Murray's Journey: Finders Keepers

[Laraqua]

"We don't have time for this," growls Craig, as Murray goes in to peer in through the window again.

Show,Do a spot hidden.

[Mr. Handy]

"Ash might have left a note in there," says Murray, peering in the window. "It'll just take a second." He only barely notices something.

[Laraqua]

Murray can vaguely make out the silhouette of someone inside the booth but whether it's a person or a mannequin or just an odd clump of shadows, it's so hard to be sure.

[Mr. Handy]

"It looks like there may be someone - or something - inside," whispers Murray. As much as he wants to see what's written down, he knows he can't afford to take any chances or take any more time considering Craig's condition. "All right, let's get to the hospital. Do you know the way?"

[Laraqua]

"I dunno, it's foggy as hell and the damn injury. Fuck Jack...." Craig looks around in confusion at the streets. "Somewhere that way ... all looks so different now." He gives Murray a wan smile. "If the theatre was dangerous, how bad do you think the hospital will be? I'd hate to meet a nurse...."

[Mr. Handy]

Murray shrugs. "Under normal circumstances, I'd like to see a nurse, but things are far from normal," he says. He takes a look at the town map he found in the dressing room and tries to find the theater and the hospital on it. "This will help us plan a route."

[Laraqua]

The Silent Hill maps show such locations clearly marked but in the fog it'll be easy to lose their way unless they cross the street at all of the right places in preparation to make the turn. Unfortunately, in the fog, it'll be hard to see more than a half dozen feet ahead of them so while they'll be well-hidden, they most assuredly won't be safe if there are any more ... things out here.

[Mr. Handy]

"All right," says Murray. "Let's try to find our way." He helps Craig along, trying his best to follow the route on the map, but the dense fog isn't making it easy.

[Laraqua]

"Do you ever feel like ... oh, I dunno ... I'm not sure the hospital'll have what we're looking for." Craig stared up at Murray as they walk, half bent over from the pain. "You're not ... you don't know what you're doing, do you? You're going around in circles. Shouldn't we have a plan? An ... idea? What if we run into Jack again?"

[Mr. Handy]

"If we run into Jack again, my plan is to shoot him before he shoots us," says Murray. "As for the other...yeah, it does feel like going around in circles. Hell, I was at the hospital earlier, and the only reason to go back there is to look for medical supplies or people. We were going to go to Annie's Bar before that psycho showed up, and that sounds like a good idea. It was on that map I found, and maybe Rochelle will be there, and she might know where to find Ash. If not, there could be clues. I'm sure we've missed some back at the theater too, but I don't want to tangle with any more monsters. I don't have an endless supply of bullets. I did get a glimpse of the movie footage with Ash, and she was at a circular railing. Sound familiar to you? I was thinking maybe it was the merry-go-round at the amusment park or something."

[Laraqua]

"Not sure," grunted Craig. "Light didn't look right for the amusement park. Uhh, the bar's opposite direction to the hospital. Looks like we'll be spending awhile walking. Umm, do you think ... do you think we'll find her? Ash? Your friend?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Yeah. we'll find her," says Murray, helping Craig along. "It may take some time, but we know where she's been and we'll catch up to her eventually. Finding people is part of what I do for a living, and I've gotten good at it. It's harder if they don't want to be found, but not impossible. Do you know Ash, or anything about her? Every piece of information helps."

[Laraqua]

"Nothing that you haven't told me," said Craig. "Not sure about going to that bar, though. That's where Jack worked.... What do you think that thing was? That big, pockmarked thing? It messes with my mind just thinking about it."

[Mr. Handy]

"It's the stuff nightmares are made of," says Murray, giving voice to his earlier thoughts and shaking his head. "Maybe Jack will head to that bar. But if Rochelle's there, he might try to kill her too. There's no telling with that guy. If we're not there, she could end up dead." He pauses. "So, what can you tell me about Rochelle? How do you know her, and why do you want to find her so badly?"

[Laraqua]

"Rochelle's a bartender," said Craig. "Tough as nails and with a will to survive like no other. She impresses me. I look up to her. If she's missing, if she's here, then I want to find her." Craig pauses. "What do you think happened to everyone else? This town is so empty."

[Mr. Handy]

"Sounds like my kind of dame," says Murray. "Well, I'm sure she can stay alive until we find her, then. I haven't got the foggiest idea where everyone went or why. I've never seen anything like this. If you weren't seeing the same things I was, I'd think I was going crazy. You got any ideas?"

[Laraqua]

"Seems like some kinda nightmare world," murmured Craig. "Like our nightmares come alive."

[Mr. Handy]

"Sure seems like it," says Murray. "You know, this looked like a nice town before everything went all screwy. I really liked the ambiance at the Lakeview Hotel, and the theater would have been great if this place were normal. Must be an interesting history behind Silent Hill."

[Laraqua]

Their shoes echo against the asphalt in this quiet, foggy world, as they make their way down all the right streets by double checking the street signs and the buildings as they pass. It doesn't take long for the large hospital to loom up out of the fog, the gate to its courtyard drawn back, allowing them to make their way up to the rear exit of the building by the ambulance parks, if they don't want to head around the building to get to the front. The hospital is eerily quiet and still. Murray would've thought he'd hear something being here but there's nothing. No noises at all. To make matters worse, a smear of blood and two tyre skid marks lead up to a car whose bonnet is smashed up against the wall, a ruined and blackened body pinned between it and the bricks.

[Mr. Handy]

"When I first arrived here earlier," says Murray, "the place was normal - except for a couple of mooks who leaned on me because I was asking the wrong questions about Jack. And of course Jack himself. He wasn't going around shooting people then. Everything went all bizarro while we were there, but maybe there's someone still alive inside, or at least more medical supplies." He tries not to look at the gruesome scene. "But then things were normal when I woke up in the cell next to you after the crash. Those mooks I saw slaughtered were even alive again somehow, and they were cops now. When we're done here, we can try to find my car out front. That'll make travel easier if it's still working. Ready to go inside?"