Nightmare of Silent Hill Entry 06

Hey Guys,

Thank you so much for your patience on this one. I appreciate your continued support. Please excuse the unpolished writing, I don't have an editor. Here it is. Let me know what you think,

Kileka

NOSH 6: Perpetual Possession

Roger

"Zoe, can you pause a second?" I ask the poor girl to stop her story yet again. The director is waving at me, telling me to come talk to him. I know Zoe's story is coming to a close so the interruption bothers me. We have been interrogating her for an hour since our last pause. Judi looks at me and pauses the tape. Her glum expression makes me feel a pang of guilt. I leave the interrogation room and approach the director. He pushes a stack of papers in my hands. They are Zoe's files before the events of Silent Hill. I look through them. They contain her birth certificate, school transcripts and therapy reports.

The director says, "Apparently, she has a consistent behavior issue. She's seen therapists since she was 6 years old. The profiler needs some clarification on details before she went to Silent Hill. The questions are in the back. Be sure to ask them before proceeding with the interrogation."

The director's haughty, nasal voice irritates me in my exhausted state. I manage to squeeze out a somewhat polite "Ok." I'm thinking, 'Why doesn't the profiler come down and ask them him damn self?'

I walk back into the interrogation room with the papers in hand. Moving makes me realize that I'm sweating at the pits and how hot I am. I loosen my tie as I sit down. I take another swig of vanilla Coke before flipping to the page with the questions. I skim them and they look pretty standard. I nod at Judi. She presses play on the recorder.

"Zoe, are you feeling okay? Do you need anything?" I ask her.

She shakes her head in decline.

"I have a couple questions for you before we continue with your story. Is that okay?"

She smirks, "I guess." It's more of a reaction than I've gotten out of her for most of the interview.

I ask slowly, "Zoe, where did you live before you traveled to Silent Hill?"

She furrows her brow, like the question confuses her. "Harrisburg, Pennsylvania."

"I mean more specifically."

"Oh um, in a student apartment with my boyfriend, Kyle." The name came out weakly.

"You were going to college, right?"

She nods. "The Institute of Music at Penn State."

"For teaching Musical theory? Did you enjoy school?"

She pauses. "Yeah, actually alot."

"Did you have any relationship problems with your boyfriend, Kyle?"

This answer came out quicker and softer, "No, we barely argued. He was... my life in a sense."

"So why leave all that to go to Silent Hill? Something must've prompted that trip." It wasn't an accusation, just a question.

"I told you. The dream." The statement is curt, out of irritation.

"If that's so, why didn't you leave earlier?"

A long pause. "I told Kyle about the dreams. He suggested that I go."

"It says here you declined the phone call awarded to you during your processing. Did you tell anyone you were going?"

"No." She didn't look at me.

"Why not?"

"I wanted to go alone. It felt like it was something I had to do alone. I knew they would worry. It was my intention to call them once I got there."

"And why not call them now?" I am genuinely curious about this question.

She looks at me. "Imagine telling the ones you love that you're being held for questioning in a murder case. Imagine telling them everything I've told you."

It sounds sane, the way she says those sentences. Like she knows how crazy she sounds. Like she's a sane person in a crazy situation. It catches me off guard. I've never thought of her as a normal person in a traumatic situation. It's been too easy to label her as delusional and mentally instable than to give her any benefit of a doubt. It seems more likely now that she's fought slight instability her entire life. Being beaten and raped in that town just sent her over the edge. 'I'll find the bastards that victimized this girl and did these horrible things to her.' I almost feel obligated now, looking at her in this grisly state.

_________________________________

Kyle

In the three days Zoe's been gone, everything's seem to go to hell. It all started when I got home from a show, Zoe's not home and the single note on the fridge. It was eye-level where she knew I would see it. It said simply:

Kyle,

Be back in a few days. Went for some thinking time. I'll call you.

Zo

At first, I took it at face value. I figured she went to see her parents or something. Then, I got to thinking about it. She never saw her parents. She disliked visiting them. She didn't like the city. 'Where would she go?'

When the second day came with no call and her friends saying she wasn't in class, I started to worry. I tried calling her cell but it went straight to voicemail. I called her mom, but she didn't go home. Of course, her mom flipped out. She asked me a million questions but I knew better than to tell her anything. I called the cops on the third day. They stopped by, took a description and a report.

