A/N: Okay so it has been AGES since ive updated thi story...and chances are there probably no one reading it :/ but i hope atleast someone is, and they drop a review to let me know they like the new installments :)

The Bitter Season

Alex stepped cautiously into the abandoned Hospital.

Dust particles floated lifelessly through the air as intruding light beamed through the creaky wooden door.

"Josh?" Alex called quietly, praying for an answer.

But instead recieved nothing.
Alex made his way through the cold building trying every door he came across hoping atleast one would be unlocked.

After trying about what felt like a hundred doors Alex stopped when he came to the 'Operation Room'. Slowly Alex pushed the dust covered door open; switching the lights on as he did so.
The lights flickered constantly as Alex walked into the abandoned operating room. There wasn't much in the room apart from a blood stained gurney, a filthy metal sink, some scalpels, and a huge mirror covering a whole wall to itself.

Alex walked slowly over to the mirror. Placing his hand on the dirty glass, he noticed how sickly he looked; Oh how greif affects a person he thought.

Suddenly Alex's thoughts were cut short by a strange sound emating from the drain in the sink across from the mirror.

Alex walked over to the sink, suprised by the blood bubbling up from the holes in the drain.

"What the fuck?..." Alex muttered as the blood started to spread up the sink bowl at the fast pace in a vein like pattern.

Within seconds the little red 'veins' had spread out of the sink and outward across the walls and flooring. Alex started walking slowly back trying to stand in a non tainted area of the room.

Quickly Alex ran to the door of the operation room only to find it somehow locked. Alex tried to pull the door open but was shocked to find it not budging.

"Hello Alex." A young girls voice spoke from behind him.

Alex turned around quickly. A young girl stood before him, she had jet black hair that was knotted and messy and caked with blood, she was deathly pale and looked somewhat demonic.

"W-who are you?" Alex managed to whisper out.

"I am Alessa." The girl smiled, showing off her rotted teeth.
Alex stared in awe at the ghostly female, could she have been the girl Josh was talking about?

"How do you know my name?" The Shepherd asked curiously.
Alessa was silent for a moment before responding. "Well, you see Alex, you have something that I want."

"What do I have that you want?..."

Alessa smiled darkly. "Your life."
Alex's eyes widened slightly. "Why do you want my life...whats so special about me?"

The girl smirked again. "Your daddy clearly didn't tell you did he? All those children who have gone missing in Shepherds Glen weren't just a mere coincidence. They were murdered, and you were supposed to be too, but you killed Josh instead. Your actions ruined the towns pact that had been made nearly 200 years ago."

Alex felt weak, this was all too much for him to handle. He could have died instead of Josh, but his actions made Josh die instead of himself.

"So you want me to die too then?" Alex mumbled averting his eyes from the demon girl.

"Oh now Alex, I don't like things to be that simple. I like a fair trade."

"Well if you like a fair trade, then how about this...I swap my life for Josh's."

Alessa stood for a moment, thinking over Alex's proposal. "You would really be willing to give up your life for your brothers?"

Alex nodded once. "He means everything to me, and this to me would be a small way to make things up to him."

"I'm shocked at your willing-ness to simply hand over your life for the sake of your brother, therefor I will think over your offer." Alessa said darkly.

Alex was about to respond when he was hit with a pounding headache, causing him to fall to his knees with his eyes sqweezed shut.

The pain only lasted for about a minute before Alex recovered fully, but when he opened his eyes Alessa was gone.

Alex exited the Hospital and made his way home; his mind racing the whole way back.
The walk took about an hour so when the teen arrived home it was 5:06 in the morning.

The Shepherd had assumed his parents would still be in bed asleep so he made sure to be extremely quite while re-entering the house. That was until Adam called Alex in from the lounge.

Alex stopped dead in his tracks, his heart pounding at the fact his father had caught him sneaking in.

"Alex come into the living room now, please." Adam demanded calmly.

The brunette walked in slowly, his eyes trying to avert the elders gaze.
"Alex where on earth were you for the past 3 hours?"

The Shepherd didn't want to admit where he had been mainly because his father was heavly against it.

"I went for a walk."

Adam stood from his chair. "Now don't you lie to me boy. I know you went off to that damned town!"

Alex didn't respond, but instead just kept his head down, afraid of what was going to happen next.

"I've had a gut full of this shit!" Adam stated angrily.
"I heard you talking to yourself in your room the other day, your not better at all are you? Your just as much as a maniac you were before..."

The words hurt Alex, how could his father speak about him this way?

"I wasn't talking to myself..." Alex mumbled.
The elder Shepherd scoffed. "Is that so Alex? well then, care to tell me who was in your room?"

Alex stood in silence yet again.

"Joshua."

Adam's eyes widened at the name. "You really are insane!"

"I'm not insane!" Alex choked.

"Then why did you go out at the early hours of the morning to Silent Hill?" Adam asked; his voice starting to raise.

Alex stepped back from his father, he couldn't tell Adam. It was obvious no one was going to believe him no matter how much he tried to convince them otherwise. Alex especially didn't want Adam to know he had found out about the Sacrifices.

"No answer?" Adam pressed.

Alex looked down at the floor; he had done this since he was a little boy whenever Adam would yell at him.

Adam pushed Alex's back against the living room wall and pressed the question further.

"Tell me now Alex."

Alex shook his head lightly; his head still facing the floor.
"Theres no point telling you..."

Adam clenched his fists together tightly before hitting Alex in the side of the face.

Alex winced slightly and brought his hand up to his cheek to try and sooth the ache.
The elder walked out in a rage. "Why couldn't you be more like Joshua? He my ideal son..."

The teen retreated to the safety of his bedroom the moment Adam was gone. He just needed Josh here, he had been compaired to Joshua his whole life, but Alex never let that tear his relationship with his younger sibling apart, atleast until that night at the lake.

Alex felt like his life was taking one step forward, and then two steps back. It was like a rollercoaster and it made Alex dizzy.

Slowly the Shepherd made his way to the bathroom to examine his face. Surely enough there was a small bruise forming on his cheek bone from the impact.

The brunette then made his way back to his bed, enjoying the soft comfort it offered, then feel shortly off to sleep.

-

A/N: well this chapter was actually of somewhat decent length! and was very rich in plot...now things are really going to start happening guys now that Adam has noticed Alex going to Silent Hill and finding out all kinds of things he shouldn't . oohhh i really hope you guys like this new addition to the story and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASEEEEEE REVIEW!