SILENT HILL- GET OUT
Noah froze in surprise as Estelle pulled the trigger without flinching,
the gunshot ringing his ears like a church bell on sunday.
Behind him there was a loud scream, and before Noah could turn to investigate
it's source the now quite awake and angered cop cracked his head with a billy club.
Noah sank against the cell bars lazily, sparks of light dancing in front of his eyes.
Estelle was still a damn good shot for a blind girl, the bullet had gone straight through
the cop's forehead and out the back leaving a hole big enough that Noah could see the
pale yellowish wall at the far end of the room even though the cop was right in front of him.
"Was wondering when you'd show up..." Noah mummered as his vision cleared up, thinking back
humorously on his earlier wondering of why there were no zombie cops inhabiting the police station.
The dead officer pulled the club back for another swing, but Noah was much faster to draw and
fired two shotgun shells into the zombie's legs as he rose. The cop hit the floor face down, crawling
as his hands scraped against the concrete floor and left blood trails from his broken fingernails as he went.
One thing Noah had noticed in his travels was that the simpler, less horrifying undead humans stumbling around
the town were practically harmless once they were on the ground. Noah swung his foot into the cop's trembling head
with glee, feeling strangely high and carefree all of a sudden. It was so much fun in fact, that Noah did it again
and again until he sent the cop's head soaring across the room and out the doorway. "Hey!" Estelle's confused
voice chimed in, as Noah turned grinning to face his damsel in distress. "Are you going to get me out of here or what?"
She lectured, as Noah laughed at his own absent mindedness. He really did feel stoned, or at least like someone and
drugged him up real good. He was well aware of the blood dripping from the back of his head but felt no pain and
therefore paid it no mind. It wasn't until Noah bent down to fetch the dead officer's keys that he noticed a small
ceramic object protruding from his right calf.
"What the hell is that?" He asked, almost laughing as he came back up with
the keys. "Just hurry! There's more of them you know!" Estelle commanded, as Noah swaggereed towards her cell. He lost his
balance and fell against the cell bars again, his shoulder getting momentiarily stuck between them. He took another look
at the thing sticking out of his leg and became more serious as he yanked it out and inspected it. "What is this? It looks like
a...I dunno what it looks like actually.." Noah stared dumbly at it as Estelle lost her patience and reached out through the
bars to snatch the keys away from Noah's light grip. "I had to do something, that thing would've killed you." Estelle
half explained, letting herself out of the cell. "You stuck this..Thing in me?" Noah slurred, sounding drunk
as Estelle put the gun away and pilfered the officer's corpse. He had almost nothing on him, but she pocketed his matches
and claimed the nightstick for her own. "It's called an ampoule, Noah." Estelle explained dryly as if it should've been obvious.
"It numbs you up, they're like painkillers but they don't knock you out." Noah took wobbly steps as Estelle cautiously left the room,
poking her head out into the hallway. "Yeah, they make you all ready to kill things instead, right?" Noah talked as if his bottom lip
would fall off at any moment, the ridiculous grin still stapled to his face. "It'll wear off in a minute." Estelle assured him.
"But be careful, it's going to hurt like hell for a while we need to get you bandaged before you sober up and pass out from the pain."
Noah shook his head from side to side as his neck muscles decided to stop working. "I won't pass out.." Noah insisted, swaying so much
now that each step he took brought him to the opposite side of the hall. "Then you'll be screaming so loud every creep in the building
will hear and we'll be as good as dead, same difference." Estelle persisted, holding the handgun out in front of her purposefully
as she grabbed Noah's limp right hand. "Hehe, talk about the blind leading the stuuupid..." Noah sounded like a 45 rpm record
set on 33 rpms now, each word he spoke drawn out to a ludicrous degree. "I'm sorry.." Noah apologized humbly as Estelle glared back at him.
"That was really insensitive I didn't mean to say that I'm just a little fucked uuuuup..." Noah's head hit the floor with a sound thud
as his legs took a vacation without his permission. His now totally lifeless hand almost took Estelle down with him as it slipped away
from her. "Jesus Noah, snap out of it." She ordered, concern in her voice as she tried to pick him up. "I only gave you one for God's sake,
it should have worn off by now." He was heavier than he looked, and Estelle ended up falling on her butt next to Noah.
"Shoulda woulda coulda..." Noah mummbled, sounding like a retarded eight year old now. Estelle sighed, turning him over on
his back. "How many health drinks have you been taking anyway?" She questioned, slapping him across the face to wake him up.
"Toooo Maaaaany.." Noah slurred, reaching up and hugging Estelle close to him despite her loud shouts of protest.
"I 'member youuuu nooow 'Stelle." Noah said drunkenly, snuggling Estelle to his chest. "You were my best friend, I 'member youuu."
Estelle grunted with effort, slithering out of Noah's arms. "I don't suppose you ever bothered to read the labels on those drinks?"