After they leave I slumped over on the couch, my mind racing. I tried to think of anything that would tell me where she went. I paced around our small apartment, her things and her smell all around me. I felt sick with worry. Something came to me. I checked her computer. It's unlocked. She always did hate the things. I checked her browsing history. The last one is from four days ago. My heart dropped and my eyes widened. Several sites on Silent Hill are the last things she visited. 'She didn't take me serious, did she? And to go alone. I know she was really upset about her dreams and her inability to have sex with me but to go this far. Why wouldn't she tell me?"

I grabbed my coat and my keys. It was about a four-hour drive to Richmond from here. I ran out the door with doubt in my mind and sick worry in my heart.

________________________________

Zoe

The agent finishes with the questions. I almost feel like I should call Kyle now. Who knows what he's doing. My twin in the mirror is back but this time she doesn't disappear. I ignore her as much as I can. As soon as I'm finished with my story, I'll call Kyle. I promise that to myself as the agent bids me continue with my story.

"The elevator comes to a grating, sudden stop. The doors whine open allowing hot, suffocating air to smother our faces. It felt like we just opened an oven door. My clothes instantly stuck to my skin. It was dark down here, the only light a reddish hue coming from out far in the distance. I pulled out my flashlight and turned it on. I had extra batteries just for this. I switched the shotgun out for the revolver. I only had a couple of rounds left for the shotgun anyway and I couldn't juggle it with the flashlight. I gave the Doctor a reassuring glance and noticed he pulled out a flashlight as well.

I led, taking a step out of the elevator. Only then did I notice it was a grate below me. We were in a cavern, with nothing but a grated walkway holding us over a pit of fire. It didn't help my already ruined nerves. I stepped slowly watching for monsters and my footing. To my right was rock wall and to my left it was open. I made my way to the banister and looked down. It was literally a pit of fire, smoldering and crackling below us. I gaped at the distance. This must lead down to the mine fires. I decided to keep moving. Another 15 feet was without incident, until there was path to the right. The outcrop was attached to the ceiling and there was a single box on it. It was a bit odd, but I thought to try for it. I stuffed my gun in my pants and handed my flashlight to the Doc. I told him, "Keep it pointed on the box." He nodded.

I crept out onto the hanging piece. It shook when I moved. The rods in the ceiling must be the only things supporting it. I scooted forward a slight bit more. The whole thing shook beneath me. My heart went to my throat and I started shaking. I scooted slowly forward, ignoring the way the whole thing shook with each movement I made. I made it to the box and snatched it up. The whole outcrop shook vigorously. I lost my footing and landed on my ass.

The doctor shouted out, "Zoe!"

"I'm fine." I shout back to him. I slowly rose from my feet, using the banister to steady myself. I moved slowly back. When I reach the Doctor, I breathed a sigh of relief. He grasped my arms with a look of panic on his face.

"All that for this." He looked at the box in my hands.

I looked at him. I looked at the box. It was undecorated wood box about the size of a shoebox. I lifted the lid slowly. Inside were a bullet and a note. I read the note first:

You'll know when.

A

It was a gift from Alessa. I looked at the bullet again. It was for the revolver but looked very odd. There were hollow engravings in the entire casing. I stuffed the bullet and the note in my front pants pocket and set the box down. I looked at the Doctor. He asked, "What is a single bullet going to do for us?" I didn't know.

I simply mumbled, "Lets keep moving."

The grated walkway closed up into an actual hallway. It was still hot but at least it was solid ground. We kept moving at a slow pace until we hit our first fork. The walls all looked the same ashy gray. To our right was a dead end. To our left was a darker hallway. I heard a loud screeching noise. It sounded like metal grinding on metal. It made my teeth hurt and sent a cringe through my shoulders. My heart pounded. We looked around anxiously. The wall to our right shook and my head snapped to watch it. The screeching stopped.

Suddenly the wall shattered. Loose rock scattered to our feet as we watched in rapt horror what lie beyond the shattered wall. A great monster of a man stood beyond the broken wall with a bloody pyramidal case on its head. It stood at least 8 feet tall, with the stature of a linebacker. It wore only a bloody, gritty apron. It stepped through the wall. I saw the muscles then, thick and corded all throughout its arms and legs. It spoke then, it's gruff voice rumbling through my bones, "So foolish child, to stumble into our lair. The demon wants you dead. And I shall oblige her."

