyana's speech. " Now quickly moving on. There is just one more award to give out tonight. And this one isn’t for the actors and actresses I see before me. It is for the man who helped make you all what you are today. Let me take the pleasure in announcing The Director of the Year goes to my favourite vampire. Stephan Cruz."
"It’s a great honour to be stood here looking out at all the faces of the people whose lives I have made hell, but I hope it hasn’t scared you all off. I look forward to working with you all in the future. Without you all I wouldn't be stood up here today, and for that I thank you."
Julie and Megan smiled and clapped as Stephan made his way to his table. They closed the awards and thanked everyone for coming.
Simmywood's finest made their way to the bar. Socializing was the best way to get ahead in this business and they all knew it. It was also rumored that Stephan was about to start on another project, and many of them were eager to learn more. Some of them, however, had other things on their minds.
Christyana walked over to where gorgeous Matt Rivers was talking to his friend and colleague Clay Denvers. He saw her approach, and his face broke into a warm smile. “Christyana, congratulations.” he exclaimed, kissing her on both cheeks in the continental way.
“Oh Matt, come on now. No need for flattery. You know that award wouldn’t have gone to anyone else in this room,” Christyana answered vainly.
“Good old Christyana,” thought Matt. She could always be depended on to come up with something egotistical. Mind you, when you looked as good as Christyana, you could carry anything off.
“Yes, well, er,” he replied, unsure of what to say without causing offense.
Christyana moved closer to Matt and ran her hand over his broad shoulders.
“You know, you really should have won male of the year,” she whispered softly in his ear.
Rachel Addison noticed that awful Christyana Jobert talking to Matt. Anger raced through her as she watched them laughing and flirting.
“He never could resist a pretty face,” she thought in annoyance, squaring her shoulders and navigating her way through the crowded bar to them. She was not going to be put off talking to her own husband by some spoiled, jumped up actress.
Matt saw Rachel approaching and his heart sank. This wasn’t going to be pretty. Despite everything, he still loved his wife, but they hadn’t been able to have a civil conversation for months. Too much alike, they always fought for the last word.
“Rachel,” Matt said, acknowledging her.
“Talking to the trash again, are we Matt?” said Rachel as she rolled her eyes angrily at Christyana.
“Excuse me, who do you think you're talking to?” demanded Christyana, raising her voice. “Did you see WHO just won lifetime achievement?”
“Yes, well, the number of people you have taken to your bed is quite an achievement, too,” retorted Rachel, furious now.
“You bitch,” hissed Christyana, her voice dripping with venom.
Matt stood between them both, hoping that they wouldn’t launch at each other. “Ladies, please. There is a time and a place. Do you really want a cat fight on national television?”
“Well, if you take the rubbish out and put it where it belongs, I have something to talk to you about,” Rachel informed him.
“I will not stoop down to your level, Rachel. No wonder Matt is divorcing you. You drove him into Sienna’s bed with your constant nagging and bad temper.”
Clay noticed Matt’s predicament, from the bar where he was ordering drinks, and ran over to help him. “Rachel come on, just leave it for now. You don’t want to cause a scene.” He encouraged her calmly, guiding her away by the arm.
“Oh, don’t try and be all macho, Clay. Leave the little actress to make a fool of herself. At least she would make front page news for the first time in her life,” laughed Christyana harshly.
Clay steered Rachel towards the bar. “I don’t need to be dragged away like some misbehaving child, you know, Clay.”
“Oh, come on Rachel, that’s not fair. Matt is my mate and we grew close in Alone. I don’t want to see either of you getting bad press, especially not while both your careers are on such a high. Do you really want to see "Simmie award winner Rachel Addison Gets Into Bar Brawl" written across every newspaper tomorrow?”
Rachel took a deep breath. She knew Clay was right. He always was.
“I’m sorry Clay. She just winds me up.”
“She winds everyone up. I think she does it on purpose.”
“Well, I must say today is turning out to be just great,” sighed Matt dramatically.
“You have me, Matt, and there is still plenty of today left to make it end happily,” Purred Christyana, pushing herself against him, winking seductively, and leaving him no doubt what was on her mind.
“Matt,” said Charlie, interrupting them. Christyana cursed silently in her head.
Was she ever going to get Matt alone?“Did you have any thoughts on that letter?” Charlie asked eagerly.
Matt’s stomach flipped as he remembered the black letter in his pocket.
“I thought you might know what it means or who sent it.”
Blake overheard Matt and Charlie talking. At the mention of the black letter, he felt in his pocket for his own that he also had found on his doormat that morning. His name was written across its shiny black surface in red ink like a bloody smear. He hadn’t been able to fathom out what it meant either. He pulled the black letter out from his pocket and read it over again.
