Author's Note: Here's Chapter nine. Starts off with Nick about to enter the apartments.

I will refer to Nick's Desert Eagle as just his eagle from now on. It would be easier for me.

Any monsters that appear will be for either Nick or Herman...And yes, Herman is making another appearance.

Enjoy.

Time – 8:25 pm

Here I was...in front of the entry gates to the "Urban Apartments". This was the apartments that appeared in my nightmare. Will it be identical to my nightmare? Or will it be completely different? I guess I'm going to have to find out...

I took the key and unlocked the gates. At the foot of the entrance to the apartments was a first-aid kit* and a map to the apartments*. The map looked the same as the one in my nightmares. I took them both and went through the doors of the apartments.

The lobby of the apartments was slightly different then my nightmares. The front desk was in the center of the room instead of being in the corner. The left and right hallways were the same through. I decided to check the desk for anything. In the shelves of the desk, I found about three keys to a few apartments (31, 38, and 35) and a memo.

The memo said, "To Winston, I have managed to clear out the right wing of the complex like you asked. The renovations will start in a few hours. Until then, the right wing is off limits to tenants and staff. The key is in my office if you do need to access the right wing for whatever reason. But besides that...OFF LIMITS!

P.S: All the lights are out, Did you forget to pay the electricity bill again?"

I went towards the door of the right wing and found that it was locked like the memo said. I checked my map and saw that, like my nightmare, Room 39 was marked. But Room 39 is completely sealed off...Do I really have to go there? I checked the door to the left wing and found that it was unlocked. So, I went through there.

Each wing contained twenty rooms. The right wing held rooms 21 – 40. The left wing had rooms 01 – 20. The left wing looked pretty identical to the right wing (in my nightmares, anyway). All the lights were out like the memo mentioned. It's times like this that makes my flashlight come in handy.

I saw that half of the wing was blocked off by furniture that didn't belong there. The furniture is suppose to be in the rooms, not outside the rooms. Because of the obstruction, I only had access to Rooms 01 – 10. The only rooms that didn't have a broken lock was Rooms 01, 03, and 05. Room five was locked and it had a plate on it that said, "Assistant to The Superintendent". The superintendent? Is it referring to the Winston that was mentioned in the memo?

I checked out room one first because well...it's number one. Right when I entered the room, my radio started emitting static. Out of the shadows comes a monster that had the glass shards, a limb, and no arms. This was the same monster that appeared in my dreams, but yet, it was different. It opened it's mouth (widely) and started letting out moaning sounds like as if it were in pain.

Right when I got my Eagle out, the monster had went up to me and started head-bonking me. The head-bonking, surprisingly, was as painful as being kicked in the gut. I managed to fire two bullets into it before it could land another hit on me. It fell onto the ground with a heavy thud. But, while it was on the ground, it started squirming. So, I finished it by stomping on it. I drank a Health drink to help relieve the pain from that head bonk

After making sure the apartment was clear, I looked around and saw a note on the kitchen counter. It said, "To Sam, I'll taken the keys to your office. It's in my bedroom if you need it.". I checked the bedroom and found some keys labeled, "Assistant Keys" on the bedside table. I guess I know where to go now.

Nothing eventful occurred on my way to the assistant's apartment. I took out the keys and opened the door. The apartment was like an art studio. There was paintings shattered everywhere. Art supplies even littered the floor.

I looked around the apartment and found a box of ammunition* for my Eagle. There was nothing else worth taking. What a let-down. I thought there would be something I could use (besides the ammo). I was hoping for something like keys to the right wing.

Then, I heard the echos of a gun go off in the distance followed by the sounds of a dying animal. It came from the right wing. What happened? I should go check it out. So, I made for the right wing.

I made it to the door to the right wing and found the door opened a crack. Could it have been Herman? He did tell me he would be coming here. I walked into the hall and what I immediately saw made me say, "What the hell!". I found the corpse of a monster.

This monster looked different from an monster I've ever encountered. The monster resembled a zombified deer. Half the body was rotten flesh; The other half was bones. One of the antlers were gone. And the smell of rotten, dead flesh was coming from the corpse.

Then, I heard footsteps. I looked down the hall and saw nobody or nothing coming. Instead, I saw footprints appearing in the ground in front of me. "What the crap?", I said aloud. After I said that, the footprints stopped for a few moments.

Then, the footprints continued on it's way. Soon, it disappeared out the door. I chased after them. After they went out the door, the echo of the footprints just slowly disappeared until it was completely gone.

Despite the footprints, I just continued on my way. Almost all the doors in the right wing had broken locks. The doors that didn't have broken locks were rooms 35 and 39. Room 39 was completely locked. I couldn't open it. So, I went into room 35. I'm glad I took those keys from the front desk.

