Why would a young child like Laura want to be in a place like this? Brookhaven Hospital was completely devoid of liveliness and dominated by an uneasy stillness. There wasn’t a soul to be found anywhere. The lights in the entrance hallway were all switched off, giving the area a dim and hollow atmosphere as if the building had been abandoned for years. Despite this, the halls were immaculately clean and free of dust or debris, like the staff had been working tirelessly to keep the place in pristine condition, and quite recently too.
It was a fairly large hospital with plenty of room for the numerous patients that should have been resting in their beds. Where did everyone go? James began searching through the ward on the first floor with Maria huddled uncomfortably close. He caught the faint scent of Maria’s perfume, bringing up guilty recollections of his late wife. Their search came up empty. Laura obviously ducked into the hospital because she knew they were on her trail, so it wasn’t likely she would risk hiding on the first floor.
“Let’s keep going.”
“Okay.”
As they climbed the dimly-lit staircase, James began to think. He had been so intent on catching Laura that he hadn’t noticed before, but now he couldn’t help but wonder: why hasn’t Maria asked anything about Laura? She knew he was here to look for Mary, but he hadn’t mentioned anything to her about the letter Laura was carrying. And despite this, she unquestioningly followed him on the hunt for the little girl, as if she knew that it was important. Even though she certainly seemed to be a nosy person…this seemed a little much, especially in a dangerous situation like this.
Having reached the second floor, James absent-mindedly took a left when they came to a branching hallway. He stole a quick glance at Maria, who was still clinging nervously to his arm. If he was so worried about her motivations, why didn’t he just ask her right now? He tried to form the words, but he kept hesitating, like he was afraid of saying the wrong thing. It was that uncertainty, among other unpleasant emotions swirling in his mind, that always made speaking with Maria so difficult. It was so strange that—
“Look out!” Maria’s frantic cry shocked James out of his thoughts. She yanked him backwards, nearly pulling him off his feet as a long object swung through the darkness. The metal pipe that was clearly aimed to bash his brains out made a dull metallic sound as it met the linoleum floor mere inches in front of him. Whoever the attacker was, they meant business. The unknown assailant pulled its metal pipe off the ground and swung it again, but James was prepared this time and blocked the strike with his own pipe. The sharper, ear-piercing clang of metal hitting metal shot through the empty hallway and the force of the impact sent a jolt of pain through James’s arms.
“Who are you!?” James shouted through gritted teeth. With their weapons locked together, his opponent was forced to stumble closer, into the flashlight’s beam. The attacker had the figure of a human, enough so that it would appear perfectly normal from a distance, but at this close range its true nature was revealed. It was a monster in a white dress, masquerading as a nurse. The proof was its ugly face, swollen beyond recognition, and its gray decomposing skin that gave it the appearance of a walking corpse. The odor it carried was repulsive, like rotting garbage.
The creature’s grotesque exterior concealed surprising strength, but its decaying body was still too fragile to fight for long, and it soon fell to the ground.
“Hurry, finish it off!” Maria shouted while standing a safe distance behind James. What a silly thing to say. Of course he planned to kill this monster, and quickly, too, as it was already trying to pull itself back to its feet with its weak arms. But if that’s true, then why am I so reluctant? It’s just a monster. Something that’s going to kill me if I don’t kill it first. But what if…what if it really isn’t? Could it really be a normal nurse who was unfortunate enough to catch a disease from an infected patient? And now, driven to a state of madness, she wanders the hospital’s halls, too scared and confused to tell if people are trying to help her or hurt her. And if anything was to be gathered from her appearance, she’s probably suffering immense physical pain as well. If James looked at the situation that way, it almost seemed pitiable.
Then, at most, it’d be nothing more than a mercy killing, right? It was as if Maria were shouting words of encouragement, and she knew how conflicted James felt. The nurse was standing again with the rusty pipe still clamped firmly in its gray hand. He steeled himself, swallowing all his feelings of doubt. It has to be painful for anyone that disfigured to live. Monster or human, the best thing would be for it to die. James raised his steel pipe above his head, and swung down with all his might. The nurse’s skull cracked under the crushing force of the blow, and its legs crumpled, sending it sprawling across the floor again. Only this time, it didn’t stand back up.
James stood silently for a moment, staring at the slain monster. Dark blood pooled under its crumpled body, joining the small splatters that had sprinkled across the hall when he had struck it. I made the right choice…didn’t I? Even if he could make himself believe that, the whole situation left a bad taste in his mouth. He felt Maria’s hand on his shoulder.
