Chapter 10
I had been walking through Silent Hill for about half an hour, and I still hadn't seen any sign of life. I was well and truly creeped out.
I decided to sing to myself while I walked. And for some reason, I opted for the late Johnny Cash. I don't know why, but the old guy's music really calmed my nerves when I was stressed.
I started out pretty badly,
And I heard as it were the noise of thunder
One of the four beasts saying come and see and I saw
And behold, a white horse…
Despite the possibly apocalyptic lyrics, I found myself getting really into it.
Hear the trumpets hear the pipers one hundred million angels singing.
Multitudes are marching to a big kettledrum.
Voices are calling and voices crying,
Some are born and some are dying.
It's alpha and omega's kingdom come.
And the whirlwind is in the thorn trees.
The virgins are all trimming their wicks.
The whirlwind is in the thorn trees.
It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Til Armageddon no shalom no shalom-
"I'll be damned!" I cried.
I was standing just outside a chain-link fence, staring at a brick building. A plain, metal plaque on the front of it declared, Blue Creek Apartments.
I noticed the giant padlock on the front entrance, and grinned. Whistling, "When the Man Comes Around," I merrily strolled through the fence, and then the front door.
It was almost completely pitch black inside, I couldn't see a damned thing.
Remembering what happened when I left Garrett's room, I shuddered.
Then, much to my embarrassment, I began to mutter to myself.
"Okay Delia, you're a "ghost" now. How would a ghost get way the hell to the third floor?"
I thought of every movie that I had ever seen that even slightly involved those of us who are "epidermically challenged."
"Ha!" I laughed suddenly, snapping my fingers. I think I figured it out.
Taking deep breaths, I closed my eyes and began to focus on the third floor. I even started saying a mantra, "Room 308…Room 308…" I chanted softly. I felt like a giant, flaming dork, but I didn't give up.
I began to feel strangely as though I were floating. I ignored it, and kept chanting and focusing until the feeling stopped.
I opened eyes, initially feeling triumphant. But, that quickly evaporated. (No spiritual bias intended.)
I was standing in the hallway, and this time, the lights worked.
"Oh, my GOD!" I gasped.
The hallway was a complete disaster. I had once dated a guy who lived here. This place had blue painted walls, and blue carpet. There had been track lighting and overhead medallion lights scattered through the halls. The place had never been spotless, but it was at least obvious that the people who lived here tried to keep it clean.
Now, though…
I looked at the ceiling. Where the track lights had been, there were now giant, gaping crevasses- as though something had just torn everything out. And most of the medallions had been smashed. Two or three still flickered in attempt to cling to life, but they were all pretty much toast. The primary light source was the emergency exit sign.
The carpet was torn all to hell too. Just blue scraps remained. And most of the doors were boarded up or completely sealed. I found myself pondering why someone would seal up their doors with concrete.
Most of the medallions were swinging…
I didn't know what was more unnerving; the thought the town was empty…
Or the thought that there was someone still here.
I was suddenly cold. I looked around. There it was, in the corner of the hallway. In attractive, metal numbers- Room 308.
I tried to be all classy and dignified- but fuck it! I was scared shitless. I hurried through that door as quickly as my vaporous legs could carry me.
I bent over, my head down. I will not throw up. I will not throw up.
I straightened up. "Ah DUDE!!" I whined.
Garrett's apartment was worse than the hallway. I was standing in the living room… or rather, what had once been the living room.
The walls were white, with an undertone of blue- as though it had been an afterthought. It might have been pretty, if it weren't riddled with massive slashes.
The kitchen was trashed too. The contents of the cupboards and refrigerator were busy congealing, and putrefying all over the tiled floor.
The overhead lights were flickering like the ones outside. I noticed that the lamps had been slammed to the floor. I thought about fixing them, but quickly remembered that I would probably just pass right through them.
The only pieces of furniture that survived were a navy-blue recliner, and the television. The couch was nothing more than a shredded mound of fabric now.
I studied it further. There was some brick colored fluid smeared over the exposed stuffing.
My med-student training kicked in. I knew what the brick-colored stuff was.
It was drying blood.
I saw a picture sitting on top of the television. It was, obviously, the Daniels family. Garrett was looking healthy, and younger. He was obviously supposed to be looking at the camera, but he was gazing at his family. He was practically glowing with pride, even in the photo. His wife was next to him, and the whole family was sitting on the grass. His son was perched on his shoulders, caught in the middle of what looked like a fit of happy laughter. The babies were on their parents' laps. They were almost identical. They could only be differentiated by the fact that one of the babies had an off-colored birthmark on her neck.
