Chapitre 3: The Meeting
Annette couldn't believe she was doing this, traveling down the haunted, empty roads of the ghost town of Silent Hill. She always supported helping people. But helping a stranger in Silent Hill seemed far-fetched. She didn't know what had possessed her to do this. Was it a choice of bravery or one of stupidity? She would have to choose the latter. This was not only stupid, but it was also suicidal. The dark skies polar opposite to the hot sunny skies that were in Brahms. This darkness wasn't just darkness, catacomb darkness, like being surrounded by the dead. Her heartbeat as the compact car radiated heat. The potent smell of coal fumes mixed with the fumes of the old car caused her lungs to feel like they too were on fire. Her vision became blurry as she stopped the car. The loud screeching of the radio and the blinking of her phone sang an eerie song. A chime caused her to look around, her heart now pounding heavily inside her chest. The flesh and blood-caked walls around her, the sounds of metal fans seemed to be the source of the excruciating heat. She screamed as the car decayed, unfastening her seatbelt, she got from the vehicle running to the wall, as the fire soon swallowed up the old car, in heavy flames, as the tires exploded and the sound of the horn blaring until it was silenced and all Annette could see was the charred remains of her car. She sank to her knees as tears flowed from her eyes, the haunting sound of metal against the metal floor was coming towards her, she raised her head to see a childlike think come towards her, the creature deformed, she backed away only for the creature to grab her ankle; she kicked at it. "Help me! Please, somebody!" The creature hovered over her as the sounds of a siren blared and the creature staggered backward. The last thing Annette saw before losing consciousness was shadows and glowing lavender ores hovering above her. Then everything went black.
Leonard looked down at Annette, picking her up. Looking around as the darkness faded into fog, he sighed. "You cost me a match, beloved." He smiled, "But it feels nice to know that you cared enough to come." He kissed her forehead. "Let's get you inside." He walked to a drugstore with an apartment on the top floor, laying Annette on the bed, walking from the room going to the restroom retrieving some bandages, lifting his shirt. As he started cleaning the large gash and then wrapping it, holding onto the sink, holding his head. Feeling his consciousness fade, he shook it off. Standing up, walking from the restroom, going into the small living room, sitting on the sofa, laying his head back with a sigh of relief. He closed his eyes as he heard Annette yell, "Get off!"
Leonard opened his eyes, standing back to his feet, rushing to her. He saw her sitting on the bed, looking around. "Relax, you're safe. Nothing can get you in here." He leaned against the wall as she looked at him.
"What was that! What was that thing!" She put her head on her knees sobbing.
"What thing? The darkness?"
She looked at him. "You didn't see that thing in the darkness? That deformed child-looking thing, how did you not see it?!"
"I saw nothing when I got to you. I heard your screams and ran to find you. The world went back to this realm because of the sirens of the cults. I saw nothing but you lying there." He stood to his feet, walking over to her, sitting in the chair beside the bed, holding his side, leaning back into the seat.
"You're wounded." She looked at him. "What happened? Did that thing attack you?"
He looked at her. "It's just a scratch. I'll be fine. How's your head?"
"My head? I'm not injured, freaked out beyond measure and scared out of my mind that I am." She looked at him as he chuckled, "What's so funny?"
"What you said."
"Well, it's the truth, Mr. Macho man. Let me look at your injury. Maybe I can help you. You helped me, at least let me help you, or try to."
He looked at her. "I'm fine. I already dealt with it. Unless you have some White Claudia then, there's not much else you can do for it."
"White Claudia, what is that, maybe I can get it somewhere. Is there a pharmacy in the town?"
He sighed, "There's a pharmacy downstairs but."
Annette stood up. "I'm on it. I'll be back soon."
With that said she ran out of the room, and the sound of the door closing was heard. "Women. They are the most stubborn lot." He lifted his shirt. "I sure know how to get myself in awkward positions, you'd think I would have learned the first time." He stood to his feet, walking back into the restroom, sitting on the tub after getting his supplies, unwrapping his bandage. The sound of the door opening and shutting caused him to look up. Annette ran to the door, walking into the bathroom.
She looked at the gash on his side. "This is just a scratch to you, hold still." She started cleaning him up.
-five minutes later-
Annette looked at Leonard, who was watching her. "Not too shabby for what I had. Good thing my mother made me take that course in nursing." She stood to her feet. "I need you to stand up and go lay down on the bed. I'll bring you some water for the pain killers I got." He stood to his feet and walked from the room. Annette dusted herself off, following him. She watched as he sat on the bed. "Lay down, macho man." He looked at her as she walked over to him.
"I don't need to lie down, Annette. I'm able to sit."
"Men, why do y'all got to be so stubborn and bullheaded. Why can't you just listen?"
"Men are stubborn? Excuse me. It is you women, who are the stubborn lot, we men are more."
"Is that right? Well, mister man, you're being dreadful. Typical man behavior, admit you need help, it's just three brief words, well four if you want to give me a please."
"Never, going to happen. I don't need your help. I thank you for the bandaging and the pain killer but, you will never get a please from me."
"You don't get a painkiller, but you 're welcome." She sat down, looking at him. "If you want to be a grouch, I can be too." He sighed, leaning against the bed frame, crossing his arms as Annette did the same. He looked at her as she looked at him.
"What are you doing now?" they both said, "Stop it." Leonard groaned as Annette laughed.
"Did you know when you get lost in thought you sigh, I've not known you that long and I've found that out just being here as long as I have?"
Leonard bit his lip, "Why are you even trying to help me if you are only going to annoy an injured person, I hope you don't plan on getting a nursing degree, you're a horrible caretaker."
"For the record, you're a terrible patient. I'm just here to find someone. If you will stop being a butt, I'd like to ask you where the hospital is in this town. I think he's there." Annette looked at him. "Please tell me, where I can find Leonard Shepherd. He sent me this letter and asked that I come to find him, though he didn't tell me where he was."
"You get a letter from a random person and come out and find them. Do you even know this person? It's apparent they know you. Do you have any idea what you're doing?" Annette sighed. "You've entered the snake pit, and for what? To find a man you don't even know, in a town that you know nothing about. What is wrong with you? Is that hair-dye causing brain damage?"
"No, I don't even know what brought me here. Instead of questioning my common sense or lack of, why are you here? Don't be such a hypocrite. Last time I checked we're both in the same house and the same room, having the same conversation. What's your excuse? Other than being a lunatic, that fact is pretty obvious. What brings you here in this craziness?"
"This is my home, you are the outsider."
"Wait, you live in this madhouse."
"Yes, is that a problem? Can I have that painkiller now?"
Annette looked at him, "You could say please."
"Fine. Could I please have that painkiller now?"
Annette handed him a pill. "How bad was that?"
Leonard said nothing as he held his head. "Thank you." He took the pill, "I'm going to rest for a while, but if you're here when I wake up, I would like to continue our conversation, that was the most fun I've had with a woman in years. You will be here when I wake up, right? Annette. There's nothing for you out in the town."
Annette looked at him with a smile, "I'll be here, but do you know who Leonard is?"
Leonard chuckled, "You've been talking to him the whole time, Annette. I'm getting sleepy, don't go outside."
She looked at him shocked, "You're Leonard Shepherd? You're not what I had imagined, I guess you can't judge a book. Sleep well." Annette covered him up, stroking his hair, and he fell asleep. She looked around the room, "What a mess this room is, no wonder he's cranky. I would be too." She walked from the room to get started on her tasks.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone