Prologue

A cold wind blew across his face. It was never this cold the last time he was here. It was never this silent either. The last time he came here, it was bustling with people, the loud noises of the Mountain Coaster and the Merry-Go-Round used to rise into the air coupled with the screams of joy.

That was all gone now. Now, a thick, lonely fog covers the entire amusement park. Silent Hill has changed over the past 5 years. It used to feel welcoming. From the moment that green Welcome To Silent Hill sign was in view, he and his brother used to get so excited. They had read all about Silent Hill, especially the Lakeside Amusement Park. Their parents had promised to take them there for their Easter break, and when they revealed the tickets to the park to us they couldn't wait to get going.

It's hard to believe that 5 years had passed. He didn't know why he decided to come back here. Thing's have been hard these past few years. Ever since his brother disappeared things have been different. His parents divorced and pretty much forgot about him. Since then he'd been looking after himself.

It all changed three days ago…

CHAPTER ONE

The sounds of birds singing in the trees, welcoming the new morning filled the small, quiet cull-de-sack in Boston where Jasper lived.

The house he shared with his old college friend was rather clean and tidy. Your typical American suburban home, but without the picket fence and the Technicolor green lawn.

Today is Sunday, one of Jasper's favourite days as he gets to lie in as long as he likes, that is unless the birdsong wakes him. Sunday's are Jasper's only true days off. Monday to Friday, Jasper works in an office for a printing company. He is middle level doing accounts for the company. It pays well but it doesn't entertain. Staring at numbers all day can drive anyone mad.

On the weekend, Jasper writes for a local magazine. He has a very creative mind and writes many short science fiction stories. He won a prize at his college writing society once for a story he had written about a man travelling around his subconscious world. But on a Sunday, Jasper likes to do nothing.

As the sun grew brighter, it's rays poked through the slight crack in the curtain, just enough to rouse Jasper. He stirred in his bed, covering his face to block the sunlight from blinding him.

Jasper pulled back the covers on his bed and lay there for a few seconds. His lean naked body reacted to the sudden temperature change from the draft of the covers being pulled back. Goosebumps appeared all over his body. He lay there to adjust. He picked up an old pocket watch from his cluttered bedside table and flipped open the worn cover. 9:35am. Jasper sighed and slowly rose out of bed, grabbing a pair of boxer shorts from the floor and slipping them on.

He went over to his bedroom door on the other side of the room and picked up his dressing gown and pulled it onto his shoulders. 9:30 on a Sunday morning is still early for Jasper. Normally he would just fall back to sleep but today, something is drawing him out of bed.

The past couple of nights have seen Jasper toss and turn with nightmares, visions of his brother calling out to him. His brother crying, looking lost. Within these dreams, he also sees Lakeside Amusement Park, but instead of being filled with lots of people, it is empty, cold and dark, with only Jasper's brother stood in the middle. Around him, the world peeling away, the rides becoming twisted, broken and many bloody hands rising from the ground, reaching towards his brother.

That is when the nightmare ends and Jasper returns to reality. Every night lying in his bed staring at the cracks in the ceiling, it takes him a while to be able to get back to sleep, only to have the nightmare repeat.

Sunday morning meant a good breakfast for Jasper. Bacon, beans, eggs, the works. His housemate Robert is quite the Chef, and always makes him breakfast.

As Jasper reached the bottom of the stairs, he caught the beautiful smell of frying bacon. He stopped and took in a good nose full before he walked across the hall and into the kitchen.

In the well equipped kitchen stood Robert in his pyjamas, spatula in one hand making sure the bacon didn't burn. Robert looked like he hadn't long been out of bed. His blonde hair was all over the place and his eyes were still puffy. He looked like he's had a good night out.

"Morning Jasper. I heard you talking so I thought I'd get your breakfast started"

"I was talking?"

"Yeah. Well I heard mumbling. I thought you were on the phone."

"No. I had that dream again, maybe it was that?"

"Ah maybe. You should talk to someone about that"

Jasper sat at the table, which had been laid out for breakfast. A large jug of orange juice took centre place. He reached for it and poured himself a glass.

"Nah, they will pass."

Robert picked up the frying pan from the hob and brought it over to the table. He dished out bacon and eggs for Jasper.

"You don't have to make me breakfast you know Robert"

"I know. But I enjoy cooking. Besides, you always burn the bacon anyway."

Jasper promptly dug in to his food as Robert sat next to him. Robert picked up an envelope from the table and passed it to Jasper.

"This came for you."

"When?"

"I found it on the doormat this morning. It's got your name on it but no address so it must have been from one of the neighbours. I didn't open it though."

