The Trials Of Summer Bay

[Kris10na]

Great update!

The prison scene was great and the Nicole/Mattie dialogue was a nice twist!

[maccaz]

Great update!

The prison scene was great and the Nicole/Mattie dialogue was a nice twist!

Thank you!

Well, seeing as it is now officially my birthday (I turn 19 biggrin.gif), I thought I might give you a present with...an update!

Chapter 7

Nicole sat there in History class, her eyes fixated on the blackboard, scribbling furiously at her notepad, attempting to memorise dates, names, places, forces at play - everything that was relevant to the subject. The truth was, she didn't care why there was a renewed burst of Japanese imperialism in 1932, or how Mussolini consolidated his power in Italy, or what the Dunkirik evacuation was, or any of that stuff. She just used it as a cover to keep her from wandering back down that dark path.

At recess, she sat by herself behind the bikesheds - a little girl lost, who really desperately wanted to share her pain with someone, but was hesitant to do so, lest she risked ruining her reputation as the Paris Hilton of Summer Bay - minus the drunk and dangerous driving charges, of course. Just then, Annie happened to wander across her.

"Nicole...hi." She began, awkwardly. When no reply was forthcoming, Annie sat next to her.

"Want to talk about it?" She asked. Again, no answer. Annie, being as obstinate as a mule, plowed on.

"Nicole, I know from experience that it's not good to bottle these things up. Talking helps."

Eventually, Nicole snapped. "WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP!!"

"I'm...I'm sorry!" Annie murmured, taken aback by Nicole's outburst of pure anger.

"Look, Annie, I'm sorry about what happened to you. I really am. But that does not give you the right to become Sherlock Holmes and try to figure out my life story!"

With that, Nicole stormed off. As she did so, those thoughts returned to her. She tried to block out those thoughts, those memories of that horrible night that changed her and her mother forever.

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Later that afternoon, Annie was walking along the beach, where she saw Belle sitting in the long grass, her head in her hands. As Annie walked over towards Belle, she could hear audible sobs coming from her body - she was crying.

"Belle?" Annie asked. Belle looked up at her, her face streaked with tears. "Why...why are you crying?"

"It's...it's Aden." Belle murmured.

"What about him?"

"I...I have feelings for him. I...I love him! But it feels so wrong...after what he did to you..."

Annie looked thoughtful, as she sat down next to Belle.

"Wow...does Drew know?"

"No, and I plan to keep it that way. He doesn't need this."

"He cares about you, Belle."

"Not after this!"

"Okay." Annie began, nervously. "Why do you love Aden?"

Belle took a deep breath.

"After...after he told us what happened, I began to see a different side to him. Whereas before I just saw some sicko pervert, now I see a...a scared, damaged boy, who just wants to live a good life. He'll need someone to keep him on the straight and narrow. But...it won't be me."

"Why not? You said it yourself - you love him."

"Yeah, but if I act on that, I'll be betraying everyone I care about - Drew, Geoff, you..."

"Fine. Do it."

Belle was slightly taken aback. "W-what?"

"Go ahead. Be with Aden. You have my blessing."

"But what...what about Geoff? He'll be so mad..."

"Belle, Geoff doesn't believe in vengeance. He believes in sinners seeking forgiveness and reconcilliation. Aden's said he's sorry, and he genuinely wants to repent. And once I tell Geoff about what happened, he'll be more understanding. I'm sure of it."

Belle turned to Annie. "How did you get to be so wise?" she asked.

"I had a great role model." Annie replied, squeezing Belle's hand tightly. The pair then drew each other into a hug.

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Meanwhile, Matilda was sitting up at the lookout at Stewart's Point, staring blankly out to sea. Melody and Geoff came along snd sat down next to her.

"God is looking after Eric in heaven. You know that, right?" Geoff asked.

"Fat lot of good that does me." Matilda replied. Melody then took up the slack.

"Look, Matilda, Belle, Geoff and I have been talking and we want to hold a funeral for Eric on Saturday. Reverend Simmons has agreed to allow us to use the church. We love you and care about you."

