Play@YSDC

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 4:56 am**

It's early in the morning when Mr. David Ashby slams into your office with the news that you'd been fearing ever since you'd given her that reprieve for the sake of her daughter. Apparently, Cara Ashby left her husband two weeks ago after a rather vicious fight with only some hand luggage and the car taken from the family home. She hasn't called in since though she's certainly rung up quite the debt on her shared credit card. Her daughter, Liliana, is absolutely devastated and her husband alternated between fury and fear when they called in to your office about a day ago. He'd meant to cancel the credit card but just couldn't bring himself to do it - partly because he feared any further confrontations it would bring but also because he didn't want to leave her stranded in the middle of nowhere. At first he'd thought she'd fled to her mother's, Dora Whittleby, over in Shepherd's Glen because that's what wives do, right? But he'd never seen Dora, not once, since Liliana had been born and from what little he'd gathered, the two hadn't parted amicably. Now with the credit card expense list (which he grudgingly handed over), he's pretty sure that Cara's shacked up with another man.

Mrs. Ashby's credit card trail shows her expenses at Pete's Bowl-O-Rama, Heaven's Night (a male leisure club, no less), Lakeside Amusement Park, Annie's Bar, and a room the recently refurbished (after the fire) Lakeview Hotel. At least it's not far to go from Shepherd's Glen to Silent Hill. It's just a pity that Mrs. Ashby had to run out on her husband and child. So much for motherly love meaning he should leave her alone and lie to her husband. It turned out cheaters couldn't change their spots.

When David Ashby left you to find her (tears welling up in his eyes), you had a quick of the map and found that you can take County Road 73 to Shepherd's Glen to see her mother and then either follow the road right around the lake to Silent Hill or you could simply take the ferry that crosses Toluca Lake. It'll take you awhile to drive to the area, though, as it's a fair way away from San Francisco so you have plenty of time to decide which way you want to go or make any phone calls to break up the monotony of the journey. With your day bags packed, and happy at least that Mr. Ashby was willing to provide such a generous retainer, you head off for Shepherd's Glen.

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:27 am**

Murray gets behind the wheel of his Ford Focus and sets out on his journey to Shepherd's Glen. When the time comes to go to Silent Hill, he is leaning towards driving around the lake instead of taking the ferry. He'd prefer to have his car with him, and the ferry might not be the sort that could transport it. He considers phoning Cara Ashby's mother in advance, but decides against it. If she is staying there, her mother might tip her off, and she could be gone by the time he arrives. Better to just drop in unexpected. If Mrs. Ashby isn't there at the time, he might be able to tell if she has been with a quick look around the house. The use of the credit card at Heaven's Night is puzzling, but it's possible that her boyfriend was stepping out on her and borrowed the card to go there. Nothing would surprise him any more. Whatever is going on, he knows he will get to the bottom of it. He regrets having given her a second chance now. She wouldn't get a third, that was for certain.

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:52 am**

It's a long, dreary car ride to Shepherd's Glen though the weather starts to clear up the closer he gets to the area and the local radio stations are largely blocked by the hilly terrain, leaving him to listen to patchy tunes on staticy channels or return to his CD player. There's plenty of traffic on County Road 73 when he reaches it (well, about a dozen or so) but they must all be heading for Silent Hill because no one else takes the off-ramp down into Shepherd's Glen. It doesn't take long to find out why.

Despite Shepherd's Glen being on the banks of Toluca Lake, and therefore a potential resort town as well, the patchwork asphalt roads, flaking paintwork, and peeling weatherboards mark out the Shepherd's Inn that is your first introduction to the town. There's a couple cars parked outside, however, so there's obviously some residents inside the town. Driving further in, Murphy sees that several businesses are boarded up, including the Shepherd's Glen Police Station, Dr. Fitch's Office, a bakery, pharmacy, and even a few houses. One odd point, however, noted as you descended the sloping road, was that Shepherd's Glen has a rather impressively large cemetery.

Checking your G.P.S., you see that Whittleby lives at 6 Walton Avenue.

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 6:17 am**

Murray drives directly to 6 Walton Avenue, checking out the house to see if it looks like someone's home.

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 6:25 am**

The curtains are opened and there's no lacy curtains in the way so Murray can quite easily see an old lady sitting on a rather elegant arm chair, watching something that is likely to be a television. Behind her sits a roaring fireplace with a marble mantlepiece. Compared to the rather crumbling stone facade and the front yard strewn with weeds, the interior appears to be positively decadent. Strange then, that there should be about ten decaying newspapers lying by the front stoop. Despite the distance, he can quiteeasily see that the woman seems to have aged poorly over the years. Her gray hair has been put up in rollers in a fairly unkempt way, her skin sags with wrinkles from a fine-boned face that make her look to be about ninety, which is impossible because Mrs. Ashby is in her mid-thirties. Unless Mrs. Whittleby was in her late fifties when she gave birth to her? Or isn't this Mrs. Whittleby? The phone directory had pointed to this house (Mr. Ashby never knew his mother-in-law's address) but in a town like this it wouldn't be surprising if it hadn't been updated in awhile.

Posted: **Tue Dec 20, 2011 6:26 am**

Murray decides that the direct approach is best. He parks the car in front of the house and walks up the front walk. Maybe that's Mrs. Ashby's grandmother, he thinks. If she's really ninety, then she was around my age in the 1940s. Most people think I'm old-fashioned, but my fondness for the era might be an advantage here. He climbs up the front stoop, avoiding the newspapers, and knocks gently on the door.

Posted: **Tue Dec 20, 2011 6:47 am**

There is no response or reaction from anyone inside the house. The television seems to be blaring The Gilmore Girls, if he's not mistaken, but there's no curious call out, nor foot falls, nor any other sign that the occupant of the house has heard him. Perhaps she's deaf? Perhaps she saw him coming up the drive and decided to ignore him anyway? It's hard to tell.

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:16 am**

Murray knocks again, louder this time in case the old woman is hard of hearing. If that doesn't get her attention, he'll ring the doorbell if there is one.

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:40 am**

Murray finally hears the television switch off and a few moments later the door pulls open but holds at the three latched chains. A suspicious-looking woman peeks out at you with narrowed eyes. "What're you doing here? I don't recognise you!" she snaps in a growl of a voice. "What're you want? Some kind of salesman? Tourist in the wrong place? Pah! I ain't gonna let you in, y'know!"

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 6:20 am**

"I'm sorry to bother you, ma'am," says Murray politely. "My name is Murray Archer. I'm looking for Mrs. Dora Whittleby. It's about her daughter, Cara. Her husband and especially her daughter Liliana are worried sick about her." Though Murray is usually glib, this elderly lady seems immune to his charming nature. He studies her as she responds.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 6:29 am**

"She ain't here no more," grumbles the old lady, obviously lying. In fact, her eyes seem to positively light up at his mistaken assumptions. "Moved out when all the troubles started." She starts shutting the door (which still has a few latched chains in place).