Jasper looked confused. He rarely spoke to the neighbours. He gave them the odd hello as he was leaving for work but he was never on dinner party terms with them. He didn't see the point in trying to please the neighbours. He didn't want anything from them, nor did he have anything to offer them. Jasper believed that neighbours were only true friends when they wanted something. He never saw them as the type of people to make friends with. A friend to Jasper was someone you went through life experiences with, someone you spent a lot of time with and building up a bond. He didn't see the need in making friends out of convenience. This was something his father had taught him.

"If someone is treating you like their best friend, but they don't know your true self, then they are just trying to get something from you"

His father's words echoed in his mind.

"I don't know the neighbours, so why would they send me a letter. It's too early for Christmas cards."

Jasper flipped over the envelope and tore it open. Inside there was a photograph and a postcard. The postcard was crinkled and faded, but clear enough to see what was on it. The picture on the front showed a Ferris Wheel, a rollercoaster and a candyfloss stand. In big Circus style letters were the words "Lakeside Amusement Park". Jasper froze, dropping his bacon.

"What is it?" Robert asked.

Jasper didn't say a word. He flipped over the postcard to find there was a message on the back written in what looked like child's handwriting. It was tricky to make out but he could read it as if from memory.

Dear Granny,

We are having a fabulous time here in Silent Hill! It is so beautiful! Jasper and I went to Toluca Lake today! Daddy let us rent a boat and he rowed us out to a little island in the middle of the lake where we had a picnic! Mum made her amazing chocolate cake so we ate it there.

Tomorrow we are going to the amusement park! I can't wait to ride the Mountain Coaster! I read that it is like you are riding around a real mountain! I hope I am tall enough to get on.

I can't wait to show you all of the photographs we've taken and I hope granddad feels better soon.

Lots of love,

Daniel and Jasper.

Jasper dropped the postcard. His face drained of colour.

"Jasper, are you alright? Who is it from?"

Jasper picked up the photo that came with the postcard. It was of his brother Daniel stood in front of the Lakeside Amusement Park entrance.

Jasper was 14 when he visited Silent Hill, and his brother Daniel was only 12, but in the photograph, Daniel looks like he is in his 20s.

"It's impossible. It can't be."

Robert grabbed the postcard and began to read.

"Did your brother write this? I don't get it. Who is this in the photo?"

"My brother and I sent that postcard to my Gran 15 years ago. And Gran died not long after. I don't ever remember her keeping this."

Jasper stared blankly into the photo of Daniel.

"Who is that in the photo?"

"It… it looks like Daniel. But it can't be! Daniel disappeared when he was 15, and it wasn't in Silent Hill. I don't get it."

Robert gave Jasper a confused stare and went back to eating his bacon. Jasper didn't move. Why would someone post this to him? Why after all of this time does he receive something about his brother now? And why is his brother in Silent Hill? He wasn't sure why, but he knew if there was anything that could lead him to his brother, he wanted to find out. He slowly started to finish his breakfast and began to think about going back to Silent Hill.

CHAPTER TWO

The sun was beginning to set over Boston. A dull orange glow filled Jasper's bedroom, matching the leaves of the large oak tree that stood outside of his window.

Jasper's room was well organised and tidy, apart from yesterday's laundry scattered on the floor. A small writing desk was topped with a dated PC and filing shelves, each with their own label stuck to the chipped wire frame. Work, Magazine, Game Guides. Jasper liked to know where things where as nothing frustrated him more than things without a proper place. He liked to be in control of what he was doing, so knowing where everything is was a great comfort to him.

Jasper sat on his bed, staring at the photograph of his brother. Why was he in Silent Hill? And why hadn't he contacted anyone about his whereabouts?

Jasper thought about calling his parents. He figured that they should know about the photograph and the letter, but since he hadn't seen or spoken to his parents in at least a year, he thought there would be no point in calling them now, especially with something as random as a phantom photo of his brother who had been missing for the past 5 years. It couldn't be real. Maybe this was a new dream, one of those vivid lucid dreams, and Jasper was in control. In a few minutes, Jasper would wake up and smell the sweet smell of bacon from the kitchen.

He waited. The smell didn't come. If this was a dream then he would just have to ride it out until he woke up. Until then, he decided he would plan his trip to Silent Hill to find out anything about his brother. After all, he did want to go back there, albeit under different circumstances.

