Part 17

"Unheard Prayers"

The door opened with a creak and I saw her, that horrible woman at the podium. I pulled out my handgun, murder on my mind. She looked up and looked confused, as if she wasn't expecting me to be here.

"How did you get here? It was Vincent wasn't it? He lead you here, when we he cease his meddling?" Claudia's look of slight annoyance didn't faze me, "But it works just as well, bringing you here also serves my purpose."

"Checkmate." I smirked, aiming my handgun at her.

"Not yet, the time is not yet at hand. The time when all will be forgiven their sins, when the paradise we all dreamed for will arrive. After the judgement and atonement, an eternity of bliss." Claudia explained, her face seemingly calm though she was under the eye of my gun, "Oh Alessa, the world you wanted is nearly here."

I grimaced at her, anger filling my being. That's when an idea hit me, maybe pretending to be Alessa will get her to shut up. Or atleast, I hoped.

"That's not what I want." I said in a mock voice, hoping that the change in voice would through her off.

"No, not you, Alessa; your true self." Claudia frowned, seeming not believe my act.

"But I am Alessa..." I came up quickly, "My little Claudia, my dear sweet sister."

"Alessa, is that you?" Claudia's face light up, a look I personally didn't want to see on her face, "Oh, how I missed you!"

"I don't need another world, it's fine the way it is." I replied in a commanding tone, praying that she'd agree.

"But you said it yourself!" She exclaimed, coming around the podium to stand somewhat infront of me, "The world must be first cleansed with fire."

I shivered, trying not to remember the sudden memories flooding my head about firing. I suffered so much, a god who was born like that wouldn't be a god I'd want to follow.

"But that's not what I want now." I replied, I remembered, Alessa only wanted to be with Mom - I mean Dahlia.

"Alessa...don't you want happiness? Have you gone blind to all the sufering in this world? We need, we all need God's salvation!" Claudia exclaimed, her hellish eyes displaying shock and anguish.

"Listen! Suffering is a fact of life, you either learn how to deal with that or you go under! You can stay in your own little dream world, but you can't keep hurting other people." I hissed, fists shaking and pondering why I had previously put my gun down and why I didn't shoot the bitch right then and there, "Besides, I'll never forgive you for hurting my father!"

"But it was for the salvation of all mankind. For that to happen, the world must first be remade, and for that, we need God." Claudia looked down upon me, her face full of self-confidence or a mask of that.

"You self-rightous witch! No one asked you to help!" I almost screamed my lungs out, out of rage and then an intense pain began racking my body. I couldn't stand, it felt like something was tearing me apart from the inside out - starting with my stomach.

"She's growing in you." Claudia stately almost plainly, "You despise, don't you?"

"Damned right I do!" I grumbled, trying to keep the moans of pain a low unaudible sound.

"That's good." Claudia sounded pleased, or atleast satisfied.

I heard the door shut as she left the room and my pain slowly faded away. I got up slowly, looking around at the paintings on the sides of the room. It seemed to be the religious mythology behind the cult, so I didn't bother looking at it. I walked behind the podium and a small tarot card caught my eye. I picked it up, and thought about it. It was the "Eye of the Night" card. I don't think that card was in the current tarot deck. I took it anyway, it was out of place so I might need it.

After that thought, I headed for the door that Claudia must hav used and went through. There were two rooms that seemed connected, and I stood in a hallway of sorts. Going up to the double doors and pulled slightly, only to find out it was locked. I could hear a woman crying beyond them too; was that Claudia?

I looked to the other door and entered a small booth. This must have been a confessional booth, though, I didn't think people in this religion could regret. I took a step closer to the window that would show the next room if a curtain hadn't been there. A floor board creaked and the mysterious woman's sobs stopped and then she began to speak.

"Oh, my soul cringes in pain! I have sinned deeply, only if the good have out-weighed the bad! I deserve her mercy, oh if only for my sanity! I've sacrificed her my lady, and she nows is writhing in pain..." The woman sobbed, a pause for breathe, "Then I let that small child go through hell and watched on as he struggled. I should have shown him the light to the possiblity of eternal paradise! I've sinned, hands soaked red with blood of unbelievers. Even if they threatened our church, they are souls none the less! Oh, merciful god, forgive me!"

I couldn't think of what to say. They were vague and I couldn't quite understand all what they were trying to say. Even if I could understand what they were trying to say/confess, I wasn't in the position to forgive them or not. Though I am pregnant with...this god they worship, I'm not that god, nor am I going to give birth to it in the first place. After a moment or two of the guilty woman's sobs, I left and tried to get refocused on my main goal: Killing Claudia and that man, and aborting this god thing.