As I entered the room, I noticed that it was completely different then my nightmare's counterpart. There wasn't a lamp in the middle of the room. The room was more empty then a bar (the one where you go to have a drink) in the morning. There wasn't anything in this room. The only thing in this room that was worth noticing was the giant-ass mirror that covered an entire wall.

This mirror was different. Instead of a simple reflection, it showed the "otherworld" version of this room. As I was leave the room (since there was obviously nothing to do here), I noticed that the door was locked. What the hell? I don't remember locking the door.

All of a sudden, my flashlight started flickering on & off. My radio emitted the faint static. And in the distance, the air raid siren went off. I was about to shift to the otherworld. The hellish, burnt world.

Then, I noticed that the mirror's "reflection" was doing something. The floor in the "reflection" started squirming like those little worms that you would often find on the ground after a rainstorm. I noticed that it started spreading to my room. The room I was in. Not the reflection.

Soon, the whole floor was covered. Then, the walls started to peel off like old wallpaper. As for the mirror...it now held the image of the regular world. It's like as if the mirror had exchanged worlds with the world I was previously in.

I also noticed that Viola was now in the mirror. She stared at me. It looked like she was trying to tell me something. But, the only thing I heard was silence. What are you trying to tell me, Viola? This is the second time this has happened.

Then, I heard another gunshot go off in the distance. This time, it didn't sound like an echo. It sounded close. Very close. Was it Herman?

I went out the door. Soon, I saw a glowing human-like silhouette in distance. I called out, "Hello? Herman? Is that you?" But then, the figure came into my Flashlight's illumination and I saw that it wasn't Herman. I was way off. As soon as the figure came into the light, My radio started going off.

It was a monster. It had a humanoid figure that looked like a human's outline. But close-up, it had hideous features. It was glowing because it was on fire. The skin looked like it was melting and you couldn't see any visual facial features because it was mostly hidden by the insane inferno covering any other features that you would otherwise see.

It also was letting out a deep sound that reminded me of someone being choked like as if it was trying so hard to get air. Mixed with the sounds of the fire, it gave me a chilling feeling that went right through my spine. It was like being face-to-face with death itself...

I guess there was only one way to handle this monster. With a shotgun. I went as close to it as I could without burning myself and pulled the trigger. The monster's fire went out when it felt the bullets pierce it's skin and fell to the ground. I quickly stomped on it before it's fire was lit again.

The monster didn't get back up nor did it moved again. It was dead. What the fuck? That had to be the scariest and sickest monster yet. Then, I heard the last thing I would expect to hear in this hellish world. "Hello? Is anybody there? I heard gunshots."

It sounded like it was coming from the lobby of the "apartment complex". I walked through the door and I saw another flashlight's flashlight was on the front desk of the apartments. It wasn't mine. I slowly walked towards the flashlight and saw that it was an angled flashlight. This kind of flashlight is often used by the military.

I picked up the flashlight. Suddenly, I heard the cocking of a shotgun and felt a barrel being pressed against my back.

"Don't move, fucker...Put that flashlight down."

I answered, "Are you sure it would be smart pointing guns at someone that could possibly become a valuable ally?"

Wait...that voice sounded familiar.

There was nothing but silence. I felt the gun being lowered down. Then, the voice said, "Nick? Is that you?"

"Herman? I had a feeling it was you."

"Good ta see that your alive." I handed his flashlight back to him. He clipped it onto his chest pocket.

"Herman...this is the second time you've pointed a gun at me."

"Can't be too cautious. Sorry, bud."

He paused for a minute. Then, he continued. "So, Where are ya headed?"

"To Room 35." I said as I showed him the map. He takes a quick look at the map.

"Alright. I'll help ya get there, bud."

"What? Why?"

"Because I'll been stuck here for awhile now. There's nothing else to do."

"Alright thanks. Let's go...Wait, is that a different shotgun? And also, nice flashlight."

"These? They were my old man's." I guess Herman's dad was in the military.

The shotgun he was using now was a sawed-off shotgun. Anyways, I went to the right wing door and found that it was locked.

"Herman, The door's locked. I can't open it. Who locked this? I didn't."

"Then, ya might this."

He digs into his pocket and pulls out a key. I grabbed it and saw that it was labeled, "Death's Key".

"Herman...this is "Death's key". Are you sure this will work?"

"No, but I have a hunch it will work."

"Alright, fine."

Right when I was gonna place the key into the lock, my radio started emitting static.

"What is that?", Herman asked.

"It's my radio. It emits static whenever there is a monster nearby..."

"Alright partner, That could come in handy."

We both shined our flashlights everywhere and soon, we both saw the oncoming monster. It was like the zombified deer I saw earlier. The only difference was that instead of being zombified, this one looked like it got skinned alive. So, all you saw was the blood veins and the insides. It looked really disgusting.

