A/N:Here we go. My BETA looked over it this time. haha. And... because I tweaked it... there is still room for errors. BUT hey thanks for watching the story and reading it! :3 Can I has a review?
Silent Hill: The Ominous
Chapter Two- Mom
"My mom is an exotic dancer." Timmy chattered in the third row, "She dances around and takes her clothes off. Daddy's a hustler workin for Big Red."
Mrs. Allygood winced, but nodded, "And what about you Walter?" she asked sweetly to the blond haired boy on the very back row.
Walter was the quietest student in Mrs. Allygood's class. He never spoke much, but he was a good student. Whenever they had group discussions he would color and listen, but always knew exactly what they were talking about. Walter looked up from the picture he had been coloring. His green eyes watched his teacher thoughtfully, then he answered in a very pleasant tone, "My mom has lotsa jobs."
Mrs. Allygood slightly startled by his answer pressed on, "Really? Like what?"
Walter looked back down at his picture and began coloring again, "Mommy is a dancer in the Psycho Theme Park. She performs on the ceiling, the invisible wires, and on the little balconies." He explained, "They call her Glitter." He looked up, "But she's not very glittery like the other ladies." He held up his picture of a car and what Mrs. Allygood assumed was his mom, "And she's a mechanic for Rotter's Car Shop. She that's her with the really long hair." He said pointing.
"Really?" the teacher's rapidly blinking blue eyes stared at Walter, "Your mom works at Rotter's?"
"She does the complicated repairs for engines and stuff." He explained, "She doesn't work with customers. Just their cars."
"What does your Daddy do?" the teacher asked gently.
Walter stopped coloring and looked up quietly at his teacher, "I don't have a Dad."
And Mrs. Allygood flushed red.
Little Walter stood by the side of the curb; 'Mom must be really busy at the garage.' He thought quietly.
"Walter?" said a sweet voice.
Walter turned and looked up, "Hello, Mrs. Allygood." He said politely.
"Walter… I'm sorry." She said squatting down so she was eye level. She laughed slightly, "I guess this is why my husband always tells me I open my mouth too much." She sniffed trying not to get emotional, "I'm sorry." She stated firmly, "That wasn't very sensitive of me during class. I forget not everyone has a Mom and Dad."
Walter smiled at his teacher and patted her gently on the shoulder, "It's okay." He said, "I was adopted and I think my Mom is agoraphobic."
"Do you know what that word means?" questioned Mrs. Allygood pushing back her red hair.
"Of course." Smiled Walter, "It means she's afraid of people." And then before his teacher could ask the question he said, "Mommy and I read a lot. I like books. So did Mister Henry."
"Who's Mister Henry?" inquired the educator.
"A nice man." He said, "He's photographer who used to live in South Ashfield."
Mrs. Allygood laughed, "Wait a second. Is he really tall with tan skin, green eyes, and brown hair?" she asked gesturing to a length on her on head.
Walter nodded excitedly, "Yeah! You know him too?"
"Yes I do. He took photos of myself and husband." She said, "Family photo."
Walter giggled.
Mrs. Allygood looked through her notes, "In fact…. You live at Brimmington too?" she said examining her sheet.
"Uh-huh." Nodded Walter.
"He lives on the third floor of the apartment complex." She said, "I know because I have to go get pictures from him tomorrow."
"Cool." Smiled Walter.
There was a 'honk' and then, "Hey Sara! Let's go!"
Mrs. Allygood and looked, smiled, and waved, "That would be my husband, Mr. Patient." She and Walter shared a laugh, "Well I need to go. Thanks for being understanding." She said, "I promise, I don't try to be mean."
"I know Mrs. Allygood." Walter nodded.
She smiled and ruffled his hair and then went to the car.
"Is that your teachers?" asked a quiet voice.
Walter looked up at a woman smeared with oil, grease and slime. Her blue overalls were torn and there was medical tape on her exposed knee. Clearly, today had been a busy day, "Hi Mommy!" he cheered hugging her tightly around the legs.
"Sweetie I'm grungy. I don't think you want this on your clothes."
"I don't care." He said hugging her tighter.
She smiled and gathered him up and pulled his little backpack on her shoulder, "Did you have a good day?"
"It was the bestest!" Walter said beginning his ramble.
Damien smiled at him, 'It won't be long before he can't remember his past life as a murderer.'
