My back hurt.
That was the first thing I became aware of as I lay here; but where was here, exactly?
I didn't know.
I just knew that my back was sore, and the ache was starting to pull me out of sleep.
I shifted slightly, attempting to reach a more comfortable position, and frowned.
This all felt wrong...this didn't feel like my bed.
It was too cold, there was no blanket...in fact, it felt like I was lying on sand.
But that couldn't be right...
I opened my eyes, hoping that I was wrong, that I was really home in my bed.
...What?
I murmured to myself, gaping at my surroundings.
It looked like I was on a beach of some sort, bordering a lake.
Its gray waters were relatively placid, reflecting the cool fog above.
I glanced around, my frown steadily deepening.
There seemed to be a road behind me, and behind that, forest.
Disoriented, I reached up to rub my forehead.
How the hell had I gotten here...?
What was this place?
I still felt half-asleep; my mind was about as foggy as my surroundings.
I shook my head, squinting my eyes shut for a brief moment.
The last thing I remembered...I had been driving home from school.
It had been foggy then, too...
Starting to truly wake up, I scowled.
I couldn't remember making it home, but that didn't explain how I'd ended up here.
Even if I had crashed the car or something, the lake closest to my house was still about
ten miles away.
It didn't add up.
Well, sitting on my but and thinking about it wasn't going to solve anything.
Maybe I could take a look around.
As I stood up, I suddenly remembered my cell phone, and patted down my right pocket in
search of it.
Relief surged through me when my hand touched the familiar device.
I pulled it out of my pocket, flipping it open.
I could probably call my mom for a ride, if I could figure out where I was.
I just had to use the GPS...
Shit.
No bars.
I stared at the phone's lit screen for a second, my brow furrowed, and then looked around me
again.
No bars...that definitely wasn't a good sign.
Was I seriously that far from town?
Pocketing the phone once more, I took a deep breath.
It was okay, though, right?
There was a paved road right behind me.
If I followed that, I'd eventually reach civilization.
And if not, I'd probably find a house or two.
All I had to do was knock on someone's door, and ask to use their phone.
Someone was bound to have a landline.
Comforting myself with this thought, I started down the road.
The lake remained to my left as I walked, and I continually glanced at it.
It seemed pretty big...
I began to name off all of the New York lakes that I knew of, and still didn't get any closer
to an answer.
This wasn't nearly big enough to be one of the Great Lakes, but it didn't have the right
shape to it to be one of the Finger Lakes...
The lake I had been thinking of earlier, Oneida Lake, was much closer to my house.
But still, I had been around that area enough times to know that this wasn't the same place.
One of the lakes up by the Adirondacks, then?
But how the hell would I end up there?
I continually cast troubled glances towards the lake's murky waters.
I wasn't sure why this was bothering me so much, not being able to name the lake.
Maybe it was because it seemed oddly familiar...hell, everywhere around me seemed familiar in some
sort of way.
I knew this place, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
If I could just figure out where I was, I'd be that much closer to getting home...
Through the fog, I started to see the outline of a building.
Finally!
I jogged towards it, smiling slightly with satisfaction.
This didn't make any sense, but at least I'd be able to straighten things out and get some
answers now.
I slowed down as I reached the building, nearing the doors and pausing.
There was a lock and chain binding the two handles together, preventing entry.
This didn't look like a personal residence, though.
I backed away, looking around, and quickly found my answer.
I'd missed the sign in my hurry, but it looked like this was some sort of museum.
Facing the sign, I stared at it for a moment, crossing my arms.
"Silent Hill Historical Society," I murmured, shaking my head.
"Silent Hill..."
I looked over at the building again, struck by its familiarity.
Now that I was really looking, it did resemble that building, the one with the impossibly
long staircase.
I scoffed, smiling.
Just a coincidence.
A coincidence, or an interesting dream.
Regardless of my situation, Silent Hill didn't exist; there was probably some sort of explanation
for this.
Maybe the building in the game had been named after this one for some reason?
Agh, it didn't matter.
Turning away from the building, I continued my trek down the road.