Silent Hill wasn't too far away. Being in Boston, it would take Jasper about 4 hours to drive there, and he had just gotten his car serviced too. Jasper's car was his pride and joy. When he wasn't working hard at the office, or writing for his magazine, he was looking after his car. Jasper wasn't the type to constantly tweak the engine or lower the suspension. He wasn't technical enough for that, but he was very creative and artistic. Jasper used to top up the paintwork, wax it twice a week, vacuum the inside and polish the leather seats. There was nothing worse than a messy car to Jasper.

Stuffing the photo in his pocket, Jasper went over to his PC and turned it on. If he was going to Silent Hill, he needed a map. 15 years is a long time to remember street signs and buildings. The PC ticked and whirred as it started up. He really needed an upgrade. When it started up, he immediately opened Google and downloaded the best map of Silent Hill he could find. Thankfully, he had just replaced the ink in his printer, so he had no problems printing it off. Jasper couldn't stand empty printer cartridges so he always made sure they were full.

Once the map had been printed, he grabbed his car keys and his parker then headed downstairs. He was about to open the front door when Robert stepped into the hall.

"Where are you off to?"

He placed his hand over the doorway.

"I'm going to Silent Hill."

"Why? You don't know that your brother is there."

"I know, but this photo was taken in Silent Hill, and my brother looks about 20! This is a recent photo. If Daniel is there, I have to know for sure."

Robert took his hand from the door and stepped closer to Jasper. He placed a hand on Jasper's hip.

"I know. I just worry about you. Ever since you began having those nightmares, thing's haven't been the same. Ever since the night we, you know."

Jasper moved Robert's hand. Robert looked saddened.

"I'm sorry Robert. I've had a lot on my mind lately. And now this, I have to go. And about that night, I need to think it over ok. "

Robert leaned in to kiss Jasper who turned away.

"Not now Robert. I'm sorry."

Robert stepped aside and let Jasper go through the door.

"Be careful." Robert shouted as Jasper headed down the porch steps and towards his car.

Jacob opened his car door, threw in the printed map and then sat inside. He froze for a moment. Closing his eyes, he saw his brother in the last moment they were together. Five years ago, on a camping trip, Jasper and Daniel spent three nights in Toluca Forest. They didn't quite make it to Silent Hill, but they wanted to get as close as they could.

It was the first time they had been camping alone. Everything was planned and prepared. Their tent was serviced, they had all of their provisions. They even had a catalogue of ghost stories to tell each other. Strictly speaking they weren't completely alone. Their Aunt Rose lived in Brahams, which was close enough to Toluca Forest in case the boys got into trouble. Rose was the first person Jasper went to when Daniel went missing. No one knows what happened. They both went to sleep on the final night, all ready to travel back home the next day, and when Jasper woke up, Daniel had gone. There was no sign of struggle, no note, nothing.

Jasper was told that the search party ran for four days around the forest area, but turned up nothing. Not even a hint of Daniel's whereabouts. In the end the search party gave up. Appeals were made for his return, but again nothing surfaced.

Not long after that, Jasper's parent's marriage began to fall apart. His dad always left in the middle of the night and disappearing for days on end. His mother was convinced there was another woman. Since then, they divorced, pretty much leaving Jasper to fend for himself.

Since then, Jasper became self-sufficient. Moving out of his mother's and in with Robert, an old friend from High School. Robert and Jasper shared many classes together and became friends. They went to parties together, tough times together, and when Robert came out as gay to his disapproving parents, Jasper was there to support him. Since then, they had formed a very close bond and Robert had formed a strong attachment to Jasper.

As Jasper started the car, he saw Robert's worried face staring out of the living room window. Robert slowly waved Jasper off as he backed out of the driveway. Turning out of the Cull-De-Sack, Jasper headed down the main road and onto the freeway up to New England.

Jasper didn't drive the last time he visited Silent Hill, so he didn't quite know the way. He took out his smart phone and opened up the Sat-Nav app, and plotted his rout to Silent Hill. It would take him about five hours to get there. It was already 3pm so he would need to stay the night when he arrived. If he wanted to search for his brother, he would need to be well rested. Silent Hill was a big town, and with lots of residents, it would take all of his time to ask around to see if anyone had seen Daniel.

The weather was clear when Jasper left Boston. The sun was already setting when he was about an hour into his journey. Being November, the night came quicker in the north. Jasper didn't mind. He enjoyed driving in the dark. There was always something so calming about the darkness to him, at least until the nightmares started. The traffic was also quite calm too which meant he could make up some time.

Jasper liked driving. He always found it managed to clear his head. Whenever he had a problem to solve or anything he was worried about, he always took a long drive somewhere. He liked to drive with the radio on, but he would never have it on loud. He liked to keep it at a low volume so it was more of background noise rather than something he would actively listen to. This helped his thought process and his relaxation.

