overplays | there is a storm in the distance

there is a storm in the distance

[ The rocky shore under his back digs in, hurting even through the thick material of his jacket. When he tries to breathe, he chokes, turns on his side to cough up water onto the rocks. His head's pounding, his throat's sore - he wasn't here a second ago. What happened?

don't be afraid, son.

He pushes himself to sitting, runs hands through damp hair, slicking it back. He's soaked, again, like the first time he'd arrived in Silent Hill. But he'd - he'd been in the underground area. The sacrificial chamber. That thing, and Josh, he'd said his goodbyes -

joshua will be safe

His head's pounding, harder now. It hurts, it hurts and there's just images, bits and pieces that he can't quite fit together. He'd left the chamber, but then what? He'd met with Elle and Wheeler, right? That was the only conclusion that made sense. But there wasn't anything of that in there, there was just dark backgrounds, the feeling of being cold and wet, of fear and dread and hands holding him down.

What happened?

It comes all at once, feels like a physical blow. He remembers being tied up, waking in the old claw-footed tub in his childhood home. Remembers his father walking in, the confusion and disbelief he'd felt at seeing Adam alive. That couldn't have been right. The Bogeyman had cut him in half. Alex had felt the blood on his skin.

don't be afraid, son. your sacrifice will save all of us. joshua will be safe to carry on the family name.

But Josh was dead. Alex had killed him. Right? Or had it all been a delusion, something his guilty conscience cooked up to get him back home, make him face what needed to be done? What had happened? What was real, what this even real or was it a dream, another delusion? Had his father really drowned them right in their own home? Was Shepherd's Glen still safe for another fifty years?

Is he going insane?

He can feel his breath coming short, chest tightening in an oncoming panic attack. He doesn't know what to do, where to go, but he needs to move.

So Alex moves. He stumbles to his feet, moves into the fog-covered streets of Silent Hill. He doesn't want to be back here, but if he's here there must be a reason. Maybe if he looks, he'll find an explanation for what's going on.

(God, he hopes so.) ]

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[for once the smile breaks, coming into something close to a smirk. what an interesting boy.]

Have? Are they here?

[or is he all alone, with no one and nothing. you know what they say. you can't take it with you.]

Edited 2012-11-26 18:58 (UTC)

[ The question doesn't make him falter. He simply shakes his head, admits to the truth: ]

No, they're not. [ He straightens up, gaining more confidence, getting his feet back under him, so to speak. ] Better that way. Silent Hill's screwed us up enough. If I had to die -

[ Did he die? Did Adam actually kill him?

Would if be better if he did?

Save the town for another fifty years. Maybe they could use that time to figure out another way, some way to escape the touch of this place, the pact the founders had made with Silent Hill's god when they fled.

But the town was built on, protected by blood and corpses. What would happen when it came time for Josh to carry out his duty? Alex can't help shuddering at the thought, eyes sliding shut as he takes his head, mind whirling with arguments and counter-arguments. (If the town is safe - For how long? Does it justify what they did? To Scarlet, to Joey, Nora?

To you?

-

Am I even dead?)

He doesn't finish the sentence, eyes shutting tight again against the pounding in his head, his temples, pressing the heel of his hand to one of his eyes. There's too much to consider, too much to take in that he feels like even if he had forever he couldn't being to grasp the gravity of it all, or what the right answer might be. ]

You're confused.

Why don't we talk later?

[without giving him a chance to respond walter disappears once again.]

[gone is the mysterious man, leaving the house silent, save for the wind. it whistles through the crack of the window fondly, trying in vain to get in.]

...huh?

[moments later a tiny voice speaks out, hiding behind a chair in the living room a few feet away from the front door.]

You're the stranger.

[ Alex opens his eyes in time to see Walter disappear, not sure how to feel about the development. Sure, he hadn't been around Walter, but at the same time... at the same time, he didn't want to be alone. Alone, stuck with nothing but the sounds of an old, lifeless house and the thoughts that he can't make heads or tails of.

He stands in the silence, stares at some point on the wall without really seeing it, trying to keep his mind quiet - and then he hears the voice. He turns his head, shifts to get a better look, sees the boy he was chasing earlier. ]

I - yeah, I am. [ He pauses then, moves to kneel down, but doesn't get any closer. Maybe he'll seem less threatening this way. ] My name's Alex. Who're you?

[the little boy brings a hand up to his mouth in serious thought.]

You're not bad?

[the child asks in all sincerity. there's also an unspoken implication to his tone. if you are, i'm not telling.]

[ The question gets a small smile from Alex, one that's gentle and kind from experience with his brother, with children younger than him. He shakes his head, settles to sit on the floor instead of crouching. ]

Nope. I fight bad people.