I walked around the bend of the hallway when I left the booth and found myself shocked. There was a barred off section of the church (inwhich I could see through) where it was the Nightmare world. I checked my supplies and found I was short on ammo and health supplies. I walked towards it and pondered on how I would survive that area. I guess I would just have to run away and avoid getting hit. I sighed, praying that there wouldn't be monsters galore. I looked around, trying to find a door somewhere (which there was one on the left) to enter. I looked to the door and entered, if I came this far, there is no backing out now.

The room looked like a storage room for a school, and there was a funky looking monster that noticed me and headed my way. Putting my 'live and let live' plan into use, I ran to the other side of the room where there was a door. I presumed it would take me out to the nightmare world of the church, and upon going through, it did. I walked north, finding myself at one of those forks...but both ends had those huge monsters that wouldn't be easy going around or fighting. I sighed, this will be tricky.

I snuck around the one to the left, finding that they left room from where they lied. I got to the door and hurried through it, just to find myself in a long hallway. I walked around the creepy-ass wheel-chairs and dip stands. I exited the hallway to find myself in another one. I walked past a picture of an angel and stopped. I looked at it, and almost laughed. I didn't think these people would believe in angels, though the one in the picture looks like is falling from heaven. I turned to continue down the hall but a girl's sob caught my attention.

Bloody foot-prints who seemed to have no owner walked towards the picture as the girl kept up her sobs. I walked to the picture, the foot-prints seeming to continue beyond the picture. Was there something behind it? I pushed the painting away and discovered a door to my surprise. I walked through it to find myself in another wierd hallway with a pit, an elevator and alot of doors. I tried a few doors until I finally got one to open. It was another hallway, but there were various body parts nailed to the wall, all seeming to still be freshly severed from the body. I gulped heading down the hall, seeing that they end only had a glass like wall inwhich I could peer into.

I looked into the mirror, to see a room with a covered window, and at the corner, a bed with someone laying upon it, and IV in their arm and dip-stand by the bed. The harder I looked, the more I realized it was Loki, his fatal wounds somehow healed. I pounded against the glass, but it didn't buldge. I called out to him, praying that he hear me, hoping he'd wake up...and that he wasn't still dead.

Somehow, I didn't think Loki could die here...that man must have brought him back. What would happen when this is all over though? Would...he die? I didn't want to think any further upon it, now wasn't the time or place to think that Loki would be eternally damned.

I continued to yell his name, finally seeing that he began to stir. That's right, I remember sometime ago (either in this time or another) him saying that he couldn't die and he'd always survive any sort of fatal blow...and that the man in red wouldn't let him die for some reason he wouldn't say. Maybe, he'd become mortal again after that man existed no more...but right now, I had to focus on the present situation.

I watched eagerly as he slowly got up and off the bed frame. He tugged at his IV, it falling off easily. He didn't seem to notice me, but I pounded against the glass like a bratty child wanting a toy beyond a glass casing anyway, my throat tired from yelling (I hadn't had anything to drink in a while, so my throat felt really irratated by now). He looked my way, and walked to the glass. I kept pounding away until he stood right before it. He looked to the floor, not realizing I was beyond the glass at all.

I should just give up on her...maybe it is all my fault that she's in this position... Loki muttered under his breath, grasping at where the IV was once at, I thought...that this would've gone better...

I placed a hand where his arm was, though I knew he wouldn't feel the comfort I was trying to give him. He just sighed, a bitterly defeated frown cressing his face. I wished he knew that he hadn't failed in helping. If he hadn't helped, I wouldn't have gotten this far. I looked past his shoulder, to see that man walk out of the wall opposite of me. I started pounding on the glass again, trying to get Loki's attention. The only problem...was that man knew I was there. He kept his eyes on Loki though, and as for Loki, he turned his back to me and faced the man.

"A man with no confidence deserves no pity." The man spoke, that huge ass grin never leaving his face, "No woman would fall for a man like that. You should've just let her die."

I looked down, I couldn't do anything to help. I couldn't blame Loki for being alittle low on self-esteem. If he had to deal with that asshole for 17 years or more, I couldn't blame him for struggling with his confidence. Besides, that man didn't seem the type to boost anything but pain or misery.

Shut up! She... Loki shouted, which surprised me alittle. He seemed honestly angry.

"Love is such an useless emotion... You should rid yourself of such a trifling thing." The man laughed, smile growing wider and blood running from his forehead, "But you are, after all, a failure...so it should've been expected."

I closed my eyes, I felt that if I watched this, I wouldn't like what I saw. I heard a thud, and when I looked up, my feeling was right. The man had thrown Loki across the room, his body still for a moment. I couldn't watch anymore...that's when Loki started picking himself up and that man looked straight at me through the glass.