If there was a museum here...that meant there had to be other buildings nearby.
People didn't build museums in the middle of nowhere.
I checked my phone again.
Still no service...why wasn't it working?
The fog continued to press at me as I walked in silence down the edge of the road.
There weren't any cars, but I guess that wasn't too surprising.
Not many people would want to be out driving with such low visibility.
Something continued to nag at me, the familiarity of this place, but I dismissed it immediately
and kept walking.
Seconds dragged on into minutes, and I found myself repeatedly checking my phone to see
how long I'd been walking.
The road remained pretty much the same through the whole thing, slightly curved but with
no turns or intersections.
After twenty minutes, I began to wonder if I was even making any progress at all.
It felt like the road was endless; it was so foggy, I didn't feel like I was even moving
forward half the time.
The lake remained to my left, and even the shoreline didn't show much irregularity.
It was starting to weird me out.
I didn't want to run, because I was sure that once I started, I'd smash into a street sign
or something.
This fog was ridiculous.
Twenty-two minutes had passed.
Buildings finally started to appear.
I approached a gas station, a bowling alley.
Both were closed and locked.
I banged on the doors, but no employees came to answer.
A car idled at the gas pump, a metal pipe jutting out of the hood.
I stared at it for a long time, fighting the irrational urge to pull the pipe out.
No, that would be stupid.
What use did I have for a pipe?...More importantly, what was a pipe doing sticking out of that
damn car?
And why was a car idling at a closed gas station?
I glanced up at the sign.
Texxon Gas...
Had that one gas station been named that?
It couldn't have been.
My mind was just playing tricks on me.
I spent about five minutes fruitlessly searching for the car's owner.
Once again, I fought the urge to take the pipe, or even the car itself.
If I found the police, I wanted them to help me, not throw me behind bars for vehicle theft.
It was useless...the owner was nowhere in sight.
Then again, I wasn't sure I wanted to meet whoever left a friggin' pipe jutting out of
their car.
Obviously they had some issues.
Sighing, I finally turned away from the gas station and headed back out on to the road.
Keeping the lake to my left once more, I trudged further up the street.
Maybe I'd be able to find some residential areas...clearly this part of town was deserted
for some weird reason.
...This damn fog...
Another few minutes of walking led me to a few more buildings, a fence and a staircase.
The buildings were locked up�no surprise there�and so was the gate to the fence,
but it seemed like that only led to a parking lot.
I descended the short stairway, heading down a concrete sidewalk.
Some shrubs and bushes came into view, meticulously cut.
Well, it looked like this place had a gardener.
I paused at what seemed to be some sort of gate, and my eyes immediately found the sign.
Rosewater Park.
"Right, sure," I grumbled.
That park, of course.
Like that was possible.
Did that mean if I kept walking, I'd run into a blonde woman wearing a leopard print skirt?
Probably not.
This was seriously starting to annoy me.
I had been walking for long enough that I could tell I wasn't dreaming, so this had
to be a weird coincidence.
I just wanted to go home; why did it have to be so goddamn difficult?
What kind of freak town was this?
I walked down another set of stairs, my eyes wandering over a few statues as I passed them,
and I tried to ignore the increasing uneasiness I felt.
Those statues...and this park...
After walking a little further, I found an area that overlooked the lake.
I approached the railing, leaning my elbows on to it as I attempted to gather my bearings.
It was okay...things were still okay.
I still hadn't made it to the center of town, where all the buildings were.
Once I did, I'd definitely find people, if not a pay phone or two.
One quick call home, and I'd be able to get out of here.
"Mary?"
I jumped, almost gasping at the sudden voice.
I turned around to see a blond man wearing a deep green coat staring at me with an expression
of surprise.
Oh, this was not happening.
His face fell when he came closer.
"No...you're not Mary."
"Man, you scared me," I said quietly, crossing my arms.
No, that wasn't the right tense...he was still scaring me.
I suddenly felt off-balance, like I could pass out at any minute.
He paused, letting out a sigh.
"Sorry.
For a minute there, I thought you were..."
He shook his head.
"It's the fog, I guess.