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 6:11 am**

"Please, wait!" says Murray. "What troubles? I'm not from around here. I came all the way out from San Francisco. If Mrs. Whittleby isn't here, where is she?"

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 6:34 am**

The old lady simply shuts the door and Murray can hear the lock click shut.

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 6:34 am**

Murray takes out his smartphone and calls the house. Since he found the address in the phone book, he already has the number. Even if the old woman ignores it and lets her machine pick up, the recorded message will probably tell him who lives there.

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 7:39 am**

There is an answering machine, luckily enough. "Hello, this is Dora Whittleby's telephone. If you can leave your name and number after the beep, I'll get right back to you." A few moments pass. "How do I stop it?" comes her voice in the background, moments before a click and a beep sounds. There's no doubting it. It's the voice of the woman who had answered the door.

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 6:42 pm**

"I know you can hear me, Mrs. Whittleby," says Murray. "Please talk to me and drop the act. There's no point in lying to me any more. I've been honest with you, and you should pay me the same respect. I know you think you're protecting your daughter, but I only want what's best for her. Your little granddaughter misses her mommy terribly, and this is breaking her heart."

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:53 pm**

The telephone is snatched up and the voice snaps, "I haven't seen my blasted daughter in twenty years when she went and ran away from home. I ain't seen her and I ain't want to see her. I didn't refuse that damn wedding invitation for nothing. If she went and disappeared on that damn fool of a San Francisco faggot, than good riddance to them both." She slams the telephone down. Itshard to tellif she's being honest over the telephone.

Posted: **Sun Dec 25, 2011 12:39 am**

Murray shrugs. Whether or not Dora Whittleby is being truthful, he knows he won't get anything more out of her, and staking out the house could be a huge waste of time. Instead, he gets back into his car and drives towards Silent Hill, where he knows of several places where Cara Ashby used her credit card. He feeds the address of the Lakeview Hotel into his GPS, reasoning that she has most likely been staying there - and if her mother was lying and does decide to tip her off, he wants to arrive before she has a chance to flee.

Posted: **Sun Dec 25, 2011 12:45 am**

Murray hops into his car and takes County Road 73 all the way from Shepherd's Glen around to the southern part of Silent Hill. The road is terribly winding and narrow around the hills but in the clear, sunny day it's at least fairly easy to navigate without any further problems. Toluca Lake is a glittering jewel forever to his right as he makes his way along the road, passing an Observation Deck on his way through to the tunnel that leads down onto Nathan Avenue and follows it through the southern smattering of streets and then up around the curve of the beautiful lake towards the majestic Lakeview Hotel.

Posted: **Sun Dec 25, 2011 1:07 am**

Murray drives into the hotel's parking lot and parks as close as he can get to the hotel's front entrance.

Posted: **Sun Dec 25, 2011 1:09 am**

Lakeview Hotel stands proudly before him on the right on Nathan Avenue. Further in the distance, to the left, Murray can make out the Lakeside Amusement Park where the credit card records reveal some grand expenditures as well. It shouldn't be all that surprising how expensive a trip to an amusement park can be if you really don't care how much you spend -- which she obviously hasn't. Thus far, she's managed to rake upwards of $10,000 worth of expenses at the pubs, amusement parks, hotel, and other assorted places. Her last spend occurred precisely three days ago - but she's pre-paid five more days in advance beyond today. Of course, Murray doesn't know which room she's booked into. He'll have to ask the receptionist.

Posted: **Sun Dec 25, 2011 2:29 am**

Murray puts his GPS away. No sense in tempting thieves. Then he gets out of the car and enters the hotel, looking for the front desk.

Posted: **Sun Dec 25, 2011 2:55 am**

The heavy double doors lead into the large foyer which has a rather beautiful wood panelling and some antique staircases. There's some doors flanking the stairs which lead into the rear of the building. To Murray's left is a gift shop and a wide reception desk with a rather perky-looking pretty receptionists leaning her impressive bosom on the wood counter as she peers out at Murray with a quirky smile. Her ruby red lips and classically curled bob give her the appeal of a like-minded individual who obviously has taken a liking to Murray in his trenchcoat and old-fashioned sensibilities.

Posted: **Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:20 pm**

Murray takes off his hat and greets the receptionist with a smile. Most people these days don't wear hats, which he has always felt is a pity. Even among those who do, some don't know that you're supposed to take it off when you come inside. "Good day, Miss," he says. "Perhaps you can help me. I'm looking for Cara Ashby. Can you please tell me which room she's in?"

Posted: **Mon Dec 26, 2011 2:01 am**

"Oh, uh, that's against hotel policy, but I am happy to tell her that she has a visitor? She's had a fair few visitors lately though they've dropped off a bit recently. I'm sure she'd be happy to see you." There's a slightly flirty emphasis on the word 'you'.

Posted: **Mon Dec 26, 2011 6:25 am**

"Thank you," says Murray, his smile broadening. "I'd appreciate that."

Posted: **Mon Dec 26, 2011 7:04 am**

She beams at him and then lifts a telephone to her ear. Murray can see that she dials in 432 on the telephone extension. If he adds the first five numbers of the hotel phone number, then puts in those last three digits, he should have her room number. She sits there and listens in on the telephone for a short period of time and then sighs and hangs up. "Sorry, she's not picking up. Perhaps she's checked out?" She types in something on the computer. "Nope, she's still checked in here. She must be out. Or perhaps she's in the restaurant? She's a bit of a socialite so maybe Mikey knows what's up with her."

Posted: **Mon Dec 26, 2011 9:34 pm**

"Thanks," says Murray. "I'll go check with Mikey, then. Do you know where I can find him?"

Posted: **Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:32 am**

"Oh, he should be out working the counter at Cafe Toluca just through that door back there. If he's not there, he might be helping over at the restaurant. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to come and ask me."

Posted: **Tue Dec 27, 2011 4:35 am**

"Thanks again," says Murray. "I'll be sure to." He pauses as he is about to leave. "Oh, just one more thing. What does Mikey look like, so I'll recognize him?"

Posted: **Tue Dec 27, 2011 4:39 am**

"Umm, he's got short red hair and this little white scar that crosses through one eyebrow," said the receptionist. "Oh, on that note ... you don't look like a local. Did you need to book a room here?"

Posted: **Tue Dec 27, 2011 5:15 am**

"Actually, yes," says Murray. "I may as well check in now. Got any vacancies on the third floor?"

Posted: **Tue Dec 27, 2011 6:18 am**

"Yes, sir," she said with a smile, entering something onto the computer. "One moment... 318 is available. As is 316. Could I have your name, please? For the reservation?" She flashes him a welcoming smile.

Posted: **Wed Dec 28, 2011 5:30 am**

"My name's Murray Archer," says Murray, smiling back again. He takes out his wallet and finds his credit card to pay for the room. "I'd like Room 316, please."

Posted: **Wed Dec 28, 2011 12:57 pm**

"Of course, Mr. Archer," she says, accepting his card and swishing it through the reader. "Pin or sign?" After he makes up his mind and pays for the room ($130 a night), she turns back to retrieve a key with a large wooden room tag and passes it to him. "There you go, sir."