Many things raced through his mind. The photograph of his brother standing in Lakeside Amusement Park and all of the memories they had shared there, the camping trip to Toluca Forest and all of the days they spent at their gran's house, filling up on cake and biscuits.

Jasper missed his grandmother and grandfather greatly. He and Daniel used to spend a lot of their summer with their grandparents. They used to always get spoiled with money and sweets. It drove their mother crazy, as she was always a one to eat healthily and to respect the value of money. But as all grandparents do, these morals were thrown out of the window.

He remembered their little cottage up by Brahams. His mother was originally from Silent Hill, but they moved over to Brahams when she was only 2. Ever since Silent Hill lost its mining industry and began its transformation into a Tourist Resort, they decided to move. Her parents didn't want to be overrun with foreigners and people messing up their beloved town. They were quite the xenophobes, a trait that thankfully wasn't passed down to Jasper.

Jasper was getting closer to Silent Hill. Road signs started displaying the name and the distance. Another hour or so and he would be back in Silent Hill, a town full of memories. It was pretty dark now. The hills grew around him like elongating shadows enveloping his car. The sparse streetlights gave a gloomy yellow glow to the highway. The road began to wind around the mountains. And the two-lane road shrunk into a single lane, the edge of the mountain very close to the side of the car. He always had a fear of veering over the side and into a gulley.

Jasper was feeling tired. It wouldn't be long until he came across the edge of the town. Driving in from the east, he would arrive in central Silent Hill within the next twenty minutes. His eyes were growing heavy. As soon as he hit town, he was going to check into the Riverside Motel, he needed a good nights sleep, and he had heard that this motel wasn't that bad.

From the darkness, the headlights slowly illuminated the green sign he had remembered so well. The arched sign lit by three very old lamps read quite clearly "Welcome To Silent Hill." He had arrived. A little further down the road he would come across Cedar Grove Sanatorium. He wasn't sure if the building was still in use, but he had always remembered the scary stories about that place, a place where people would go and never be seen again. Some used to say they vanished into another world whilst there. People also said that the town itself would suck you into another world. Jasper never believed the latter story.

Coming off the interstate, Jasper's car pulled up onto Acadia Road and he made his way down Midway Avenue and onto Riverside Drive. On the edge of the road lay the Riverside Motel. It looked a little shabby since his last visit, although when he stayed in Silent Hill 15 years ago, they stayed in the Lakeview Hotel.

Jasper drove into the Motel's car park, which only housed about 5 or 6 cars. It was strangely empty. Jasper assumed it would be due to the fact that not many tourists visited Silent Hill in the winter. It was much too cold for a lakeside holiday.

Jasper turned off the engine and took a deep breath. He was here, he was back in Silent Hill after 15 years. He wasn't sure what he was going to find here or even if anyone would even know Daniel, but something inside him told him this was the right thing to do. Jasper missed his brother dearly and any hope of seeing him again meant that Jasper wouldn't give up. He picked up the map, got out of the car and locked it. He made his way inside the motel.

CHAPTER THREE

The reception area of the Riverside Motel was like your typical run down motel entrance. Dark, stained wood panelling lined the walls, one of which had the reception desk built into it. A tattered and torn leather sofa rested against another wall with its own stains of past guests use. The room was fairly quiet with only the hum of a surprisingly clean coffee machine in the corner. The TV mounted above the reception desk was turned off, probably broken.

Jasper stepped into the room. He scanned it and took in its drab appearance. He noted the dusty newspaper rack by the reception desk, which was half full with newspapers. They had today's date on them so at least the motel was still in use.

Jasper walked up to the desk to find no one was behind it. There was a door behind the desk, which was slightly ajar, and a slight rustling coming from behind it. On the desk were a few old looking items, a ledger containing all of the guest's names and room numbers, the last entry being yesterday. It's pages were coffee stained and slightly torn with use over the years. There was also a calendar with a picture of a goldfish on the top of it. It was a rotary one which looked like it hadn't been used in years. To the side of the calendar was a small push bell, it was polished brass and looked like the only well looked after object in the entire room. Jasper pressed it twice.

The door behind the desk creaked open. An old looking man, possibly in his late 50s to mid 60s appeared. He had oily looking grey hair that was badly thinning, his dulled green and navy blue striped polo shirt had a few dark stains down the front, and his fraying braces looked like they only had a couple more uses in them. He shuffled over to the desk, sniffling and wiping his nose with his hand.

"Hello, how can I help you?"

