Chapter XI: Hell
{Background image for this chapter: Tarot card XI - Justice (reversed)}
When I called this town "strange"? Well, confound that; there's nothing 'strange' here when you see the truth, which is simple: This town is Hell. I met Father Giorgio again and told him Claudia's story. Would you dare say he was surprised? He was not and he gracefully believed it all. Was he mad? No; he was not mad; he believed it because he had already seen it with his own eyes. He took me there (I'm not sure 'there' is the right word though) and I saw it too. The "Otherworld" - the disgusting version of the real world. It looks like a nightmare, and is full of demons (as per explained by Father Giorgio) that can physically hurt you. I understand him now; he told me of his quest as I am ready to know it now: This place is likely a gateway to Hell and Father Giorgio came here to close it. He (and the Church) believe Silent Hill to be of demonic origin – more precisely, a place where "the frontier between Earth and Hell begins to blur"; his words, which today I also make mine... He was therefore sent here to destroy this nightmare, and, honestly I hope he succeeds (after we're all safe). Throughout the days I've asked Father Giorgio many times what does he think Silent Hill is. One of his answers:: "There is a famous quote I like by Arthur Clarke: "Magic is just science we don't understand yet". We don't understand Silent Hill - it is Supernatural: The Supernatural is like 'science we don't know yet' but it goes beyond: It is science we don't know yet but also science that is being controlled by some non-incarnated intelligence". "Like... a demon?" - I replied. "That's what I believe. I can almost touch the strange intelligence that hovers above and below us in this town" – Father Giorgio answered.
I've decided to take Father Giorgio to where I buried Ethan's kidnapper and confess my crime. I regretted the crime and Giorgio absolved me. A rose sprouted from the ground beside my feet. Puzzled but contemplative, I picked it up. It is beautiful but I can't feel any relief or forgiveness. Now I too can almost touch the intelligence, as dense as the fog, that dwells in this town.
I can't feel forgiven and my body has begun to take monstrous shape… I'm scared. Maybe I thought I regretted killing that man but really didn't.