Silent Hill: Recognition

Kaito checked a few doors until he found a supply closet. He looked for what Andi said he needed and said "I think it's here" He reached for a box of suture, but it was just out of reach. Suddenly someone behind him grabbed the box. When Kaito turned he saw The Past! He fumbled with his gun, but stopped when The Past handed him the box and said "don't worry... I don't fight here..." Kaito took the box, aimed his gun and said "you think I'd believe you just because you say so?" He decided to take in as many details as he could see of The Past.

The Past was tall, a bit skinnier than most people, and had remarkably tidy clothes considering where he was. Kaito saw slight bags under his eyes, like he hadn't slept for a few days, and there were bandages on his right wrist that were barely covered by his sleeve. He also noted the fresh blood on them. His eyes seemed different from when they saw him at the diner, Where they had a crazed gleam before, he now seemed calm. One could almost say he looked sad, like a child lost at an airport.

The Past sighed and said "the good bandages are on the upper floor. All the ones down here are either torn or already bloodied"

Andi paced around the lobby waiting, since he wouldn't be able to read the packages to find stuff himself. Amon was following close behind, worried about his injury. Lynn was looking around the room, seeking more novel inspiration, when he saw something move. "There's something here," he stated matter-of-factly. "They have knives."

Kaito was about to leave, but The Past stopped him and said "don't shoot, save your ammo. Cut them down to size, that's the only way" he then disappeared. Kaito left and saw the shadow things. Deciding he had nothing to lose he went back to the closet and grabbed a box cutter. He sliced at the shadows, surprised at the blood that poured out of them and said disbelievingly "I can't believe I trusted him... and didn't die!"

Andi was slashing at the shadows with his good arm, protecting Amon who had no slicing weapon. Lynn had borrowed his other dagger. He looked at Shotgun Boxcutter Twin. "Trusted who?"

When the last shadow was killed Kaito answered "The Past. He got the suture from one of the higher shelves for me, he said something like 'I don't fight in hospitals' and when he saw the shadows he told me that stabbing doesn't work, and that you have to 'cut them down to size'"

Andi shook his head incredulously. "What is his deal? What monster is so chatty?" He sat on the front desk and pulled off his bloody shirt so Amon could stitch him up. "Keep an eye out while we do this." Lynn posted himself by one of the hallways with Andi's dagger.

Haruto watched the hallway and Kaito checked the rooms for anything. He entered a room and, surprise surprise, it was trashed. There were papers scattered all over the floor, but one page caught his eye. The actual writing was too distorted to read thanks to the bloody hand prints, but the picture attached was that of a man(?) wearing a triangular-shaped helmet.

Once Amon was finished Andi hopped down. He found a nearby exam room and went to the sink, but the water was as filthy as everything else. Instead he had to clean his shoulder with a bottle of rubbing alcohol Lynn found for him in the supply closet. He hissed sharply from the pain, but poured the whole bottle on. "That takes care of the smell of blood," he said between gritted teeth. He headed into the room Shotgun Twin was in. "Anything useful here, or can we get moving?"

((Pale, scarred, shirtless Andi now smells strongly of rubbing alcohol. Good thing he feels no shame.))

Kaito turned to Andi and said "no, just something we might want to look out for while we're here" He gave Andi the page with the photo and left the room. Andi would decide if he wanted it or not.

Andi stared at the paper. A picture of the monster from the church. If that thing came around the hospital, all the more reason to get out of there. He dropped the page on the ground and rejoined the others.

Haruto sighed and said "shall we get going now that Andi's stitched up?" Kaito held the door open for the others.

Andi rolled his shoulder. It hurt, but he could use his arm now. He reclaimed his second dagger from Lynn and headed out. Amon started to follow, but hesitated. He thought he heard a soft sob just behind him, but when he spun around no one was there. He hurried to Andi's side.

Kaito kept looking over his shoulder as they walked, sure that he heard a child's laughter. Haruto checked the map and said "Almost there. It's just across the road"

"Then let's get going." Andi hurried across the street. "There's too many freaks out here to spend much time in the open."
The house was as shabby as the rest of the town. The door hung open, but when Lynn shut it behind them the latch worked. "Not much protection, but at least we'll here anything coming in this way." Andi looked around. "Now what?" "Evil cults typically conduct their rituals in the basement," replied Lynn, once again drawing from his knowledge of horror cliches rather than any real evidence. The cliches hadn't failed him so far. Amon found the basement stairs. He hit the light switch and a single dim bulb at the bottom came on, producing more shadows than actual light. He backed away, allowing Andi to take the lead as they headed downstairs.

Haruto rotted through anywhere he thought someone might hide something. Kaito simply checked a bookshelf and found a book with a torn jacket. The jacket was for 'To kill a mockingbird', but when he removed the jacket he found an unmarked black cover and when he opened it he found... it was a diary.

