He woke up with a start, taking him a few seconds to get a focus. He pulled the covers from his waist and sat along side the bed. He finally came to inside his dorm room. A small cooking unit, a washing machine; a small basin full of curry-stained plates (Carl never was one for washing up); a door to the left of them holding a toilet. The set-up was very basic, but it was only a dorm room. He groaned at the sight outside of his window. Fog. The fog had set for a month, a month since... since he lost his sister. It was coincidental that he was to put up with the fog ever since it set on that fateful morning. Every time he looked at the fog he felt a deep coldness, a bitterness that touched his soul. Closing the curtains and turning the light on caused hisweary eyes to wince at the sudden light. He walked to the dorm entrance with a towel over his shoulder, pushing the picture of his sister down as he passed the small wooden cupboard. Shaking his head he closed the door as he left for the showers down the corridor.

The water was slightly cold as he shuddered, the water trickling down his back. He sighed with relief as he felt the hot water coming from above his head. Facing the shower wall he closed the shower cover and started on his hair.

Feeling clean he cautiously stepped out of the bath and grabbed his towel. Wrapping the towel around his waist he tip-toed back to his room and got dressed. As he heard the giggling from the over side of his front door he moaned at the realization that Louise was waiting for him.

Louise was a bubbly blond with irritating tendencies. Her gleeful laughs were cute and innocent-sounding, her face and smile almost reminiscent of his sister, even the nature of her personality.

The small and fragile frame attracted most lads in the college, she was a hit with the men. He could never see her that way though, it was like going out with his sister and that, in his head, was wrong; not mentioning sick. He didn't need her at the moment, he already had the accident imprinted onto his mind, he didn't want to be reminded of the painful image.

He closed the door as quietly as he could, he wanted to get to his bed and go back to sleep. "Carl, what you been up to? I was looking for you.", her voice was even the same. "Please Louise, I am having a hard time at the moment, I'm not the best company at the moment". Me and you are going to have fun, its a holiday so we are going to Silent Hill. I heard that it is soo peaceful, I see that you have a picture of the church there, I looked through your draws."

The anger in Carl started to rise, but he looked at her face and it seemed to subdue his emotions. He walked towards her with the towel around his waist, sitting by her side on the bed.

"I don't know, I will have to think about it for a while", the manner in his voice was soft and somewhat distant. Staring at his bare feet in a trance like stare.

"Please, I wouldn't ask but I feel that I have to go there, I had this nightmare...",

"The death of my fiancée, I have had this every night, and she died three years ago. I have to go there – but I'm scared to go alone", Louise's voice also became faint, a tear falling slight on her cheek.

"I see it so clearly, like it is happening all over again..."

She continued, now oblivious to Carl's arm around her.

"It was Sandra and I that week, no-one else was there. I remember that i expected more people to be there. The docks were soo peaceful and it was even more of a romantic evening when she held me in her arms and softly kissed my cheek..."

"...The night passed as if it was a ten minute thing, but the moon – ooh! - it was perfect, the water reflected the moonlight like a mirror, the sky was clear and the stars were out. My god, Carl, it was the best night thatI could ask for – and there was no sex involved either. Then I kissed her lips, that single kiss evoked a spectrum of emotions in me that i never really felt with a man before. We were one and everything was perfect in the world when she glanced into my eyes with those deep blue ovals. But that didn't last. We.. we"

Carl noticed the sobbing now, it increased in volume on a steady incline, all Carl could do was to comfort her. Her broken speech then started again.

"we were – mugged, the black gloves and the balaclava. The silhouette grabbed her, tossed her about like a rag doll. His grip on her wrist was making her cry. She cried out for me to help her but I was too scared to do anything, I ran for the nearest pay phone."

"I returned to her, not even five minutes, and told her that I phoned 999, but when i saw her she had her skirt pulled down to her ankles and she was crying my name, shouting and screaming, asking me to help her!", she struggled on at this point, "I knew what had happened to her, she was – she was r-raped! I let him get away with it and let my lover down."

Carl held her, the convulsive crying affecting him strongly, he genuinely felt for her, the loss of a loved one and the guilt trip that lasted for eternity. He lulled her softly until Louise was more in control.

Louise finally whispered to him between sobs, "She was taken to the nearest hospital, in Silent Hill, when I drove down to visit her she had died. Nothing but a letter on the bed where she was".

She couldn't hold the tears back now, she let go and he let her cry, he knew what it felt and he knew that words would prove pointless. They stayed there for an hour in each others arms until he jumped to his feet.

"Let's go to Silent Hill, we both need to find out the truth, let's go together. Pack up, we are setting off now."

He put his clothes on and escorted her to his car. Handing her the box of tissues on his back seat, next to their packed clothes and gear, and gave her the box.

He started the car as he set off to find Sarah, for he knew his sister was still alive, somewhere in Silent Hill...