But that was the point, wasn't it?
James' head was full of thoughts that tumbled and rolled over each other. Today had been so long and difficult that he could barely remember what hadn't happened. If he wasn't careful he might end up back in that nightmare world of Silent Hill. At this very moment he wasn't sure he could handle that. It might be too much for his brain.
He shook his head. James was so caught up in his thoughts he realized there was person in front of him that he ran into. Being relatively smaller than him, she bounced off him and hit the ground and fell back rubbing her face.
"Ow." She muttered trying to clear the tears from her eyes.
"Sorry, sorry!" apologized James extending a hand and as he stepped back, he realized there was a faint smile on the girl's face.
The pale skinned female reached out accepting his hand, "Well hello Mr. Sunderland." She said formally, then with a slight smile, "Or should I say the world's greatest nude model?"
A smile traversed his lips and he pulled her to her feet, "Damien." He chuckled, "How have you been? I haven't seen you in class in ages."
Damien flashed a cheeky smile and said, "Ah, something about being a mum seems to keep me from perusing more art classes." She waved.
"You're a mother?" he said incredulously, "Did you get married er what?"
"I adopted my kid almost a few years ago." She said.
"Where have I been?" he laughed, "I can't believe it, though. You adopted? You're a single adult! What in the world can you be thinking, Damien?"
Those quiet brown eyes returned to his, startling him, "Just trust me on this one." She said, "It was either me or something worse."
James nodded, "I don't argue with your impressions. Weird things always happen when I argue." He sighed and looked at her, "It's a shame to give up all that talent, though. What do you do?"
Damien smiled, "Same thing I've done since I was a child." She chuckled, "I'm a car mechanic."
"Car mechanic?" blinked James, "I didn't know you worked on cars."
"You've dropped your car off several times at the shop. I 've worked on your car . I'm in the back." She said raising an eyebrow.
James smiled at her, "Well where is your kid?"
"Walter's with my older cousin, Arty. He came into town yesterday." She gave James a half smile, then as if reading him said, "What's been going on in your life? You seem a bit outta it."
James' smile dropped, "Yeah… it's been a little hectic today." He motioned for her to follow him as he went inside.
Damien didn't say anything, but followed James into the building.
James smiled inwardly. He remembered Damien's tendency to fall silent at the first sign of a problem. "My roommate Henry…" he began shaking his head, "Something weird happened, and he's in the hospital." He rubbed the back of his neck. His cheeks turned slightly red as he realized how what he said sounded potentially.
James watched Damien shake her head and then she asked, "Does everyone still think you're dating him?"
James groaned, "Please don't remind me!" All the same he laughed.
"It could be worse." Reminded the mechanic stepping up onto the landing between the second and third floor.
James nodded, "Like the time I was in your art class and the male teacher was hitting on me?" he shivered, "I can't believe I came back."
"Is that why you singled me out from the back of class?" Damien inquired suddenly. Apparently this particular question had never been answered.
"Hell yeah!" frowned James, "You were the only person not trying to humiliate me. "
"Ah I see how this works." Damien responded, "You enjoy humiliating others who are more timid than yourself."
James smirked and nudged her, "Exactly!"
"Don't make me castrate you." She said mildly.
James laughed and inhaled with a smile on his face. It had been a while since he could feel something other than worry and guilt. He looked sideways at her, "Thanks." He said as they stopped on the third floor landing.
"For what?" Damien asked turning to him.
He shook his head.
She nodded, "Would you like to meet my kid?"
"I would. I wanna met the lil' booger who took my friend away." He smiled.
"One more floor then Mr. Sunderland." She said.
James couldn't help but smile around Damien. The day he noticed her in the back of the classroom he had been somewhat fascinate by her. She never had anything to say and spent most of the classes fulfill the obligations for the class. However that wasn't the main reason. It was probably more or less her more boldly shy nature.
After class one evening he found her surrounded by a group of thugs. She dropped the art board's bag and opened a full can of WOOPASS on them. She was surprisingly strong for someone so calm. Maybe it was because she was so plain, nothing about her spoke of her more vicious nature in fighting. Then pulling a gun from the art board's bag, she had turned it on James and shot the man behind him in the shoulder.
