Author's Note: Hello, lovelies. First, I want to say that the Silent Hill games are literally my favorite games in the whole world. I could go on for hours explaining why, but I'll spare you the torture. Second, Travis is really OOC when it comes to a certain part of him in this story (you'll see what I mean). But, then, in a way, who knows what he's really like when he's not being psychologically tortured in Silent Hill? Thirdly, the time frame in this is set after he drops Alex (from Homecoming) off in Shepherd's Glen. I say he's fifty years old. Fourthly, (and I know this AN is going for, like, ever, but I gotta get this out) the year isn't Homecoming's time period for convenience's sake (gotta love advanced technology). Now that that's over, hope you'll read and enjoy!

P.S.

Would LOVE to hear what you guys think!

P.P.S.

I DO NOT condone drinking and driving under any circumstance whatsoever!

That is all.

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When Travis Grady took the job of a truck driver, he knew what the requirements would entail. The long hours left him no time for relationships, and even if he did have time for one, he never did know how to keep it. Like his father, he couldn't figure out women. Travis spent a lot of his truck-driving time alone. That's what he was used to. That's how he liked it. But even someone as alone as he was had needs. And lonely nights begged the company of even lonelier strangers. Night after night, he found himself in a hotel bed with someone he didn't know. Some nights, he didn't even know their name. In the morning, he would leave, not knowing whether or not the other cared. And, like those lonely nights with those lonely strangers, he also found himself alone. Travis made a lot of questionable choices in his lifetime. He could go on and on about his failures, and if you gave him the chance, he would. But if he had to pick, it would be the choices his loneliness led him to make. Some very much illegal. He wasn't proud of his bed partner choices. He couldn't count the ways he'd apologize to their parents, if he could. But he knew, faced with those choices again, he'd do them over and over again, and then once more. Because they might not have been good choices, but they were choices that kept his sanity in check. Those choices pushed away choices that would lead down wider, darker roads.

But even now, Travis has a choice.

Travis walked into the rundown gas station, its bell chiming as he opened the door. He looked around, his sight stopping at the obviously uninterested cashier at the counter holding a UFO conspiracy novel. He shook his head a bit in slight disbelief, then headed down the snack aisle. He took his time looking at the variety of chips, crackers, and other assorted - and clearly out-dated - snacks. He decided on a bag of hot cheese puffs and a pack of gum.

These'll help keep me awake, he thought.

He made his way out of the snack section and went over to the drinks. He grabbed a 2-liter bottle of soda, then moved to the alcohol. Yes, he knew it was illegal to drink and drive. But it was only a couple of beers, no one was counting. Travis moved to the check-out counter and placed his things down. He waited for the cashier to put the book she was reading down and serve him. He cleared his throat loudly when she didn't. She lowered the book from her face, her features full of annoyance and disruption.

"What do you want, old man?" she asked.

"Guess," he replied sarcastically, a little angry at the mentioning of his age. (Yeah, he was older. What of it?)

She looked down at the stuff on the counter, then sighed dramatically and began to slowly ring up his stuff. Travis strummed his fingers as he waited for her to get done. Travis noted the fact that she didn't ask for his I.D., then rolled his eyes. Waiting for her, he lazily looked around the place. His head quickly shot to the door when he heard the bell chime. He didn't see anyone, then realized they must have walked past him in a hurry. He looked behind himself to see a short girl with natural dirty blond hair that loosely encompassed her face. She had on a black hoodie three sizes too big that reached halfway to her knees. Travis watched the girl pick out a few snacks and a soda. As she stepped up behind him, he quickly looked away. He swallowed, thinking of the one night stands he'd had with women around her age. Or, should he say, girls around her age. She looked about fourteen years old. He watched the cashier ring up the last item. He looked to his left to see the girl looking at some key chains with overused sayings on them.

"That'll be eighteen dollars and thirty-three cents."

Travis was too busy looking at the girl to notice the cashier speaking to him.

"Hey!" The cashier snapped her fingers in his direction. He quickly whipped his head to face her.

"What?" he asked, a bit confused.

