The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High

Chappy Twenty-Four: Into the Rabbit Hole

Static. Statticcy- static. That was all that was coming from the radio, but James never liked it. Not only was it generally irritating on the ears, but it felt somewhat… sad. The message trying to come through would be covered by static.

And it caused him to constantly be on alert; ever since his time in Silent Hill, he would always think some creature was creeping up behind him, preparing to end his life…

He was quick to turn the radio off, and even quicker to look at the approaching school building. This fog and the absolute absence of people… Was it even possible?

James had informed his brother and sister-in-law that he would be picking Nicole up today. He would be leaving back to Pleasant River the next day, so he decided he'd better make the best of it…

James… I'm waiting for you James... Waiting for you...

…There it was… The school, Ashfield High… James had attended this very same school, back when he was a teenager. But now… the damn fog had wrapped itself around the building. He made out two figures close by, near the entrance.

He stopped the car, shutting it off. He squinted, making out the two men; one was wearing a coat and seemed to be walking away towards a vehicle not so far off. The other person just stood there for a minute before turning back and walking somewhat speedily to his own car.

James got out and made his way towards the school; as he reached the door however, it swung open, and a woman ran out, almost colliding with him.

"Oh, excuse me!" she said quickly before dashing to another automobile. James watched her for a few seconds, but jogged after her. "Hey wait, hold on!" he exclaimed, reaching her as she got to the car.

"Where is everybody? There's, there's no one here!"

She ignored him and fumbled with a set of keys. Upon finding the correct one, she unlocked the driver's seat door.

"Wait!"

The woman stopped and looked at James, her black hair covering part of her face.

"I, I don't know where the people are, they just… disappeared… But I have to go!"

"Who… Who are you?" he asked as she got inside. "Cheryl Mason," she replied while slamming the door. He went around the vehicle, opening the passenger door and peering inside. "Where are you going?"

"Silent Hill," she replied quickly.

"Silent Hill?" He looked mildly surprised. "Why there, in all this hurry?"

"The Order, they took a student of mine; Nicole Sunderland, and I don't have much of a-,"

"Nicole? I have to go with you!"

"W-What?"

"She's my niece, and she could be in danger! I can't just let this happen!"

"Oh, wait… Fine, get in; hurry."

James complied, closing the door. "So why are you going? What's it to you?"

"I… have some history with them… Let's just say it's kind of my responsibility. Have you ever been to Silent Hill?... Oh, I apologize; I don't even know your name!"

James smiled slightly as he strapped himself in. "James Sunderland."

Cheryl nodded. "Yes, so, have you been there?"

James cleared his throat. "Yes, yes I have… I went there with my late wife…"

She frowned. "I'm, um, sorry to hear that," she responded while driving out of the lot.

"No, it's all right… It has been eighteen years…"
---

Zeik kicked the Brookhaven Church doors open before strolling inside, his hands on his hips. "Well, this is a fancy smancy place…" he remarked, looking up at the altar, seeing Jeremy standing and wiping what seemed to be a goblet of some sort.

Melissa was sitting in the front most pew, staring at the unconscious form of Christian Richards which was lying at the front of the altar, on his belly.

Zeik walked forward. "So you're getting ready for that ritual thingamajig?" he inquired while glancing at the various items present.

Jeremy looked towards him, grinning. "Ah, Zeik, why yes, the preparations are almost complete."

"Um… okay, that's cool…" he murmured while turning to Christian. "Is this that kid?" he questioned as he nudged the pale body with his foot.

"Yes, the current vessel of God's soul… Soon, the last tidbits of his life will fade away, and the soul will transfer into a much more compatible host…"

" 'Much more compatible'?"

"Yes, the boy could not control God's power as it lay dormant within that mess of flesh and blood… As it began to awaken, however, certain effects were visible; the constant rain, snow… The weather became worse and worse as God's strength increased, and now that it is at its full potential, the influence is spreading… Soon enough, the surrounding areas will become just like Silent Hill… Forgotten…"

Zeik scratched his head as Jeremy looked towards the blond teenager. "Once God is in complete control of the perfect host, Paradise shall be born…"

Zeik chuckled nervously. "Yeah, okay… Well, I do need to talk to you, but I guess it's not that important… Uh, good luck with all that…" he said. He then turned away and left the church.
---

Joshua and Myron watched Noah, Alexis, and Catherine converse from their little hiding place.

"I'm c-c-confused…" whispered Myron to Joshua. "Aren't t-they s-supposed to b-b-b-be on the s-s-same s-side?"

