A/N: Hello everyone, thanks for taking your time to read my story. This isn't my first fanfiction, but it is my first Silent Hill one. This is an idea that I've had ever since I got into the series about six months ago, but just now got to writing it down. The plot and characters are mostly going to be original, but there's going to be references to the past games that affect the plot, and past characters who play an indirect role as well.

I'm going to try to update at least once a week, but for the start I'm going to try for twice a week if I can. If there's any criticisms or some tips you have on what I can do to make this better, don't be afraid to hold back or to tell me. Thanks again!

Dread. That was the feeling in the air; a specific dread that only ever came from knowing that something horrible was going to happen, and knowing that, one would still continue on despite the fate that waited for them. Fate, something cruel enough to ruin your life and be able to stop you from being able to do anything about it. That is what made the journey even more tense, anxious, and even almost unbearable.

That was all that was on the young man's mind as he sat in the passenger seat of the car. He felt that maybe he was just over-dramatizing the situation, seeing as he wasn't actually in any real danger. But it's always easier to make the worst out of a situation like this, than to just think of a way out.

At least, that's the way he always saw it, it's just the way he'd always been.

"Hey, you ok?"

His head snapped up away from leaning on the window as the voice suddenly broke his train of thought. He'd nearly forgotten that there was anybody else in the car with him, being so deep into his own thoughts. He turned to the voice, the driver, and was about to say something when they said "Jeez, how'd I scare you?"

A bit embarrassed, he replied "Sorry, I was just thinking."
"About what," the driver asked, "Was it something scary, 'cuz you almost jumped off your seat and out the window!"
The passenger gave a small laugh before saying "Kind of, I guess. It's just, you know, I got a lot on my mind right now."
"Yeah, I know."

They were quiet for a bit, the tone between them a solemn one as rain began to pitter-patter on the roof of the car. As he started up the windshield wipers, the driver continued "You know, you can talk to me. You don't have to be quiet all the time."
"...Yeah."
"Don't just give me a 'yeah,' ok," the driver told him, exasperation beginning to build in his voice, "I'm serious! You never say more than that, and you never want to talk or anything."
Hesitating, he eventually replied, saying "I'm just...I don't know. Just quiet, I guess. You should know that."
"Yeah, but not with me."
"Things are just...different...right now, you know. With what's been going on, I just don't want to talk too much right now."
With a sigh, the driver told him, "Maybe you should just be quiet right now."

After hearing what he thought was a hint of mockery in the driver's voice, he decided to just stop talking anyway. He wasn't really in the mood to argue, and a fight was not going to make his situation any better. It made him begin to think again about what was going on. It seemed like everything depended on him to make sure things went the way it was supposed to.

'Always stand up for family.' That was what he had always been taught all his life. Though Jacob wasn't exactly family, he was a family friend, his best friend, and had been taken in when he had no where else to go. That was just as good as family. Yet still, he couldn't help but feel guilty for what he was going to do to help his friend. It didn't feel right, and was definitely illegal, but if it meant helping Jacob...

Just thinking about what was soon to come just made him even more anxious. They were quiet for the rest of the drive, which wasn't for long since they arrived at their destination five minutes later, yet they both felt the same way for the entire trip. As they drove up to the building and parked in the first available spot they could find, the passenger's body began to tighten up a bit.

"Hey. Relax."
Letting out a slow breath, he replied "Y-yeah. Ok."

As they both got out of the car, the former driver pointed and said "Looks like Jacob's already here." There were a couple of squad cars parked about twenty feet away.
"Maybe. It could just be from somebody else though," the former passenger replied.
"Nah, we're already late. We should talk less and just go in, they're probably waiting for us by now."

Nodding nervously, he then followed his driver into the building. As they walked through the double doors, he felt a sudden chill that seemed to pierce deep into his body and crawl agonizingly slowly down his spine. He shuddered and dismissed it just as nerves. He was cold, after all, and had gotten soaked from the rain by the time they'd reached the building. Still, he felt its foreboding all the same, wondering what exactly it was for.

As soon as they made it in, they took their phones and wallets out of their pockets and put it down on a table at the side.

"You first," a security guard said to the former passenger. He walked through an archway, and when no alarm went off he retrieved his things again and put them back in his pockets. He was soon followed by the person who'd drove him there, and they then were allowed to sign in at the receptionists desk. Once that was all done, they were directed to the waiting room, where they sat down until they were to be called in.

They noticed that there were only a few other people there, though they didn't have anything to do with them. They had their own problems to deal with. The silence was awkward as they waited to be called in, and a few times they tried to make small talk, but with little success.

The former passenger casually said "Looks like a slow day, huh?"
"Hmm."
"Probably because it's a Monday, huh?"
"Uh-huh."
"...Wonder why they still use that old metal detector. You'd think they'd replace it by now, don't you?"
"Sure."

Seeing as that conversation wasn't going anywhere, he decided to just keep quiet once again. Just as much as talking was awkward for him, so was the silence as well. All he could do now was wait; wait until the time when he was to help decide his best friend's fate.