Playing tricks on my eyes."
I hesitated, not sure if I wanted to know.
"Are you...looking for someone?"
The man immediately nodded, pulling a photograph out of his pocket.
"My late wife, Mary.
Have you seen her?"
He held the picture out to me, and I stared at it with a cold feeling in my stomach.
After a moment, I shook my head.
"N-No..."
I paused for a moment, and then frowned at him.
"Your late wife.
What, you're looking for a body?"
Oh, Got, if this went on for much longer...
He looked away.
"I...I got a letter from her.
I don't know how, but...it was in her handwriting.
It said she'd be waiting in our 'special place'..."
"Pretty sketchy," I mumbled, staring at my feet.
Blond hair...green coat...was that a gun on his belt?
Man.
I hesitated again.
This was the only person I'd seen since I woke up...
"Look, I don't want to be a burden, but I'm totally lost.
Mind if I tag along for a bit?
I'll help out if I can," I said.
"...Okay," he said, after a moment, looking at me once more.
I managed a small smile.
"Um...I'm Brittany, by the way.
Brittany Furness."
"James Sunderland," he replied, nodding.
Then he frowned.
"Are you all right?
You don't look so good."
I was staring at him with a mixture of shock and horror, my insides feeling as if they
had frozen solid.
I forced myself to look away, instead gazing down at my now-shaking hands.
James Sunderland.
No!
It was just a name, it didn't mean anything.
It was just a coincidence, all of it.
I crossed my arms once more so that he wouldn't notice my trembling hands.
"I think so.
I'm just...a little tired, I think."
I forced a laugh, but it came out sounding hoarse.
"I've been wandering around this place for an hour.
My cell phone's not working, either.
I just need to find a pay phone so I can call my mom and get the hell out of here.
Have you tried calling the police about Mary?"
He was staring at me like I was crazy.
James, the one who was looking for his dead wife.
Coming a little closer, he faltered for a moment, seeming to really look at me now.
"Brittany..." he said quietly, brow furrowed slightly.
"...Have you seen this town?
Really seen it?"
"Huh?"
I blinked.
"Not much of it, no...just a locked up building here and there.
But what does that have to do with anything?"
James continued to hesitate, and it started to dawn on me that he was trying to be gentle.
Gentle, as if his next few words would hurt me in some way.
Almost like a doctor about to reveal the bad news to his patient.
"...The entire town's like this," he finally said in a flat voice.
"The phones don't work.
And..."
"What?"
I stared at him.
"That doesn't make sense."
"Not a lot of this place does," he murmured, and I tried to pretend I didn't hear him.
I tried to forget about the gun, tried not to look at the flecks of blood I was now starting
to notice on his jacket.
James finally just shook his head.
"...You can come with me.
This town...it's not safe.
I'm leaving as soon as I find Mary.
After that, I can help you get home.
Is that all right with you?"
"Y-Yeah...I guess," I replied, still feeling frozen inside.
"But...what do you mean, the town isn't safe?"
"Monsters," he answered after a moment's pause, and his abrupt bluntness shocked me into silence.
The word seemed to echo in my head for several moments, a confirmation of what I'd been fearing
all along.
Monsters...
James Sunderland.
Silent Hill.
This couldn't be happening to me...
James stared at me for a second, and his gaze seemed to soften.
"...You'll see.
Or not.
Hopefully not."
He looked away, in the direction I had come from.
"Anyway, there's somewhere else I think we can look."
"Where's that?"
I asked in a small voice, trying to pretend the monsters had never come up.
"The Lakeview Hotel," he answered, gazing out over the lake.
"That's the only other special place I can think of."
He turned away, towards the stairs that led to the path out of the park.
"Are you coming, then?"
"Yeah," I replied quickly, jogging up to walk next to him.
We walked up the stairs, exiting Rosewater Park...and as we did so, my insides began
to thaw.
The first hints of fear entered my system, and I fought to push them away.
I was in Silent Hill.
Suddenly and without warning, the fog seemed suffocating.
The town was completely silent, save for the sound of our footsteps echoing on the pavement.