The mention of a funeral just cemented the unpleasant truth in Matilda's mind - that Eric, her beloved baby, was dead. She started to cry softly.

"Why me?" She sobbed. "What sin have I committed that would cause God to take away my baby?"

"Well, think of it this way." Geoff replied. "Maybe God thought he was so cute, he decided to keep him for himself." He and Melody then took Matilda in both of their arms and kissed her on the forehead as the latter lost it.

"It's going to be alright, Matilda." Melody whispered. "Everything will be alright."

End of Chapter 7

[h&a-girl]

Happy Birthday!

What a fantastic update, Geoff at the end was so sweet you wrote that really well. Ooh Belle in love with Aden that's going to be interesting, wonder if Annie really is fine with it.

Update soon

[Kris10na]

Happy birthday (or belated?)

Loved the update

The last 'scene' was awesome and yeah it was well written!

[Southernfan]

awesome updates, sorry for the lack of replies

awww my poor aden.....

update soon

[maccaz]

Chapter 8

Nicole sat down at a booth at the Pier Diner and immersed herself in a frappucino. The coffe wasn't quite up to ths standard you would find in cafes in the City, but they were close. Plus, it was a good distraction for the memories that were tearing at her soul. As she left, she accidentally ran into Annie.

"Annie...hi." Nicole began, rather awkwardly. "I think I'm ready to talk to you now."

Later, Annie and Nicole sat down on a bench.

"My mothers ex-boyfriend was a real dirtbag." Nicole began. "He would get nasty towards her...and me."

"What happened?" Annie began. "Did he...you know...?"

"No," Nicole replied, "but sometimes I wish he had."

Nicole sat down on her bed, admiring her new dress her mum had bought her, when all of a sudden, she heard an arguement break out in her mum's room.

"Oh, come on baby." her boyfriend pleaded. "We've been going out for a month now. Why don't we do it?"

"I-I'm not ready." Nat trembled.

"I dunno. Maybe I feel like you owe me for all the nice stuff I bought you." He then grabbed Nat and forced her onto the bed.

"No...! Stop...!" Nat pleaded as her attacker manoeuvered his way onto the top of her body and forced his hand up her skirt. Meanwhile, Nicole was watching on from behind the door with a look of sheer horror on her face.

"And the worst part of it is I LET it happen!" Nicole finished. "I just sat there and watched while he did it to her. I've felt disgusted with myself ever since."

"Wow...that's terrible." Annie murmured. "But why would you want him to do it to you instead?"

"Because he wouldn't have done it to Mum." Nicole replied. "Because then I wouldn't have had to watch my Mum destroy herself because of what he did to her."

Annie reached out and tried to hug her, but Nicole pushed her away.

"Leave me alone! I don't want your sympathy!" she shouted as she turned and ran up the beach. As she did so, she felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry. She thought to herself. As she arrived home, she saw Roman cooking a barbecue.

"Nic? What's wrong?" he asked.

Nicole could no longer hold back the tears as she rushed over and broke down in Roman's arms.

"I...I have to tell you the whole reason why I came here." She whimpered as Roman held her tight.

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That night, Father Joseph O'Halligan sat in his house next to the newly rebuilt Saint Mary's Catholic Church. It had been a long road to rebuild the church, but they had succeded. It warmed the cockles of Father Joseph's heart to see the community, Christian and non-Christian, working together on the project. All of a sudden, he heard a knock at the door and went to answer it. The person he saw standing there caused him to gasp in shock.

"It's..it's you!" he trembled. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Father. Remember me?" The person asked. "I'm Ricardo. That little boy you molested in the sacristy at Saint Peter The Apostle over 20 years ago."

"F-Forgive me, my son..." Father Joseph trembled.

"No, Father...It is time to pay for your sins." Ricardo answered coldly.

"Look, Ricardo. Not a day goes by where I don't wake up and see your face. See those other children's faces. The guilt haunts me every single day of my life. Isn't that enough punishment.?"