"Your stuff. You owe eighteen dollars and thirty-three cents," the cashier explained, turning the display screen to face him, as if showing proof of the amount owed.

"Oh, right. Sorry." He pulled out his wallet and handed her a twenty. She bagged his stuff, then he headed out the door. He moved the bag to one arm, taking out his cigarettes and lighting one. He placed the cigarette in his lips, shifting it to the side of his mouth. He looked up to see dark clouds gathering. He cursed under his breath and headed for his truck. Opening the driver's side door, he placed the groceries on the passenger's seat. He started the engine, then reached into the bag for a beer. Retrieving it, he popped the cap and gulped it twice, throwing the cigarette out the window afterwards. Pulling out of the station, he started driving. He was only seconds into driving when he spotted the girl he saw, on the side of the road. She was carrying the groceries she bought. The rain started to sprinkle.

I don't want to leave her in the rain, he thought.

He slowed his truck to follow her. Rolling down his window, he called to the girl.

"You need a ride, miss?"

She stopped walking and looked up at him.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble."

Travis was a little shocked when he heard the reply. Not because of the acceptance of his offer, but because the voice didn't belong to a girl at all. It was obviously male, if a little boyish. He watched the boy run to the passenger's side. Opening the door, the boy threw his groceries and backpack into the truck.

"Thanks for letting me ride with you, mister."

Travis looked away from the boy quickly, ashamed.

"Uh, no problem, kid."

Travis started driving down the road again after the boy sat down and closed the door.

"So, how old are you?" Travis asked.

"I'm fourteen," the boy replied.

"What are you doing out here all alone at that age?"

"I'm looking for my mom."

"Your mom? Did she walk out on you or something?"

The boy didn't reply. Apparently, Travis hit a nerve.

"I shouldn't have asked that, sorry," Travis said remorsefully.

"It's okay," the boy replied sadly.

Travis tried to change the subject, before he got himself in hot water with the kid whose name he didn't know. He decided to ask just that.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Elliot. What's your name?"

Travis considered lying to the kid, but decided against it. What would be the point?

"You can call me Travis."

"Okay."

Elliot reached for his backpack, fumbling a bit from the slippery hold. Travis watched him fumble, stealing glances at his young, boyish face. Travis looked back to the road. Elliot finally opened his backpack and pulled out his cellphone, the cellphone being half his age itself.

A kid with an old cellphone. That's new, Travis thought to himself.

"You need to call your dad?" Travis asked.

"This phone's too old for service, actually. I use it to tell the time and keep notes. Besides, I'd never call him..."

"I see," Travis replied, glancing at him. Noting that the kid's face held a child-like anger at the subject. Or, at least, the person of the subject. Thirty minutes passed, and Elliot had fallen asleep against the car window. After a few more minutes, Travis reached for his beer.

"You shouldn't drink and drive, you know."

Travis looked over at the now-awake Elliot, obviously still tired. He chuckled a bit at the comment.

"Yeah, I know. You aren't the first to tell me that," he replied, amused at the kid's attempt to teach him the safety of driving.

"So, where you headed?" Travis asked. He really didn't know how far he was willing to take him. He was ashamed to admit he'd thought about taking him places he'd never been before, especially at that age. Travis didn't know when his loneliness had gotten this out of hand. So out of hand, he thought, that it extended to children. He was extremely ashamed.

"Silent Hill," replied Elliot after what seemed like a long time.

Travis's eyes shot open, more so than before.

Silent Hill? Why does a boy like him need to go there? Travis thought.

"I'm sorry, Elliot, but I can't take you there."

"Why? Is it too far to drive?" Elliot questioned quickly.

For Travis, it wasn't about distance. In fact, they were only a couple hours away from Silent Hill, if he took a few turns here and there. No, Travis didn't want to take Elliot there for an entirely different, more nerve-racking reason. He knew what Silent Hill was like, having been there more times than he felt necessary. One time of which changed his life completely. And he knew that if Elliot went there, there'd be no turning back. But he also knew that if Silent Hill wanted you, it would have you.