She asked, sounding extremely fed up with him. "Noooope." Noah laughed, waving his hands in the air as if some insanely fun gadget
was suspended over him from the ceiling. "Those things are alcoholic, idiot." Estelle grumbled, dragging him over to a water fountain
attached to the wall. She clunked his head into the basin, running ice cold water over the back of his head. His soaking wet hair
fell down over his cheeks as the ampoule finally wore off, and suddenly Noah was very aware of the gash on the back of his head
as well as the lump on his forehead and all his less recent wounds all at once.
"Son of a...!!" Noah cried out loud enough to tell God all about it, cutting himself off and gritting his teeth so he wouldn't make anymore
noise. He held his head with both hands and danced around like a luantic as the pain all came in one big agonizing tsunami.
He couldn't see anything, his muscles kept his eyes shut as the intense pain steamrolled over him.
"Oh, my fucking...Owww!" He hissed, standing in one place and hunching over as the
pain did indeed threaten to knock him out cold. "No more of those for you." Estelle said angrily, taking an empty bottle from her
collection of what used to be health drinks and filling it up with water. "Here, drink it." She demamded, offering the bottle to Noah
as he looked up through squinting eyes just long enough to grab the water. He sipped at it first, a little metallic tasting
but it certainly wouldn't kill him. Estelle watched him chug the water down greedily, dropping the bottle as the pain finally faded
enough to let him open his eyes. "Time to go." He said through the pain, as a dozen more of the dead cops were shuffling towards
Estelle. She turned around and pulled out the handgun, aiming for head shots. She put down two of them before Noah put his hand
on her arm, lowering the gun. Estelle looked at him in confusion, and saw that he was most defintely sobered up and back into
survival mode again. "You can't have many bullets left." Noah stated, and watched Estelle blush as she felt down through her pockets.
"Maybe enough for one reload." She admitted grimly, as Noah pushed her behind him. "Then start shooting." Noah instructed,
taking the police shield off it's shoulder strap and holding it out in front of him. His other hand stuck the barrel of his shotgun
through the shield's rectangular space and he ran straight at the pack of zombies, Estelle staying close enough to touch as she
fired off shots. The undead cops were trampled under the pair's feet as Noah smashed into them, plowing through them like
paper as the two of them unloaded bullets. There was loud screeching and the sound of breaking glass as Noah and Estelle
rounded the corner, the winged monsters had finished their meal and now wanted some dessert.
One of them flew overhead, touching down right in front of Noah and holding it's ground. "Beep beep buddy."
Noah joked, filling the creature with holes as he and Estelle ran past it without even slowing down.
More of them were following close behind, and Estelle whispered a curse as her gun clicked empty.
Noah spotted the locker room door rushing past them on the left and pulled Estelle inside as one of
the monsters dove for them. It caught only a door in it's face, falling down as Noah closed and locked the door behind them.
"Well, we're safe for now." Noah hoped, as soft banging from the remaining creatures was heard on the other side of the door.
"That wasn't a half bad idea." Estelle complimented, rummaging through the lockers for handgun bullets. "Gee thanks."
Noah replied, grabbing another flak jacket off the wall and handing it to her. Estelle nodded thoughtfully and put it on,
reloading her gun and filling the jacket's pockets with more supplies. Noah began to search around himself, finding a
small compliment of grenades he'd somehow overlooked before. "Back there 'Stelle, I didn't mean.."
Noah tried to explain himself, feeling guilty about grabbing her like he had. It had been worse than being punch drunk,
more uncontraollable and embarrasing. And the after effects were a damn sight worse also. Estelle looked over the lockers
at him, frowning sympathetically. "It's ok, you were completely out of it. Besides it's good you finally remembered."
Noah cocked an eyebrow, not seeing what was so good about it. "Yeah about that, do you know where that stone I gave you
back then ended up?" Estelle snapped her head up from the shopping spree, eyeing him with uncertainty.
"You met my uncle, then?" She asked, taking a deep breath as Noah nodded. "Yeah I met the old goat, bug shagging crazy
that guy." Estelle nodded back, walking over to Noah. "But his lust for the other half of that stone is all too real,
if he finds it.." Noah put his finger on Estelle's lips, shaking his head. "I don't want to think about what would happen
if he found it before we did, let's just say we can't let it happen and leave it at that ok?" Estelle saw his point
and turned away, suddenly back to her old depressed self again. "What was that back there anyway? You going all G.I Jane on me?"
Noah questioned as he found a mirror inside one of the locker doors and examined his head. Estelle finished arming herself
and went over to Noah, slapping his hand gently out of the way as she opened a first aid kit. "Alright.." Noah said, confused
but glad to have someone else patch him up so he could concentrate on not passing out. "God, he got you good. This is all my fault."
Estelle brooded, placing a wad of cotton over the wide gash." Noah pursed his lips, sitting patiently as Estelle did her thing.
"No, I went in there like an idiot. I should have known those things don't ever sleep." Noah argued, looking at Estelle in the mirror.
"And if you hadn't given me that...Whatever, I'd be lying on the floor of that jail cell bleeding to death right now."
Estelle sighed heavily, pecking lightly at Noah's wound with a small brush tipped with disinfectant. It hurt now and then, but
his whole head was such a tangled mess of pain it wasn't a big deal. "But you came here to get me, so it's still my fault."