Jasper took a second to respond. He wasn't used to dealing with people this disgusting. Jasper had always kept himself looking clean and proper and it always made him sad when he saw people like this. He couldn't grasp the idea that some people just let themselves go.

"Hi, I want to book a room for a couple of nights. Have you got anything?"

The man stares at Jasper for a moment.

"It's November son. Silent Hill is dead in November. We got plenty of rooms. It's $20 a night. I need a $10 deposit and you can pay the bill when you leave."

Jasper can't stand rude people. It's one of many little things that really irritate him. Holding back his frustrations, he forces a polite response.

"That's fine, thank you."

The man wipes his nose again and picks up a pen. He turns the ledger around and pushes it over to Jasper.

"Sign and date here please. All credit cards are accepted."

Jasper hesitates to pick up the pen, but feeling the receptionist's stare on him he picks up the pen and scribbles his name down onto the page. The faster he writes, the faster he can get to his room and wash his hands.

"Thank you. Here is your key. You are in room 200. Take the gate opposite here and it's the first room on your right opposite the swimming pool. Don't lose the key and don't remove the remote control from your room. Enjoy your stay in Silent Hill."

He passes over a key with a dull tag attached. The number 200 is engraved on it.

"Thanks."

Jasper took the key and headed to the opposite door and stepped out into the courtyard.

The courtyard was deserted apart from a man in a long trench coat smoking a cigarette in the corner. Jasper didn't want a conversation, so he just kept his head down and walked over to the opposite gate leading to the main pool area.

"Hey!" The man called over. "You must be here on some kind of business. No one comes to Silent Hill in November, not without a serious purpose."

The man threw down his cigarette and stomped it out. He slowly made his way over to Jasper who had frozen on the spot. Not wanting to be impolite, Jasper turned to him and responded.

"Yeah. I got some things I have to do."

The man looked up at Jasper, the dim light from the street lamps gave his face a dull orange glow. His eyes lit up like fire. He had stubble and what looked like a burn mark on his right cheek. Jasper didn't like him. He continued in his raspy smokers voice.

"Looks like it. Silent Hill doesn't attract people much any more. It's not the town it used to be. Back in its day, it was a thriving tourist town. Now it's just another has been."

Jasper remained silent. He wasn't one for small talk, especially with shady people whom he had never met.

"Well, I'll be seeing you son. I don't want to get in the way of your search. Good night."

The man turned away and headed through a gate to another set of rooms. Thank god he wasn't going the same way Jasper was. He didn't want anyone trying to make friends with him. All he wanted to do was get a good night sleep, find his brother and then go back home.

Jasper wasn't the unsociable kind, in fact Jasper was very sociable. He was always the one to organise the work parties and birthdays, he just didn't enjoy being held up by people he didn't know. He was always taught to be cautious of others. His father was a very paranoid person, especially since Daniel disappeared, always warning Jasper to never fully trust anyone, to always look over your shoulder and look for the hidden agenda in people. In a way Jasper took this to heart. Upon meeting new people, he would cautiously get to know them before becoming what he would call friends. He was a good judge of character, and the man in the courtyard was not striking him as someone to trust.

Shaking off the encounter with the man in the coat, Jasper walked through the gate opposite the reception room and into the main courtyard. The age and tackiness of the motel showed it's full glory here. In the centre of the courtyard was a medium sized swimming pool in the shape of a heart. Back in its heyday, this motel would have appealed to cheap honeymooners, husbands having affairs and any other sexual encounters you could imagine in a small tourist town.

On the opposite side of the courtyard lay the three main rooms of the motel. The Rose Suite, the King Suite and the Pink Moon Suite. These themed rooms were reserved for the tackiest honeymoons and the sleaziest rendezvous you could think of. Jasper could only imagine what went on inside there and he didn't want to find out. He only hoped that his room wasn't as sexed up as the others probably were.

A couple of rooms opposite took his eye. Warm, welcoming lights poured out of them. The room in the middle of the opposite side had a bright sign above the door that simply said Bar. Jasper had a feeling he would be visiting there at some point during his stay. Hopefully it would be a celebratory drink with Daniel, but something in his head was telling him that it would be to drown his sorrows. He didn't want to think about the latter now, plus in a motel as shabby as this, he would be worried at what kind of things the bar would serve.

The other room next door had a brightly lit sign saying Arcade. Jasper loved arcades. Ever since he was a kid, all he did was spend his money in the local arcades and playing on the latest games for his consoles. Jasper was a bit of a gaming geek. He wasn't an over the top kind of geek but he did enjoy staying up late and playing games. If his mind weren't so preoccupied he would have liked to check out that arcade. Maybe in a couple of days after all of this has blown over he would go in and drop a quarter or two in the pinball machines.