We both fired our shotguns almost simultaneously. The force of being shot from both of the shotguns knocked the deer a few feet backwards. As it let out the sound of a dying animal, It fell to the ground. It was dead, my radio stopped discharging the static.

Both me and Herman looked at each other and nodded. I placed the key into the door and the door was unlocked. We both walked through the door and we found ourselves not in the right wing, but in an entirely different room.

This room was like the dome-shaped room in the frozen version of the library. In the middle of the room was a man, behind him was a strange, unusual rock formation. Why was that there?I saw something in the hands of the unknown man. For some reason, the man looked vaguely familiar.

The man spoke. And when he spoke, it reminded me of a snake's hissing tongue.

"Oh, look who we have here." The mystery man said.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Don't you recognize me...Punk."

Punk. Only one person had ever called me that. The one who killed Viola. I don't like to admit it. But yes, she is dead. Just that one word triggered a flashback to the past. It was just a few months ago. I was on my way out after a visit to Viola at work.

I yelled behind my back, "Good work, Viola. See you tonight, alright?"

She yelled back, "Yeah!"

A few minutes later, I walked back to Viola's office because I heard her arguing with someone. Right when I entered the office, I saw Viola had her back against the window that offered a great view of the city. The person she was arguing with was pointing a revolver at her. Viola saw me, but I held my finger against my lips to tell her not to let him notice me.

"I know you saw me kill the fucker! I saw you running away like the frightened coward you are!" ,The man said

"But I didn't!" Viola replied

"Lies! Lies! And now, I shall silence you..."

"No don't...I-". Before she could finish her sentence, The man goes up to her and there was a minor struggle that ended with Viola being back against the window.

Right when I was gonna do something, the man fires two bullets and the first bullet caused the window behind her to shatter. The second bullet hit Viola in the neck. The bullet caused Viola to stumble back into the weakened window. Her weight caused the window to break, sending her over the edge...to her death.

I heard the city's bell tower go off in the distance along with Viola's scream. The man looks over the edge, then turns around and sees me.

"Who are you...Punk? You saw what happened, didn't you?", He asked.

The rest was just a blur. I remember I got cut in the neck that day. I still have the scar to prove it. I'm not sure how through...

Author's Note: And that's Chapter nine. Hope you enjoyed the double-lengthen chapter.

Several parts of this chapter (the footprints and the shift) were inspired by the actual games. I just altered them to match the story and fit my purposes.

Originally, The flashback was gonna be Nick about to enter an elevator going down and the man entering it. With Nick being caught off-guard, But I changed my mind

The next chapter will continue where this chapter ended; after the flashback.

Inventory Time:

Weapons

.50 AE Desert Eagle (Pistol) - 5 / 21: Exchanged for the Beretta; Found in the police department. Better then the Beretta in terms of stopping power. But it has three less bullets and a slower firing rate. But it is still worth taking.

Steel Pipe: Found in the tunnel. A pipe like this is usually used in plumbing. But it makes for a nice melee weapon. About three and a half feet long.

Pump-action Shotgun - 5 / 19: Found in Silent Hill Library. A pump-powered shotgun that packs a punch. Can take out multiple enemies at once.

Health Supplies

Health Drink x03: A drink with limited healing properties. Comes in grape or strawberry flavors. Yum.

First-Aid Kit x02: A medical kit that comes with many healing supplies inside. Takes time to use it, but it is worth it...usually.

Important Items

Flashlight: In my chest pocket. Always handy whenever I have a blackout in my house (which happens often). Can be turned on/off.

Radio: Found in Goods N' Sales. Emits static whenever there is a monster nearby. Can be turned on/off (though it's not very helpful when it's off).

Silent Hill Map: Found in the Town. Pretty self-explanatory.

Urban Apartments Map: Found at the entrance to the apartments.

Lighter: Found in the Library. Just an ordinary lighter. Can melt small pieces of ice. I decided to keep it with me, might come in handy in the near future.

Discarded Items

Butterfly Knife: A rare knife that isn't sold in retail stores. I had to order it online. Can't stress enough about how sharp it is. It is currently not in my possession. I gave it to Lana, so she could defend herself.

White Rose: Found at the entrance to the library. Beautifully crafted. Belongs to Lana Pendanski. Given back to her in "Fred's Cafe".

Silent Hill Library Map: Found on a library chair. Like the town map, it's self-explanatory. Discarded because I won't be needing it anymore.

Savior's Note: Found in my pocket. A note from the one that saved me from the tunnel. It's the same note about the valves from the same tunnel. Turns out that Lana was the one that saved me.

Well, that's it for this chapter. See ya next week