Chapter 13: Evolution
Cybil sat in quietly in her home in the suburban town of Brahms. The house was still and silent except for the television that was spouting news of forest fires and murders nearby, but suddenly they were meaningless. After what she went through in Silent Hill, everything else was meaningless.
'Why does it happen? Every time I try to help someone, I fail. Was I even cut out for this? Ugh, if I was, I don't feel like it now.'
She went upstairs and took a cold shower before heading into her bedroom. She felt a little better now that she had all the sweat and grime washed away, but something remained. Something bothered her, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. Sighing, she reached over onto the nightstand and grabbed her CD player. She put on her headphones and when the CD player began to work, she put it to a certain track number. Maybe listening to music would help her figure out what it was.
'Come on, Cybil.. what's this hunch you have? Please remember...'
She reached over again, sliding a duffel bag out from under her bed. She then picked up a notebook, and opened it to the page where a blue pen stuck out. She popped off the pen cap and stuck it on the other side before writing down a name.
'Adrian Mason'
She stared at the name for a minute or two. And what she got out of this was the memorization of a carefree young adult who attempted to do the right thing and save his brother. She saw someone who was undoubtedly a warm hearted, humorous person who loved the people close to him very much.
'Hmph, if only he was ten years older...'
She pushed the thoughts away quickly. It wasn't right to think of such things after what they both had gone through. Besides, a thirtyfour year old woman going out with someone nineteen wasn't exactly the smartest thing. But this caring was different. Blonde hair, brown eyes, charming... he was like the son she never had. It sounded too good to be true...
And that's where it hit her. Cybil's eyes narrowed as she seemingly tried to shake off what come over her.
'No,' she thought to herself, 'that can't be right.. how could it be? There's just no way that could be possible..'
She climbed out of her bed for a moment and walked over to the linen closet in the hallway and opened it up, pulling out her hamper where she carelessly threw in her police uniform. She pulled out the yellow striped blue pants and reached into one of the pockets, pulling out a piece of paper. On it were two names, one female, one male.
She took the paper back into the bedroom and climbed into bed, looking at the male name on the paper and the name she wrote in her notebook.
'Adrian Mason'
'Sam Nordiana'
'Perfect match...'
She gazed at the two names in amazement. It couldn't be possible. There just wasn't a way in hell that it could be possible. She tried thinking it over to herself. The facts... what were the facts...
'He heard a voice on the other side of the storage room. Never saw the face... but he saw a figure. A figure his height..'
This was getting too confusing right away. It was so hard to piece together, all by herself anyway. She'd need some kind of help.
Taking the piece of paper, she went downstairs and next to the cordless phone by the lamp where a large phone book was. She opened it up and thumbed her way through it, looking through the last names starting with C, where she fell on the name she was looking for.
'Constantine, Maria - 908-379-4839'
She picked up the cordless and dialed. She knew Adrian told her not to talk to Maria right away, but this was important. And either way, she didn't know at this point whether Adrian's words were ever credible. The phone rang once. Twice. And in the middle of the third ring, she slowly hung up the phone.
'What are you doing, Cybil?'
She frowned at the thought of what she was going to do. She was going to call Maria, and more than likely either make herself sound crazy, or make Adrian his brother's murderer, without any extensive proof.
'He seemed so distraught... so.. shocked. He just couldn't have done it...'
It was too weird for her, way too weird. But if she didn't piece everything together, more weirdness could very well begin.
---
Approximately three months passed since Adrian's day in Silent Hill. And ever since then, he was a busy man. He forgot all about Maria, all about the anagram, all about Cybil.. all that was left was the need to get his revenge. But even though he needed his revenge, he wasn't taken over by it. He knew going back to Silent Hill so quickly would get him killed. Before he could go back, he'd have to be ready. And to get ready, he took every class him and people he knew could lead him to.
Today was his first day at the shooting range in Portland. Before that, he had already started courses in kickboxing, special forces training, and swordplay. He even went out of his way to buy his own katana to practice with. He was a different man. Silent Hill took its toll on Adrian Mason. And in a way, that was surprisingly positive.
For three months, he grew quite a bit. His lanky six foot, hundred and thirtyfive pound frame soon turned to six foot one inch and a hundred and seventy pounds. The training he was taking was making him tougher, so tough that he forgot the scars he brandished on his right arm, his left leg, and of course the crescent on his stomach. His eating habits improved and his tendency to throw everything up toned down considerably.
But in return, the nice Adrian Mason was no more. This one was more or less a ruthless man who just wanted what he was training for. His blonde hair was replaced with a sleek black, his dark brown eyes looked blacker and sported a colder stare than ever. And it was unknown to him that every time he was out, Cybil came to the house to look for him. Cybil went there about ten times in those three months, but no luck. For all she knew, Adrian was avoiding her on purpose. But today, she would get that opportunity to find answers.