After the short conversation we'd had, I couldn't quite bring myself to talk to him again.
There was far too much on my mind.
I had to organize my thoughts before...before something happened.
I almost shuddered.
If this happened exactly the way I thought it would...then the craziness had only just
begun.
So, what was worse?
Staying with James, or being alone in the town?
I was too afraid to be alone, now that I knew where I was.
But I was sure that tagging along with James was probably the most dangerous thing I could
do...
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
After all, Lying Figures and Mannequins had roamed the streets in the game, and yet I
hadn't seen a single one since I woke up here.
I paused, almost bumping into James as he stopped.
It took me a moment or two to realize why he had stopped�we'd arrived at the destroyed
bridge, the one down the road from the Historical Society.
This was near the spot where I'd woken up.
James was bending over something.
Eh?
What was�
"MAN!"
I screeched, backing up in horror.
Stumbling to the edge of the road, I paused to retch for several seconds, almost heaving
up my lunch in the process.
Lying in the middle of the road before the dropoff...was a human body.
Part of my mind remembered there being a body here in the game, but that bloody lump was
nothing like this.
This was fucking real.
Its�no, his�eyes were wide open, a blank and staring expression on his face.
There were numerous slash marks cutting across his chest, and a huge chunk of flesh was missing
from one of his arms.
The blood formed an ominous crimson pool around his body.
It was still wet; still fresh.
This person hadn't been dead for long.
Whatever had killed him...was probably still nearby.
This realization almost caused me to start retching again.
I bent over slightly, placing a hand over my mouth, anticipating the unpleasant sensation.
A large hand firmly gripped my shoulder.
I allowed James to grasp my other shoulder as well, guiding me away from the body and
the metallic stench of blood.
After we had walked for a few minutes, he stopped and turned to me.
I still had one hand firmly placed over my mouth.
"Are you all right?"
He asked gently.
I immediately shook my head.
"Wh-Who could've...?"
But, of course, I already knew the answer.
I just didn't want to accept it.
James didn't reply; he just continued to stare at me with a very solemn expression.
After a moment, I felt my stomach calm down a bit.
But the fear hadn't lessened at all.
"How are you not affected by that?!"
I snapped, jabbing a finger in the general direction of the body.
"That was...that was a human body, wasn't it?!
Somebody...no...something killed that person..."
He was still silent, and I knew why.
He had already mentioned monsters.
He was just waiting for me to stop my denial.
"We could die here, couldn't we?"
I suddenly asked in a small voice.
"Oh my God...this is really happening..."
Nothing human could have killed that man.
Nothing.
"I won't let anything happen to you," James said quietly.
"All right?"
I bit my lip, not quite believing him.
How could you protect anyone in Silent Hill when it was hard enough just protecting yourself?
Suddenly the town looked as ominous as it felt, and I knew that anything could be hiding
in that fog.
"...Okay," I said, but only because he was waiting for an answer.
There was nothing I could do to ensure my safety here.
James didn't make any reply, but I could feel him staring at me.
He hadn't been here for that long, had he?
Long enough to go through the apartment buildings; that's it.
How was it that he was so much calmer than me right now?
He wasn't exactly in the best state of mind right now, but still...
A crinkling noise caused me to look over in his direction; I noted with a frown that he
was smoothing out a yellowed piece of paper.
The edge of it was soaked with blood.
"What is that?"
I asked in a weak voice, moving closer to him.
"A map," he answered.
"I found it on the...I found it."
His effort to censor himself didn't make me feel much better, because it was pretty easy
to tell what he'd been about to say.
Still, I leaned closer to get a better view.
I had already remembered what it was, but I figured I'd give some input for James' benefit.
"The bowling alley's circled," I pointed out, satisfied with the short look I'd taken.
Nothing else of interest was on the map; just blood and grime.
I couldn't fathom how James had reached over and taken that thing off the body; I didn't
even want to look at it for a prolonged period of time.
"Hm..."
James stared off down the road with a troubled look on his face.
"What is it?"
I asked.
He shook his head.
"No...it's nothing.
We should get going; it's the only lead we've got, after all."
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