chapter six

"No, Blaine, it's me."

His eyes slowly starting forming shapes from the mixtures of colours he saw around him. He blinked as his vision began to clear, despite the sweat running down his face.

". . .Amanda?"

She seemed relieved. "Yes, it's me."

Blaine looked around. He felt his face. He wasn't bleeding anymore. "Where. . .am I?"

"You're at the amusement park. There's no way out, Blaine. I told you on the phone, but it went dead. I came to get you, and found you here. You were out for fifteen minutes after I found you."

Blaine slowly got up. He was walking on cement. There was vomit where his head had been. Suddenly the message hit him. He wiped his eyes. He had been crying. He then looked around quickly. "I was dreaming?"

There's no way that was a dream, Blaine.

"Blaine, its okay. . ." She put her hand on his shoulder.

He quickly pushed it away. "How do I know this isn't a dream, too?!"

"Blaine, what are—"

He backed away quickly. "Stop it! You can't be real! No of this can be real!" He kneeled down.

"You're not dreaming. I'm real, Blaine."

He was shaking. "How do I know that? You remember the dreams I used to have. . ."

It's a perfect day, only my Mother and I are there.

"I never knew when they were done! How do I know I'm not dreaming right now, and I'm still in Portland, in my apartment, in my bed. Maybe I fell asleep at work. . ."

"Blaine, this is real!"

"But it can't be!" He was in shock.

She put her arms around him. "Blaine, get yourself together! Then we can leave and never come back!"

Blaine was breathing hard. But it wasn't a dream. We were right there, in the middle of it. There was a hanging man, and blood under the floor, and the buildings. . .

Blaine, she's right. Get up, brush off, and get the fuck out of here! I know you hate it. So do I. Promise me we'll never come back. We'll never come back. I'm going to find out what's going on, first. Of course you will, because if you don't, you'll never be able to leave. What's going on. . .? I don't know.

Blaine looked up at Amanda. He took a few moments to calm down. "You're right, Amanda." He got up again, and rubbed his temples. He just realized his head was throbbing. He sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

Blaine looked at her, and realized how much he loved her, and how much he misses her. "We're going to get out of here."

"How?"

"There is an exit in Central Silent Hill, Old Silent Hill, and South Vale. We're going to try all of them, until one of them works." Then he noticed the gate out of the Amusement Park was wide open.

It was closed so tight it wouldn't even open, Blaine.

"Let's go." He said as they started to leave.

Amanda held out the handgun. "Let me hold the crowbar. I don't trust myself with a handgun."

Blaine handed over the crowbar and took the handgun. "Did you have to shoot anything?"

"No, thank God."

You've always protected her, haven't you, Blaine?

"No, Dad, it was me! I'm the one who hid the remote, not Amanda!"

And he would actually believe you, wouldn't he? Amanda would beg you not to take the blame, but you always did. You were beaten almost every single day, and you kept doing it willingly to protect her. Why won't you help her now? I am helping her right now. Oh right, I forgot.

"What's wrong, Blaine?"

"Oh, nothing."

You'd say that a lot too, before, when Mom would hit you. Mom never hit me. There was once, wasn't there, Blaine? A long time ago, but we were really pissing her off, and I deserved it. But Amanda was doing most of it, wasn't she? I don't like seeing get hurt. She deserved better. And what about you? I don't deserve anything. Isn't that Dad talking? Isn't it true, though? Only if you think so, Blaine.

Blaine took a deep breath. It felt like he was breathing water, rather than air.

I'm just so sick of being alone. I know, Blaine. Not just now, either, but all my life. Because of Dad? No, not just because of Dad. You mean the time you tried to tell people? Exactly. My school teacher, my friends, and nobody would listen. It's like I've always been quiet and alone. Don't you mean 'silent' and alone?

Suddenly they felt the ground shaking beneath them. Amanda fell down, and Blaine was shaken in the other direction. The sound of pavement cracking and breaking was overwhelming. Blaine had to scream as loud as he could. "Amanda?! Are you okay?!"

He didn't hear anything. She could see him, but she couldn't hear him. Blaine saw a crack going across the pavement, and suddenly that crack widened, breaking the earth beneath it. Blaine managed to get to his feet, when he saw the crack heading for him. He dove out of the way. Now the cracks had made a giant "T" shape. Amanda was forced to run to the docks leading to the lighthouse. Blaine, in a state of confusion and shock, noticed the fog weaken until he could see his sister. He watched Amanda run down the docks in a panic as the crack followed her. He watched in horror as the dock started to shatter from the pressure, and then the fog thickened once more. The rumbling stopped, until he only heard the sounds of wood breaking.

"Amanda?!" He heard no response. "Amanda!" The sound echoed for miles and miles, but nobody was there to hear it. The crack had expanded, making another hole in the road.

You failed to protect her again, Blaine. I've always protected her! He shoots once.

That was my Mother! You've always failed to protect women, haven't you?! Isn't that why you decided to leave Kelly? Don't bring her into this! Don't you hate women? Shut up! Ever since Mom hit you that one time, you've never liked a girl, never even dreamed of marriage, or children. You can only think of women as 'friends', or Amanda as your sister.

Blaine saw himself in front of him. "You've never even dreamed of touching somebody, or kissing them. The only one you care about is Amanda, and she's family."

"Shut up!"

He walked up to Blaine, and patted him on the shoulder. "Blaine, you need to get over it. Stop hating women. Mom only hit you once."

Blaine pushed his hand away. "I'll find somebody some day!"

He laughed. "So why did you leave Kelly?" He started walking in circles around Blaine.

"I never loved her!"

"That's exactly it! You know you could never love somebody until you realize that all women are not your Mother!"

"Go away, you fucking asshole!" Blaine said as he raised his handgun and shot him. He vanished.

Blaine, I'm only trying to help!

"Then tell me how to get out of here!"

I told you, you can't get out until you find out what's going on!

"Then tell me how to do that."

Go to the convenience store.

"What about Amanda?"

I don't think she lived, Blaine.

Blaine felt tears. "God damn it. . ."

Please just go, Blaine. Trust me, Everything is going to be okay.

"Once I find out what's going on, right?"

Exactly.

Blaine walked down the streets of Silent Hill, first going to Central Silent Hill, but eventually, to Convenience Store 8 in Old Silent Hill. It was the first time he walked with the knowledge of what he was going to do.