In the interim leading up to their engagement, the intern left the hospital to take a troubled walk through the streets of Silent Hill, mourning how something so tragic had brought her and the doctor closer together.
The fog had eventually cleared, paving way for beams of sunlight to pierce the grey hue that cascaded upon the town. She wasn't cold, instead finding that the star's warmth was keeping her from feeling the occasional breeze that caressed her bare legs.
Lacking the appetite to eat, she passed the Taco Shack restaurant with a lour, stomach turning as she breathed in grease laden air wafting from the vents. She hardly ate much of anything, finding that food lacked the appeal it once had.
Before heading to the theatre, she'd decided to stop by the local library in search of books pertaining to the occult. It all seemed so ridiculous, and she felt slightly embarrassed at the prospect of being seen studying such a topic.
Many of them produced little more than brief snippets of useless information, most of which regarded witchcraft and demonology. Interesting though it was, nothing could explain the strange and mysterious circumstances surrounding Alessa's hospitilization.
Magic was certainly not unheard of throughout history, yet Lisa had always considered it smart trickery. Now, after reading the in-depth texts available to her, she was beginning to doubt everything logic had taught her.
Valtiel? Samael? Who were these creatures, and why were they so highly regarded amidst the town's myths and legends? What if everything she had ever known was a lie?
On the verge of giving up her quest for answers, one chapter suddenly caught the girl's eye. Fire was often considered a means of cleansing sin from the world. It was frequently said to be one of the few ways a demon could be disposed of, and was widely viewed as a viable, almost noble method of sacrifice.
Uncomfortable, the nurse felt as though a strange force was absorbing her soul with every page that she turned; the frigid paper rough and coarse as it slid beneath her fingers. A shiver clambered down her spine as she realized the horrific implications regarding Alessa.
If it were a horror movie, she could almost forgive herself for buying into such silly superstitions. It was to be expected, afterall. But this was real life, and in reality, mothers didn't burn their daughters. They didn't offer them as lambs to the slaughter.
And yet, she truly thought Dahlia capable of an act so cruel.
What other reason could the woman have for wanting to torture her child in such a way? If the girl had simply died, it would have been easier to pass off the incident as an accident. That woman was delusional, and from what the books had said, she seemed intent on summoning the legendary creature illustrated on those pages.
But then, if the ritual had failed, why was Alessa still doomed to suffer in that lugubrious cell? They certainly weren't doing anything to help her.
Mentally exhausted, the intern was glad to arrive at Artaud Theatre, deserted except for a dwindling party slowly dispersing as she arrived. Head swimming from the many puzzles that tormented her mind, the teen was eager to settle herself in a familiar location, away from the trouble and strife of the demanding hospital.
The foyer was almost empty, occupied only by several members of cleaning staff. The next show wasn't for another couple of hours, leaving her free to wander as she pleased. Sneaking into the main stage, she seated herself in one of the chairs, gazing off into the distance.
It wasn't acceptable for customers to waltz through the doors without permission, but nobody had bothered to stop her, and she felt that worrying over something so arbitrary was utterly trivial compared to some of the things she had done.
It was peaceful in that darkened room, alone with nothing but the distant sound of creaking pipes to disturb her. Blissfully basking in memories of what could have been, the young woman almost wished she'd had the courage to stand up to her mother many years before.
This was where it had all started. Her desire to act, her mother's intolerance, the constant emotional manipulation that consequently led to her becoming a nurse, and from there on, Kaufman, PTV and Alessa.
Though her parents were partly to blame, Lisa also persecuted herself, her weakness, the inability to simply be as audacious as she had always wanted to be. In the end, she was nothing but a silly, foolish child, unable to wield the reigns of her own life.
For that, she sympathized with Alessa.
A beam of light abruptly disturbed her thoughts, tearing through the shadows like a vengeful dagger. Sitting upright, she turned her head towards the approaching figure.
Travis didn't notice she was there, at least not initially. As he walked down the aisle, she couldn't help but muse at how they two of them kept bumping into one another, almost as though the threads of fate had sewn them together.