“James…you did what you had to do.” Maria offered words of consolation, once again as if she knew exactly how he was feeling.
While the first floor was devoid of life, the second and third floors were crawling with aggressive nurses as well as more strange mannequin-like creatures. As he stood over the body of yet another blood-stained nurse, a paralyzing thought came to mind. Perhaps, like the insane nurses, all the residents of Silent Hill were infected with the same diabolical virus. It wasn’t too much of a stretch to picture a biological weapon leaking from a secret military base and polluting the town’s water supply. The nurses and mannequins were at least human enough to be recognized as being female. So perhaps the armless monsters used to be men, their bodies having deteriorated after so much time.
If this really was the truth, then it should have made it feel easier to kill them one-by-one. It would be an act of compassion, ending all their suffering. To think that I’m really “helping” them…that’s a lie. Only an excuse. Like I’m trying to run away from something…but what is it?
“James, wait up,” Maria said, snatching James’s attention away from his gloomy thoughts. She was beginning to fall behind, and had resorted to a slow trot while still trying to keep up.
He had almost forgotten that Maria was with him, even though he was supposed to be protecting her.
“I’m exhausted.” Maria’s face was pale, and she looked like she was having difficulty breathing. “It’s just a slight cold. I wasn’t feeling great this morning either. I guess I got distracted when I saw that everyone was missing.”
James frowned. He was getting a feeling of déjà vu, bringing back memories that carried sorrow like a curse. This was just like the beginning… When Mary had said it was “just a slight cold”…
“You better rest for a while” Driven by anxiety, he hurriedly searched for a safe place for her to lie down. After stealthily examining the nearby room S03 and finding it to be free of monsters, he invited Maria inside and carefully helped her to the bed. “I’ll go ahead and at least make sure the third floor is secure, then I’ll try to find Laura. I think she knows where Mary is. Are you sure you’ll be okay here by yourself?”
“Yeah,” Maria answered in a faint voice. Before James could turn to leave, she grabbed his hand. “ Hey, James… If you…if you find Mary, what will you do then?”
“I don’t know.” James shook his head quietly.
--
The seeds of uncertainty were planted, and James began to doubt himself. While passing though an empty office on the first floor, a stack of papers happened to catch his eye. The contents of those papers still weighed heavily on his mind, like corrosion slowly eating away at his thoughts. They were a doctor’s memos on a certain patient.
“…The potential for this illness
the right circumstances, any
like him, to "the other side."
The "other side" perhaps may
After all, there is no wall between
borders where reality and unreality
and distant.
Some say it isn't even an illness.
doctor, not a philosopher, or even
myself this question. It's true
nothing but the inventions of
simply is no other reality.
Furthermore, he is happy there.
name of healing him must we drag
own reality?”
It seemed to be more of the doctor’s personal opinion regarding the patient’s mental illness rather than an actual medical diagnosis. Who was the patient these papers referred to? Could it be talking about…me? James shuddered, but instantly rejected the idea. No, that can’t be it! But…all the strange things happening in Silent Hill, the vanishing people, the weird monsters, all those things are just too wild for someone to just imagine. Again, he shook his head in denial. Maybe the reality was just as absurd as the fantasy. After all, Maria, Angela, and Eddie have all seen the monsters too. Even Laura had a letter from Mary. Such a young child couldn’t possibly have known Mary for more than three years.
At any rate, he should be searching for Laura right now, not wandering around and sulking. Knowing that that girl could prove Mary’s survival dispelled most of his misgivings. After the third floor turned up empty, James decided to check the roof. He was surprised to find that night had fallen without him even noticing. Had he really been searching that long? Actually, the hospital corridors were so dark that standing out here in the dead of night really didn’t make much of a difference. Between the fog and the darkness, there wasn’t any view to be seen; even the stars were completely obscured. James walked along the rooftop perimeter, shining the flashlight at any place small enough for a little girl to hide. There was no sign of Laura, but he stumbled on what appeared to be a piece of lost property sitting near the guardrail. He picked up the object: a diary. Its cover was tattered and soaked with rain water. On a sudden curious whim, he flipped to the first page. The words were a bit blurred, but still readable.
“May 9
Stared out the window all day.
Still not allowed to go outside.
