Chapter 15: Alone in the Darkness

Guilt.

That's what I was currently suffering from.

I failed to rescue my two kind friends, Elise and Maria, from their tragic fates. My desperate attempts to save their lives were foiled miserably, leaving me in a horrible state, begging for just a tiny chance to redeem myself.

Well, at least I now know who their murderer is...

Manny and the Herd had left me behind in the dark nightmarish Brookhaven Hospital, believing that I got brutally assaulted and died alone. If that's what they want to think, then fine. Even though I can take care of myself, I'm still going to find them and prove that I'm alright.

A friend shouldn't be left behind anyways...

Before I made up my mind, I actually considered giving up and staying right in the very spot I lay. People would see me as a depressed teenager, whose thoughts are filled with one thing; the failures to save those held most dear. And I would be left isolated like I always have. Yeah, that would have been a suitable ending for me.

No. No. I'm not going to stop. I'm going to keep pushing forward...

Slowly opening my eyes, I struggled with effort to pull myself up to my feet. I knew that I suddenly fainted after what occurred, due to a strong and startling sensation of shock and horror. Most girls in my position would have decided to remain tough and jaded right until the end, not letting a moment of vulnerability surface.

I was going to be one of them.

"Okay, I gotta get outta here..." I muttered to myself, as I exited the elevator.

Like the rest of the hospital, the lobby had changed. It was even more darker and the walls looked they were made out of cold grey tarp. Most of the doors, even the front one happened to be locked, leaving me trapped inside.

There has to be a key somewhere, there has to be...

At least I still had my trusty flashlight and radio in my possession. They certainly helped me, even in the most terrifying situations. I quickly flipped on the switch in order to see things better, and began looking around. Truth be told, I felt really terrified being alone here. It was like I was reliving my life all over again but without my family to guide me through it. The tears were still threatening to spill so the whole time, I kept mentally shouting and screaming in my head to not break down emotionally.

"Get it together..." I scolded myself. "Now is not the time..."

I decided to quickly nip into the ladies' bathroom to prepare for what was going to happen next. Placing the weapons on a nearby small shelf, I let myself fall back against the wall and wrapped my arms together, trying to calm my breathing. There were a couple of items stored in the same shelf I used; a map of the town, health drinks, first-aid kits and even an ampoule. On a mirror ledge next to me was a sightseeing brochure.

"Heh, let's see what this says..." I murmured as I grabbed the paper, taking a good look at it as I did so.

"Welcome to Silent Hill!

Silent Hill, a quiet little lakeside resort town. We're happy to have you. Take some time out of your busy schedules to enjoy a nice, restful vacation here.

Row after row of quaint houses, a gorgeous mountain landscape, and a lake which shows different sides of it's beauty with the passing of the day, from sunrise to late afternoons to sunset.

Silent Hill will move you and fill you with a feeling of deep peace. I hope your time here will be pleasant and your memories will last forever.

Editor: Roger Widmark."

I am not going to lie, as soon as I read that, I immediately scrunched up the paper with my hands and threw it hard into the nearby bin. I used to believe what it said, but after seeing what happened here, my opinion changed from positive to negative.

"Pfft, what town were you visiting?" I scoffed.

Afterwards, I grabbed the map and health items, quickly storing them into my backpack along with my weapons. Just as I slipped my arms through the blue straps, I heard a slow loud creak. The first toilet door was open, and the sight that greeted me wasn't a particularly nice one. The water inside was completely dirty and mildly drenched in blood.

Which...kinda makes me want to throw up.

Being a girl who liked to take risks and be surprising once in a while, I marched up to it to take a look inside in case if anything was in there. As a matter of fact, there was. Only, I wasn't brave enough to reach in with my own hand.

I sighed. "There should be something here for me to use..."

Looking around, I noticed a rather long hanger located where my backpack was a few minutes ago. I quickly grabbed it and prepared myself for what I was about to do.

"I'm gonna regret this..." I shuddered. "So badly..."

Clenching my eyes shut, I fished the hanger into the toilet and lifted it back out in a matter of seconds, reopening my eyes soon afterwards. The item I got was the front key; the item I needed to bail out of this freaky hospital.

"Ugh..! Who would want to shove their hand down a toilet?" I pondered, shaking my head in disgust. "Gross..."

After quickly washing my hands, I opened the bathroom door and found myself back in the first floor hallway.

But strangely, I felt like I wasn't alone.

I suspected that someone had just arrived in pursuit of me. Wanting to take me away and keep me from finding my mother. Not letting me complete my quest. Shaking the thoughts away, I clutched my pistol tightly and made my way to the exit. Unfortunately, it was now nighttime outside, meaning that the streets were pitch black.

With a deep breath, I unlocked the door, turned the knob and took the first step out into the darkness. "Alright..."

Manny, you and the Herd can't be that far away...