Posted: **Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:36 am**

"Thank you, Miss," says Murray. He signs and then pockets the key. "Have a nice day. If I need anything else, I'll be sure to ask. See you later." He waves goodbye and heads to the Cafe Toluca to look for Mikey.

Posted: **Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:46 am**

Murray heads out through the rear double doors and sees a happy couple walking past, the woman's head leaned onto the man's shoulder as they walked. Cafe Toluca is just across the hall and through another door. The cafe overlooks the rear courtyard, beyond which is a bridge that heads out across the lake. The cafe itself has a number of light and airy booths with a creamy vinyl cover and real wooden tables. A man matching Mikey's description stands behind a solid mahogany counter, flanked by a glass warming box (for pies and pasties) and a cooler glass box (for the salads). He smiles in a polite but non-intrusive manner when Murray enters the cafe.

Posted: **Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:07 am**

"Hello," says Murray, nodding in greeting. "Do you know where I might find Cara Ashby?"

Posted: **Thu Dec 29, 2011 10:13 am**

Mikey sizes Murray up with a quick glance and cocks an eyebrow. "Cara? Erm, oh wait, I'm guessing you mean Ash? Tall woman? Short black hair chopped straight at the chin? Yeah, I haven't seen her the past couple days. Sorry. She must be eating somewhere in town."

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 3:32 am**

"Do you know where in town she might have gone, or when she'll be back?" asks Murray.

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 6:07 am**

Mikey shakes his head. The description certainly rings a bell - but only if she's had her haircut, which is certainly not impossible. Murray does have her photograph at least. "I know she liked Annie's Bar. Tough crowd over there, or so it seems. But I don't know. She could be at any one of a number of bars and clubs. Hmm... Have you tried Alchemilla? She was visiting a friend at Alchemilla a fair few times."

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 6:47 am**

"No, I haven't been there," says Murray. "Thanks, I'll give it a try." He leaves the cafe and goes to get his luggage to bring it up to his room on the third floor. He figures that after that he might as well find Cara's room and check it while he's here.

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:00 am**

He takes his luggage from the tree-lined car park out the front of the building and brings it inside and up the set of well-worn stairs to the 2nd floor. The pretty red carpet cushions his footfalls, allowing him to walk with an eerie quietness expected from a dream. From there, he has to pass through another corridor to find a set of stairs that goes up further to the 3rd floor. His room is on the right wing of the hotel while hers would be on the left. The hotel seems quiet enough though there is a couple making out in the doorway to their hotel room like their very lives depended upon the noises of lip smacking. As Lady Luck would have it, his hotel room is right next door to their bedroom. Unlocking his hotel room door, he swings it open to reveal a rather quaintly decorated hotel room.

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 6:32 am**

Nice, thinks Murray, admiring the room. But for the television, this room could be straight out of the 1940s. Maybe the fifties, but hotel rooms didn't generally have TVs yet then. I could get to like this place. He puts his things away and then leaves the room, locking the door behind him. He heads across the third floor hallways to the other wing of the hotel and Room 305.

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 6:35 am**

Room 305 is locked. There's no one in the corridor, however.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 12:57 am**

Murray tries knocking on the door first, in case someone happens to be in there.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 2:41 am**

There's no response.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 3:07 am**

Glancing back over his shoulder to make sure the corridor is still clear, Murray takes out his lockpicks and fiddles with the door. He positions his body to block the view of his hands so that if anyone does wander by, it will look like he's just standing there waiting for someone to answer the door.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 3:28 am**

Luckily for Murray, no one comes near him as he inserts the picks and starts moving the tumblers one by one. It's a fairly simple and old-fashioned lock which gives him plenty of time to move. If this had been a modern hotel, it might've been trickier. Especially if they had a card reader. Instead, it takes less than a minute to click it all past and open the door to a hotel room just like his own. There's a magazine on the coffee table called Resort! that seems to have a feature on Silent Hill. There's also a pair of suitcases sitting on the couch. There's even a camera, quite a flash one, sitting on the television set. There seems to have been some sort of flyer that's slipped beneath the couch.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 3:35 am**

Murray slips on his gloves. The first thing he does is take the "Do Not Disturb" sign and hang it from the knob outside the door. He doesn't want housekeeping trying to come in to change the sheets while he's inside. He slips quietly into the room and closes the door silently behind him. After memorizing the exact position of the flyer so that he can put it back without anyone knowing it was moved, he pulls it out and reads it.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 3:49 am**

It's a flyer for the Lakeside Amusement Park and it's various rides and its opening times have been underlined in biro. There's a few details on the location in the flyer:

Merry-Go-Round, haunted house, roller coaster, ferris wheel and tea cups. Silent Hill is home to a thrilling amusement park that both children and adults love.

Located in the Resort Area, it's a popular tourist attraction, with key activities including a rollercoaster, a carousel, a ferris wheel, and a few other carnival rides and sideshows.

Borely Haunted Mansion. A haunted mansion, advising pregnant and weak-hearted people to refrain from entering; children under the age of eight must be accompanied by an adult.

There's also imagery of the four mascots: Robbie the Rabbot, Kathy the Kitty, Huey the Horse and Dawn the Duck.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 4:33 am**

Murray takes out his digital camera, snaps a picture of the flyer, and then slips the flyer back where he found it. He checks the magazine next, again remembering its position carefully and replacing it when he's done, taking more photos of the feature on Silent Hill, though he doesn't take the time to do more than glance over it while he's in here. He can view it on his camera at his leisure later.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 4:46 am**

Murray successfully manages to take the pictures and replace the maagazine and the flyer. The bed is well-made and seems undisturbed. There's still two suitcases sitting on the couch. There's also a chest of drawers and a wardrobe in the room, as well as a door to the bathroom and a writing desk. The expensive camera on top of the television looks like a digital camera.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 5:13 am**

Murray checks the writing desk next, looking to see if his quarry has written anything. If there's a pad of paper, he examines it to see if it seems that any pieces have been torn off. He can always do the trick where you rub a pencil over the top piece to get an impression of what was written on the piece above before it had been torn off. Then he can take that piece of paper on which he took the rubbing with him. Not even the most anal-retentive person in the world would notice a single piece of paper missing from a writing pad.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 5:27 am**

There is a post-it note box sitting on the writing desk and not a whole hell of a lot more. He grabs out a pencil and carefully produces a rubbing (we'll go with Crafts, doubled as its a rather simple enterprise) that reveals most of the lettering fairly clearly: I.C.U. Alchemilla. 11.30

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 5:42 am**

Murray pockets the post-it note on which he took the rubbing and looks at his watch to see what time it is. This is the best lead he has to his quarry's whereabouts, but he might not have much time to take advantage of it.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 5:50 am**

It's already 3.30 PM.