May 10
Talked with the doctor a little.
I didn't have a family to feed?
Not everyone can be strong.
May 11
The meds made me feel sick
If I'm only better when I'm
Rain as usual.
trouble for anyone, but I'm a
Can it really be such a sin to
Some people may say so, but they
It may be selfish, but it's what
It's too hard like this.
It's clear outside.
released—that I've got to go
I --------------”
The diary ended there abruptly. It must have belonged to one of the patients. If it happened to be from the same person from the other memo, James’s concerns would be wiped away. Clearly the patient had regained their sanity and was discharged from the hospital, meaning it couldn’t possibly be James the memo was talking about. But what if…the patient relapsed? What if they forgot the past and fell back into their world of delusion? What if their reality was to endlessly wander an inescapable nightmare?
The monster sluggishly lifted its blade, aiming to slice its target in half. James’s bravery faltered and he recoiled backwards, only to find a chain-link fence at his back, preventing any chance at escape. The fence’s metal frame was rusted and brittle and it began to creak under James’s weight. All of a sudden the structure gave way and tipped backwards off the roof, taking James with it. The blade of the monster’s massive sword grazed the tip of his nose before he was swallowed by darkness and fog.
--
For what seemed like forever, James lay in shock, staring up at the gaping hole in the ceiling. Chunks of debris and dust were scattered about on the floor of the dark room. The roof here must have rotted enough for him to be able to fall right through it. Even after surviving the impressive fall, the pain in his back was the furthest thing from James’s mind. The pyramid monster hadn’t followed him. Meaning he was safe for a little while longer.
Using the steel pipe as a makeshift cane, James stood up and surveyed the room. He was in the special treatment unit on what appeared to be the third floor. Several doors were lined up on the wall, each leading to a small isolation room for the severely mentally ill patients. James couldn’t help but laugh at the irony. The action sent a stab of pain through his back.
Making his way carefully through the hallway, James quietly peeked into room S03. Maria was out like a light. Now that the pyramid monster was wandering around, he worried even more for her safety. But even if she were able to continue on in her bad state, what would they do if they were to encounter the creature? It would be even more dangerous for her. Leaving the sleeping Maria behind, James stepped away from the room and headed towards the stairs. He hadn’t yet explored the basement.
It would have been far easier to get to the basement if he were able to use the elevator. Unfortunately, the one he was able to find was out-of-order, leaving no choice but to find another way. James came across a fire-door that led to an emergency staircase, but it was locked tight. They must keep the key around here somewhere…maybe somewhere in the offices… With his body still sore from his earlier fall, he continued to the first floor. A small figure caught his eye. Skirt fluttering, the figure darted across the ward. It was Laura! And she was trying to escape again!
James ran to the hallway where she had fled, but the girl was gone. The corridor directly ahead led to a dead end, and with the fire-door and the elevator both out of service, she had to be hiding close by. Sneaking into the first room in the hall, room C2, he quickly spotted her.
“You can quit hiding now. Come on out.”
Giggling merrily, the girl’s face peeked out from under the bed. “Uh oh, you found me! You’re not going to tag me 'it' now, are you?”
Had Laura been running all this time because she thought they were playing tag? Here he was going on a desperate search while this girl treated it like a game. James was running out of energy. “Please, Laura. Don’t run away anymore.”
“Huh? How do you know my name?”
“Eddie told me.”
“That big fat blabbermouth!” Laura cried, her face twisting into a little scowl.
“I want you to tell me how you know Mary. Mary Shepherd Sunderland.”
“What’s the big deal?”
“Because I have to know,” James said sternly.
Laura looked startled by his serious expression. “Are you gonna hit me if I don’t tell you?”
At least now that he found Laura, he could meet back up with Maria on the third floor.
As soon as they stepped out of the room, Laura said, “Wait, I have to go somewhere.”
“Not now, okay? We can’t get sidetracked.”
“But I forgot something really important! It’s a letter from Mary!”
James stopped in his tracks. He instinctively spun around to face the little girl holding his hand.
“What are you doing? Laura, please open the door.” James ran to the door and tugged on the knob, but somehow she had managed to lock it from the outside.
“Why should I? I’m just a little liar. You said it yourself.”
“Come on, open up!”
“If you want me to open the door, why don’t you just ask nicely?”
“Listen Laura, I’m not kidding around! You’re not safe out there, there could be monsters! Please, you can’t just wander around by yourself!”