I stared for a minute, and smiled. It was shaped like a pale, pink butterfly. That was cute, and kinda cool.
I felt myself grow even colder. "God," I prayed. "Please, let those babies be okay."
I hoped someone was listening.
I tried to maintain a clinical detachment, but as I took in the remains of the home, I realized that that was unlikely. I stared in horror at the smashed photos, collectibles, toys, and souvenirs. It was as though someone was trying to erase the Daniels family from existence. I was ill.
Shuddering, I remembered what I told Garrett. That I'd find out what happened to his family.
Behind me, creeeeeeeeaaakkk.
"Gah!" I shrieked. I turned.
The closet door had swung open, and there was something stuck to it.
It took me a minute to realize that someone had stuck something to the door…with a giant, bloody butcher knife.
I took baby steps over to it. I studied it. It was a newspaper article. I tried to read it, but the blood on the knife had run down the paper, obscuring most of the article:
WOMAN ARRAIGNED ON ----D MUTIL----- CH-----
On May 2nd, Evelyn ------- wa- ar------ on the allegation that she ---- a kn---, and st----- out the ---- of –r five-year-old ------- Da----- --. Mrs. ------- was evaluated by the court psy---------, and it --- deter---ed that s—was unfit -- ----- trial. The child was r----- to Br-------- ----ita-, but it was too la--. The boy ---- ---- massive ----- l--- later that eve----. Mrs. D------ was --------- to ---------- -----tal. How----, the fate – he- other two -------- is still unknown.
"Wow." I muttered darkly. "Big fucking help this is."
However, deep down, my instincts were telling me that whatever this was- it meant very bad things for Garrett.
I turned around. One more place to look. There was one door left. The one that led to the children's rooms.
I stepped through it.
I was in another hallway. There were three doors. One in front of me, one to my left, and one to my right.
I sighed, and stepped through the first- then quickly stepped back out.
It was the bathroom, and it was very small. And the tub was drenched with blood.
"Okay, okay, okay." I muttered. I was bordering on hysteria now, I could tell. "Nothing important in there. Nope, nothing at all. Nope, nope."
I went into the room on the left.
It had to have been Garrett Junior's room, because it was filled with the remains of toys that were clearly boy-oriented. Cars, trains, the works. There was even a bunk bed in the room. But, it also had dark stains on it.
I closed my eyes, and prayed for a minute. I hoped that whatever happened here, happened as quickly as possible. These people didn't deserve to suffer. They were innocent!
I walked out of the little boy's room, feeling as though something inside me was now broken.
I walked silently into what had to be the twin's room.
For a minute, all I could do was gape. I was absolutely struck dumb by what I saw.
The room was pristine. It was completely untainted. I was shocked.
The room was very well done. The walls were a bright, peach color. There were lime green shelves on the walls, and two cribs. One had peach letters, Anna. The other had lime green letters, Leah. I was stunned.
I looked heavenward, "Look, I'm not complaining, but what the hell?"
However, the babies were no where to be seen. "Shit!"
A lot of things seemed to be missing too. No diapers, few clothes, and the shelves were almost bare.
Shaking my head in confusion, I left the room, and returned to the hallway.
I screamed.
There was Pyramid Head!
I was so terrified, that it took me a minute to register the fact that there was a woman standing next to it. And they were both looking right at me!
"Hello Delia." Purred the woman. She had pink-tipped blond hair, and her outfit was so pink, and tight, I figured her for a hooker.
I also realized who she was instantly. Garrett had bitched quite colorfully about her. "Mary Sunderland?" I breathed.
She smiled viciously at me. "Sometimes. But right now, you may call me Maria."
Jesus Christ, she could see me.
My fear was suddenly forgotten, replaced by rage. "What the hell do you want with us? Why are you doing this?" I screamed at her.
She just gave me that evil smile again. "You, dear, have nothing to worry about. You'll be fine. We don't give a shit about you."
I ignored that comment, and kept going. "What about Garrett?!! What about his children?! What happened to his kids, you fucking BITCH?!!" I roared.
She began to laugh, and as she laughed, a noise that resembled air-raid sirens screamed to life.
It lanced through my skull, and I swayed on my feet. The pain was extraordinary. I felt myself begin to slump to the ground.
As I blacked out, I watched her laughing face.
My last thoughts were of Garrett, before the pain swallowed me whole.
And then, I knew no more.