Joshua shrugged. "It looks like that guy, Noah, isn't all that happy with this Jeremy person… They're going to do something with Nicole, though, but what…?"
---

Alexis wasn't fazed by the appearance of Noah's weapon. "You… wouldn't pull the trigger…"

Noah shrugged. "I don't exactly want to, but if I must…"

Catherine giggled frightfully and stepped out from behind Alexis. "You know, Noah, I mean, we're friends, right…? We don't need to use weaponry…"

The brunet aimed the gun at her, his expression unreadable. "Just don't talk, Catherine; anything that comes out of your mouth is utterly stupid and pointless."

"Hey…!" she exclaimed pouting. "That's mean!"

"I told you to not talk."

Before she could object, Alexis grasped her arm. "He's serious… Catherine… Do not… pester him…"

"I suggest you listen to Alexis; he thinks," Noah said. This obviously struck a cord with Catherine, as her bottom lip bulged out and her eyes watered. "How… How can you be so mean?" she asked loudly while darting behind Alexis.

Noah disregarded the comment and looked back at Alexis.

"What… do you plan… to do, if I were to hand her over?"

"About the same thing I'm doing now. I intend to stop Jeremy from completing his ritual… and I won't hesitate to kill him."

"…I see…" Alexis shook his head. "I always knew something was different about you, Noah… but I never thought… you would go this far… Doesn't it even… bother you, in the slightest?"

"Why should it?" Noah folded his arms. "Just because I've lived my entire life with you three, why should it bother me? Do you believe I am required to acknowledge you as friends, because, in truth, I don't? I see you, Catherine, and Melissa just like I would any other person."

"What… do you mean by that?"

Noah looked around, sighing. "I can't explain it, actually. You all believe in Jeremy's, no, The Order's pointless dogma, and that amazes me. You know it's nothing but lies, yet you still assist him?"

Alexis shook his head. "I believe, to some extent, what he has told us over the years… It is only normal; he taught us so many things… I see no problem with it."

"You don't seem to understand, Alexis; you know full well there is no God, and even if there was, he wouldn't save you from the sins you have committed."

Noah sighed. "Enough, this is pointless; just give me the girl."

"…No… I cannot allow you to do this… It is… inhuman…"

"Inhuman?" The brunet laughed, raising the pistol. "Alexis, as long as it is within a human's capability of doing, then I don't consider it 'inhuman'."

And with that, he pressed the trigger down, and shot the gun.

Time seemed to slow down as the redhead watched the bullet fly forward, straight at him. He winced as the bullet penetrated his abdomen, blood seeping out of the wound.

"Alexis!" Catherine screamed while catching his falling body, his eyes locked on the emotionless Noah, who watched him falter.

"Fool…" Noah said before reaching out and grabbing Nicole's arm firmly; she attempted to resist, but he cocked the weapon once more, immediately silencing her.

"Hold on!"

All four of them turned their heads to see Joshua quickly stand from behind the chairs, accidentally bumping his head on the way up. As he rubbed the spot, Myron rose as well.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Have you two been here the entire time?" asked Noah, somewhat in an amused fashion.

"Uh, yeah, pretty much; we stowed away in their van and followed them to the hospital," answered Joshua while pointing at the sobbing Catherine and the wounded Alexis.

"Y-Yeah, and she's our f-f-f-f-friend!" cried Myron as he motioned towards Nicole.

"Oh, really?" Noah smiled slightly. "Interesting… Perhaps you know the boy, as well…?"

"What was that?" questioned Joshua as the nineteen year- old chuckled and walked past Catherine and Alexis, leaving the hospital.

"Hey, wait a second!" called Joshua, but Alexis shook his head. "He's going… to Brookhaven Church," he stammered, shuffling over the center of the room.

"That passageway… it was here, right… Catherine…?" he questioned weakly as she walked over to where he was at. "Y-Yeah, I think…"

The two teenagers eyed them suspiciously. "What passageway?"

Alexis grimaced as he cupped the wound. "An underground passage was constructed to link this building to the church; it was… used by earlier Order members… during Alessa Gillespie's life…"

Catherine nodded. "If that girl really is your friend, you can use the passage, but it's pretty old… There is a spare lantern down there, though…"

Joshua scratched his head. "I'm very confused, but I guess it could work… Will you be coming with us?"

She shook her head. "Nope… I have to make sure Alexis is okay…"

The redhead was unlatching some hidden hooks at the time, opening the secret shaft in the floor.

"If you go down there, and… follow it… you should reach Brookhaven Church… but you must hurry…"

Joshua and Myron walked up to the edge of the black, square, opening. "Wait, how can we be sure we can trust-," Before Joshua could finish, however, Catherine had pushed him into the opening. Myron took a gulp, and looked at Catherine. "W-We'll d-do what we c-c-c-can, I g-g-guess…"

The cult members nodded as Myron jumped into the darkness below…

"Oww! Myron! Watch where you land next time!"