Silent Hill: Seasons

Chapter 3: Heart Broken

Damien inserted the key into the hole and gave a twist, the dead bolt could be heard thumping back into place as it unlocked. The power was still out forcing him to pry the door open with his hands in order to leave. It didn't take much effort really and the doors slid open. Coincidentally, upon stepping foot outside the doors, the power came back on, bringing life to the hotel once again.

Walking in the cold morning air, blizzard still in effect, something felt different, like it was no longer the first week of January. He continued out of the parking lot and down the road. Roads had not been plowed, nor had sidewalks been shoveled and the snow came up to Damien's knees, making walking a tiring task. Further down the road was a banner hanging across the street that read "9th Annual Valentines Ball this weekend only".

"Valentines Ball... in January?" he thought to himself. He pressed on searching for somebody, anybody, that could tell him where the diner was, but there was nobody out in this snow storm. Eventually off in the distance he could see a family of four standing in the snow together. He began running as fast as his legs would take him in the knee deep snow. As he drew closer he realized it was just a family of snowmen, one adult sized snowman and three child sized, but even worse, the radio was now emitting the static sound again.

Looking around there were no shadow creatures around, there was nothing but snow in every direction. The streets were baron and the buildings appeared empty so he started to move on. Taking a step closer to the snowmen, three of them exploded into plumes of snow, a shadow creature bursting forth from the adult sized snowman and two child sized shadow creatures from two of the smaller snowmen.

Damien startled at the sight and moved as quickly as he could through the snow. Running to the first door he came to, he found the door to the building to be locked. The next building he came to, he tried the door again and this time it opened, allowing him to enter and take shelter from the creatures.

Damien looked around the building he had entered, finding himself in some sort of lobby, there were plenty of empty chairs around the room, magazines on a coffee table, in the corner were some children's toys and the far side of the room had a check-in window where a secretary would normally be. He soon came to the conclusion that this was a hospital waiting room.

"Thank goodness you are finally here, she's been waiting for you." came a voice as a door opened into the lobby letting in a man wearing a surgical apron.

"Who's been waiting for me, is it Natalie? Is she okay?"

"Come with me, I'll take you to her room." the surgeon said, voice muffled behind his mask. He pushed his way through the doors leading into a hallway, Damien in tow behind him. The place was all decorated for Valentines, every door they passed along the way had something on it, some had hearts, some had little Cupids holding a bow with an arrow nocked, and others had a heart with an arrow through it. Eventually the surgeon came to a stop at a door, "Here we are, best wishes to you both." he said, before taking leave.

Damien entered the room, the door closing on its own behind him. "Natalie are you okay? I've been out looking..." he stopped mid-sentence when he finally saw her, "Deb... Debbie, where's Natalie?"

Debbie was sitting there on the hospital bed, her blonde braided hair draped over the front of her, resting on the hospital gown she was wearing. There was blood seeping through the gown near where her heart would be. "I almost died and all you can think about is Natalie?"

"You... you almost died? I'm sorry I just thought the surgeon was bringing me to Natalie and I... I'm sorry. How did you almost die?"