“Only the son of the dragon shall see me at midnight, no one else’s blood is worthy.” And underneath in smaller text:
“It is in your interest to discuss this letter only with other recipients. Your silence will be well rewarded should you solve the puzzle.”
The riddle had echoed around in his head all day. Both he and his wife, Vivien, had received one, identical in all but the name on the envelope.
“Excuse me a moment,” Blake said, as he turned to Matt and Charlie, who were discussing their letters. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I overheard you discussing this,” he said holding out his letter.
Charlie took the letter from Blake’s hand and read it. “It’s the same as mine. How many people do you think received one?”
Matt shook his head. “I have no idea but I would love to know what it means. Maybe we could ask Stephan. He’s into this kind of stuff.”
Matt, Charlie and Blake scoped the crowded room, looking for the familiar figure of Stephan Cruz. However, tonight he was nowhere to be seen. Matt thought it was a little odd. Normally at parties, Stephan would be holding court in amongst the largest crowd in the room. Tonight he had vanished.
People began to notice the three of them looking around, each one of them spotting the letters they held.
“Where did you get that?” asked Oliver Noon, marching over from the table where he had sat moments before.
Matt raised his eyebrows. “You have one, too?”
“Yes, I got it today.”
“Right. One second.” Matt put his fingers between his lips and whistled as loud as he could to get everyone’s attention. He held his letter up to show them all. “What does this mean to you all?” He looked across the faces. He could pick out everyone who had received a letter by the looks of shock and recognition in their eyes.
He gathered everyone up and they congregated in a quiet corner. They stood together for a good half hour trying to figure out the note’s hidden meaning. It was almost twelve. The letter said midnight. They didn’t have long left.
Charlie burst out laughing. “God have we been stupid.” They all looked at him, confused. He turned to Blake. “Can't you see it? You of all people should have figured this one out.”
“I’m not following,” replied Blake, lost.
“Son of the dragon,” read Charlie excitedly.
Blake looked at Charlie, knowing he was missing something. He thought about that part. Son of the dragon, sounded too familiar, but he couldn’t recall why. Suddenly the penny dropped, and a look of comprehension lit up his face.
Smiling, he said, “Count Dracula?”
“Precisely,” confirmed Charlie.
The others looked at them both as if they had gone temporarily insane.
Blake ran off toward the library with Charlie close on his heels. The rest of the small group followed tentatively, curiosity getting the better of them.
Stephan owned the building that hosted the Simmie. Blake knew that there would definantly be a copy of Dracula in the library.
Smiling victoriously at the book on the shelf, he raised his hand up and pulled it. Nothing happened. The book appeared to be firmly stuck. Blake tried harder to pry it out of its home, but it wouldn’t move.
Oblivious to all the actors and actresses entering the stately library, he continued to pull at the book, determined to free it. But he feared that he would rip the cover if he carried on. It was less than a minute until midnight. They didn’t have long.
“Maybe you are wrong,” Angel suggested from the back of the small crowd.
“No, this is right. I know it is. I bet this is Stephan’s idea of a joke,” Blake answered, still tugging at the book.
The clock ticked over to midnight, and Blake gave the book one last tug. He stumbled forward into the bookcase as the book unexpectedly moved. A loud hiss sounded behind them, and they all turned in its direction. They watched in awe as the wall of the library slipped out of place and opened to reveal a hidden corridor.
They all stood gaping at the corridor, as if expecting something monsterous to come charging out of the newly exposed doorway.
“Ah, come on people,” said Doug, taking charge. Gibson Douglas, Doug to his friends, was not a man to scare easily. “It's not like it's a movie. Nothing is going to jump out and eat us.”
Doug tutted disdainfully and strode off into the corridor. The others looked questioningly at each other, unsure whether to follow. Eventually, one by one, they entered the passage.
The corridor was short and curved around to the left. At the end of it was a large, empty room. Unadorned rough brick walls greeted the group of stars as they gathered together in its centre, facing a small stage at the back. All of them stopped and waited, not sure what to do next. They didn’t wait long as the door to the side of the stage creaked slowly open. Stephan appeared and walked through to take his place at the microphone.
“Good evening, all. I am very pleased that you managed to find your way here.”
“What's this all about?” Cherry called loudly above the noise of everyone else’s murmured questions.
Stephan waved his hand to silence her. “All will be revealed in a moment. Please listen to what I have to say. Believe me when I tell you that an opportunity as good as this won’t come around again.”