Another sob drew Andi and Amon into a side room, though it was empty. Spiral notebooks were scattered across the floor. A tattered stuffed elephant lay on top of one. When Amon saw it he stopped dead and gave a sharp intake of breath, the most sound he ever made. He grabbed the toy and clutched it tightly, running back to the other room where he curled up in the corner, oblivious to the others. Andi followed, but first grabbed the notebook the toy had been on. He handed it off to Lynn and went to check on Amon. Lynn flipped idly through the notebook, then looked at Kaito. "Looks like we've found it. Anything in there?"

"About what you'd expect from a cult member" Kaito replied. Haruto went with Andi, showing concern, but staying out of the way. He noticed one entry that seemed to contrast the previous "wait, not sure if it's relevant but I found an odd entry: 'I feel bad for him. The Order has placed a harsh path ahead and there seems to be no escape. I was able to get away, but when I think of what they are doing, and what they plan to do I feel a sudden pain in my heart. I must stop them. Others have escaped with me so I'm sure I can gain some support from them"

Lynn nodded. "Two sides in conflict. That could have stirred up trouble. This is a log of rituals from several years ago. All the cliche evil cult acts: sacrifices, executions." He skimmed over one page and was brought up short. As a writer he had a good memory for characters' names and a healthy distrust of coincidence. He looked at Amon. "There's a Rai family in here. Part of some kind of pact."

Kaito looked over to see if Amon reacted. Haruto, using the most sensitive tone he could, said "Amon? I'm so sorry but... can you think of any time you may have been here before? Did your family ever talk about this place?" He glanced at Andi to see if he was over-stepping any boundaries.
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The Past walked along the side of Toluca lake with a priest. The priest sighed sadly and said "so that's all you did... you couldn't even get the one cowering behind a shovel?" Past swallowed hard and said "I-I'm sorry Father Sunderland" The priest placed a hand on The Past's shoulder to stop him from walking and said "I am a priest, I server you, but how can I do that when" he suddenly pushed Past into the lake "you can't even perform your duties right!" The Past kicked his legs uselessly and reached for Father Sunderland, screaming "Father help me!" The priest grabbed The Past by the collar of his shirt and said in a soothing voice "I'm sorry I must do this. But I can't serve you if you don't do your duties" He helped The Past onto land and walked away saying "try again and do not fail"

The Past shiver in the cold wind as he managed to get to his sanctuary, the one house that seemed to be least affected by the madness that was Silent Hill. He filled a kettle with water and turned it on. He got a mug and a teabag, stood in the kitchen and waited for the water to boil. When it was done The Past, still shivering in his wet clothes since Father Sunderland was so kind and didn't give him dry clothes, grabbed the kettle and poured the water into the mug. The 'water' had turned to blood as he poured. He put the kettle down and threw the mug into the sink. He placed his elbows on the counter, sank his head into his hands and said "of course, why would I be allowed to have a drink. This is Silent f**king Hill!"

Amon was totally focused on the doll in his arms, but when Andi shook him and asked again he slowly shook his head. He let go of the toy long enough for a couple of quick hand signs. Andi translated. "He says he only had one home. That must have been near where we met, nowhere near here." Lynn looked over the relevant pages for the part of the pact they were involved in.
"We, the Family Rai,
in order to ensure our continued protection and prosperity,
do enter into this Holy Contract with our God,
accept our duties as Keeper of Lore and willingly consign our child to the noose in God’s name."
He browsed through the notes following the pact. "Every fifty years four families were required to sacrifice their children. Looks like they missed the last sacrifice 13 years ago."

Kaito thought for a second before saying "maybe we can find the address? We could probably learn more about this at their house"

Andi shook his head. "I'm sure Amon didn't grow up here. If it's his family, they must have left years ago, when he was a baby. What are the chances anything connected to them would still be there?" Amon looked hard at the doll in his arms and signed something to Andi. "You want to go?" Andi was surprised. "Why? What's the point? If it was your parents involved in this ritual... you're better off not knowing." Amon trembled and stared at his hands as he slowly signed a response. Andi went quiet for a moment and mumbled "Ok. I get it." He looked at the others. "Grab the books that might have more information. We might not have a chance to come back."

Kaito held onto the diary, he didn't find anything that seemed out of place. Haruto checked a desk drawer and found a desert eagle and ammo. He took both and put the ammo in his pocket.

Lynn found one address book with nothing of note, but managed to find a second one hidden in a book on the shelf. He assumed this one was full of Order members. The name Rai had been angrily scribbled out, but he managed to make out the address. "We're on the right street. It's a few blocks down." Amon looked back and forth between the doll he'd found and his makeshift weapon. He didn't want to leave the toy behind, but he would need both hands to use the shovel. He settled for tucking the doll into the waistband of his skirt. Andi peered out the front door and led them once more into the open streets.

It wasn't long before they reached the house, they only had to fight a couple of dolls. When they first entered it seemed empty, but Haruto noticed a small light in the kitchen. The Past walked into view and groaned when he saw the group, his clothes had dried slightly, but he was still freezing and half-crazed. When he spoke his voice did nothing to mask his irritation "Oh, it's you people. Can't even give me this one place as a safe haven. No, you're just like them"