It brought up its weapon, a great slab of metal, sharp, and as tall as me. My feet unglued from the floor and I ran. I felt the doctor behind me, close on my heels. I didn't stop or slow down until I met my first fork. I cursed. 'No, no, no ... this can't be happening.' My lungs burned and my heart was thumping wildly. It was straight or right. I peered behind me. The red monster was almost upon us. 'I was running as fast as I could! How did he catch up to us so fast! A right it was.' I clamored down the hall and picked up pace to a run again. My mind was racing. 'Was I just going to keep running? How do I kill it?' My sides ached and my lungs burned. I was too scared to stop. The doctor was falling behind. I peeped behind me. He was slowing, his breath short and sporadic. I yelled, "Doctor! Run!" It was a strain just to get the two words out. He jumped as the metal slab clinked down, grinding on the floor. He sprinted to match my pace. I hit another fork. 'Goddamnit!' The corridors were a straight and left this time. The monster was quick, coming behind us. We moved left, praying it was not a dead end. In short steps, it brought us to another fork of straight and left again. I picked left last time so straight. I took a few quick steps and rounded a corner to find a wall. My eyes blurred and my heart damn near came up my throat. I panicked. The pyramed headed thing was rounding the corner. My heart hammered in my chest. 'Fuck, fuck, FUCK!' I pulled the gun from my pants and pointed it at the guardian. I heard the doctor whimper. He lumbered toward us. We backed up until the doctor hit the wall. We were done for.

"Nowhere to run now, sweet prey. The smell of your fear is intoxicating. I want you for my own." It grumbled. I saw the shadow of an erection under its apron. Bile rose in my throat. I lifted the revolver, aimed for its chest and pulled the trigger. Click, bang, click, bang! The gun thundered in the small corridor and spots of red appeared on its abdomen. My wrist throbbed as I brought the gun level with it. My ears rang from the thundering gun. The doctor edged his way past the demon as it reeled from the shots. It laughed then. "Please fight, rabbit. It only makes it sweeter." It brings its slab of a sword up and tears flood my eyes. 'I'm going to die. Right here.' Images of Alessa's sweet face flashed in my mind. The thought of Kyle's shy smirk followed. I ducked, barely making it under the sword. I rolled forward coming up next to the monster. He swung around slowly. I dashed to the doctor. To my utter dismay, the red monster caught me. He had me by the sweater. I looked at the red demon and down at my shirt. I dropped, bringing my arms up. I got out of the sweater and scuttled along the floor. He swung his ginormous sword and missed my skinny ass by an inch. I felt the air as the sword missed me. I jumped forward and sprinted past the doctor. I went back to the fork and round the corner to the left. I curved two more corners and spotted doors out of the labyrinth. They were giant metal double doors. 'That might just keep him up.' I picked up speed, willing my burning legs, searing lungs to move me faster. I hit the doors, immediately grabbing the handle and screeching it open. I let the doctor pass through the doors before I look back. The red pyramid head had stopped and was laughing. I quickly squeezed through the doors and slammed them behind me.

I stopped and breathed if only for a moment. I listened and on the other side of the door. Nothing. 'Why did he stop chasing us?' I stuffed the gun in my pants before I put my hands above my head in an attempt to catch my breath. The doctor was doing the same. "We should get going, just in case he follows us." I said between deep gulps of air. He nodded as he panted. 'I'm scared out of my mind, truth be told. That...thing was from my dreams. It was the thing that...raped me every night.' The guardian's words brought shivers down my spine. 'No. I'm getting Alessa and getting out of here. There's no way to kill it. What was I going to do if he came back?' The doctor readjusted himself. I switched to my handgun. I had half of a clip of handgun rounds and only 4 revolver rounds, which I wanted to save. I only had 2 shotgun shells left. Admittedly, It wasn't much. Regardless we trudged on.