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:22 am**

Realizing that it's almost certainly too late to catch Cara at the hospital, Murray examines the digital camera next. Again taking care to memorize its position and orientation, he powers it up and reviews recent photos taken with it. He would like to copy the memory stick's contents entirely, but that would take a while, and he doesn't want to risk borrowing the memory stick or substituting one of his own.

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2012 3:09 am**

Cameras this expensive would certainly come with a USB connector and other assorted cords in the camera bag. There's no sign of it here but it might have been put away in the cupboard or the wardrobe. The past few photographs are of Lake Toluca with a few of the actual hotel and one of the Lakeside Amusement Park.

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2012 3:35 am**

Murray powers down the camera and replaces it precisely where he found it. Next he looks inside the wardrobe.

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2012 4:22 am**

There's a Robbie Rabbit stuffed animal, three show bags from the Lakeside Amusement Park, and the camera bag. The show bags each have a tag attached to them, like you do when you're giving people presents.

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:13 am**

Murray looks at the tags to see if there are any names in them. He peeks in the show bags to see what's inside, careful not to move them from their positions nor to disturb their contents. Then he looks inside the camera bag, hoping to find a USB connector.

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2012 11:39 am**

There's an envelope in each show bag alongside the normal assortments. One has Murray's name. The other two are for her husband and daughter. The tags match the envelope labels that are written in Mrs. Ashby's smooth, clear handwriting. The camera bag, at least, contains what he's looking for. The USB connector. At least he can download the contents of her camera now.

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2012 10:46 pm**

Taking care to note exactly where he found it as always, Murray uses the USB connector to hook up the camera to his smartphone and starts downloading copies of all the pictures taken on it. While that is going on, he can continue his search of the room.

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2012 10:58 pm**

The envelopes are all sealed but its easy enough to note where they are and then download copies of the pictures onto his phone. The suitcases on the couch contain a few sets of clothing from what he can see on the top of the pile without disturbing anything. Some of it is so new they still have price tags on them. Obviously, she spent a bit while she was here.

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2012 11:10 pm**

Murray returns the suitcases back the way they were and looks inside the chest of drawers next.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:49 am**

The first drawer slides out with a dull creak, revealing a battered Bible and sixteen dead flies, all covered in a layer of dust. The sickly green interior lining of the drawer is peeled and flaking in places as though the chest of drawers is must older than it appears. The second drawer is empty with a rotting interior harboring several writhing maggots that almost seem to be feeding off the very wood itself. The third drawer is almost gutted with rot and white ants but it contains a pale red ring box with a dusty, velvet exterior.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 3:26 am**

Being sure not to alter its position (it looks like it hasn't been moved in years) and to disturb the dust as little as possible, Murray opens the ring box just enough to see inside.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 3:30 am**

It's impossible not to smudge the dust with his fingers when he opens it and, unless he wants to bend himself at a ridiculous angle to peek inside a box in a drawer, he is forced to open it fully. Inside is a beautiful navy blue blue with a diamond ring and a gold ring sitting together in the little embedded ridge. His memory could be wrong, but it does look an awful lot like Mrs. Ashby's engagement ring. He'd noticed it most when she'd been wearing it while having her fling. Most married women don't do that. They hide their rings. But she'd still been wearing it. It looks like now she's taken it off.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:32 am**

Murray cautiously closes the ring box back up and replaces it in its original position, trying to keep the dust as smooth as possible. He is relieved that at least his gloves mean that he won't be leaving fingerprints in the dust. Then he shuts the drawers and looks into the bathroom.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:42 am**

The bathroom is an old-fashioned tiled masterpiece with a claw-footed bath tub and an ornate brass-edged mirror over the sink. A make-up bag sits on the edge of the sink with a mascara bottle sitting on top of it. The three interesting details would have to be an old-fashioned shaving razor, a lipstick-stained wine glass, and two empty champagne bottles sitting on the small cabinet next to the bath.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:48 am**

Murray looks at the items with interest, and he also looks on the sink to see how many toothbrushes there are, which is a good way to tell how many people are staying in the room. No matter how intimate people are with each other, they seldom share toothbrushes.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:59 am**

There's only one toothbrush. A bright red electronic toothbrush that looks to be quite expensive.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:10 am**

Murray returns to the bedroom and double checks that everything is back exactly as he found it and to see if there's anything he hasn't examined while he waits for his phone to finish downloading the pictures from the camera. Cara Ashby has clearly been spending a lot of money, and he doubts it all came from the credit card, which would have hit its limit before she could have bought everything. Whoever she is with probably has money too. When the download is complete, he disconnects the USB connector, shuts down the camera and leaves it in its exact spot, pockets his phone, returns the USB connector to precisely where he got it in the camera bag, closes the bag, and then closes the wardrobe. He takes one last look around the room before tiptoeing to the door and peeking out through the peephole to see if the coast is clear.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:13 am**

There doesn't appear to be anyone in the corridor. He can't hear anyone either. He should be good to go.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:29 am**

Murray quietly opens the door, returns the "Do Not Disturb" sign back where he found it, and just as silently shuts the door. Then he removes his gloves and puts them in the pockets of his coat and walks back to his own room to review the pictures he took of the article and the photos he downloaded to his phone.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:46 am**

Murray finds his way easily enough to his hotel room and zooms in to view the photographs. Most of them are of the town, the amusement park, the lake, and other beautiful sights. She seemed to have a penchant for dusk and dawn photographs as well. A few of the later photographs of people show her and a dark-haired woman sitting in the cafe or out in front of the lake or out on the pier. She obviously wasn't the one taking the pictures. There's also a couple taken at the Amusement Park that show a young girl of around 6 or 7 with long blond hair pulled into a ponytail that obviously wasn't her daughter. One of the pictures shows the dark-haired woman and the girl hugging in front of a queue for the rollercoaster.

The article extolls the town's virtues as being a lovely, peaceful town with a majestic lake, beautiful forested hill-side, and elegant, small-town architecture that never forgets its roots. It talks about the town as being the perfect place to come to unwind, de-stress and forget about all of the world's hardships. It then discusses the merits of the new Lakeview Hotel and how it is basically a reconstruction of the original Lakeview Hotel. The architect and purchaser, Samuel Campbell, used to dream about the place and feels that certain buildings 'desire to be renewed' and 'always have existed and should simply be there'. After all, 'Silent Hill needs Lakeview Hotel. It needs something majestic to overlook the great beauty that is Toluca Lake and that it would be a grevious sin to allow such a gem to be destroyed by nature's elements'.

It later goes on to detail that Lakeview Hotel burned down when a heater that was known to reach 'troubling degrees' was left too close to a room curtain.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:21 am**

Murray leaves his room and heads downstairs to get back to his car. It's time to follow up some of the leads in town. It doesn't seem all that likely that Cara would go back to the amusement park, which is right down the road from the motel, and if she did he might not even find her there. However, Annie's Bar wasn't that much further and seemed a likely place for her to visit multiple times. It would be small enough that he'd see her if she were there. Even if she weren't, people there might remember her.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:28 am**

Annie's Bar is easily enough found. It's just down the road in fact and not far from the lake. The trouble becomes obvious when he passes the entrance. The lights are off - including the neon sign - and the front door is marked with Crime Scene tape. It looks like something's happened here. Something big, and likely illegal, otherwise they probably wouldn't have bothered with the tape. Only murder scenes generally garner this much interest.