At the shooting range, he ran into someone he immediately noticed in the panel next to him. "John?"
John Harrington was the drummer in his band. He had directed Adrian to the shooting range just a week ago, over a talk about women and their tendencies at blowing things out of proportion. One woman they talked about in particular was none other than Maria Constantine.
"Hey! How's it goin' man?" Adrian shrugged as he turned and plugged the target across the room, three bullets hitting the target in the chest area, one hitting the left side of the head.
"How do you think?" Adrian asked as he fired another shot that found its mark in the head as well.
John stared over at Adrian's target and cringed. Maybe it wasn't too wise to stop by here today afterall. "I dunno," he sighed, "don't talk to you often anymore.. you're so busy with all this shit that you don't even record anymore. I thought you liked doin' that stuff."
Adrian emptied the clip of his handgun and put it down, taking off his earmuffs as well. "I did. But I've told you already, I don't have time for it."
"Why, though?" John replied. "You haven't told us anything about this whole thing. Why are you doing all this? You've changed, man. And considering you're one of the best singers I know, I worry."
"Oh," Adrian said with a sigh, "because you'd benefit from having me as your singer, you worry. Gee thanks, I feel loads better now." John didn't reply after that. He simply frowned, and Adrian sucked his teeth before he put his earmuffs back on and reloaded his pistol.
"You really know how to use that thing, huh?" John asked as Adrian sent several more shots into the head and the heart of a new target.
"Yeah it's like riding a bike, once you learn you never forget how." John slowly nodded and started to fire his own weapon. "You don't need to worry about me," Adrian had continued, "I just need to learn to take care of myself."
"Oh.." John mumbled, "cause of your brother, right?"
"Huh?" Adrian couldn't hear him over the shots being fired around them. This caused John to yell again.
"Cause of your brother, right?!"
"Oh!" Adrian nodded. "I guess you could say that!"
About twenty minutes later, him and John left the shooting range and headed into the parking lot. "Want a ride?" John asked, and Adrian nodded in thanks. "Yeah, sure." They climbed into John's posh silver sports car and buckled up before the car took off.
"How are you paying for all this?" John asked curiously. "I mean, it's just that outside of recording you've just been training, right?"
"That's right..." Adrian nodded and looked out of the window next to him, entranced by the scenery outside. The changing colors of the leaves, the sun gleaming... the end of summer. "Me and Maria split Cain's belongings.. all of that is going into my classes."
"Yeah... but is it worth it, dude?" Adrian turned his head and glared at John. What kind of question was that? "I mean Cain was a cool dude, no denyin' that.. but you gotta realize, man, what if this shit doesn't pay off? You're gonna be broke on your ass if you keep this up."
"Maybe," Adrian replied softly, "but it'll all be worth it later."
"But why?" Adrian didn't answer.
"Look," John said worriedly, "don't do anything stupid.. I know I'd be pissed if my bro died and everything... but don't let this eat you alive, you hear me? Would Cain really want you to go through all of this for him?"
"Maybe not..." Adrian shrugged, "..but he'd sure as hell appreciate it."
John nodded. Couldn't argue that one. "I guess he would." He paused for a moment before he glanced at Adrian. "You never told me what happened to him." Adrian didn't answer this question either, and John couldn't really blame him. Sighing, he leaned forward and turned on his car stereo, playing the CD in the CD player.
'Is this what I get for learning to speak
For opening eyes, and digging in deep?
Is this what I get for being reborn- from the norm?'
Adrian smirked at the song and leaned back in his seat, trying to relax.
'I don't wanna shine
Light will make us blind
I don't wanna feel unreal
What have I become?
Born under the sun
Planets will converge for you'
He looked outside the window next to him and sighed. Three long months of training would pay off, he would make sure of it.
'Pushing and grinding, is twisting my mind frame
El tempo que pesa nos tumba la mesa
Y ahora que es nuestro, mi vida te apuesto
BET.. MY... LIFE'
"Turn here?" John asked as they came to an intersection. Adrian looked around in front of them for a second before he nodded his head.
'I don't wanna shine
Light will make us blind
I don't wanna feel unreal
What have I become?
Born under the sun
Planets will converge for you'
Adrian sat back and sighed, closing his eyes for a brief moment. But in that moment, he jumped slightly and opened his eyes. The whole time Adrian was in that dark room with his dead brother flashed right before his eyes. It did that for three whole months. Not even a good wink of sleep came to him in those three months. But eventually, Adrian told himself, eventually it would be worth it. It would all be worth it.
'I don't wanna feel
I don't wanna feel..
I don't wanna feel
Unreal'
By the time the song ended, Adrian was back to his house. He looked over to John, and shook his hand. "Thanks for the ride, man.."
John softly nodded in reply. "No prob, man. Anytime." Adrian climbed out and John took off, allowing Adrian to head up the front steps and inside his home. He was so quick to get inside, he missed the police car parked right outside the house.