We entered what looked like a prison. It was linear in space allocation and ancient in design. The bricks were black and worn. The bars were rusty. There were no prisoners in the cells. We walked a few more cells down and came across a large metal door. This door had barbed wire on it and a red symbol painted on its belly. I recognized the symbol. I had seen it before on the floor of the hospital. It was composed of a big circle with three smaller circles within it. 'The demon, it must be the symbol of the demon,' I thought to myself. A loud click-clack sound echoed down the prison and interrupted my train of thought. I whipped around, panic almost setting in. 'Please no, not him again.' I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and whipped my gun up. It was one of the odd creatures, the one's that looked like two pair of legs attached at the torsos. I immediately fired two rounds into the one closest to me. It went down easy and blood pooled around its body. The doctor had gotten behind me as I shot the thing. There were four more, two to my right and two to my left. The one most right from me was also the nearest. I popped two more quick shots into that one. One of the things on the left kicked the doctor down. I popped that one as it goes to pounce on the doctor. I kicked its bleeding body off of him before going to fire on the next one. My gun clicked. I cursed. The doctor got in front of me as I threw the gun down and pulled out my shotgun.

The 2 leg monsters converged on the doctor. One clipped him as it lashed out at him. I pushed him down and blew a hole in the one that kicked him. The last one pounced on me, sending me to the floor. It was like a sack of potatoes getting thrown at me. I went down and the thing battered me. It flailed and kicked out at me. The doctor circled us. He aimed his gun at it but hesitated to shoot it. The thing kneed me right in the sternum as I yelled, "Kick it!" He did so, missing me by an inch and it flopped off of me. I brought the shotgun up and blasted the damn thing. A splatter of blood hit the wall behind it. The doctor helped me up and I dropped the gun. I was out of ammo for the thing anyway. I looked at the five corpses and thought of the ammo I had to waste on them especially with the two invincible guardians still around. I kicked one of the bodies out of frustration. I only had 4 revolver rounds left.

We opened and went through the metal door. The room brightened as we entered. We finally came upon a large open prison with a stone slab of an altar in the middle of it. The room was at least 50 feet tall and the size of a small gymnasium. I had been feeling panic build up in my chest since the elevator and now it felt like it was going to tear through me. The doctor had been silent, trotting miserably behind me. We moved further into the room. The altar was covered in dry blood and a large oval mirror sat behind it. A desolate desert of rust and horror lay beyond the mirrors surface. I recognized this scenery immediately. Tears filled my eyes and I sunk to my knees. It was the room in my dreams. 'Did I come all this way, just for my dreams to come to fruition? Please no! What does it all mean?' I heard the doctor shift at my side. I punched the floor. 'Where is Alessa? The guardians or the demon will come to finish us off. I can't rescue her.' Somehow I knew I never had a chance.

I heard the doctor hiss in a quick breath. I felt a soft small hand on my chin. It lifted my face to see her. Alessa looked pained and is panting slightly. My hands went up and around her sweet face. I kissed her again and again. I cradled her gently in my arms. Thank 'God she's safe.' She was trembling and panting. She stopped me. "Zoe? You fool."

I grabbed her hand and jumped up. "We have to go. Now!" I shouted.

She didn't budge. "I can't."

"Alessa?"

The doctor piped up. "Because it's her. She's the demon."

Her eyes shifted to him.

I let her go. I felt my heart drop and the tears started again. "What? No, ...that's not true."

She looked like someone had shoved a knife in her belly. "Zoe, do you have that bullet?" Her voice was shaking and she was grasping at her midsection.

My eyes widened. I put my hand on my pocket.

"It's for me, Zoe. Please. I wish I were stronger. Before I..." She stuttered and shook violently. "Please, hurry..." Her eyes shifted color. "I can't...please."

I was numb, speechless.

She seemed to still herself for a moment. "You were meant to do this. I've prepared you for this. This whole time...Zoe, shoot me so that..." The shake came back more violently. I watched her skin shift. Her eyes were rust colored. My mind was recalling the school. She gave me the gun. She was the one raped by the janitor. That's how she knew I would kill him. The scene at the hospital flashed back in my mind. First appeared the part where she absolved the nightmare when I was being chased by the gauze monster. Then later after we made love, she went with that creature willingly. I was at a complete loss. I was numb, my mind, my lips. 'She did prepare me for this, for me to kill her. She needed me to love her. Why?'

I immediately took the bullet from my pocket and chambered it in the gun. I looked up again. Barbed wire split through her back.

Half-scream, half-plead, "Zoe, ...release me from this ...nightmare!"