Posted: **Wed Jan 04, 2012 5:32 am**

Murray parks near the bar and gets out to look over the scene, curious about what might have happened here. He looks around to see if anyone is there and peeks into the entrance to see if anyone is inside.

Posted: **Wed Jan 04, 2012 5:36 am**

The windows reveal a gloomy, empty bar, though there's a visible dried blood spatter stain a few yards away from the door. There's three kids skipping along followed by their parents on this fine, warm day, and several cars are busily going past. One young girl with a skipping rope skips between the hedge rows on the way to the fountain that stands in the middle of the courtyard (out of view - but Murray saw it on the way in from the Lakeview Hotel).

Posted: **Wed Jan 04, 2012 6:11 am**

Murray walks up to the group of parents and children. "Excuse me," he says. "Do you know what happened at Annie's Bar?"

Posted: **Wed Jan 04, 2012 6:15 am**

"No, sorry, we just got here," said the woman, giving him a look up and down and then rolling her eyes. The man linked his arm in hers and they continued off on their merry way.

Posted: **Thu Jan 05, 2012 4:49 am**

Murray shrugs and returns to his car. He doesn't want to follow the little girl, as that would look creepy. If she has any sense, she wouldn't talk to a stranger anyway. Instead he drives to Alchemilla Hospital. Anyone injured or killed at the bar would have been taken there, and he knows that Cara Ashby had gone there hours ago to visit someone, so that was a good lead too.

Posted: **Thu Jan 05, 2012 5:14 am**

It's such a lovely day. Birds are singing in the tree-lined streets. Children are coming home and playing in their front yards. There's plenty of shops around - including a surprising number of book stores. He pulls up against the street near the courtyard that leads into Alchemilla Hospital and starts heading inside. The obligatory two nurses are chatting outside with cigarettes in their hands, inhaling cancerous fumes while talking about a coma patient in ICU. Such a shame that they weren't talking about an emphysema patient. That would've brought their behavior into sharp contrast with their actions to save another from lung problems.

Posted: **Thu Jan 05, 2012 5:29 am**

Murray walks up to the nurses at the front door. He can put up with cigarette smoke to get a little informaton. Besides, most of the characters in his favorite old movies smoked, so it feels strangely familiar. "Afternoon," he says with a smile and a tip of the hat. "Say, were you here when the ambulance came from Annie's Bar?"

Posted: **Thu Jan 05, 2012 5:49 am**

Murray's words don't earn him much respect from the ladies and his clothing style didn't interest them either. He could tell as he approached them that the two nurses didn't want to be approached and his friendly and polite question was greeted by a sudden cross of the arms and a roll of the eyes.

"Uh, who are you?" asked one of the nurses, giving him that cocked eyebrown and curled lip look normally reserved for sleazy high school cheerleaders who've just been spoken to by a nerdy kid. Her ruby red lipstick and heavily mascara-lined eyes only add to that impression.

Posted: **Thu Jan 05, 2012 6:20 am**

"Me?" says Murray, putting on his most charming act, trying to look like a lost puppy. "I'm Murray Archer, and I'm new in town. I was going to meet someone at Annie's Bar, but I saw the police tape and the blood...I just hope my friend is all right."

Posted: **Thu Jan 05, 2012 6:24 am**

The irritated-looking woman lets out a huff of smoke and makes a big show of answering. "No one came in today, but some bartender got stabbed last Friday night by a hobo or something. If you meant to meet your friend at Annie's Bar today, you're a little late. You should give them a call and set up a new meet or something."

Posted: **Fri Jan 06, 2012 6:21 am**

"Thanks, I'll do that," says Murray. "Is the bartender going to be okay?"

Posted: **Fri Jan 06, 2012 6:27 am**

"I don't know," she said. "That's just what I've heard. That's all I know."

Posted: **Sat Jan 07, 2012 4:39 am**

"I'll go in and pay the bartender a visit, then," says Murray. "I wonder if Ash has been visiting here too. Do you know her?"

Posted: **Sat Jan 07, 2012 4:44 am**

"No, actually. She's not a local here at least."

Posted: **Sat Jan 07, 2012 5:02 am**

"Well, thanks for your time," says Murray. He tips his hat again and enters the hospital.

Posted: **Sat Jan 07, 2012 8:07 am**

The waiting room has dark greyish brown tiles and a wooden counter that surrounds the reception area. Old, scabby black chairs line one wall beneath all of the informational posters, flyers, and other odds and ends that often crowd waiting rooms. There's no one else in here at the moment, though there is a bell on the reception counter. There's also a left turn corridor that heads further into the hospital itself. The air has that subtle, sterile tang to it of multiple cleaning products with the vague after-hint of illness.

Posted: **Sat Jan 07, 2012 6:42 pm**

Murray looks over the notices on the information board for anything of interest and also checks the writing pad on the desk.

Posted: **Sun Jan 08, 2012 2:28 am**

The information board contains the usual information about taking care of yourself: Fact Sheets on Cancer, Heart Diseases and Allergies; A list of Emergency Numbers; a burns first aid sheet; and some details on how to recognise a stroke. The writing pad contains a few notes: Speak to Detective Whately re: tourist season capers.

Posted: **Sun Jan 08, 2012 3:21 am**

Murray rings the bell and waits to see if someone comes to the desk.

Posted: **Sun Jan 08, 2012 3:25 am**

Murray's left to wait for a few minutes before a blonde nurse in a red-and-white uniform walks up to the counter. "Hello, how can I help you?" she asks in a smoothly professional manner that belies the dark bags that hang beneath her clear blue eyes.

Posted: **Sun Jan 08, 2012 3:30 am**

"Hi," says Murray. "Do you know if the bartender from Annie's Bar is still here?"

Posted: **Sun Jan 08, 2012 3:32 am**

"I'll need a name," she said politely. "We have a lot of patients here and they're not entered into the databases by profession."

Posted: **Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:23 am**

"I'm sorry," says Murray, "I don't actually know the bartender's name, but this is the stabbing victim who was brought in Friday night."

Posted: **Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:25 am**

"Oh?" asked the nurse, looking at him with renewed interest. "Yes, I think I know the one. A handsome fellow. Brown hair. Do you know him at all? I mean, if you don't even know his name, why are you tracking him down here?"

Posted: **Sun Jan 08, 2012 5:09 am**

"I want to talk to him about Ash," says Murray, laying on the charm. "I'm really worried about her, and I know she frequents Annie's Bar and probably confided in him. When I went to the bar, I was shocked to see the place blocked off with police tape and blood on the floor. I found out a little about what happened and figured he'd been taken here. It also occurred to me that I might even run into Ash here, since she might be paying a visit."