Estelle countered, rubbing some goop into the gash on Noah's head before she started to bandage it. "And no one made me come either,
I need you with me that's all. So still it's my own damn fault." Noah persisted, coaxing another sigh out of Estelle.
"Who the hell put you in there anwyay?" Noah asked, suddenly realizing he had no ideas about that. "Those things out there would much
rather eat you than lock you up, I'm sure." Estelle repacked the first aid kit, tucking it away as Noah inspected his new look.
"A man came looking for me, Lucius. He works for my uncle." Noah raised his eyebrows, wincing as the movement hurt his head.
"And he's the one that left you in there?" Noah asked, gearing up for their escape. "Yes, after I wouldn't tell him anything.
He thinks my uncle should have killed you right away, instead of trying to get the other half of the stone from you.
He's a very cruel man..." Estelle stopped and looked down at her arm, feeling along the bottom of it. Noah craned his neck to
see what she was doing, and saw bruises on the underside of her arm from her elbow all the way down to her wrist.
"The bastard put a hurt on you, did he.." Noah growled, suddenly very angry at all of the cloak and dagger stuff going around.
The monsters were one thing, he was almost used to those by now. But there were people involved here, real people with real
bad intentions. And for some reason they were all after a stone he couldn't even remember what he did with. Estelle had given it
back to him, he was pretty sure. When he had moved away she gave it to him saying that he should keep it to remember her by.
It was most likley still somewhere in his apartment, but there was no way he could get to it very quickly while he was stuck in
Silent Hill like this.
"Estelle, can your uncle...Does that half of the stone he's got allow him to come and go in this town
as he pleases?" Estelle cocked her head curiously, not understanding what he meant. "He can move around the town all he likes,
but if he tried to leave I'm pretty sure he'd have to face the same kind of thing you are. Why?" Noah nodded, filing all that
away. Reginald had him at a steep disadvantage when it came to knowledge about the town, and if he'd gone so far as to
have Estelle beaten just to get to the stone then time was surely running out. "What about someone else? Can Reginald
grant passage in and out of the town?" Noah asked again, running through all he knew about the old man's plans.
"No." Estelle answered, getting even more confused by Noah's cryptic questions. "But my uncle has people working for him
outside of this town, if he needed something done out there one of them would do it for him."
Noah nodded again, rubbing his chin as his mind ached through the problems. Thinking became harder after you'd had a ravine
carved out of the back of your skull. "That might be our edge then." Noah stated, peering out the shuttered windows.
The monsters were still gathered around the entrance, ready and waiting to pounce on the first thing out the door with meat on it's
bones. "Your uncle is probably sending someone out to my place for the stone, if he hasn't already." Estelle gasped softly,
looking down in despair. "What he doesn't know, is that it's not there anymore...I remember now I gave it to James shortly after
we became friends, I told him it was my good luck charm from a while back and I didn't really believe in that stuff..."
Noah turned back to look at Estelle, who seemed at least a little hurt by his treatment of the token she'd given him.
"Anymore." Noah finished, looking hurt also as he turned back to his surveilance. "I did keep it though, 'Stelle. For the longest
time I treasured that old rock like it was gold, thought about you and it gave me hope. After a while I just...I didn't have a happy
life after I left here Estelle, it was like being in hell. I just gave up on hope, on everything. Maybe it was the right thing to come
here after all, you know? I've found myself again, if I ever get out of this damned town I'll be happy just living. I can't believe
I'd forgotten so much, forgotten you..." Noah didn't even have time to be surprised before Estelle's arms were holding him from behind,
embracing him as she put her face against his back. "You're going to get yourself killed, trying to save us both." She said sadly,
as if she really believed that's how this would ultimately play out. "Seeing you again was worth it, 'Stelle." Noah responded,
placing his hand over hers touching on his chest. "But we're not going to die, not you or me. When James left me, he took that
stone with him I remember it being gone from his room when I found his letter. He must have lost it somewhere before Reginald
got to him otherwise he'd have had the whole thing before I even got here. No, the other half of that stone was lost in this town.
It must have been, Reginald would have thought of looking in every other place by now." Estelle buried her head harder against Noah,
sounding very frightened all of a sudden. She got like that when she talked about her uncle. "If he gets the stone Noah, he'll
be able to spread the disease of this town, branch it out to infect other places. He won't stop until the whole world is like this,
it's what he wants. He's obsessed Noah, he thinks he's found paradise or something I heard him talking about it. We can't let him.."
"Are you afraid 'Stelle?" Noah asked her out of the blue, turning around with his hand still on her own. "Are you afraid of leaving here?
Of getting out of this town and being free of all this?" Estelle looked up at Noah sadly, her stitched eyes still able to portray
a broad range of emotions. "No I.." she began unsteadily, almost stuttering. "I tried, once. I couldn't do it, you're so strong Noah and
I wish I were too. But I'm weak, I'd never pass the trial so this town would let me go. I couldn't, I didn't make it very far at all.