James was positive that after that, she probably wished she had left him for dead. Being unusually jumpy around people, shy and somewhat reclusive in nature, James had picked her, from out of all the students, to torment. He was her model during every class, asked millions of questions, and took great pride in informing her of which male students he recommended for her to go after or female one if she preferred. (She had thrown the art board at him for that one.)
Eventually Damien had become comfortable with him. Taking turns with him on tormenting terms. Some subjects she didn't touch, and seemed to know which ones, but there was one she took particular pride in teasing him about: The general topic of dating women.
"You have no luck with women." She had commented smudging the charcoal on her page.
"Screw you. He grumbled, "Some of us are selective."
"Indeed." She said with a hint of sarcasm.
James remembered placing in hand on his chin, "The truth is, my more possessive and stupid tendencies come out." He sighed, "And my last wife emptied pure hell on me when she was sick." He had groaned, "I'm not sure I really want that."
"So you'd rather go to a club and find a one night stand?" inquired the raven-haired woman, "You are normally loyal to one mate.
"I still am. If I found the right one." James looked at her, "But you're afraid of the human race so I don't wanna hear it."
"It's not that. It just seems like its degrading." She said returning to the picture, "A-one-night-stand usually indicates that neither partner has feelings or respect for the other. The people involved are usually seen as just an object."
"Old fashioned aren't you?" he said tartly.
Damien looked back at him, "Yes and no. I know the dirty reality."
He looked at her, "You're unusually astute for someone who hates people."
"I'm more afraid of them." She assured him, "But I am aware."
"Perhaps that is what feeds your fear?" he said, and then a little more boldly he continued, "To be used instead of being cherish by someone you love?"
She stopped what she was doing and remained silent a moment longer then said in a quiet voice, "Perhaps."
James remembered that conversation every time he thought about doing something stupid. He may be horny, but he only wanted one girl: Not a pool or harem.
Her views were old fashioned, but they mirrored someone else's. Maybe, for James at least, that was why he liked and respected Henry.
Damien shoved her hand into her pocket as she used her back to open the door leading into the level, "Here we are." She muttered holding the door open.
James stepped through, "What a gentleman. "He teased warmly.
She shrugged and followed him pulling out a key and stalking down the hall, "I'm down the hall." She gestured and he followed.
"What apartment?" James asked as they passed by homes with decorated doors.
"406." She responded walking towards the end of the hall.
James laughed, "Go figure. As far as you can get from the human race."
"I have a neighbor, smart-ass." She smiled at him.
James rolled his eyes, "My Dad doesn't count. " he shook his, "Why couldn't he have just stayed in South Ashfield?"
"Of course he does." She chuckled at James' disgruntled behavior, " He looks after Walter on occasion."
James laughed and said, "I see. So he's mad at me for not having any grand-kids so he's adopted yours." He responded slyly.
Calmly she looked at him with a smirk and said, "I see, so you're infertile?" she inserted the key into the lock.
James went scarlet, "I AM NOT!"
Damien laughed and shoved open the door.
James was annoyed, but he knew he'd walked right into it. It's sorta pissed him off.
"MOMMY!" called a young voice.
Damien suddenly had to step back as a small torpedo came crashing into her, "Oh geeze… Walt Disney, you need to control your explosive love more." She smiled.
Bright green eyes looked up at her, "I know mom! But I've missed you all day!"
"But you saw me when I came to pick you up." She yawned slightly and then,"Did you behave for Arthur?" she asked.
"Yes and I got all my homework for Mrs. Allygood's class." He beamed.
"Excellent." Damien praised, "Arthur?" she called to in the house.
"In the bathroom!" called a gentle male voice.
"YOU?" gaped James.
Damien looked at James then at Walter with a questioning look.
"You're the kid who gave me the Animal Crackers." He said flabbergasted.
Big eyes looked up at him, "Yep! Mr. Henry called Mr. Frank. An' Mr. Frank said you didn't eat in a looonnggg time and you might become sick and grouchy." He said, "And I had aminal crackers, so I took them to you."
James shook his head with a smile, "Henry and Dad are always looking out for me." Then with a bigger smile he gathered up Walter and hugged him, "Thank you for the crackers!"
"You are welcome!" he giggled.
There was a flushing sound and a man with ebony hair came out. It was short and clipped cleanly. His shirt was white with a tie and his pants were blue. On his shirt was a name tag that proclaimed 'Dr. Arthur Silent' in bold letters. With open arms and embraced his younger cousin.