Posted: **Sun Jan 08, 2012 5:20 am**

"Oh, well, no, Ash hasn't been in about him but well... She was coming in to see someone else, though. A little girl. Err, who is it you said you were, again?"

Posted: **Sun Jan 08, 2012 11:33 pm**

"I didn't," says Murray. "The name's Murray Archer. I know Ash from San Francisco. This little girl, she's about six or seven years old, right? Long blonde hair in a ponytail?"

Posted: **Sun Jan 08, 2012 11:44 pm**

"Oh yes, actually, she did come to see her." The nurse types something into the computer and smiles at the response. "She's already been released, however, back into the care of her mother. Jack Fifer is downstairs in the renovated wards if you'd like to visit him. Just take the elevator down to the basement floor and go to Ward B. You can't miss him."

Posted: **Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:45 am**

"Thanks," says Murray, "I'll go see him now. Glad to hear the kid is doing better." He follows the nurse's directions to the elevator so he can head down to the basement.

Posted: **Mon Jan 09, 2012 4:35 am**

"Just go straight down the hall, turn left, go through the double doors, follow the hall through another set of doors, then turn left," said the woman cheerfully. "Follow that corridor to the very end and the elevator should be on your right." She reached for the telephone. "If you'll excuse me I have to confirm a few out-patient appointments." She turns back to her telephone.

The elevator takes a few moments to ascend from the basement floor to the first floor before the doors open with a soft ping. There's no soothing music here, just silence, as tends to be the way with shorter elevator journeys. The linoleum floor down here appears well-used, though clean, and the fluorescent lights overhead flicker a little with a slight electric hum. The doors across from him are labelled Morgue beside which is the Store Room door. Across the hall on the elevator side is a Stairwell door and two unlabelled doors.

Posted: **Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:15 am**

"Can't miss him, huh?" says Murray to himself, shaking his head. He shrugs and tries the nearer of the unlabelled doors, hoping it will lead to Ward B.

Posted: **Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:25 am**

Murray heads past the stairwell only to hear the Morgue doors creak open. Glancing back, he sees two men enter the hallway dressed in suits. One is big and tall with a face that only a mother could love and the other is thin and short with big hands that seem almost out of place on his body. Both of them have their gaze dead-set on Murray as they step out into the hall. The bigger guy has a grin that's all teeth and hostility, like a shark cruising in for the kill. The other man is frowning like he has places to be and didn't want to be here.

"Been asking some interested questions," said the bigger guy, never dropping his smile for a second. "Thought it might be worth introducing ourselves to each other. See why you're so interested in Mr. Jack Fifer and the mysterious Ash."

Posted: **Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:48 am**

Murray smiles back. "Well, you already know I'm Murray Archer," he says, "seeing as the nurse at the front desk just called you and told you. So, who might you gentlemen be?" He watches their reactions closely.

Posted: **Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:58 am**

There's nothing kind about either of the two men but they're more intelligent than the average mooks one might send after an errant private investigator. "You ain't answered my question. I want to know precisely the reason why you're interested in those two individuals and what you know about them and any connections between them. You answer our questions to our satisfaction and we won't be having any trouble here." He spreads his hands in a peaceable motion but his eyes describe a wish for violence.

Posted: **Mon Jan 09, 2012 6:06 am**

"I'm a private investigator from San Francisco," says Murray. "I came to this town to find Ash. Never heard of Jack Fifer until I came here to the hospital, but I knew that she'd been spending time at Annie's Bar and figured she might have talked to him when she was there."

Posted: **Mon Jan 09, 2012 6:41 am**

The big guy nods, seeming convinced, but the scrawnier one seems more suspicious. "Huh, well, who hired you to find Ash?"

Posted: **Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:49 am**

"Well, you know that's condifential," says Murray. "I'd be a pretty lousy shamus if I went around blabbing to all and sundry who my clients are. It's someone from San Francisco, though, nobody local." He hopes that his smooth talking will convince the smaller man not to press any further.

Posted: **Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:59 am**

The smaller man sneers at that and Murray gets the distinct impression that he's tossing up whether to be unreasonable or not. Before the man can make up his mind, a loud klaxon breaks the silence and wails through the air. The two men startle, blood draining from their face, and make for the door even as the linoleum becomes faded and torn, the ceiling tiles collapsing in places, and the paint scabbing off the walls as though steam were corroding it before his very eyes. The air grows cold, so chilled it's like stepping into a refridgerator and his breath comes out in a cloudy exhale.

Posted: **Tue Jan 10, 2012 6:08 am**

Murray has no idea what is happening here, so he has to act on instinct. These guys seem to have some inkling what's happening, and they're from here and would know what to do and which way to go better than he would. He hurries to follow the two men.

Posted: **Tue Jan 10, 2012 6:17 am**

They're faster than he is and their tension grants them speed. They're out the other side of the stairwell doors before he can do much about it. The bigger one leans heavily on the door while the smaller one fumbles with something - a key? Are they locking him inside? He can try to shove the doors open if he wished but the big man is quite large and it would be no easy matter to move him out of the way before the key slammed home. The air feels cold and damp against his face, the chill to the air clinging to his skin and hair, quickly sucking the warmth from him like a dive into an icy lake.

Posted: **Tue Jan 10, 2012 6:52 am**

The morgue doors creak open. "Is...is someone there?" Jack coughed.

EDITED For Clarity by Laraqua.

Posted: **Tue Jan 10, 2012 7:01 am**

Posted: **Tue Jan 10, 2012 7:23 am**

Jack staggerd into Murray's view. His bloody trenchcoat was tattered in places where the monster had impaled him with the knife and where the dog had bit him in the arm. In one of his hand, he was holding an unfolded switchblade. In the other, he held a flashlight.

Part of his head was bandaged, which Murray could clearly see.

Posted: **Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:56 am**

Murray shivers a little, but his own rumpled trenchcoast keeps him warm. He also wears a black fedora, and he looks like something out of a 1940s movie. His face is noteworthy for the fact that it isn't noteworthy. Neither good-looking nor ugly, it seems designed to blend into a crowd. "Jeez, what happened to you?" he asks the stranger.

Posted: **Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:05 am**

"I... I don't know..." Jack said. "I woke up in the morgue... I got stabbed by...something... I collapsed in the bar and..."

"Ash... Quick!" Jack said, suddenly frantic. "Do you have a gun? A weapon? Anything?"

Posted: **Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:11 am**

The key turns in the lock and there's a blur of motion through the glass inset in the door as the two men rush upstairs and out of sight.

Posted: **Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:27 am**

Murray rams the door with his shoulder. It almost gives, but not quite. "You must be Jack Fifer," he says. "I'll want to talk to you about Ash when we have time. Give me a hand here and we can get this door open. Yeah, I got a heater. I don't see anything that needs shooting, though. The name's Murray Archer."

Posted: **Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:31 am**

Posted: **Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:35 am**

Jack looked exasperated. "Heater? What are you, some noir detective wannabee? God, you sound like a..." Jack paused and bit his lips. "Her husband hired you, no? God, it doesn't matter... she's hurt. Bad. Like me, I guess... something attacked her too..."