I lied to you, Noah. When I said that I was put in that hospital. I could only get that far and then I was too afraid, too scared of
what I'd see if I went any further. What the demons in that place would make me face next, so I stayed there. I was there so long,
so many people came after that, even your friend James. I knew he wouldn't make it, I knew none of them would so I stayed in the
hospital. I think part of me was hoping you'd come someday, that you'd find your way back here and find me. I wanted you to come and
rescue me Noah, and when you did finally come I thought maybe..." Estelle didn't say anymore, and held onto Noah tightly as she
cried soft tears. "You thought I was looking for you, not James." Noah finished for her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and
hugging her. "But then, you said you were looking for a man, a friend. So I wanted to help you, you're the only friend I've ever
had Noah...I never wanted you to get trapped in this place like me but I'm afraid..This town knows the people it ensnares, inside and out.
It knew what I wanted and it knew that James was your friend, I'm sure of that." Noah's face grew soft with tenderness, as he stroked
Estelle's hair and touched his forehead against hers. "So you think this town called me here, because you wanted me here?"
Noah asked, as the banging from the hallway outside grew louder. Pretty soon they'd have to make a run for it.
"I know it did Noah, and I'm sorry. I never wanted you to get hurt, but I've been through so much since you moved away. I just wanted
my friend with me, that's all. I'm so sorry..." Noah shook his head, tilting Estelle's chin until she was looking up at him again.
"Well here I am 'Stelle, and you know what I'm glad. I'm not the same person I was when I came here, I'm a better one now.
And I swear on my father's memory that both of us will get out of here alive, all we need to do is find that stone and then
get out of town with it." Estelle's lip quivered as she looked at Noah as if he were an alien. "But you don't know my uncle,
he's not going to stop until he has the stone, and then nothing will matter anyways. And he's got so much influence over this town
now it's hopeless, he can find that stone in this town anytime he wants but how are you and I supossed to? We don't even know where
James lost it!" Estelle quieted down, whispering an apology for yelling at him. "We're going to find that stone, and before your uncle."
Noah assured her, standing up and taking her with him. "See I've figured something out 'Stelle, something I don't think Reginald
has yet. This town, likes being this town. It has no will for expansion, it doesn't care about taking over anything. This place 'Stelle,
is pure concentrated vengeance. It's brutal and unforgiving yes, but it exists solely to punish sinners and to show the path to
the ones who can stil be saved. Reginald is interferring with that, he's trying to make this place bend to his will. And the
demons that own this place, this town. They don't like that at all, they're fighting him off. Fighting to remain what they've
always been, creatures of judgement. On my way here 'Stelle, my map was going nuts. Redrawing itself every five seconds at least.
The spirits that dwell here are trying to show me the way out, and Reginald is trying to make them lead me into playing his game.
But now, you're here too. And you have a path just like me, a way you can take to get out of this damned town and never have
to come back. The map will lead us straight to the stone just to spite that old bastard I just know it.
I know you were afraid of it before, but do you think if I were with you. Do you think you could try it again 'Stelle?"
Estelle didn't seem to like that idea, and turned away from him. "I couldn't bear it if you hated me Noah, not after seeing you again
like this. If you went with me, you'd see things..Bad things..." Noah cut her words short, kissing her for the second time.
This time she didn't resist, and when it was over he looked at her with all the confidence he had, trying to give some of it to her.
"I'd still love you, 'Stelle. Nothing will change that, not one blessed thing you understand me?" He could tell Estelle was moved,
and maybe a little braver about things. Her face morphed into heated resolve, her eyes would have burned with determination
if she had any. "You're right Noah, I can't be afraid anymore, I'm not..You're here now, and when I'm with you I can fight back.
I'm not scared of what I'll find if you're there with me, but it won't work. There's no time."
Noah shook his head in disagreement, feeling that there would be time enough if they stopped talking and started moving.
"He's close, very close to finding the stone. No matter where it is he'll find it soon. There's no time for us to go looking for it and
then try to babystep me through my trial, you know that Noah." There she was again, the unyielding solider that had saved his life
a dozen times by now. "And that's why, you're going to go find that stone Noah. You take the map and you find it, and then you get
out of this town as fast you can. I'll take on my path alone, and I'll meet you at the city limits." Noah thought it was the best
plan they'd ever come up with, far and away. "But what if you don't show?" Noah asked worriedly, wondering if it was antother of
her selfless attempts to make him leave her here to rot. "Oh I'll show Noah, if I don't I'll have lost the trial and be good as dead
anyhow, I'll be one of those things out there looking for a sinner." Noah narrowed his eyes, wanting so badly to believe her.
"You promise me 'Stelle. You promise me that you won't quit on me, you can get through this just like I have. And I'll be waiting
for you at the finish line, that's my promise to you." Estelle gave him an almost sly smile, the sub machine gun from one of the lockers
in her hands as the handgun poked firmly out of her belt. "I'll probably beat you there after all, with the way you go through
those drinks." Noah smiled back at her, more in love with her now than ever. The crush from his boyhood was gone,
she was a woman now. His woman. It was time to get the fuck out of dodge.