Her red cardigan blended with the surrounding decor, providing ideal camouflage to conceal her from view. As the truck driver passed, a glimmer of recognition met his eyes, turning to stare at the woman flickering at the edge of his peripheral vision.
'What are you doing here Lisa?'
His tone sounded strained, as though her were agitated. The look in his wide eyes suggested otherwise, implying that he was simply startled by her unexpected presence. A wry smile curved the teen's lips, amused by his reaction.
'Sorry if I startled you. I thought I was the only one in here.'
Angling her body towards him, she let a hand rest in her lap, the other placed palm down on the seat. Peeking at him from beneath a curtain of hair, she couldn't resist the urge to play coy, finding that there was a certain charm to his confusion.
'It's dangerous.' He warned, face serious and unwavering.
The girl laughed, 'Dangerous, you're kidding?'
She pondered what meaning those worlds held. What was there to fear? A woman, alone in an empty theatre, surrounded by nothing but the buzz of insects and the whine of noisy old foundations. He was certainly a strange man.
But his concern for her was endearing. He wasn't her type, not at all, but if she viewed him from a certain perspective, maybe tilted her head to the side, he almost appeared quite cute.
'The door was open, so I let myself in.'
Slowly standing to her full height, Lisa lowered her lashes, approaching him with a sultry sway as she prepared to indulge in his slight unease, enjoying the trucker's discomfort as he took a small yet obvious step back.
He was on edge. How unexpected.
'I just love the theatre Travis. I want to be an actress.' She told him earnestly, one hip cocked as she beamed at him. 'But, mom was a nurse and her mom was a nurse, so I'm going to be a nurse.'
It had been a long time since she had confessed her aspirations to anyone. Even if he was just a stranger, it was nice to finally confide in somebody. It didn't matter if he held no interest in what she had to say, so long as she was able to say it.
'I've got what it takes though.' The teenager exhaled, adopting a seductive stance . 'I can't stop thinking about you, Travis.'
She grinned, coquettishly moving close, inhaling the scent of oil and gasoline that streamed from him. Travis seemed disturbed by the sudden change, but he didn't balk, nor did he try to shove her away, merely leaning back while he tried to gauge the situation.
She couldn't blame the man. Afterall, a young woman was openly flirting with him, interlocking both arms around his neck so that their bodies were inches from touching. Nose brushing his, the truck driver pulled back a little, nervous.
'I want you, you're all I think about.' She whispered, meeting his shifting eyes as the man tried to find something else to focus on.
Standing on the tips of her toes, Lisa caressed his cheek with a hand, feeling him shift beneath her as he turned to gaze at the palm on his shoulder, nails gently plucking at the fabric of his shirt. He didn't understand.
'Let's get the hell out of this crazy town. Run off, just the two of us. We could be so good together.' Voice alluring, she placed her mouth inches from his, watching as Travis closed his eyes and turned away.
Unable to continue the charade, and feeling guilty at having teased him in such a manner, the nurse pushed him back with a pitched guffaw, spinning in a circle before coming to a stop in the aisle, posing playfully before him.
'See, I could be a star!'
Hands on her hips, she dazzled him with a bright smile, content that she was able to fool him with her act. She was in complete control, and it was immensely satisfying.
The man began to chuckle, warming up considerably now that she had quenched his worry. 'Yeah...' He said, almost finding comfort in the fact that she wasn't serious.
'Well, see you around.'
Pivoting on her heel, she made to leave, happy at having succeeded in making Travis smile. It was cruel of her to torment him like that, but she had enjoyed being in charge, taking the opportunity to manipulate someone else. It was harmless fun, and she hoped Travis would forgive her.
After spending her whole life under the thumb of her oppressive mother, and then being used by Kaufman, just once she wanted to experience what it was like to have that power, to be the dominant one as opposed to the submissive role she had unwittingly been given.
Now, Lisa knew that it was time to head for the motel. She had to play the lapdog once again.