Posted: **Thu Jan 12, 2012 6:05 am**

"Then we'd better find her, and fast!" says Murray. He takes out his lockpicks and tinkers with the lock. "This is probably a better way to get the door open. Any idea where she is?" He has the door unlocked in very short order.

Posted: **Thu Jan 12, 2012 6:09 am**

"Yes," Jack said. "She said she was in some kind of a theater... The Historical Society, I bet. If you hurry, you might still be able to save her..."

Jack paused. "Who were those guys that just locked us in here, by the way?"

Posted: **Thu Jan 12, 2012 6:12 am**

A wild roar shakes the floor beneath their feet and a man's voice screams in agony and terror ending in an abrupt tearing some complete with spatter. Something thunks against the wall on the floor above and then drops to the floor with a sickening, wet crunch.

Posted: **Thu Jan 12, 2012 6:14 am**

"...I think we need more guns," Jack muttered.

Posted: **Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:05 am**

"I've only got one," hisses Murray, putting his lockpicks away and drawing his .38 revolver from his pocket. "The nurse at the front desk sicced those two goons on me because I was asking too many questions about you and Ash. What the hell is going on? It sounds like a wild animal is on the rampage up there, but we have to go up to get out. Let's try to keep it quiet." He tries to push open the door without a sound, but it creaks ominously. He leads the way into the stairwell, tiptoeing as he goes and looking upwards to see ahead of him.

Posted: **Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:13 am**

Jack followed Murray quickly, but his footsteps also creaked softly behind him. "That's not an animal," Jack whispered. "Those kind of things were on to me all day... It's going to kill us all if we aren't carefull... and I dropped my shotgun in the bar... how the heck should I know about the two goons? I just went to the police station to find Ash and got stabbed by one of those things for my troubles. And I got a damn sledgehammer dropped on my face too. In fact... I don't seem to remember the last few days too well... Ash mentioned something about drug deals that I supposedly objected to, but I don't remember a thing about that either..."

Posted: **Fri Jan 13, 2012 9:01 am**

Stepping into the stairwell reveals that it only goes up to the first floor but as they come up the first few steps, there's a loud ka-thunk as a shattered corpse hits the wall and then slides down the steps towards them, the head twisting at an improbably angle as it back slides toward you. The legs are twisted at odd angles, the note seems clear bitten off, revealing the gore beneath and the glistening pink-white bone. For a moment, the body is unrecognisable but given a few moments, Murray realises that it's the bigger man who's dead.

Posted: **Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:41 am**

"Great... there's more of them here," Jack muttered quietly. "How do you know my name, by the way?"

Posted: **Sat Jan 14, 2012 5:45 am**

"I wasn't asking about the goons," whispers Murray, "I was asking about whatever killed them and how everything seemed to change all of a sudden. As to how I know your name, well, it's my job to figure things like that out. I went to Annie's Bar and saw police tape blocking it off and blood on the floor, then I came here and found out from the nurses that the bartender had been stabbed. The nurse at the front desk told me your name and described you, then said you were down here. I know it seems creepy, but I think we should search this gorilla. He might have a piece you can use - not that it did him much good." Murray puts on his gloves, transferring the revolver from one hand to the other as he slips each one on, and then looks through the dead man's pockets, patting him down for any weapons.

Posted: **Sat Jan 14, 2012 6:48 am**

"Bar..? Police tape? Don't remember any of that, though I did pass out there. I actually got stabbed in the police station."

Posted: **Sat Jan 14, 2012 7:56 am**

There's something off about searching a corpse. He's still warm but his body doesn't feel alive. There's a certain looseness to his joints. A heaviness to his body. And his face ... his broken face with the staring, frightened eyes that bore into Murray's face even as they stare aimlessly ahead. There's something wrong about this. Something terribly wrong. The man's pockets contain a bulging wallet, some keys, and a switchblade but nothing else. It looks like they weren't carrying guns, after all.

Posted: **Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:47 am**

Murray had taken the bizarre transition in stride, but the dead guy was another matter. It was too disturbing and unnatural. What could have done this? One minute the guy had been threatening him, the next he was so much hamburger. Murray backs away from the corpse, passes the switchblade to Jack, and pockets the keys, figuring they could open locked doors faster than his picks - or lock unlocked doors, if needed. "Let's see who this poor sap was," he whispers, opening up the wallet and looking for identification.

Posted: **Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:50 am**

His license reveals that he's a Robert Kraye and he's actually licensed to drive a bus. He has a bus driver accreditation card, a MasterCard, a few reward cards from some of the shops around town, a Dai Dai Restaurant business card, Green Lion Antique Shop, and a business card for Councillor Jarrod Raymond which has his telephone number and email address on it. He also has about $300 in notes.

Posted: **Sun Jan 15, 2012 4:04 am**

Murray quietly tells Jack what he found. He copies down the Councillor's phone number and email address on his notepad and then puts the wallet back. "Ready to head upstairs?" he whispers.

Posted: **Sun Jan 15, 2012 7:35 am**

"I.. I don't know," Jack muttered. "Ready as I'll ever be, I suppose. We...we better hurry. This is the hospital... I think there's a little girl trapped inside here as well, from what Ash tells me..."

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 12:23 am**

"This girl's six or seven years old, long blonde hair in a ponytail?" whispers Murray. "Yeah, Ash came here to visit her earlier. We'll find the kid first. Let's go." He creeps upstairs, leading the way with his revolver ready.

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 12:29 am**

The stairs end on the first floor. There's a sharp spatter on the first floor landing where the man's head must have cracked and a larger spatter on the wall beside it near the corner where he must've bounced before sliding down the stairs.

There's a vague shape of a few large handprints in the blood that tapers off as whoever it was went out into the first floor hallway.

The corridor outside of the room seems bare but on the wall opposite the door are the words Go Away Dont Need You written in blood like a child's monstrous finger painting. The other man is sat down by the wall, his stomach ripped open and his entrails having spilled out and paritally liquefied.

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 1:11 am**

Murray sneaks over to the other dead body. He puts his disgust aside and searches it too.

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 1:16 am**

The corpse has a gold Rolex, a business card from the same councillor, a set of keys, a docket for two energy drinks and a goulash pie from the Denver Bakery, $300 in notes, a Master Card, a small bag of some sort of white crystalline substance, and a regular driver's license identifying him as Joseph Blank. The only weapon he has on him is a pair of brass knuckle dusters.

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 1:41 am**

"White Claudia," Jack hissed upon seeing the white powder. "Extremely addictive stuff. Killed more people and ruined more lives than you can possibly imagine."

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 3:38 am**

"Drugs," mutters Murray. He writes down the dead guy's name and address on his notepad and puts down Kraye's name and address while he's at it. He pockets the keys and slips the knuckle dusters onto his left hand. "All right, let's find her," he whispers. "Any idea what room she's in, or what floor? I've never been here before. We could look for some sort of chart or file that lists the patients' rooms. Maybe back at the front desk."