Noah froze in surprise as Estelle pulled the trigger without flinching,
the gunshot ringing his ears like a church bell on sunday.
Behind him there was a loud scream, and before Noah could turn to investigate
it's source the now quite awake and angered cop cracked his head with a billy club.
Noah sank against the cell bars lazily, sparks of light dancing in front of his eyes.
Estelle was still a damn good shot for a blind girl, the bullet had gone straight through
the cop's forehead and out the back leaving a hole big enough that Noah could see the
pale yellowish wall at the far end of the room even though the cop was right in front of him.
"Was wondering when you'd show up..." Noah mummered as his vision cleared up, thinking back
humorously on his earlier wondering of why there were no zombie cops inhabiting the police station.
The dead officer pulled the club back for another swing, but Noah was much faster to draw and
fired two shotgun shells into the zombie's legs as he rose. The cop hit the floor face down, crawling
as his hands scraped against the concrete floor and left blood trails from his broken fingernails as he went.
One thing Noah had noticed in his travels was that the simpler, less horrifying undead humans stumbling around
the town were practically harmless once they were on the ground. Noah swung his foot into the cop's trembling head
with glee, feeling strangely high and carefree all of a sudden. It was so much fun in fact, that Noah did it again
and again until he sent the cop's head soaring across the room and out the doorway. "Hey!" Estelle's confused
voice chimed in, as Noah turned grinning to face his damsel in distress. "Are you going to get me out of here or what?"
She lectured, as Noah laughed at his own absent mindedness. He really did feel stoned, or at least like someone and
drugged him up real good. He was well aware of the blood dripping from the back of his head but felt no pain and
therefore paid it no mind. It wasn't until Noah bent down to fetch the dead officer's keys that he noticed a small
ceramic object protruding from his right calf.
"What the hell is that?" He asked, almost laughing as he came back up with
the keys. "Just hurry! There's more of them you know!" Estelle commanded, as Noah swaggereed towards her cell. He lost his
balance and fell against the cell bars again, his shoulder getting momentiarily stuck between them. He took another look
at the thing sticking out of his leg and became more serious as he yanked it out and inspected it. "What is this? It looks like
a...I dunno what it looks like actually.." Noah stared dumbly at it as Estelle lost her patience and reached out through the
bars to snatch the keys away from Noah's light grip. "I had to do something, that thing would've killed you." Estelle
half explained, letting herself out of the cell. "You stuck this..Thing in me?" Noah slurred, sounding drunk
as Estelle put the gun away and pilfered the officer's corpse. He had almost nothing on him, but she pocketed his matches
and claimed the nightstick for her own. "It's called an ampoule, Noah." Estelle explained dryly as if it should've been obvious.
"It numbs you up, they're like painkillers but they don't knock you out." Noah took wobbly steps as Estelle cautiously left the room,
poking her head out into the hallway. "Yeah, they make you all ready to kill things instead, right?" Noah talked as if his bottom lip
would fall off at any moment, the ridiculous grin still stapled to his face. "It'll wear off in a minute." Estelle assured him.
"But be careful, it's going to hurt like hell for a while we need to get you bandaged before you sober up and pass out from the pain."
Noah shook his head from side to side as his neck muscles decided to stop working. "I won't pass out.." Noah insisted, swaying so much
now that each step he took brought him to the opposite side of the hall. "Then you'll be screaming so loud every creep in the building
will hear and we'll be as good as dead, same difference." Estelle persisted, holding the handgun out in front of her purposefully
as she grabbed Noah's limp right hand. "Hehe, talk about the blind leading the stuuupid..." Noah sounded like a 45 rpm record
set on 33 rpms now, each word he spoke drawn out to a ludicrous degree. "I'm sorry.." Noah apologized humbly as Estelle glared back at him.
"That was really insensitive I didn't mean to say that I'm just a little fucked uuuuup..." Noah's head hit the floor with a sound thud
as his legs took a vacation without his permission. His now totally lifeless hand almost took Estelle down with him as it slipped away
from her. "Jesus Noah, snap out of it." She ordered, concern in her voice as she tried to pick him up. "I only gave you one for God's sake,
it should have worn off by now." He was heavier than he looked, and Estelle ended up falling on her butt next to Noah.
"Shoulda woulda coulda..." Noah mummbled, sounding like a retarded eight year old now. Estelle sighed, turning him over on
his back. "How many health drinks have you been taking anyway?" She questioned, slapping him across the face to wake him up.
"Toooo Maaaaany.." Noah slurred, reaching up and hugging Estelle close to him despite her loud shouts of protest.
"I 'member youuuu nooow 'Stelle." Noah said drunkenly, snuggling Estelle to his chest. "You were my best friend, I 'member youuu."
Estelle grunted with effort, slithering out of Noah's arms. "I don't suppose you ever bothered to read the labels on those drinks?"
