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IFONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE=2P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"[The blue ford pulls into a parking space next to The Brahms Rest Easy motel.]/P

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P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"[Jack steps out of the car and pulls out his suitcase. He locks his car and makes his way over to the Manager's Office.]/P

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P ALIGN="JUSTIFY" I said to the man behind the desk while putting my suitcase down. /P

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P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"How's it goin'? What can I do for ya, sir? He replied while shaking my hand./P

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P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"Well, I need a room just for the night." /P

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He scrambled for papers on his desk. He pulled out a registration sheet and handed it to me.

"Okay," He began. "I'll need your signature on these four dotted lines...and... print your name on the first line...also.. I'll need to know how you will be paying for this. Cash, check, or credit card?"

"Credit card," I said reaching into my pocket for my wallet. "Do you accept Visa?"

"Indeed we do." said the man cheerfully.

He looked like a good guy. Serious about his business. I slid him my card as I scribbled fast on the registration sheet.

"And how long will you be staying with us?" he asked.

"Well, that's the problem, I dunno. I might stay for a couple days. I'm a drifter, you might say." I said while still scribbling.

He checked the card and gave me a reciept. "Well, I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay here. Just be sure to phone the main office when you are ready to leave and we will fill out the papers for the next occupant for the room. You'll be in room 104."

He pulled out a key as I handed him the registration sheet. He was about to hand me my card when he saw my name. Here it comes.

"Hmmm, Jack Shaye..." The bald-headed man whispered as he gazed at my card.

"Jack Shaye. Jack Shaye," He continued. "Oh, I know you. You're that writer. I've read some of your work."

I shyly agreed as he rushed in the back and came back with his copy of one of my books. He placed it on the table and looked me in the eye with envy.

"I read this one twice. I mean, this is really creative stuff you come up with here." he said.

I pulled out my pen ready to sign the book. I turned it around and saw the gleaming red cover with a picture of a lab facility on front. The title read: The one that defied the judgement of Death By Jack William Shaye.

"Well, I'm glad to see that You're an admirer. Most people think that my work is slightly dark and gothic." I said while signing. "What's your name?"

"Bill," He replied. "Bill Frankton"

"Okay, To my favorite reader: Bill Frankton" I said out loud while scribbling on the inside cover.

"That's some good writing too," He commented. "It sure kept me busy reading during the long boring hours that I work. How did you come up with such work.?"

"Well, thats the thing that people tend not to read-- my summary at the back." I said while slipping my pen in my pocket. "This is based on a true story. I did allot of heavy research on this project." I said while pointing to the book.

The man behind the desk looked at me as if I was crazy then gave out a nervous chuckle. "How could it be so? A city infested with flesh eating zombies?"

"Have you ever been to a place called Raccoon City?" I asked.

"Nope. Can't say that I have. Never been there. And I can't visit there now seeing as how it was blown off the map." replied the timid Bill.

"Why do you think it was blown off the map? It was a research facility that made biogenetic weapons. Living, breathing, killing machines without the machinery. I've read allot about the Umbrella corporation and even tapped into their private files. More research equals more books. And believe me, my editor paid me a hefty sum to write this stuff."

"Wow." Bill gleamed. "So you're like, what, an expert philanthropist or something?"

"Naah. I just write stories based on real live environments." I said dryly.

"Hey, are ya workin' on any new projects or anything like that?" He asked. He sure was interested in my work.

"Well, I really shouldn't say but you seem like a well-versed guy." I leaned over to his ear as I whispered. "I'm working on research for the town of Silent Hill."

He pulled back his head in a snap. "Jesus,man! Do you realize how screwed up that town is?! I've heard so many damn stories about that place. I won't even let my kids move there when they become adults."

He was obviously shocked that I even mentioned it.

"You ain't going there, are ya?" He asked worried.

"Well, yes." I said Shyly.

"Why on earth would you?" He asked in the Its-my-business-to-know tone.

"My editor says he wants me on the field. My last book about raccoon city had good sales but he thinks that Silent Hill would boost sales if I write about it. Then he said that the sales would triple if I went down there myself. Sort of a 'He came back' story. He believes that I'll make it out of that place alive." I said.

"Do you expect to come out alive?" he asked almost sounding like a little confused kid.

"The odds are against me but I just plan my same ole luck. You do nothing and nothing happens. But I packed protection just in case." I said tiredly

"Well....You've got 2 to 1 of getting out of there." He said.

"What do you mean?" I asked bitterly.

"Well, Harry Mason did survive and make it out of there. He managed to find a road that wasn't damaged and Hi-tailed it outta there. A cop and a newborn baby was with him. He said that he still has nightmares to this day about that town. I read about it in the Brahms Sheet." Bill said.

"What about the other fellow that I read about? James sunderland?" I had wanted to know.

"I dunno," Bill said while arranging the keys. "I haven't read anything you'd call 'solid truth etched in stone' but I have heard rumors floating around about him. Some say he murdered his wife while she was dying from a rare disease, Like an early Euthanasia. People say that he left town with a little girl but I've heard quite allot concerning that he killed himself."

"How?" I asked absorbed in these facts.

"Does it really matter?" he asked annoyed. "Well, I might as well tell ya. He drove his car off the road and its probably sitting at the bottom of Toluca Lake. He most likely felt guilty or some shit like that. Poor dumb bastard."

I didn't want to hear anymore. "Yeah, well maybe I'm a little smarter than him." I smiled a nervous grin. Almost afraid that my luck, being how it was, would strike me down like a lightning bolt from the sky.

Bill didn't agree to my unrealistic swing to everything. I thanked him for the info and picked up my case. I turned toward my room and began walking towards it.

"Come back in one piece, ya hear!" he shouted from his office.

He had to say that!

I dug my finger in my pocket and clicked off my tape recorder. I had him on audio and he didn't even realize it. I forced in the key and walked into my new abode. A lumpy bed, bathroom, ugly green wallpaper with a combination of a purple carpet on the floor, complete with cable TV.

"I should get out more often." I gruffed sarcastically as I closed the door.

"Such friendly people." I muttered while throwing my jacket on the bed.