His mind was tired and his eyes were fighting to stay open. Driving really takes it out of you. His room was on the end of a row of rooms directly opposite the swimming pool. He went over to the door and pulled out the key. The lock was stiff and was in need of oiling, however he managed to get the door open with relative ease.

To Jasper's surprise, his room was quite clean. The sheets looked clean and fresh, the coffee machine was free of stains and the TV looked in perfect working order. The décor of the room was fairly drab, the standard for cheap motels but overall he was impressed. A small writing desk sat opposite the bed with a Welcome To Silent Hill pamphlet resting in a literature holder. Jasper took off his coat and hung it on the chair pushed under that desk. He let out a big sigh and lay down on the bed. He began to stare at the cracks in the ceiling until they blurred into one another. He closed his eyes and descended into a deep sleep.

In the darkness of sleep, echoes started reverberating off of unseen surfaces. Jasper wasn't sure what exactly he could, or couldn't, hear but he knew he needed to find the source. The sound of metal grating on metal, crumbling rock and the muffled screams of over-flexed metal grew louder and louder.

Suddenly, out of the darkness, a hand reached out and grabbed Jasper by the throat, gripping tightly on his oesophagus, jagged nails digging in and cutting off the airway. Jasper couldn't move. He was pinned down to the spot by some unforeseeable force. Even though he tried to lift his arms or kick he legs he couldn't. All he could do was lie there and accept his situation. He could feel moist warm breath on his face. A low husky voice began to whisper.

"Do not come for me! They will take you too! Do not look for me Jasper Carrington! Leave now!"

Jasper began to scream. No sound came out, at least none that he could hear over the loud industrial scraping and clanging that filled the darkness. The grip on his throat began to loosen, the hand pulled away, and the industrial sounds began to fade. Jasper's scream started to fade in and he was back in his motel room. A milky light gently streamed through the cracks in the blinds. Jasper stopped screaming.

He immediately jumped off the bed and wondered over to the dusty mirror that hung on the wall above the desk. Leaning in close, he ran his fingertips over his neck. Not a mark was on him. It was just another dream.

Jasper wondered into the bathroom and flicked on the light. The bulb was clearly in need if replacing as it flickered a few times before casting a dull yellow glow over the clinically tiled bathroom.

The bathroom looked rather clean for a shabby motel. No obvious staining on the floors or the walls. If there was a murder here, the cleaner must have been paid very well. The bathtub looked well used however as there was a big ring of scum around the plughole with a few hairs sticking out of it. Jasper shuddered. He hated hairs in the bath even when they were his own, but other people's hair just freaked him out even more.

Jasper turned to the sink and turned on the cold tap. He splashed his face with the icy water and dabbed himself with a towel. Placing the towel on the side of the sink, he again looked at himself in the mirror. There were still no marks on his neck. Definitely a dream. He flicked off the light and then headed back to the bed. Just a couple more hours sleep and then he would be ready to venture into town to try and find his brother, but after the dream, he was beginning to doubt if it was the right thing to do after all of these years. He lay down in bed, pulled up the covers, and once again fell into the darkness of sleep.

CHAPTER FOUR

Bang bang bang. Jasper awoke to the sound of loud knocking on his door. The morning milky light streamed through the cracks in the worn blinds and gave the room a ghostly glow.

Bang bang bang. The knocking continued.

"I'm coming, hold on."

Jasper threw back the covers and pulled some pants on. He went over to the door and opened it. On the other side stood the receptionist holding a piece of paper.

"This came for you" he said, looking at the half naked Jasper up and down.

"Thanks."

Jasper took the note and the receptionist turned away with a smirk on his face. He closed the door and looked at the note. It was all crumpled and hand written. Could this be another note from his brother? Or was it all just a sick joke?

Looking at the note, Jasper's hands began to shake.

Jasper,

I know you are looking for me, but I need you to go back home. I don't want you to find me!

How did Daniel know Jasper was here? And how did he know where Jasper was staying? This was all becoming far too strange, with the nightmare last night and the notes. Maybe Jasper was still dreaming.

Jasper went into the bathroom and took a shower. At least the water was warm. He loved taking long warm showers. It was the perfect place for him to shut off the world and to think. Where would he start looking first? He needed to get to Lakeside Amusement Park, which wasn't far from here. Jasper decided he would ask around first. If Daniel had been here all these years then maybe someone would know him.