She asked, sounding extremely fed up with him. "Noooope." Noah laughed, waving his hands in the air as if some insanely fun gadget
was suspended over him from the ceiling. "Those things are alcoholic, idiot." Estelle grumbled, dragging him over to a water fountain
attached to the wall. She clunked his head into the basin, running ice cold water over the back of his head. His soaking wet hair
fell down over his cheeks as the ampoule finally wore off, and suddenly Noah was very aware of the gash on the back of his head
as well as the lump on his forehead and all his less recent wounds all at once.
"Son of a...!!" Noah cried out loud enough to tell God all about it, cutting himself off and gritting his teeth so he wouldn't make anymore
noise. He held his head with both hands and danced around like a luantic as the pain all came in one big agonizing tsunami.
He couldn't see anything, his muscles kept his eyes shut as the intense pain steamrolled over him.
"Oh, my fucking...Owww!" He hissed, standing in one place and hunching over as the
pain did indeed threaten to knock him out cold. "No more of those for you." Estelle said angrily, taking an empty bottle from her
collection of what used to be health drinks and filling it up with water. "Here, drink it." She demamded, offering the bottle to Noah
as he looked up through squinting eyes just long enough to grab the water. He sipped at it first, a little metallic tasting
but it certainly wouldn't kill him. Estelle watched him chug the water down greedily, dropping the bottle as the pain finally faded
enough to let him open his eyes. "Time to go." He said through the pain, as a dozen more of the dead cops were shuffling towards
Estelle. She turned around and pulled out the handgun, aiming for head shots. She put down two of them before Noah put his hand
on her arm, lowering the gun. Estelle looked at him in confusion, and saw that he was most defintely sobered up and back into
survival mode again. "You can't have many bullets left." Noah stated, and watched Estelle blush as she felt down through her pockets.
"Maybe enough for one reload." She admitted grimly, as Noah pushed her behind him. "Then start shooting." Noah instructed,
taking the police shield off it's shoulder strap and holding it out in front of him. His other hand stuck the barrel of his shotgun
through the shield's rectangular space and he ran straight at the pack of zombies, Estelle staying close enough to touch as she
fired off shots. The undead cops were trampled under the pair's feet as Noah smashed into them, plowing through them like
paper as the two of them unloaded bullets. There was loud screeching and the sound of breaking glass as Noah and Estelle
rounded the corner, the winged monsters had finished their meal and now wanted some dessert.
One of them flew overhead, touching down right in front of Noah and holding it's ground. "Beep beep buddy."
Noah joked, filling the creature with holes as he and Estelle ran past it without even slowing down.
More of them were following close behind, and Estelle whispered a curse as her gun clicked empty.
Noah spotted the locker room door rushing past them on the left and pulled Estelle inside as one of
the monsters dove for them. It caught only a door in it's face, falling down as Noah closed and locked the door behind them.
"Well, we're safe for now." Noah hoped, as soft banging from the remaining creatures was heard on the other side of the door.
"That wasn't a half bad idea." Estelle complimented, rummaging through the lockers for handgun bullets. "Gee thanks."
Noah replied, grabbing another flak jacket off the wall and handing it to her. Estelle nodded thoughtfully and put it on,
reloading her gun and filling the jacket's pockets with more supplies. Noah began to search around himself, finding a
small compliment of grenades he'd somehow overlooked before. "Back there 'Stelle, I didn't mean.."
Noah tried to explain himself, feeling guilty about grabbing her like he had. It had been worse than being punch drunk,
more uncontraollable and embarrasing. And the after effects were a damn sight worse also. Estelle looked over the lockers
at him, frowning sympathetically. "It's ok, you were completely out of it. Besides it's good you finally remembered."
Noah cocked an eyebrow, not seeing what was so good about it. "Yeah about that, do you know where that stone I gave you
back then ended up?" Estelle snapped her head up from the shopping spree, eyeing him with uncertainty.
"You met my uncle, then?" She asked, taking a deep breath as Noah nodded. "Yeah I met the old goat, bug shagging crazy
that guy." Estelle nodded back, walking over to Noah. "But his lust for the other half of that stone is all too real,
if he finds it.." Noah put his finger on Estelle's lips, shaking his head. "I don't want to think about what would happen
if he found it before we did, let's just say we can't let it happen and leave it at that ok?" Estelle saw his point
and turned away, suddenly back to her old depressed self again. "What was that back there anyway? You going all G.I Jane on me?"
Noah questioned as he found a mirror inside one of the locker doors and examined his head. Estelle finished arming herself
and went over to Noah, slapping his hand gently out of the way as she opened a first aid kit. "Alright.." Noah said, confused
but glad to have someone else patch him up so he could concentrate on not passing out. "God, he got you good. This is all my fault."
Estelle brooded, placing a wad of cotton over the wide gash." Noah pursed his lips, sitting patiently as Estelle did her thing.
"No, I went in there like an idiot. I should have known those things don't ever sleep." Noah argued, looking at Estelle in the mirror.
"And if you hadn't given me that...Whatever, I'd be lying on the floor of that jail cell bleeding to death right now."
Estelle sighed heavily, pecking lightly at Noah's wound with a small brush tipped with disinfectant. It hurt now and then, but
his whole head was such a tangled mess of pain it wasn't a big deal. "But you came here to get me, so it's still my fault."