"I'd find the future within the present soon if I were you..." The man laughed, and then turned to Loki, who looked alittle shooken up.

That's when the glass darkened, a blood-red liquid running down it and obscuring my vision. I uttered a curse under my breathe, unsure of what to do. Future within the present? What could he have meant? That is when I left the hallway and started looking around, thinking about what he could've meant. That's when I entered a library like area, where two books stood out the most. One was about tarot cards and the other about Silent Hill's cult. I went for the cult book first...I wondered if it had any decent information...

Which it did, but nothing that I didn't know...that's when I put it away and went for the book on Tarot cards. When I was done reading the book, that's when it hit me. The man meant Tarot cards...they predicted the future, but are in the present. It made sense now...and I thought I saw a card on the table. As I picked it up and recognized it as the Moon tarot card, I heard the door open and foot steps head my way. I turned around fast, hand on my pistol incase it was trouble...

However, it was only Vincent and not a monster...which, the two were considerably alike.

"Hiya Heather." He smiled, the book that was in his hands catching my attention.

"You show up everywhere, don't you?" I muttered, my throat still sore from yelling.

"You make sound like some unwanted pest." ...No shit, sherlock.

"But, who are you anyway?" I asked, I really didn't know who he truly was (nor did I think I would be told the turth).

"Have an idea?" He asked, like me asking him who he was didn't clue him off that I really didn't.

"Yeah, you're on Claudia's side." They both were members of the cult...right?

"I told you not to put me on the same category as that mad woman." He almost snarled, he hated Claudia it seemed.

"Well, you're pretty loony yourself." I replied, it was true in every sense of the word 'loony'.

"...It's true, we both believe in the same god." Vincent replied, confirming that he was a part of this cult, "But I'm quite sane."

"Then...why did you help me out then?" I asked, trying to figure out what was going on, "Is that also a part the 'Resurrect God' plan?"

"It's not uncommon for people to worship the same god and disagree." Vincent shook his head, patronizingly.

"G-god? Are you sure you don't mean devil?" I meant that at the bottom of my heart...if...their god was that compassionate...she wouldn't have left Loki to this hell...or myself so long ago.

"Whichever you choose. What really matters now is that I am really on your side." Vincent searched the air for answers with a free hand, "I don't want god to be born. It would be...inconvienant...much too unpredictable..."

I snorted, this guy was using me for his own personal gain, "So you've been using me to stop Claudia? Do your own dirty work."

"MY dirty work?" His tone of voice changed, as it had been for awhile now, "I think we've both had our own interests in mind. You hate her too, don't you? You're the only one that can get it done. I don't have powers like you two. Anyways, I've always hated getting...hot...sweaty."

"Oh, really?"

"I'm just looking out for myself; everyone does it." I sighed and his face turned from relaxed to serious, his insane green eyes fixing themselves upon me, "Don't stand there looking so smug. You're the worst person in this room."

What? What in the name of God was he talking about?

"You come here...and enjoy...spilling their blood..." Deep huffs seperated bits of his sentence, his crazed look only getting crazier, "And...and listening to them cry out! You feel excited when you step on them, and snuff out their lives!"

I couldn't think for a moment...Was he talking about the monsters? The way he was getting all excited and angry scared me as well. This guy couldn't be mentally stable...he just couldn't be...

"Do...do you mean the monsters?" I stuttered, what...what else was coming after me besides them?

"Monsters...?" Vincent's head cocked to the side, as if what I said didn't register, "They look like monsters to you?'

Was...was I...killing humans? Real...people? I stumbled back and hit the desk, gasping and covering my mouth. No...what was going on? Is that why...no one else besides the few people I knew right now were around...? It can't be...I hadn't taken some sort of hallicugen...and even if I did, it would have to be really potent I would suppose. I couldn't tell...I haven't touched drugs...so why would he say that those monsters are...human beings?

"Oh, don't worry. It's just a joke." His facial expression still protrayed his madness and wasn't very comforting, "By the way, I forgot to ask you. Did you get the seal of Metatron?"

"What's that?" I hadn't heard of such a thing before...did I have it?

"You don't have it?! Leonard was carrying it!!" He freaked out, his eyes showing nothing but panic now.

A seal Leonard was carrying, huh? I pulled the seal I found after I defeated him out, showing it to him awkwardly, "You mean this thing?"

"Yes! That's it." Vincent sternly watched me as I put it back into my jacket pocket, "As long as we have that, we'll be fine. Here, take this."

