[★ dream oo5]
The old squeaking of rundown brakes broke through the otherwise quiet night. The light from a truck’s high beams shortly after penetrated the darkness. Instinctively, Oz extended his hand, thumb raised. Eventually, the truck came to a stop a few feet away from the teenager. He gave a sigh of relief.
“Where are you headed?” questioned the truck-driver, glancing out of the truck cabin.
“Silent Hill,” Oz answered, voice considerably quieter compared to the man’s.
“All right. Hop in if you really wanna go there,” the man said, a bit cautiously, trepidation present in his voice.
Oz chose not to inquire further and got in.
Silence befell over the pair as the truck started back up, headed down the winding road.
“I’m Travis Grady, by the way. It’s weird to see a kid hitchhiking in these parts,” the man known as Travis admitted, gaze glued to the dark and twisting road before them.
Oz laughed sheepishly and offered a shrug. “I’m Oz.”
A moment or two went by with the only sound in the cabin being the screeching of tires against the pavement.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what business do you have in Silent Hill?”
“Someone I’m looking for is supposed to be there,” the blonde boy explained, staring out into the foreboding darkness.
“Well, good luck to you,” Travis said, gaze growing a bit distant. “You couldn’t pay me enough to go back into that place.”
“Why’s that?...”
“Bad memories. I had to face a few skeletons, if you know what I mean,” Travis murmured, grip on the steering wheel growing increasingly tighter, as if reliving moments past. His gaze wandered absently to the dashboard, as if waiting for something to happen. When it didn’t, his gaze returned to the concrete. “But if you really have someone there you care about…I applaud you for going there to save them. Not a good place to be at alone…”
***
As the truck drove away, Oz stared anxiously ahead at the fog-laced area. Disembodied noises rose up from the depths of the city, as if greeting their newest victim.
“…The letter said she would probably be somewhere near the lake…at some abandoned chapel.” A pause. “Ah…I just wish it was a bit brighter out…I can barely see.” Out of instinct, his hand came up and over his forehead, as one would do on a bright day. He squinted his eyes, but could see no further than before.
Without further questioning, Oz proceeded onward. As the young boy made his way down the street, a crumbled note caught his attention. Attached to the corner of parchment was a miniature arm of a doll, laced in what appeared to be a dried, red liquid.
Oz hesitated but eventually picked up the note.
To my beloved Heather,
How I wish to be by your side. To feel your skin, my hand in your hair, your pulse….as it climbs higher and higher, out of control, as I trail my hands up your body. How I long to be one with you. You and I are one in the same. I will never let anyone else harm you. Never again will I leave you. You complete me, my love, and if I have to destroy us both to be with you, so be it.
Stanley Coleman
By far, that was one of the most disturbing things Oz had ever had the misfortune of reading. The blond swallowed thickly and placed the note carefully back down on the ground. The fog seemed to be getting thicker-heavier-and Oz could barely see a few feet ahead of him. Perhaps coming here was a bad idea-No, he had to save her.
As Oz took another tentative step down the street, a otherworldly noise echoed through the air. A few seconds later, a disfigured form wobbled onto the scene. Not only was the smell wretched-something like decaying flesh-but its limbs were torn to shreds and scorched a deep brown. As it progressed closer, a low wail escaped the creature. The noise seemed to come from everywhere at once, and not the creature itself, considering it had no visible mouth-just the silhouette of what at one time might have been a human head.
It drew steadily closer before Oz was able to wrench himself from shock. When he was able to move again, he shot down the street, past the ominous creature.
He hadn’t the faintest idea where the chapel was, or where anything in this city was. Not only had the note gave him chills, but that thing had certainly given him a good scare as well. He had seen Chains before, which were similar in some aspects…but he doubted he ever would have been prepared to see whatever that brown thing was.
It felt like forever that he ran down the never-ending streets of the city, until he came to the outline of a church in the distance. As he approached it, the door unexpectedly swung open. Standing at the entrance was a figure. After creeping closer, arms hugged tightly to his body, Oz realized who it was. Except…the person from his memory certainly looked different now.
The figure was male, but it wasn’t easy to tell. Long white hair descended from the man’s face, down to his mid back, flowing in each and every direction. He wore tattered robes and a dastardly grin, as if not entirely there. As if lost in his own little world.
“Break?...” Oz questioned, stopping where he was.
The man didn’t seem to recognize the name, and instead allowed a smirk to splay on his lips. He gestured inside the chapel, visible red eye glowing. “We’ve been waiting for you, Jack.”
“….What?” Oz quirked a brow. “Ah…perhaps Break is playing a joke?....”
The man didn’t respond and disappeared into the depths of the chapel, leaving the door open.
Oz debated turning away but shook his head. This was where she was supposed to be. Without further ado, he stepped inside, hoping to track down Break and demand answers. Why was the man acting stranger than usual? Sure, he was strange to begin with but this?...
As Oz entered, the shine of a nearby stray steel pipe caught his attention. Brows furrowed, he walked over. Compelled by some unknown instinct, he picked up the metal and progressed further into the dark and blood-stained halls of the chapel, every single hair on his body standing on edge.
******
Oz rolled over in his bed, eyes staring blearily at the Dreamberry. He knew well enough that that meant what he had been dreaming was now broadcasting over the network. He sighed and tried to make sense of whatever had just occurred, though for some reason, he felt like it had only just begun.
"Huh...what a weird dream..."