Chapter 10 – The Home Front

There are things in this world not meant to be explained. These things dwell beyond mans reasoning and within the deepest reaches of his subconscious. The limits of man's minds were not meant to fathom the immensity of these ancient monstrosities or even the esoteric knowledge associated with them. A mere glimpse of one of these unthinkable horrors would send one's mind screaming to the back pit of their skull, there to brood in it's decay at such an unmercifully maddening sight. Such things are hinted at throughout various literary works, such as the terrible Book of Eibon, Junzt's frightful Unaussprechlichen Kulten, and the horrid Necronomicon of the mad Abdul Alhazred. Yet, even with these nightmarish descriptions, man still cannot truly glimpse the madness which lies beyond the stars and the very fabric of reality.

Despite such a rule of the universe, these things were the very thing so many women were seeing in visions and dreams throughout the world at this time. Some with pure force of will retained their sanity, such as Gaz Membrane, Juniper Lee, Tootie Turner, and Dani Fenton, while others, such as Vicky Chang, have been drained of rational thought.

Those at Arkham, however, had sent Vicky home recently, one reason because of significant progress, another being the fact that she was now pregnant. It was obvious to everyone that it happened during one of her visits home that the hospital allowed on occasion.

Micky was going to have a sister.

He didn't like it.

This, however, was not the only concern on everyone's mind.

"I can't get a hold of them," Tucker said to Mark, sitting in the Chang's living room, "Danny's phone goes straight to voicemail, and his and Sam's home phone just responds with a busy signal."

"I know Danny was going with Danielle to that supposedly haunted town," Valerie said, "But Sam needs to at least communicate with us if something happens to them."

"Surely," Mark said, "They'll turn up eventually. As long as they can eat that horrifying substance known as chocolate, they can stand up to anything."

This conversation escaped the ears of the two children in the other room. Erica and Micky were both sitting across from each other, both upset at everything that had happened.

"I can't believe they're gone," Micky said.

"Don't say that," Erica said, "They'll be okay. You know them; they're both tough."

"Yeah," Micky said, "but I just worry about…"

"What?" Erica asked.

"I kinda…liked Christine."

"What?" Erica said, "You keep making fun of her."

"I just did that," Micky said, "because I liked her. My mom and dad make fun of each other all the time. It's how they show they like each other."

"That's kinda weird," Erica said.

"It's not weird," Micky said, "It's what I know."

"Well," Erica said, "I guess since we're on the same subject…I kinda like David."

"You liked that twerp?" Micky asked with a laugh.

"He ain't no twerp," Erica said, protesting, "He was super smart. He kinda reminds me of my dad, which is kinda weird. But he was a cool kid. I can see why my dad and his got along so well."

In the other room, the conversation turned to something more positive.

"I heard your wife is pregnant," Valerie said, "Babies are so precious."

"Yeah," Mark said, "It's going to be a wretchedly wonderful little girl. We're naming her Viola."

Upstairs, Vicky lay in bed on her side, staring into the dark. She now feared the dark, the prospect of that thing behind infinite chaos dwelling within it. Nyarlathotep, with his three-lobed burning eye, could be watching her. Oh if only her twerp-in-law, Timmy, could be here to protect her with whatever magic around him, the same that he did for her sister. How could none of them see what she could?

Something was upon them; something was upon the world. Vicky had to let them all know.

…..

The girl lit a cigarette outside of the FBI headquarters. She had not smoked in a long time, but did occasionally whenever something was really bothering her. The death of her father was one of those times, but her mother helped her with the addiction to at least some degree afterwards. Now, something else was on her mind. She had to go speak with an agent by the name of Jonathan Test.

She tossed the cancer stick into the street and went inside. As she proceeded through the halls, she bumped into Agent Edgar Vargas, who was on his way home to see his wife, Tenna. The two staggered for a moment and then faced each other.

"Oh, excuse me," the girl said.

"It's alright," Edgar said, "one of those days?"

"Yeah," the girl said, "Hey, do you know where I can find Jonathan Test?"

"He's up on the third floor," Edgar said, "Is there a reason?"

"I have some information on his wife," the girl responded, "I work at the psych ward you see."

"You don't need to lie to me," Edgar said, seeing through her, "I know why you're here. You see, I know about the beyond and what's happening to Sissy."

"And you haven't told him about Silent Hill?" the girl asked.

"Silent Hill has little to do with Sissy's condition," Edgar said, "Hers is more of what's going on with the other women. But if you know something that can help him, he's on the third floor."

"Thanks," the girl said. She then walked onto the elevator, pressed the three button, and stepped out into the heart of the Federal Bureau. She knocked on the door that read "Mr. Jonathan Test" on the plaque.

"Come in," Johnny said. The girl stepped through.

"Mr. Test?" the girl asked.

"Yes," Johnny said, "can I help you? I'm kind of busy right now."

"I have some information for you," the girl said, being as direct as she always had been throughout her life, "concerning your wife and one of your friends." Johnny raised an eyebrow at him. She had honesty in her voice that being a part of the force helped him to detect.

"What do you know?" Johnny asked with a slight nervousness prevalent in his voice, "She's slowly losing herself."

"Yes, I know," the girl said with some concern, "and your friend Dani might lose herself as well if we don't act now; she's in the town of Silent Hill."

"Dani?" Johnny asked, shocked, but then his mind switched gears. "I'm sorry; I didn't catch your name."

"Heather Mason, and the sooner we act on getting to that town, the better." He had heard of that town; so many cases in the unexplained files spoke on it. He had to help this girl and Dani; it's the least he could do. And if this could lead him to understanding his wife's madness, that would be all the greater.