"No. Not NEARLY enough." Ricardo replied as he withdrew a hunting dagger. With one swift stroke he had cut Father Joseph's throat. With the crux of the job taken care off, he began to write a cryptic message on the wall in his blood - a message that would tell the world what Father Joseph truly was.

End of Chapter 8

[Kris10na]

Wow!

Love how Nicole opens up to Annie but still don't want any sympathy.

And the end was really exciting. Update soon!

[h&a-girl]

I'm glad Nicole is talking to Roman, the whole conversation between Annie and Nicole was really emotional.

Ricardo finally has revenge.

Really good part.

[maccaz]

Chapter 9

Charlie Buckton sighed as she slipped her way under the flourescent yellow crime scene tape that ran around the outside of the small, humble brick house. She couldn't believe what she was hearing - Father O'Hallagan had been murdered. Why anyone would want to take the life of a man of God, she couldn't understand. Another thing she couldn't understand was how there could be so much crime in a small town. She took a breath as she approached the lifelsss, bloody corpse.

"Got an I.D on the body?" she called out to the M.E.

"Yep." The M.E. called back. "Father Joseph O'Halligan, 56. Cause of death: sharp force trauma to the jugular. Been dead about 12 hours."

"In other words, he's had his throat cut." Charlie replied, presenting herself with an award for stating the obvious in the process.

"Erm...yes." The M.E. replied. "The wounds seem to be consistent with a large hunting knife."

"Well, I'll send a search party to recover the weapon. The perp's probably dumped it by now."

"Yes, but what I think you'll find most interesting is up there." The M.E. pointed to the wall. Daubed on the wall, in the priest's blood, were words that chilled with their mere presence.

LEI E UN PECCATORE

LEI E IL DIAVOLO

SI STA ANDANDO PER L'INFERNO

"Well, not only is our perp a ritualistic son of a bitch," Charlie began. "but he also speaks fluent Italian. Hey, Rosetta! Get over here."

On cue, Angelo Rosetta, Charlie's partner, wandered onto the scene. Angelo was a bit of a wit, which could help a lot when dealing with such crimes - make them easier to work on. However, that is not what Charlie wanted him for.

"You're Italian, right?"

"Yeah."

"Prove to me you're not just a pretty face and tell me what that says."

Angelo then began to survey the wall with a look of puzzlement on his face. The cogs in his brain were ticking.

"It says: "You are a sinner. You are the devil. You are going to hell."" Angelo intoned gravely.

"Maybe our holy man isn't as holy as we would believe." Charlie replied.

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Meanwhile, Ricardo was standing in his room at The Sands, in front of a blazing fireplace. The light danced off the walls, making him seem a grotesque figure. In his hand he held two photos - one of Kane Phillips and the other of Melody Jones. Both these people were high up on Ricardo's hit-list. However, he had an important question to ponder - Which one should he kill? He needed to stay hidden as long as possible, before the authorities got wind of how he survived the accident at the prison. Therefore, he could only kill one. He stared longingly at the two photos, straining to make a choice. Eventually, he took the photo of Kane and threw it into the fire - that grudge, he had decided could wait. Ricardo sincerely hoped that Melody was saying her prayers to God tonight - because, if he had his way, she would meet him very soon.

End of Chapter 9

Promo for Chapter 10

- The investigations continue.

- Charlie and Angelo find out the truth about Father O'Halligan.

- Belle struggles with her feelings for Aden

I'll give you some teaser quotes to whet your appetites for coming chapters. tongue.gif

"To the Rosetta-mobile!"

"You gave your car a NAME?"

"Yep, I know. Sad, isn't it?"

"Are you crazy, Belle?! You know what he did to Annie...to my sister...your sister!"

"If you knew what I know, you wouldn't be so judgemental."

"Say your prayers."

"I bet you're all wondering how I survived that riot at the prison."

"Who's the bitch now, Ricardo?"

[h&a-girl]

Oh those teaser quotes have got me wanting more!

Really good chapter!