The warm water streamed over Jasper's face and body. It felt nice. He closed his eyes and let his mind wonder. Images of Daniel popped into his mind, back when they were younger, and with their parents still together. He smiled.

The shower began to get hotter, Jasper winced a little and turned the temperature dial down, the water got hotter still.

"What the fuck?!"

Jasper jumped back as the shower began to spit out scalding hot water. He tried to turn it off to no avail, so he pulled back the shower curtain to step out of the shower. The entire room was engulfed in flames.

"Jesus Christ! Help!"

Jasper ran to the bathroom window but it was sealed shut. He tried to pry it open but it wouldn't budge. Outside the window, the parking lot was also engulfed in flames. Muffled screams could be heard from outside, silhouettes in the flames thrashed around.

Jasper turned around to face the room. Stood in front of him was Daniel, burning.

"GO HOME JASPER!"

Jasper opened his eyes to find himself stood beneath the shower, warm water gently trickling down his body. The bathroom as it was when he got in the shower. No flames, no smoke. Something really odd was going on.

"Am I going crazy?"

Jasper turned off the shower and dried himself with the fresh towels hanging on the towel rail. Slipping on some clothes, he decided to skip breakfast and head into town as soon as he could. He wanted to find Daniel and leave. He didn't like what this place was doing to his head.

He grabbed his jacket and headed to the door. Before opening it, he took a large breath. This was it, his search was about to begin. Would he find what he was looking for? He surely hoped so. He unlocked the door, opened it and stepped out into the courtyard.

A thick fog covered the area, and there was a very loud silence. Everything felt still and colder than usual. This is not the Silent Hill Jasper remembered. He turned up the collar on his coat and headed through the gate back to the parking lot. His car was still there thankfully. He always worried about his car being stolen. He climbed into the car and put the key into the ignition. Nothing. The car wouldn't start. It didn't even attempt to start and Jasper wasn't good with the technical side of cars. He will have to stop by the garage before he leaves.

Lakeside Amusement Park wasn't far so he could easily get there on foot. He could stop by Jude's Diner on the way. He wanted to find his brother fast, but he couldn't do it on an empty stomach.

Before leaving, he headed into reception to hand in the motel key. Inside the reception, there was nobody around. It even looked more run down than earlier. Jasper rang the brass bell twice and waited. No one came.

"Hello?"

No one answered. Maybe the reception guy had gone to one of the rooms like he did earlier with Jasper. He waited another few minutes before deciding to leave. It wasn't the end of the world if he took the room key with him.

Heading outside he left the motel parking lot and walked south on Riverside Drive. Everything felt strange. There was no one around in the streets. No cars driving by not even a distant hum of traffic. Silent Hill felt dead.

At the bottom corner of Riverside Drive was Jude's Diner. The sign outside was lit, the odd neon flickering through the fog, but inside looked deserted. His stomach grumbling, Jasper went inside.

Jude's Diner was a mess. It was your typical American diner designed to give tourists the traditional American grill and plenty of heart burn. Silent Hill was full of them, and Jasper rather liked them, but this one wasn't to his expectations. The checked lino floor was thick with grime, the counter tops covered in dust, and excess amounts of rotten food lined the tables. Only a few pendant lights were lit. With the cold milky light coming through the windows, the diner looked very cold and unwelcoming.

"Where is everyone?"

There was a crash that came from behind the counter.

"Hello? Who's there?"

Jasper walked over to the counter and looked behind it. A pile of metal trays littered the floor, and next to that was the man in the coat, squatting down looking through a cupboard.

"Excuse me."

The man looked up at Jasper.

"Oh it's you. Enjoying your stay?"

"What are you doing?"

"The same thing you are. I'm looking for something, but then what I'm looking for will be easier to find."

The man stood up and wiped his hands on his coat then stretched out one hand to Jasper. Reluctantly, he shook the man's hand.

"The name's Danny."

"Jasper. Look, what's going on? Why is this place so quiet?"

"Ha, peaceful ain't it. I love the quiet of Silent Hill. We don't have many visitors any more, especially in this time of year. It gives you time to think."

Jasper was getting the feeling that Danny wasn't going to help. He didn't want to be around him for longer than he needed to be.

"Look, is there anywhere open that I can grab some food?"

"Yeah, this place is open. You're inside aren't you? The food is pretty bad though. Bingo!"

Danny pulled out a small metal box from the cupboard. It was a small lock box for keeping cash.

"Well I got what I came for. See you around Jasper."

Danny stood up and headed for the door.

"Wait a second. How did you know what I was looking for?"

