Author's Note: Hello, all. So. In this chapter, you get to learn a little bit about Elliot and his reasons for wanting to go to Silent Hill. If you have any questions or suggestions for this story, drop me a PM. I love suggestions, but I don't always use them. I would still love for you to give your opinions in the form of a review, though. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

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Travis had been driving for hours. He was used to these types of nights, but the passenger with him obviously was not. Elliot stirred, making Travis want to avoid the subject that'd been nagging at his mind. He had already passed Silent Hill, but still felt that ugly pull at his mind whenever he thought about that town. What he witnessed and endured there was no small matter. Elliot didn't know it, but Travis knew more about that town than he'd liked to admit to anyone. When someone asked, if ever there were a time when someone asked, about the times he'd spent in and around small towns, he'd avoided telling them about Silent Hill. In his dreams, Silent Hill would inhabit. If there were something that disturbed Travis more than sleepless nights, it'd be the dream-filled ones. Travis heard Elliot awaken from his sleep.

"What's wrong, Travis?" Elliot questioned sleepily.

Travis looked away from the road to look at Elliot, then back to the road.

"Nothing. Just lost in thought, I guess." Travis responded after pushing the thoughts of Silent Hill to the back of his mind. But, like all bad things, it couldn't stay there for long.

"Are we in Silent Hill yet?"

Travis sighed silently. He didn't want to be the one to tell him he couldn't go, much less the one to take him.

"Listen, kid... You don't want to go to Silent Hill. It's... It's not a town you want to get mixed up with. Wherever your mother is, it couldn't possibly be in Silent Hill." Travis didn't take his eyes off the road to say this to Elliot. He knew how teenagers could get when faced with the word no, and didn't want to see the look on his face.

"How would you know? You don't know my mother, or why she'd be there." Travis could detect the hint of irritation in Elliot's voice, and, yet again, Travis had offended him.

"Look, I may not know your mother, but I know, if she's sane, she wouldn't be in Silent Hill. So why don't you tell me why she'd be there?" Travis knew he was getting a little defensive. But, damn it, he needed to know whether sending this kid to Silent Hill was worth it. Not that Travis thought going there was ever worth it.

"If you promise not to tell my dad, I'll tell you." Elliot looked at Travis, looking to see if there were any possibility he'd lie to him. Travis glanced at him, then drew the letter x with his finger over his heart to indicate he promised to never tell.

"Cross my heart," Travis replied.

Elliot eyed him suspiciously, then apparently decided he was trustworthy enough to tell.

"I guess I could start with my dad," Elliot said, not looking at Travis, not even for a moment. He continued, "Let's just say he's not a very nice guy. When I was a little kid, my dad walked out on me and my mom. He left her with all the bills. She worked all day, every day for me. But... about a year ago, she was diagnosed with cancer." Elliot looked out the window, which now shown a cloudy sky ready to let rain fall. Some would say it was ironic, considering. Elliot fiddled with a key chain that hung from one of his belt loops.

He must've gotten that from that gas station, thought Travis, eyeing the key chain for only a second.

Elliot continued his story, "It was hard trying to take care of her and deal with school at the same time..." Elliot took a pause and continued to stare at the window.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Travis said. Travis felt bad for the boy, he did, but he couldn't see the connection this had to Silent Hill.

But Elliot continued, "Then, a few months ago, my dad came back. Apparently, whatever life he left us for wasn't enough, and he thought it was better to mooch than be on the streets. Anyway, I thought things would get better for us, especially Mom. But they didn't. They just got worse. My dad not only never paid any of the bills, but he started being meaner and meaner as the days went on. Especially to my mom. He would call her names and spit on her when she didn't make his meals fast enough. It got so bad that he started hitting her. I wanted to help, I did, but I wasn't strong enough to fight him. He would threaten me, and say and do things that were..." Travis could see Elliot starting to cry. Through his tears, he barely uttered the rest of the story, "Then, one morning when I woke up, my mom wasn't there. She was gone. And I was left alone with that monster."

Travis took in what Elliot had said. He couldn't say he knew exactly how the kid felt, but he could definitely relate to a broken home.

"So, why do you think your mother's in Silent Hill?" Travis asked, not so much out of irritation or impatience, but to more understand why the kid so badly needed to go there.

"Well... She said that Silent Hill was her hometown. She used to tell me all about it. She said it was a wonderful place to live and be happy. So I can only imagine that's where she'd be - somewhere she could be happy." Elliot wiped some of the tears from his cheeks, calming down.

"Elliot, that doesn't mean she's in Silent Hill. I hate to break it to you, but she could have easily just walked out on you." Travis immediately regretted saying what he did.

"How could you say that? My mom would never do that to me!" Elliot was obviously hurt and angry at what Travis said.

"Stop the truck, I want to get out," Elliot demanded.

"I can't just stop the truck, Elliot. We're nowhere near a bus station." Travis responded softly.

"Then take me to Silent Hill, or I'll find someone else who will!" Elliot's gaze darted toward Travis, face still stricken with tears, old and new. Travis new he was going to ultimately regret what he said next, "Fine. I'll take you to Silent Hill."

Elliot's face lit up like the sun. He was obviously satisfied with Travis's response.

"Thank you!" Elliot shouted to Travis, leaning and wrapping his arms around his neck.

"Okay, okay! I got to drive here." Travis stated demandingly.

Elliot laughed, then said, "Sorry."

He smiled at Travis, then sat back down properly in his seat. Travis turned at the nearest rest stop, then started heading towards Silent Hill.