Estelle countered, rubbing some goop into the gash on Noah's head before she started to bandage it. "And no one made me come either,
I need you with me that's all. So still it's my own damn fault." Noah persisted, coaxing another sigh out of Estelle.
"Who the hell put you in there anwyay?" Noah asked, suddenly realizing he had no ideas about that. "Those things out there would much
rather eat you than lock you up, I'm sure." Estelle repacked the first aid kit, tucking it away as Noah inspected his new look.
"A man came looking for me, Lucius. He works for my uncle." Noah raised his eyebrows, wincing as the movement hurt his head.
"And he's the one that left you in there?" Noah asked, gearing up for their escape. "Yes, after I wouldn't tell him anything.
He thinks my uncle should have killed you right away, instead of trying to get the other half of the stone from you.
He's a very cruel man..." Estelle stopped and looked down at her arm, feeling along the bottom of it. Noah craned his neck to
see what she was doing, and saw bruises on the underside of her arm from her elbow all the way down to her wrist.
"The bastard put a hurt on you, did he.." Noah growled, suddenly very angry at all of the cloak and dagger stuff going around.
The monsters were one thing, he was almost used to those by now. But there were people involved here, real people with real
bad intentions. And for some reason they were all after a stone he couldn't even remember what he did with. Estelle had given it
back to him, he was pretty sure. When he had moved away she gave it to him saying that he should keep it to remember her by.
It was most likley still somewhere in his apartment, but there was no way he could get to it very quickly while he was stuck in
Silent Hill like this.
"Estelle, can your uncle...Does that half of the stone he's got allow him to come and go in this town
as he pleases?" Estelle cocked her head curiously, not understanding what he meant. "He can move around the town all he likes,
but if he tried to leave I'm pretty sure he'd have to face the same kind of thing you are. Why?" Noah nodded, filing all that
away. Reginald had him at a steep disadvantage when it came to knowledge about the town, and if he'd gone so far as to
have Estelle beaten just to get to the stone then time was surely running out. "What about someone else? Can Reginald
grant passage in and out of the town?" Noah asked again, running through all he knew about the old man's plans.
"No." Estelle answered, getting even more confused by Noah's cryptic questions. "But my uncle has people working for him
outside of this town, if he needed something done out there one of them would do it for him."
Noah nodded again, rubbing his chin as his mind ached through the problems. Thinking became harder after you'd had a ravine
carved out of the back of your skull. "That might be our edge then." Noah stated, peering out the shuttered windows.
The monsters were still gathered around the entrance, ready and waiting to pounce on the first thing out the door with meat on it's
bones. "Your uncle is probably sending someone out to my place for the stone, if he hasn't already." Estelle gasped softly,
looking down in despair. "What he doesn't know, is that it's not there anymore...I remember now I gave it to James shortly after
we became friends, I told him it was my good luck charm from a while back and I didn't really believe in that stuff..."
Noah turned back to look at Estelle, who seemed at least a little hurt by his treatment of the token she'd given him.
"Anymore." Noah finished, looking hurt also as he turned back to his surveilance. "I did keep it though, 'Stelle. For the longest
time I treasured that old rock like it was gold, thought about you and it gave me hope. After a while I just...I didn't have a happy
life after I left here Estelle, it was like being in hell. I just gave up on hope, on everything. Maybe it was the right thing to come
here after all, you know? I've found myself again, if I ever get out of this damned town I'll be happy just living. I can't believe
I'd forgotten so much, forgotten you..." Noah didn't even have time to be surprised before Estelle's arms were holding him from behind,
embracing him as she put her face against his back. "You're going to get yourself killed, trying to save us both." She said sadly,
as if she really believed that's how this would ultimately play out. "Seeing you again was worth it, 'Stelle." Noah responded,
placing his hand over hers touching on his chest. "But we're not going to die, not you or me. When James left me, he took that
stone with him I remember it being gone from his room when I found his letter. He must have lost it somewhere before Reginald
got to him otherwise he'd have had the whole thing before I even got here. No, the other half of that stone was lost in this town.
It must have been, Reginald would have thought of looking in every other place by now." Estelle buried her head harder against Noah,
sounding very frightened all of a sudden. She got like that when she talked about her uncle. "If he gets the stone Noah, he'll
be able to spread the disease of this town, branch it out to infect other places. He won't stop until the whole world is like this,
it's what he wants. He's obsessed Noah, he thinks he's found paradise or something I heard him talking about it. We can't let him.."
"Are you afraid 'Stelle?" Noah asked her out of the blue, turning around with his hand still on her own. "Are you afraid of leaving here?
Of getting out of this town and being free of all this?" Estelle looked up at Noah sadly, her stitched eyes still able to portray
a broad range of emotions. "No I.." she began unsteadily, almost stuttering. "I tried, once. I couldn't do it, you're so strong Noah and
I wish I were too. But I'm weak, I'd never pass the trial so this town would let me go. I couldn't, I didn't make it very far at all.
