Forgot this in the first chapter, didn't I?

The character "Lori Mason" is copyrighted to me, but the Silent Hill series (Silent Hill, Silent Hill:  Play Novel, Silent Hill 2, Silent Hill 2:  Restless Dreams, Silent Hill 3, Silent Hill 4:  The Room, Silent Hill:  The Movie), Silent Hill or Silent Hill 3 characters included in this chapter or story (Harry Mason, Cheryl [Heather] Mason), or locations (Silent Hill, Portland) are copyright Konami Computer Entertainment International.  "You're Not Here" is sung by Melissa Williamson.

(Note:  This is the prelude to Chapter I)

Chapter II

            It was a perfect June 21, 2020 in Atlanta.  Lori was driving her newly bought car down a heavily congested road in the city, forcing her to go slower than she wanted.  A small company had hired her just a few days before, and they were pretty lenient of her tardiness so far.  But, her boss warned that she shouldn't be late again, unless she wanted to put her career on the line.  That was something she couldn't afford at the moment.  This was her first job, and she didn't want to be fired on the fourth day, now did she?

            Keep thinking like that, and you will!  Just drive.

            Slowly, she turned onto the Atlanta Expressway.  She sped her small Toyota Camry '20 down the freeway, the roads looking like they did seventeen years back, when she was born.  Not much had changed since the turn of the century, except for a few more vaccines to deadly viruses, more high-tech interiors of buildings...all that stuff.  Just, no real advances, like hover cars, or ways to end wars without guns, bombs, or knives.  The same weapons are still in production, in fact.  No one bothers to improve the world's weaponry, so the human race still has a chance to survive.  The scientific prowess of humanity had led humans – actual humans to Mars, and they found signs of previous life there...carbon-based rocks with fossil-like designs in them.  Besides that, there was not much to talk of.  Great era, this was.

            A song slowly played as she drove down the freeway on her radio, and she just listened, thinking.

Blue sky to forever
Green grass blows in the wind, dancing
It would be a much better sight
With you, with me
If you hadn't met me
I'd be fine on my own, baby
Never felt so lonely
Then you came along

So now what should I do?
I'm strung out, addicted to you
My body aches now that you're gone
My supply fell through

You gladly gave me everything you had and more
You craved my happiness
When you made me feel joy it made you smile
But now, I feel your stress
Love was never meant to be such a crazy affair, no
And who has time for tears?
Never thought I'd sit around and cry for your love, 'til now

            Finally arriving at her workplace, she drove into her designated spot.  As soon as the car stopped, she pulled the parking brake, but did not turn the engine off, enjoying the faint vibration of the car's motor.  She sat there for a bit, looking out the windshield, until her car clock went of (like it does every hour), and she snapped out of her dreams of lollipops and Candy land.  Half-shoving the door open, she rushed out of her car, unbuckling herself first.  When she was about to shut the door, she noticed that she had made a dent in the door of the car next to her.  That would cost her about a hundred dollars, of which she wouldn't have if she didn't get to the office and check in RIGHT NOW.

            Her sneakers were silent against the pavement, her "Help me, you're dead" T-shirt and baggy cargo jeans ruffled in the wind.  Sweat started to form on her brow, and she slowly became out of breath, yet she still sprinted.  The security guard let her pass, since she knew Lori's face well.  The door to the stairs opened with little effort, and she double-timed them, rushing as fast as possible.  Seems I still have a little agility left, she thought as she reached the second floor.  The elevator had been out of order for weeks, and was still as such.  So, everyone had to take the stairs.  The stairs were empty right now, though, and she knew that everyone was at their workplace.  Her watch hadn't gone off yet, though...so she still had time.

            The third floor sign passed, and Lori got nervous.  She thought of what her mother told her about being on time, and the calls she got from Lori's employer...

            "Lori, dear, this isn't what I expect from you.  You know that...and I know you can do better than this."  Her eyes were caring yet distressed.  Cheryl, my mother, was very worried about how I lived my life.  Why, I have no idea.  She just thinks that I should have a better life than she should.  So, she's basically running it for me.  I wish she'd stop, but she always told me she'd tell me why I was being babied...and tonight, April 28th, she said she'll tell me why...

            By the time these thoughts were over, she had arrived at her target floor...and her watch was beeping.  She was now officially late for work.  Her job now in danger, she slammed the door open for the 12th floor, and ran into the hallway.  Not looking in any of the cubicles she passed, she rushed to her own.  When she finally sat down, she let herself calm down before she became aware of her environment.  She listened for a sound, the bustle of the office, and started to recline...

            ...there's no noise...?

            The office was dead silent.  The lights seemed to be dimmed, and the ceiling was stained.  With what, she didn't know.  This was becoming eerie, fast.  Must be a trick or something, she told herself.  A white sneaker on her feet popped out of her cubicle slowly, and she walked back down the aisle she came in, looking in each for signs of life.  Nothing there, except scattered paper, disconnected phones...and the same substance on the desks as was the ceiling.  It looked like dried blood...

            Lori became sick, and rushed down the aisle faster.  She turned right, and went to the Ladies restroom.  Her hand went to one of the stall doors, and she shoved it open.  Open-mouthed, she started to have dry heaves.  After thirty or so seconds, she threw up.