Pray To Him
By: Bai
"Pray to Him!" Dahlia shouted, smacking her seven-year-old daughter across the face. "Pray and be forgiven, Alessa!"
Alessa held her cheek, tears streaming down her eyes. She didn't know what she had done. All she was doing most of the day was playing in her room. Alessa had been 'pretending', as she called it, that her dolls were beautiful princesses that met a handsome prince, just like in the books she read.
At least the books she had before her mother found them and burned them. She had shrieked horribly like a banshee from Hell when she saw them. "What HAVE YOU DONE?!" Dahlia cried, her face askew with horror.
Dahlia had finally come to her senses. Her eyes filled with pure malice. "DEMON CHILD!" She repeated the accusation over and over, before finally raising her fist and struck Alessa in her face.
"What you did was sinful, and I will not tolerate it!" Dahlia had shouted. After a beating, she took Alessa up to the Prayer room and said, "Pray to Him!" and shut the door behind.
Alessa begged and cried, banging on the door that concealed her in the room. She begged for her mother to let her out, and told her that she was sorry. But it proved to no avail.
Alessa brushed the dust of her black dress, and walked toward the little shrine in the middle of the room, and prayed.
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The door hinges squeaked eerily as the door opened slowly. Dahlia entered the room to find little Alessa in prayer.
It pleased her somewhat, and filled her with a strange sort of pride to see her that way. She walked slowly towards her, the wood floor creaking under her bare feet.
"Have you repented, child?" Dahlia whispered lowly in Alessa's ear.
"Yes, Mama." Alessa small, broken voice answered.
Dahlia smiled slightly, and she picked her daughter up from the floor. She cradled Alessa tenderly, and felt that the child's tense muscles had relaxed.
Good.
Alessa felt limp like a rag doll as Dahlia carried her to the kitchen. She managed to get some food into her, and afterwards, Alessa was very sleepy.
Dahlia took Alessa her room, and tucked her in.
"Alessa," Dahlia said gently, and Alessa's eyes opened. "You do know that Mommy loves you, right?"
Alessa nodded.
"And the only reason that Mommy punishes you is because Mommy loves you, and you need correction. Do you understand?"
Alessa nodded once more, and Dahlia gave her a kiss on her forehead. Alessa curled up in her bed sheets and Dahlia heard a small sigh.
Dahlia watched her for a moment or so, before walking out and shutting the door gently behind her.
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"Mommy has to go now," Dahlia told a teary-eyed Alessa. "I have much business to attend to."
"But Mama…you promised you'd teach me how to make cookies today…" Alessa said, evidently upset that her Mama lied to her.
"I know, Mommy did promise, and Mommy's sorry for breaking it. But it's very important, and will teach you next time."
"Pinky-swear?" Alessa asked hopefully.
"Yes, pinky-swear, now I have to go, okay?"
"Okay…bye-bye."
The door shut and little Alessa was left alone in the big house. She sighed, and took off her little apron, and placed it on a hook in the kitchen. She put away the ingredients, and made her way to her room.
In her room, Alessa stare at the ceiling.
'I wonder what Mama does on her trips---" she thought nonchalantly. 'It must be really important.'
Alessa pictured her mother in her head. She was a hero and everybody loved her as much as Alessa did.
Your Mama is already a hero, dear child---
Alessa snapped out of her little daydream and looked about. She saw not a soul around, yet she heard a voice.
trange.
Before long, Alessa summed up the courage to say, "Who said that?"
Me.
"Who are you?" Alessa asked. After a while after she received an answer.
Hmm---well, to be honest, I am I.
'I am I?" Alessa thought, 'That makes no sense---'
Oh, it makes a lot of sense. It's just how you look at it to truly understand its meaning.
"Well then---where are you?"
I'm everywhere---you just have to look. I'm in the churches, the hospitals, practically everywhere in Silent Hill. It's not hard to find me. In fact, I'm in your home.
"Where?" Alessa said, panic in her voice rising. Alessa could hear the 'thing' laugh gently. A low, cackle, it was.
In the Darkness, dear heart. I live in the Darkness. The basement, under your bed, your closet, all the places you ever feared. All the places you've dreaded to go alone, I'm there. Including---the Prayer room. I'm in the Prayer room right now---come here and I'll show you the Truth you seek.
"What are you talking about?" Alessa asked, "What truth?"
You do want to know what Mommy dearest does?
"Uh-huh---" Alessa answered eagerly.
Well then---come to the Prayer room and I'll tell you.
Alessa hopped off her bed and rushed toward the door. Opening it, she ran towards the stairs to the second floor, where the Prayer room lay.
Come to me---my cute child. I'll show you what your mother tries to hide from you.