“I have worked with all of you and I have come to see you as my greatest finds. I ask you here tonight to take yet another journey with me. A journey that will prove very rewarding to any of you that accepts. I cannot disclose further details tonight. I am merely relying on your trust and friendship. However, I will tell you this: Join with me today, and you will go down in history.”
“This offer will not be repeated. Laid out on the table in the far corner are some contracts. Find the one marked with your name, and along with the contract you will find some airplane tickets. If you accept, you must sign the contract now. Anyone who doesn’t wish to be involved can leave now.
Stephan paused, looking around to see if anyone turned and walked out. He hoped they wouldn’t. He had big plans for them. He watched, smiling, as they each took their contracts and eagerly signed on the dotted line.
“You each have two days to sort your affairs out, after which you will meet me at Simmywood airport where we will board a plane and fly to New Zealand. There will be no script to this movie. Instead, instructions will be issued every morning. I estimate that this will take approximately two years to complete, after which you will all be highly rewarded. It’s time for you to leave. I will see you all in two days.”
Stephan nodded good night to them and left the same way he had entered.
They all stood still, struck dumb for a moment, not knowing what to think.
Clay staggered through his front door, nearly falling over as he entered his luxurious house. The house seemed more like a holiday home more than anything. It was always clean and tidy with minimal amounts of furniture. He had spent less time here than anywhere else. Most of the time he was on a film set somewhere or promoting something that he had just finished. The life of a film star may look glamorous, but it was far from it.
He wandered over to the cabinet and reached up to the shelves. His head started to spin from the alcohol as he lent his head back to look up. The award clattered as it hit the wood floor. He tuted and walked away, he could pick it up in the morning. What was it worth anyway? Someone else would get it next year and he would just be forgotten like everyone else. Unless what Stephan had said was true and this new movie would make them go down in history.
But why all the secrecy? He couldn’t work it out. Stephen was normally coy when it came to a new project, but not this coy. They were at least given a summary of what it was about and an extract from the script it self. Maybe Matt knew what was going on, because he certainly didn’t.
“Matt” he shouted, hoping that his friend would be back from the awards. Matt had left just before Clay. He had somehow managed to grab the attention of Christyana Jobert. She was a good actress, but off the screen she was a total bitch.
“Matt you here?” he called again. “Of course your not bloody here are you.” He said to him self. “Only sad old me, but not you? You will be in the arms of some woman wont you?”
Clay fell back onto the sofa as he continued to ramble to him self. He sank into the soft cushions and laid his head back as he let the alcohol send him floating to sleep.
Loud banging jolted him awake about an hour later. Clay lifted him self up from the seat and fell back down, his head swimming. “For god sake” he cursed as the impatient visitor knocked again.
“I’m coming.” He yelled towards the door.
He half marched and half staggered to the door to open it, ready to give who ever was on the other side a piece of his mind.
He flung the door open. “What do you want.” He said before registering that Rachel was stood there.
Rachel had been his co star in his last movie, Alone as well as the wife of his best friend Matt.
“Oh Rach, I’m sorry that wasn’t meant for you. Come in.” he said as he held the door open for her.
“Do you want a drink?”
“You got any beer?” she asked him
“Do I look like I would have beer in this house?” he said jokingly. “That bad taste I leave for you husband. How about a JD?”
“Yeah sure. Is Matt here?”
“Nope, not seen him.”
“Oh”
Rachel sat her self down on the sofa as Clay handed her, her glass. She looked up at him her eyes shinning with the tears she was trying to hold onto.
“Don’t you dare shed a tear over that idiot Rach, he isn’t worth it.”
“Sorry, I just can’t help it. I love him still. Just wish he felt the same.”
Clay sat down next to her. He fought with himself mentally. If only he hadn’t invited Sienna to join them that night when he and Matt went out drinking. His friends would still be happily married. It was all his fault and he didn’t know how to fix it.
“You can do better you know?”
“I don’t want better. God this is stupid. Do you know I had thought Sienna was my friend? When we were filming she was so nice, but then she goes and sleeps with my husband and I have to pretend I like her for the cameras. And now he’s of with that stupid cow Christyana.”
“Rach stop it; just don’t torture your self. You’ll get over it.”
“Yeah? What do you know? When was the last time you let anyone close to you?”
“Rach that’s not fair.”
“I know, I’m sorry. It’s not your fault, its his.”
Rachel put her glass to her mouth and drank. She felt the cold liquid burning her throat as she swallowed it as fast as she could.
Clay moved closer to her and put his arm around her.