He held out the book he was carrying, and hestitantly, I took it. He then left without another word...and I was left with my own thoughts. I just stood and thought about what he said about the monsters. How could that be true? I saw him, Claudia, Douglas, Loki and my father and everyone else as humans. I saw normal people before this nightmare...and it seems like after I first entered into this sick wonderland, I only saw monsters and then the others. I decided that I wouldn't kill them unless it was vital, or my life was in danger...that way...if he is right and I can only see the select few people as people, I wouldn't be seen as some psycho killer.

I headed out the room, and walked back to where the hall of body parts were. I had to check in on Loki...however, the door to the hallway was locked and barred. I frowned, I would have to find him somewhere else then. I turned to the elevator and took it down to the second floor. I got out and continued to check doors. Some of the doors lead to rooms where I got the Hanged Man tarot card and the High Priestess tarot card. I also found my...more of Alessa's actually, room where the door leading out was locked with card shaped indents in a 3x3 pattern. The old sketchbook had a clue in it...and I found I was only missing a card.

I tucked the cards into the sketchbook and headed back out. I searched every door I could find nearby until I stumbled upon another hallway that looked like the hallway that I saw the glass. This time...next to the body parts were pictures of a man hanging in a closet with a child looking on. It had something different about it...and upon the glass was a picture of a black mass holding a noose and something that I couldn't recognize...I reached out to the picture and the next thing I know, the picture breaks apart and beyond the glass I saw Loki in a relatively stable state.

"L-loki?" I called out, trying not to strain my voice too much.

The room he was held in was completely different than the one I saw him in earlier. The room was the rusty and I could see pipes behind the grating. There was a sink and an hanging mirror though it was filthy and broken. Loki was looking out another barred-up window, arm still gripping at his arm where the IV was. He seemed lost in thought, or atleast that is what it appeared to me. I placed my hand on the window and tried calling for him again...and this time, he noticed me. He turned to face me and smiled, one only could describe as ephoric.

Cheryl? Is that you? Loki asked, coming right up to the glass and smiling, Are you okay?

"Yeah...I'm fine...but are you alright? What's wrong with your arm?" I asked him, his face showing confusion and thoughtfulness.

My arm? He asked, looking down to his arm.

"You are grabbing at it...is it hurting?" It was a stupid question, but his sudden look of horror and rushing to the sink made me confused, "Loki? What's wrong?"

...Damnit... Loki muttered under his breathe, his back still to me.

"What the hell is going on?" I erupted; what the hell was going on?

Cheryl...it's...it's nothing... Loki shook his head and in the mirror reflected the man in red, still smiling.

He was speaking to Loki, but his words didn't reach my ears. He screamed and punched the mirror, the glass shattering completely. He walked off to a corner, his face now in some what view...and it concerned me. He looked freaked-out, unstable at the moment. He looked like he was ready to cry even.

"Loki?!" I called out to him but he still seemed to be having a melt-down.

P-please...just...go find Claudia... He trembled, This...unh...pain...

"I can't just leave you..." I mumbled, turning my sight to the sink then to him, inwhich the man in red appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

No, I refuse to take it. I never wanted it...I'm not like that... Loki shook his head, the man in red's words still unheard to me.

"Loki, I have no clue what is going on...but you have to fight him! Don't give in!" I shooted, despite the pain, "It's the only way to end this nightmare!"

He looked up to me, blood dripping down his face, Cheryl...

I could only hold my breathe as he went to the window in a hurry, man in red still talking to him. He leaned against the wall, head in his hands. I grew fustrated, he was in trouble and I couldn't help him. I pounded against the glass, hoping to distract the man in red. It didn't suceed and Loki still trembling in pain. I felt my stomach cringe in pain, the anger must be what this god is growing on...

I didn't care though, I wouldn't put up with this torture on Loki. He didn't deserve this, "Loki...keep fighting...I'll kill Claudia...and I'll come back for you..."

I tried my best to look at him as I crouched down to the ground, gripping my stomach again. He looked surprised, and then hope filled his eyes.

I promise, when She is killed, I'll be there. I will...be there for you. Loki spoke and the man in red closing in on Loki.

I heard a thud, and to my surprise, the two were once again fighting. However, it seemed that Loki was faring out well as the pain went away. I shooted words of encouragment to him and started to leave to find that last card...when something like a corpse fell from the roof. I stumbled back, seeing a tarot card shaped object in it's pocket, I picked it out and it was the Emporer. I looked back to Loki to see that the man in red and him were still fighting.

I had a feeling this was his final battle, a fight that only he could win. As I was I about to enter a similiar battle...inwhich I could only pray it would end quickly and victorious for me.