Chapter 2: Welcome to Silent Hill

I opened my eyes and found myself on my back looking up at something unrecognizable. My vision was blurry and there was red liquid all over my body. I looked up at the thing hanging above me and could just barely make out that it was a giant canopy. But then the canopy moved and I could see a person's face poke out from it smiling at me. Could the canopy be a hood? The person smiled and a giant hand came from out from where I could see and touched my face. I drew away quickly in panic but I found myself completely immobilized. The person laughed happily in a gleeful manner that could only have belonged to a woman and a tear fell from her giant sparkling eyes. A blinding light illuminated her face causing me to squint my eyes. I could barely make it out as a faint smile slowly came across her face before a deep haze filled my mind and my eyes blurred as I drifted out of consciousness.

I jumped from my car seat slamming my head on the roof of the car. There was a loud crack and I yelped in pain but I managed to get my eyes open again. I was back in the car now. Another vision? A dream? Was it real or not? I found myself trembling, crying hot tears in frustration. There were so many things I didn't know. So many things I didn't understand. All my life I felt so lost, so confused. Hearing stories of what I did though none of it I experienced. Memories, recollection of ones past and what they've learned and experienced; if you have none then what are you but a shell? I remember some but the rest is gone so what am I then? Is it better to be nothing then being a broken? I pounded my fist against the dashboard and sat back in my car for another ten minutes in the fog to get control of myself. I tried turning on the radio again but now all that came out was static.

I took your letter and a picture of you out of the glove compartment as well as my flashlight before hopping out of the car into the fog filled street. Everything was covered by the heavy fog; everything that is except the silhouette of a tall sign in the distance. I looked back towards my car only to find it was not there. I rubbed my eyes checking to see if it was just my imagination but it was gone as if it had also been engulfed by the mist becoming part of the unknown. I didn't even think to complain. I knew somewhere in the back of my mind I'd had been brought here for a purpose higher then that of a car. I continued walking towards the silhouette for what seemed to be hours until I finally was right next to the large sign reading the big red letters, "Welcome to Silent Hill.". I'd made it. Now I only had to find you.

I continued to stumble down the endless street, walking through the fog without a sound except for the step of my shoes on the gravel beneath me and the sounds of my own breathing and heart beating. I saw a light in the distance and began running towards it not knowing what it was. After yet another eternity I saw that it was a street light and as soon as I had reached it the dim light had flickered out. I looked to my right to see that the fog was now somewhat visible and only a few feet to my right was a building. Hanging on the building was a sign, "Theresa's". I walked up to it almost bumping into one of its display windows. Dressed up mannequins were on display inside adorned with fancy clothing and accessories. I searched the wall till I finally came across a door coated in blood. I ignored it thinking it was one of my visions and continued in.

A small bell rang as I opened the door. It startled me as it was the first thing besides crunching gravel and heavy breathing. Once I closed the door the whole world seemed to stay still and wait for what would happen next. I took one step forward into the store. The room was completely destroyed with clothing flung throughout it draped across the stands and floor and the structure in terrible condition. I let out a quiet, "Hello?" but to my disappointment, no reply. My flashlight let off an eerie glow as I searched the rundown store. A horrid shadow jumped up against the wall causing me to jump only to realize it was one of the tipped over mangled mannequins. I found the front desk (which was also covered with clothing) to find a pair of keys. I turned around and tried unlocking the back door with the keys and was surprised when there came a soft click and the door slowly swung open. I peered into the room with my flashlight illuminating the torn apart walls and floor. A strange faint static could be heard from inside the room. I could hear what sounded to me faint voices within the static but tried to think nothing of it as the situation was already eerie. I walked inside the room slowly when all of a sudden the door slammed shut behind me.

I jumped, surprised of the loud noise before hearing another thump. I searched the door in the darkness but the handle had come off. I shined my light on the floor looking for it only to catch a quick glimpse of it roll between the legs of a mannequin before stopping. I reached from under the mannequin and grabbed the door handle letting out a sigh of relief before standing up to find myself face to face with another pair of long shiny mannequin legs. I jumped back in shock but what came next was even weirder; the legs began to move. The static went crazy and the whispers got louder. The strange mannequin began to twitch and writhe towards me flailing its top set of legs at me. I ducked to the side and back up from the creature hitting my back against a desk. I was startled when a strange object pressed against my back. I reached back with my hand hoping it was something useful and found it was an iron pipe. I kept it behind my back trying to surprise the creature. The mannequin lurched towards me and began flailing its bloody legs at me I quickly drew my pipe holding both ends and blocked the creatures swing. I pushed forward throwing its attack off making it recoil and drew back the pipe before swinging with all my might at it. As the pipe made impact there was a loud crack and the creature shook creepily and then froze before falling to the ground twitching. I took the pipe in both hand and drove it into the creature. It halted completely, the static stopped and blood oozed from the creatures deep wound. A strange overwhelming rage overcame me as if my body wasn't my own and I began striking the creature's carcass with the pipe. I wailed and yelled in an all-out frenzy slamming the creature in complete insanity. Blood flew from the creature staining the tattered gray floors and landing on my clothes and face. Then as soon as the strange feeling came over me it left and I slowly backed away from the body and before bumping into a backdoor. I backed all the way out causing dim light to shine in the decrepit room and on the creature's mangled body. As I slipped out all the way the door it slowly began closing till only a crack of light showed. One of the creature's legs twitched making me jump a good foot into the air before the door immediately closed with an ear shattering thud leaving me facing the rust covered door.

As soon as the door closed my legs gave away and I fell to the ground with my back against the door. Was it another vision? But it seemed so real... I cried and shook uncontrollably, "What is wrong with me?" I cursed running my bloody hand through my short blonde hair and stood up grasping the iron pipe in my hand. I had no clue where to continue from there. I had just killed some kind of freakish monster. Where do you go from there? Yet I knew turning back was impossible for me. It wasn't just that I couldn't just abandon you. I felt as though something else had called me here. In a very strange way I felt like the town also needed me.

I looked around me to discover I was in a large street with buildings on each side. I looked down at the pale sidewalk to see a small red radio. It must have been the one I'd heard before. I picked it up anyway, not knowing when I'd need. The fog had cleared up some here I thought and continued walking down the grey sidewalk. As I walked down the abandoned street many thoughts and feelings ran through my head, feelings of peace and tranquility yet also feelings of fear and helplessness. I looked around for any sign of life. It felt almost as though an ominous presence was following me through the fog filled town.