“You don’t want to ask nicely? You’re sure? I guess I won’t open the door then. You can just stay in there for a while.” A low, menacing roar rumbled from somewhere in the gloom of the treatment room.
“Laura? Laura!” While pounding on the door, James grabbed the light from around his neck and frantically scanned the room. The ceiling. There was something hanging from the ceiling.
“Open the door! Quickly!” No matter how loud he yelled or how hard he pounded, the door would not open. Laura must have gone off somewhere, leaving James trapped in here alone with whatever else was hiding in the shadows. He tried again to catch the creature in the flashlight beam. What he found appeared to be something in a large, dark gray sack. Its movements were sluggish as it lazily made its way closer.
Its form was unlike anything James had ever seen before: a bizarre monster like a pendulum. Its body was a soft and flabby chunk of meat, like a half-digested human, suspended from the ceiling by a metal rectangular frame. It was nothing but a fleshy mass of decaying skin and muscles, melting away to reveal the twisted black intestines underneath. Deformed arms and legs jutted out at odd angles from the wrong places.
From the darkness emerged two more of the repulsive creatures, surrounding James on both sides. Slowly inching closer. Grim as the situation looked, James struggled to keep calm. He just needed to focus on fighting. He just needed to stay alive. It would be impossible to fight them off with the pipe, their bodies were too well protected by the cage-like frames. He would have to use his gun. The thought of using up his precious bullets filled him with dread. He really should be saving them in case pyramid head appeared again, but then again, having extra ammo wouldn’t do any good if died now.
James opened fire on the three creatures, making sure to divide his remaining ammo equally. Even being trapped in a dark room surrounded by monsters, the emotion he felt more than fear was his anger towards Laura. He had to get out of here alive, if only to punish that evil little brat. Driven by this immature rage, James’s carefully aimed and controlled gunshots turned to wild and almost random firing.
Die, you fucking, piece-of-shit monsters!
As the bullets pierced the ugly lumps of meat, spurts of blood scattered through the air and splattered across James’s face. He looked like a demon. All his rage and excitement along with the smell of blood swirled together, and he began to feel dizzy.
James…
It was the cold whisper of a female voice. It was so soft that it seemed to be coming from inside his head.
James…
His consciousness blurred and faded into darkness.
--
Or perhaps you are a fool.
A part of that abyss is
The key to the society
At the foot of the praying
inside of a box.
I knew, but I did nothing.
such a thing near.
I was looking for tranquility.
I fled, but the museum
Now no one dares to
If you still do not wish to stop,
I pray to the Lord to have
James read the letter countless times, but none of the words seemed to register, as if he had lost the ability to read them. All he could do was stand and stare blankly with his apathetic expression at the jumble of meaningless sentences. -- Laura waded through the milky white fog. She had high spirits now that she was on her own again. She was in the mood for a picnic. A little earlier she had arrived at the bowling alley only to find it empty. That half-wit Eddie probably wandered off and got lost. However, all the grown-ups seemed to be terribly afraid of something, and she couldn’t help but feel the tiniest bit worried herself... No. It’ll be okay. She'd told him where she was planning on going, and so maybe they’d run into each other again soon. Laura traveled west down Nathan Avenue with light, care-free steps. She had little trouble—there were no cars or crowds of people to get in her way. It was the ideal pedestrian walkway, and it belonged only to her. She crossed over a bridge—the bridge that would take her one step closer to where Mary was waiting.
----------------Notes----------------
You know, if those nurses are monsters, shouldn't he be able to hear the radio? The radio hasn't been brought up at all in the text since chapter two for some reason. Guess he forgot about it XD
In another case of what appears to be censorship, Maria claims to have a cold, whereas in the game she says it's a hangover. This may have been changed to make it clearer that whatever sickness she has is similar to Mary's.
When James finds Laura, she says something along the lines of "The Oni found me!" Oni (a type of ogre-like demon) is the word Japanese children call the person who's "it" in a game of tag. I had to change the dialogue a bit so it was still clear that she thought she was playing tag.
Once again, the doctor's notes and the diary (as well as the director's map and the letter)were taken right from the game so I went ahead and kept them the same.
Let me tell you, it sure comes in handy to have a map open when writing this XD If you were to look at a SH2 town map, you can follow the exact route. Yamashita-san did his homework and actually got all the street names and directions correct.
Chapter end
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