"Welcome home, Damien!" He kissed her affectionately on the forehead, "Have a good day at work?"
"What do I smell like?" teased Damien in a flat tone.
"Grease, diesel, gas, and the usual oil." He laughed.
"Hm, must've been a good day." She smiled.
"Excellent." He cheered, "Walter and I had an excellent day."
Walter looked at James, "Mommy worked this morning with Psycho performers, coz they can't dance. Theeennn she had a late shift tonight! There's a BIG monster truck race tomorrow!"
"Oooohhh goodie… Trucks." Muttered Arthur.
Damien gently punched him in the shoulder, "Sidka is coming to take over for a bit."
He nodded, "Good. I do need to get back to work. I enjoy playing with you and Walter, but…" he sighed, "Duty calls."
"Tell me about it." Nodded Damien, "I am grateful for your help this week. Frank's been sick."
James grimaced, "No kidding. I've been up and down the apartment complex all week."
Dr. Silent chuckled, "Hey. no problem."
James looked at Damien, "I don't mind looking after Walter." Smiled James, "I'm off tomorrow."
"You know that wouldn't be bad idea." Commented Arthur cheerfully; "Damien has an extremely early shift in the morning."
Damien looked slightly annoyed with Arthur.
"What sorta people have work on a Saturday?" James grinned, "But you know, that'd be awesome! Walter and I can have a sleep over." He said gently bouncing Walter.
"Really?" giggled the little boy.
"James-" began Damien.
"Ah-ah!" smirked the blonde male tagging a finger at her, "Come now ole' mum!" he teased, "I can lend you helping hand."
She rubbed her forehead, "But I don't want to-"
James placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Damien… It'll be okay." He said, "I'd be glad to help out. And who knows?" he grinned winking at her, "I have a roommate who you might like."
She frowned at him, "James… you aren't cupid."
"But, Mommy!" called Little Walter, "Can I have a sleep over with Mr. James?"
She sighed defeat, "Okay." She shrugged, "But you have got to be good for him."
"Yes ma'am!" he promised with a big grin.
She waved, "Go get some clothes packed."
Walter squirmed as James put him down, "Yay!" and ran down the hall to his room.
James gently patted her on the shoulder, "Hey, lemme help you." He said, " 'Sides I know how you feel."
She looked at him, "What?"
"I missed the call, but I've been trying to adopt Laura, a little girl I met in Silent Hill, for the last year, and they're finalizing it tomorrow."
"Hey that's great!" praised Arthur.
James nodded, "She apparently won't let anyone else adopt her." He laughed, "She's a little devious."
"Who'd you manage that?" inquired the mechanic.
James smiled, "It's a really long story. I'll tell you about another time."
Damien smiled, "They don't generally let single men adopt."
"Yeah, that's why its taken so long. But you know what? She was so alone and sad when I saw her at the orphanage a year ago… I didn't wanna leave her there."
Damien smiled, "I know the feeling." She nodded
Walter came running in, "I'm all packed."
"PJ's, toothbrush? The whole sha-bang?" his mother asked affectionately.
Walter nodded seriously, "And Waldo."
"I see." She smiled.
"Who's Waldo?" asked James.
Damien looked at. "His teddy bear. You remember the 'Where's Waldo?' books?" James nodded, "The bear has a striped beanie."
"Ah!" he laughed warmly and turned to Walter, "You read to go?"
"YEAH!" he bounced slightly.
James leaned down and gathered Walter up, "Okay little buddy! Let's go! Kiss Mom good-night."
Walter leaned over and kissed Damien on the nose, "Nighty-night Mom!"
"G'night baby." She said with a wave.
James waved and went out the door shutting the door behind him.
Arthur placed a hand on her shoulder, "You are a good mom. You know that right?"
Damien looked at her cousin, "I try, and fail sometimes."
"Buck up, Love." He said, "You do your best. That's all that matters." He beamed.
She nodded to him.
He smiled, "Well I'm sleeping in Walter's bed." He announced going to the bedroom.
She laughed slightly, but winced suddenly. She reached up on the back of her neck and found blood on her fingers. She walked into the bathroom, turned just so and saw '1' written in her skin.
Damien's eyes iced over, "Fuck off, Sullivan."