I lied to you, Noah. When I said that I was put in that hospital. I could only get that far and then I was too afraid, too scared of
what I'd see if I went any further. What the demons in that place would make me face next, so I stayed there. I was there so long,
so many people came after that, even your friend James. I knew he wouldn't make it, I knew none of them would so I stayed in the
hospital. I think part of me was hoping you'd come someday, that you'd find your way back here and find me. I wanted you to come and
rescue me Noah, and when you did finally come I thought maybe..." Estelle didn't say anymore, and held onto Noah tightly as she
cried soft tears. "You thought I was looking for you, not James." Noah finished for her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and
hugging her. "But then, you said you were looking for a man, a friend. So I wanted to help you, you're the only friend I've ever
had Noah...I never wanted you to get trapped in this place like me but I'm afraid..This town knows the people it ensnares, inside and out.
It knew what I wanted and it knew that James was your friend, I'm sure of that." Noah's face grew soft with tenderness, as he stroked
Estelle's hair and touched his forehead against hers. "So you think this town called me here, because you wanted me here?"
Noah asked, as the banging from the hallway outside grew louder. Pretty soon they'd have to make a run for it.
"I know it did Noah, and I'm sorry. I never wanted you to get hurt, but I've been through so much since you moved away. I just wanted
my friend with me, that's all. I'm so sorry..." Noah shook his head, tilting Estelle's chin until she was looking up at him again.
"Well here I am 'Stelle, and you know what I'm glad. I'm not the same person I was when I came here, I'm a better one now.
And I swear on my father's memory that both of us will get out of here alive, all we need to do is find that stone and then
get out of town with it." Estelle's lip quivered as she looked at Noah as if he were an alien. "But you don't know my uncle,
he's not going to stop until he has the stone, and then nothing will matter anyways. And he's got so much influence over this town
now it's hopeless, he can find that stone in this town anytime he wants but how are you and I supossed to? We don't even know where
James lost it!" Estelle quieted down, whispering an apology for yelling at him. "We're going to find that stone, and before your uncle."
Noah assured her, standing up and taking her with him. "See I've figured something out 'Stelle, something I don't think Reginald
has yet. This town, likes being this town. It has no will for expansion, it doesn't care about taking over anything. This place 'Stelle,
is pure concentrated vengeance. It's brutal and unforgiving yes, but it exists solely to punish sinners and to show the path to
the ones who can stil be saved. Reginald is interferring with that, he's trying to make this place bend to his will. And the
demons that own this place, this town. They don't like that at all, they're fighting him off. Fighting to remain what they've
always been, creatures of judgement. On my way here 'Stelle, my map was going nuts. Redrawing itself every five seconds at least.
The spirits that dwell here are trying to show me the way out, and Reginald is trying to make them lead me into playing his game.
But now, you're here too. And you have a path just like me, a way you can take to get out of this damned town and never have
to come back. The map will lead us straight to the stone just to spite that old bastard I just know it.
I know you were afraid of it before, but do you think if I were with you. Do you think you could try it again 'Stelle?"
Estelle didn't seem to like that idea, and turned away from him. "I couldn't bear it if you hated me Noah, not after seeing you again
like this. If you went with me, you'd see things..Bad things..." Noah cut her words short, kissing her for the second time.
This time she didn't resist, and when it was over he looked at her with all the confidence he had, trying to give some of it to her.
"I'd still love you, 'Stelle. Nothing will change that, not one blessed thing you understand me?" He could tell Estelle was moved,
and maybe a little braver about things. Her face morphed into heated resolve, her eyes would have burned with determination
if she had any. "You're right Noah, I can't be afraid anymore, I'm not..You're here now, and when I'm with you I can fight back.
I'm not scared of what I'll find if you're there with me, but it won't work. There's no time."
Noah shook his head in disagreement, feeling that there would be time enough if they stopped talking and started moving.
"He's close, very close to finding the stone. No matter where it is he'll find it soon. There's no time for us to go looking for it and
then try to babystep me through my trial, you know that Noah." There she was again, the unyielding solider that had saved his life
a dozen times by now. "And that's why, you're going to go find that stone Noah. You take the map and you find it, and then you get
out of this town as fast you can. I'll take on my path alone, and I'll meet you at the city limits." Noah thought it was the best
plan they'd ever come up with, far and away. "But what if you don't show?" Noah asked worriedly, wondering if it was antother of
her selfless attempts to make him leave her here to rot. "Oh I'll show Noah, if I don't I'll have lost the trial and be good as dead
anyhow, I'll be one of those things out there looking for a sinner." Noah narrowed his eyes, wanting so badly to believe her.
"You promise me 'Stelle. You promise me that you won't quit on me, you can get through this just like I have. And I'll be waiting
for you at the finish line, that's my promise to you." Estelle gave him an almost sly smile, the sub machine gun from one of the lockers
in her hands as the handgun poked firmly out of her belt. "I'll probably beat you there after all, with the way you go through
those drinks." Noah smiled back at her, more in love with her now than ever. The crush from his boyhood was gone,
she was a woman now. His woman. It was time to get the fuck out of dodge.