Here we go! This is my first story on this site. In fact, it's the first fanfic I've ever written, and one of my first literary experiments, period. This story is not directly based on the other games of the Silent Hill series; it's more of a fictional new installment, featuring a cast of original characters and original enemies. From now on, I'll update this on a regular basis (at least once per week, more if my schedule permits me to do so). I would greatly appreciate some feedback. Thanks in advance.
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Silent Hill : Foreigners
Chapter 1 : Warning
A thick fog had set in on the quiet streets of Brahms. And along spread a feeling of uneasiness among the populace. The locals were a superstitious bunch : at times like these, they were wary of going outdoors, which made the place look like an honest-to-goodness ghost town. Even the shopping district was mostly vacant, with scarce vehicular traffic and even scarcer pedestrians going about. The shops were closed, the lights were off…all in all, it was a decidedly grim sight.
As if to dispell the ominous atmosphere, a bright red convertible Camaro came crossing down the foggy road, headlights flaring high. The radio was on a local station, blasting Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire through the air. On the driver's seat sat a curious looking young woman. Early twenties. Thin and petite of build. She had an oval face with well-defined features. Her head was framed by long, wavy black hair that hung down loosely on her shoulders and cascaded down her back. She wore mauve lipstick on her small lips. Somewhat prominent cheekbones, pointy chin, long roman nose, pencil thin eyebrows, and a pair of large, piercing blue eyes. She was wearing business apparel : a white shirt underneat a corporate black suit. A knee-lenght black skirt completed the outfit. Her legs sported dark pantyhose and high-heeled shoes. She sat back in a nonchalant posture as she manned the car through the mist. With one hand still on the wheel, she reached out to take a pack of cigarettes. She put one in her mouth, then lighted it. On the side of the road, an old man turned around as her car passed by, only nodding his head.
The Camaro arrived at a gas station. Checking the dash, the girl realized she was running low on fuel, so she pulled over. Stopping by the pumps, she got out, took the handle and started filling up her tank. As the counter was rising, her mind drifted.
As the girl entered the small convenience store, she was immediatly met by the gaze of the station clerk. A short, middle-aged man wearing a cap and a huge black mustache. Eyeing her up, he gave a sly grin. She responded by putting on her most convincing fake smile, then walked up to him.
- "Twenty dollars' worth." she said matter-of-factly.
She spoke with a thick foreign accent. Probably East European or Russian, the clerk guessed. She was most definitely a foreigner, but she didn't express herself in the broken and hesitant tone that caracterized recent immigrants. He raised his eyebrow. Not awaiting any answer, the girl handed him two ten dollar bills. The man kept staring at her as he put the cash in the register, still not knowing what to make of the young stranger. Biting her lip, she risked another question.
- "Silent Hill is only a few miles away from here, right?"
The clerked jumped as soon as he heard the name of the neighbouring town. He looked at her as if she'd lost her mind.
- "You goin' there?" he asked, visibly worried.
- "Yes. Is there a problem?" she answered, somewhat annoyed.
- "Pardon me, miss, I know it's none of my business, but…it's just that…well…" he muttered, trying to find his words. "Why would you want to go there in the first place?"
- "Professional interests." she replied.
The man said nothing. He just continued staring at her with eyes open wide. The young woman grew even more annoyed, but did her best not to let it show.
- "Just searching for new potential clients. You know, small cities with lots of urban development. I'm a real estate agent." she added, suddenly becoming more talkative, as if hoping to make the conversation seem a bit less weird than it actually was.
- "Real estate? At Silent Hill?" he asked, incredulous.
- "Indeed. Why that expression on your face? Is something wrong?"
- "Miss, have you never heard...what they say about Silent Hill? That place is bad news…"
- "Bad news? What do you mean?" she inquired.
- "That town is just…weird. As of late, lots of spooky stuff has been happening around this neck of the woods. Someone I used to know once went in there and...ah, no, you wouldn't even believe me if I told you. You'd call me crazy. Not that Silent Hill ever had much of a good reputation to begin with…it has a long history of evil and violence. Nothing good ever came out of there. Here in Brahms, lots of us folks believe that place is cursed." he explained.
- "I'm not too big on ghost stories. I don't believe in that stuff." she cut him off.
- "It's no myth, trust me. There's something just…profoundly wrong about Silent Hill. That town is messed up. Always been, always will be. Avoid it like the plague."
- "If you say so. Have a nice day!" she replied, giving an ironic smile.
The girl had no intention of listening to him. Before he could say anything, she turned around and walked back to the door, the sound of her heels clicking against the concrete floor. As she entered her car and started the engine, the clerk kept looking at her through the windows, wondering.