[his answer must be good enough, because after pondering for a moment the boy nods and moves out slowly from behind the chair.]

Everyone calls me Walter, Walter Sullivan.

I've never seen you before.

[ Walter.

The name's common enough. But he just met a Walter, and blond hair and blue eyes... A common combination, but Alex can't help wondering, even if the possibility seems insane. (This is Silent Hill.) He doesn't know what to think.

He's quick to get the surprise off his face, though, shrugging at the comment. ] I don't come here often. [ True enough, and truer than saying he's new. ] I live across the lake from here. Ever heard of Shepherd's Glen?

[he shakes his head.]

No. I've only been to South Ashfield.

[he visibly brightens.]

My mom's waiting for me there. I'll get to meet her soon!

South Ashfield? [ He thinks, tries to consider if he's heard the name, but if he has it fell out of mind. He rubs at his chin, considering. If the kid's mom is there, what's he doing here, in Silent Hill of all places? There's no way it would drag in someone so young, right? ]

Where's that? I can help you get back to her, if you need it.

I don't know, but he promised to being me to her! All I'm suppose to do is wait.

[walter gives him a small nod.]

Edited 2012-11-26 20:07 (UTC)

'He'? Who's he?

[ God, he hopes not the creep he just saw. If it is, there's no way Alex can let that happen. There's no telling what the... other Walter actually intends. ]

My brother, he wants to see mom too.

[ That has Alex relaxing. If the kid's brother is supposed to find him, he must be okay.

(There's so many parallels here, it's almost a little nauseating.) ]

So your brother's somewhere around here? Do you know where?

No, but he'll come get me. He always does.

Hey, you wanna play?

[he's taking alex's hand and tugging, urging the other boy onto his feet.]

[ He doesn't feel certain about that, but then Walter's tugging on his hand and Alex has little choice but to get to his feet. He gets up, unable to help his concern, given where they are - ]

It's kind of dangerous to be playing around here.

[walter doesn't appear to share his concern. rather, he lets go of alex's hand and runs to the front door.]

I know all the best places, c'mon!

Hey - wait up!

[ It may be dangerous to be playing, but it's more dangerous to leave Walter alone. So Alex is quick to follow after him, keep him in sight. There's no way he'd feel comfortable losing track of the kid in a place like this, not until his brother shows up. ]

[it must be a strange parody to watch little walter running down the neighborhood street, foggy and unclear. he resembles any healthy young child, full of energy and easily excited. it's out of place, when the sky is too clouded over to see, and an eerie wind settles in.

he turns a corner to find a grassy patch, a large bush sprawling in the corner. making a beeline to the bush, walter starts digging through it, frowning when his hands don't find what he was looking for.]

This isn't my ball...

[he tries tugging it out, only to fall back with a thud.]

Ow.

[ He rounds the corner not far behind Walter, watching him dig through the bush with a frown. He pauses, considering whether to try to help or see if he can convince Walter to get away from there, but... ]

Hold on, maybe I can get it. Stand back, okay?

[ He moves toward the bush, but he won't try to get whatever's in there until Walter's a safe distance away. Don't want to risk him getting hurt, in case it's dangerous in any way. ]

[for once walter is inclined to listen. he backs up a couple paces, watching avidly to see what it is alex picks up.]

[ He nods to the kid once he's backed up, then moves to crouch in front of the bush, leaning in to reach carefully through the leaves for whatever is hiding there. After a minute his hand closes around something, something almost familiar in his grip - a handle of some sort? - and he starts tugging. It takes a bit of force, but soon enough he's got it pulled free, stumbling back.

He's a bit surprised when he finds himself holding onto a sword. Bigger, heavier than any weapon he's handled, he lets its point rest against the ground, adjusts his grip on the handle. ] What the hell was that doing in there?

[ He looks to Walter, making sure he didn't hurt himself while he was trying to pull it out. No need for that to happen. ]

[his mouth opens in a small gape, he's no stranger to that sword but what was it doing here?

unless...]

Nooo!

[walter suddenly cries out, before running behind the bush in fear.]

[a ghastly wail suddenly sounds out, glass shatters somewhere in the distance and the sky darkens above. if alex looks down, he'll see the green grass growing steadily brown, as if the life is being sucked out of it.

the wail fills the air again, seemingly coming from nowhere.

it isn't until a circle bleeds through on the ground that it happens, a hand shoots out from the earth, a body being pulled up from it. fleshy with muscle and organs exposed, blood leaks from it's mouth and sprays when it screams.

the ghost hovers over the ground before launching itself at alex.]

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