And with that, Danny had left the diner. What was in the lockbox? And why was Danny ignorant at the state of the diner and the town. There were so many questions Jasper was asking himself and he had a feeling that he wouldn't get many answers. Feeling that there was nothing left here for Jasper to see, he left the diner.

Back in the street, Jasper wondered where to go next. He figured he would head straight to the amusement park, as that was his only lead. He headed to the junction at the end of the street and turned onto Sandford Street. Just across the bridge and past the garages lay the amusement park. He wasn't far.

Across the bridge, lay two large parking garages and the pier, which lead down to the Light House. Jasper always remembered the time that he and his brother rented a rowboat and took it out onto the lake. Their parents rowing near them in another boat. Silent Hill really did bring back the happy memories. How different it felt now. Cold, grey and dead. What had happened to this town? Fearing that any time wasted he wouldn't find his brother, he resisted the urge to divulge and headed straight up to the gates of the amusement park. The light from the Light House lust breaking through the fog, tempting as it was, would have to wait for someone else to investigate.

Through the fog, a large silhouette of a billboard began to emerge, one flickering light trying desperately to light it us hanging from the top. Upon the sign was a faded poster full of what used to be vibrant colours, clown faces and other images of rides. In large bold letters read "Lakeside Amusement Park – Next Right" Jasper quickened his pace into a jog and came to the entrance of the park.

The turnstiles that lined up across the orange tiled path leading up to the gate were open. No need to buy a ticket then. The ticket booths in the entrance below the very large "Welcome to Lakeside Amusement Park" banner, which stood proudly above the iron gates, were dark and empty. There was no body here either. Jasper slipped through the turnstiles and ran up to the iron gates. Locked. A large chain with a very strong looking padlock was wrapped around the bars.

"Shit!"

There was nowhere for him to climb over. The entrance was a thing corridor between two brick built ticket booths, and the large banner forming the roof. The gates reached up to the roof. How was he going to get in?

He turned and headed back towards the turnstile.

"There has to be a way in."

"Excuse me" said a gentle female voice.

Jasper looked around to find the source.

"The park is closed for the moment."

He turned to one of the ticket booths and saw a young woman stood there wearing a Lakeside Amusement Park uniform. A banana yellow polo shirt with grey short sleeves with a matching hat. Her blonde hair hung down from her hat in a slightly scruffy fashion and tied in a ponytail at the back.

"We open again in the next season."

Jasper walked over to her.

"Thank god, another person. Look, I need to get into the park. Is there a way?"

The woman stayed in her booth, her face almost expressionless, her voice calm yet somewhat robotic.

"You can enter the park during the hours of 9:30am and 7:30pm during peak season and between 10:30am and 5:30pm in low season."

Jasper leaned over the counter and brought his tone of voice down slightly.

"Look miss, I came all the way from Boston to find my brother. The last place I know he could be is in this amusement park. I need to have a look around that's all. I don't need a ride on the tea cups."

The woman turned her head and met her gaze.

"Lakeview hotel. Danny has the key."

She suddenly snaps out of her trance.

"Why are you still here?"

Jasper looks angry, the woman's face has completely changed. Instead of being static and dead, she has taken on a more dumb-blonde, bubblegum chewing persona.

"I just explained why I need to get into the park. And who's Danny?"

The girl stares confused.

"You mean the owner? He's up at Lakeview. He likes to eat there. Look the Park is closed buddy. I'm outta here."

The girl walks through a door behind her, and she is gone. On the windowsill where Jasper was standing, a small piece of paper floated down and rested by his feet. He reached down to pick it up. It was a note written with scratchy writing. Jasper could only just read it.

"I have done what you have asked. I left the key to your room under the desk. See you at the gathering. Love K."

Could K be the woman he just met? He leaned through the window and fumbled his hand around the desk which was sat below the window. Sliding his hand underneath it, he came across something stuck to the underside. He pulled it off. It was a key. Attached to the key was a small oval keychain. The number 212 were etched into one side while the other side bore the name "Lakeview Hotel"

Maybe Jasper could get some answers from Danny at the hotel. Danny, that name was familiar to Jasper. Could it be the same Danny he met at the Motel and the Diner? There was only one way to find out. He promptly left the entrance area of the amusement park and got back to the road leading to the Hotel. He started to jog again, the hotel was only a few hundred yards down the road. He'd be there in no time.

He approached the Hotel. The large three-story building towered over him. There were a few lights coming through the windows. The muffled sound of a television could be heard from one of the open windows on the ground floor. Jasper had no time to lose. He stepped up to the front door and tried the handle. It was open. Taking a deep breath, he went inside.