Matt unlocked the door quietly not wanting to wake Clay. The bright morning sun stung his eyes even through his dark sunglass, he hadn’t had a wink of sleep all night, but it had been worth it.
The sun reflected off the gleaming floor and he shielded his eyes as he closed and locked the door behind him. Dropping his keys into the bowl on the table he walked into the lounge.
“What the hell is this?” he yelled. Clay and Rachel sprang up from where they had fallen asleep together on the sofa. Matt stood over them looking like he could kill.
“Matt” said Rachel trying to straighten her dress.
“What’s going on? Thought you would try out my friends now?”
“You have room to talk whose bed where you in last night? Or can’t you remember her name?”
“Oh don’t start Rachel.”
“Don’t start? I come here looking for you and your in some jumped up tarts bed, then you have the audacity to come back and shout the odds at me. So what if anything had happened with me and Clay. Its none of your business is it? We’re separated.”
Rachel picked up her bag and hurried towards the front door. Clay stood in the background not wanting to get involved in their argument.
“Don’t you walk away from me Rachel.”
“Get lost Matt.” She spat as she walked out of the house and slammed the door behind her.
Blake opened the door for his wife Vivien. She met his eyes as she passed him and sighed. He hadn’t spoken to her since the meeting they had just attended at the Simmies. It was so unlike Blake. Normally after an awards ceremony he would be talking so much that her head would hurt, but this time he was silent.
She threw her purse onto the glass table that took centre stage in their dining room and poured herself a brandy. Blake slumped down onto one of the cushioned chairs by the table. He rubbed his temples trying to relieve the stress that was building up. Vivien poured Blake and herself another drink and joined him.
“Talk to me Blake”
“About what?”
“This, you know. What’s going on?” Asked Vivien as she reached across the table to touch his hand.
He pulled away and rested his body back into the chair. “It's this thing we signed. It just doesn’t feel right. I mean don’t get me wrong, I would do anything for Stephan, but … I don’t know.”
“Are you thinking of not going?”
“Well yeah. I mean I have this other thing that I accepted.”
“Have you told Stephan?”
“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to.”
Vivien stood up, she couldn’t believe that Blake was willing to turn Stephan down and work for someone else behind his back. Stephan had been good to both of them and Blake was one of Stephan’s closest friends.
“It's wrong Blake. I wont let you do this.” She said.
“I am not going to this thing that he is planning. I have accepted this other offer and I am going to take it.”
“You will take it Blake Diamond or…or.” Her voice was raised, never had Blake put another job offer before one of Stephans.
“Or?” he asked her daring her to carry on. Vivien knocked back the rest of her drink and stormed to the bedroom. It wasn’t like Blake to be so awful, normally he was laid back and would do anything for anyone especially Stephan.
They had been married for over 20 years and Blake had stayed and looked after their children while she pursued her movie career. Once the children had grown up and left home Stephan had brought Blake into the movie world. The pair had always got on well, ever since it came to light that Blake shared the same interests in vampires as Stephan did. Vivien just couldn’t understand why he was acting so out of character now.
She pulled the suitcase out from the back of her walk in wardrobe. If he wasn’t going to listen willingly she was going to have to make him with force.
Vivien forced herself not to cry as she packed her ordinary clothes into her case. She stood and thought for a moment. Would she be packing just for one night at her mothers or two years on this project?
“What are you doing?” asked Blake as he eyed her up from the doorway.
“Packing.” She said not want to get into another argument with him. She loved him, she didn’t want to fight with him, and she didn’t want to say something she might regret later.
Vivien pulled a pair of jeans and a t-shirt out of her wardrobe; she never had felt comfortable in the glamorous movie star attire. Blake watched her as she undressed. Even after she had brought his three children into the world she still had a great figure.
“Where are you going to go?” he asked her bringing himself back out of the daydream.
“I am going to my mothers and then I am going with Stephan.” She bit her lip, not wanting to give him the ultimatum, but he had left her no choice.
“And what about me, what about this other movie I have. More importantly what about us?”
Vivien examined the contents of her case. It was virtually empty. She filled it with anything; she just wanted to get to her mothers before she lost her nerve. She threw in jeans, shirts, skirts and dresses without folding them. She could iron them again later.
“You just going to ignore me Vivien?” asked Blake.
She stood in front of him, her eyes meeting his determinedly. Reaching for his hand she placed her wedding ring in his palm and closed his fingers around it. “You get on the plane with me and Stephan and give me this ring back, I will put it on. If you don’t then you can keep the ring.”
She pulled away from him and ran out the door. If she looked back her cool exterior would melt, but she had to do this.
Blake opened his hand as he heard the front door slam. He had a decision to make.