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 3:51 am**

"Don't even bother. The entire town is looted," Jack said. "We might want to try our hand at the ICU nonetheless. But are you sure you want to do this? Ash might be in greater danger than Katie is. Ash was getting chased around by the things when she last called me."

Jack took a deep breath. "We might want to split up."

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 4:12 am**

A shotgun blast booms overhead somewhere within the hospital.

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 4:20 am**

"The whole town's been looted?" replies Murray skeptically. "This all just happened in the last few minutes." He flinches when the shotgun goes off. "Well, we can't both leave Katie here, and we should check that out. Do you even know where Ash is? You said she was either in a theater or the Historical Society. You know the town better than I do. Where are they and how do you get there from here?"

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 4:31 am**

Another shotgun blast breaks in at the end of his questions, followed by something, somewhere up above, let loose a hacking snarl -- so loud it makes their teeth rattle.

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 4:44 am**

"She's in the theatre, I'm sure," Jack muttered. "The Historical Society makes use of it often, I think..."

He looked worriedly above them. "That shotgun... I think that's mine... She's here? Comeon, let's go. We have to at least get to the first floor."

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 5:09 am**

"Right, where are the stairs leading up?" asks Murray, looking around.

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 5:10 am**

"How the hell should I know?" Jack said, leading the way.

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 6:11 am**

The doors down this corridor all have office and sundry labels so this is obviously where the business part of the hospital worked themselves out. It slows them down to check each label for the stairs since, unfortunately, Alchemilla Hospital doesn't have those handy lines pointing out where to go and the power is out up here (though the fluorescents were working in the stairwell and downstairs) and the deep shadow makes it harder to spot a door. There's no reason to hope the emergency power is on and that the EXIT or Emergency lights might reveal the right door. They bust through a set of double doors and head down the corridor until they're right near the entrance before they spot the stairwell door. A quick examination reveal that it's broken. The knob turns freely and loosely in its socket but it doesn't seem about to come out.

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 7:01 am**

"Quick!" Jack hissed. "Shoot the lock!"

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 11:22 am**

There doesn't appear to be any lock.

Posted: **Mon Jan 16, 2012 11:55 pm**

"What lock?" hisses Murray. "Let's try the elevator. It probably won't work with the power out, but we might be able to force the doors open and climb up the shaft."

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 12:12 am**

The elevator is back near the stairwell to the basement so they'll need to back track the way they came if they want to get through there.

There should be a back up generator somewhere in the hospital that would provide power if need be. Perhaps it's a simple mechanical problem that could be easily repaired. Or perhaps someone switched it off.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 12:23 am**

Jack growled out in frustration. "Damnit, when did this town get all screwed up?!" he said, kicking the door. He took a deep breath. "Good idea, Murray. Let's go and find ourselves an elevator shaft."

The remains of the two goons flashed before his eyes. "I have a feeling that whatever's here doesn't want us to find her."

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 12:44 am**

"Too damn bad for it then," replies Murray. "There's probably a generator in the basement. Maybe we can get the power back on. And I told you when this town got screwed up - just a few minutes ago. Come on, let's go."

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 12:49 am**

Jack followed him groggily. "Just a few minutes ago? I know that this town suddenly went to hell all of a sudden, but it was more than just a few minutes ago..." Jack said. He grimaced as he tried to remember.

"There...there was a girl..." Jack muttered. "She said that she recognized me in the hospital...but I didn't recognize her at all... do you know anything about that?"

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 1:04 am**

Murray shrugs as he hurries back to the basement. "From what the nurses said, you'd been stabbed on Friday by 'a hobo or something,'" he says. "The only girls I know of who have been here are Katie and Ash."

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 1:41 am**

"I....uhh.....WHAT?!" Jack yelled out. "Friday? I don't... But that's... what is today again?"

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 2:00 am**

They've passed through the first set of double doors and are hurrying around the corner only to be confronted by that dreadful sight again.

And now they have to step over that corpse and go back down the stairwell.

It's only as they draw nearer that they find the body has gone.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 3:32 am**

"That's...odd," says Murray, shaking his head. He proceeds carefully down the stairs.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 3:47 am**

"That's odd?" Jack growled. "The entire town goes to hell right before your eyes, you hear shotgun blasts in the distance, hear inhuman screams, find doors with broken knobs in a bloody busy hospital in a bloody busy resort town, and then you get trapped in the basement by a couple of drug dealers who think that you are asking too many questions, the person who you are after is about to be killed somewhere in this town, and then you see the drug dealers get killed by GOD KNOWS WHAT, and all you can say is THAT'S ODD?!"

Jack crossed his arms. "Oh, and you also come by and say 'you got stabbed by a hobo and got committed in the hospital'" Jack said, finger quoting. "Yeah, if you were a REALLY good detective, maybe you should have bloody asked what a patient is doing walking around wearing a bloodied trenchcoat for, eh? Maybe he should start asking questions like WHY THE HELL I WOKE UP IN THE BLOODY MORGUE?!"

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 3:51 am**

As the pair draw closer, the stabbing beams of their flashlights criss cross over the gore, revealing a set of vague prints - not footprints, not exactly, more like smears - that lead through the stairwell door. Jack is halfway through his rant as Murray pulls open the door and heads carefully down the steps only to find no sign of the other broken body that had lain on the steps nearest the basement floor. The fluorescent lights in the basement are also no longer working - leaving the space beneath in deepest darkness. They reach the door to the basement by the time Jack has finished speaking.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 4:10 am**

"You might want to keep it down," whispers Murray. "Whatever killed those guys could be down here. Today's Wednesday by the way, and none of this weirdness happened until after those drug dealers came out of the morgue and confronted me. When you came out after everything went crazy, I figured they must've been pumping you for information. And compared to everything that happened in the last few minutes, yes, a body vanishing is merely odd. Whatever killed them probably dragged them off, though." He leads the way into the basement hallway carefully and looks around.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 4:13 am**

It looks just as they left it, complete with collapsed ceiling tiles and peeling plaster, but there's no sign of anything dangerous down here.

Not yet, anyway.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 4:13 am**

"How the hell do you explain this, then?!" Jack growled, pointing at his police radio. "I picked this up at the police station, where I got stabbed.Today. Ash has one too. And if I was admitted Friday, then why am I still wearing this bloody trench coat?"

"Oh, and if they were interrogating me, how the freak do you explain why I still have my lockpicks, a dozen shotgun shells, AND a switchblade?!"

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 4:36 am**

"I gave you the switchblade," says Murray, exasperated. "I didn't even know you had the other stuff until you just told me. I can't explain any of this. None of this makes any sense." He tries the nearer of the two unmarked doors.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 4:52 am**

Jack wordlessly pulled out the other switchblade from his pocket. "No, you gave me this one," he said.

"But we are running out of time. I am not sure that you see the urgency in the problems that we are facing right now. Ash is in grave danger out there right now, trapped in some random theatre and chased by god knows what, and you are proposing that we stay here to look for a girl instead. Have you seen anyone alive in this damn hospital so far?"

Jack growled, flicking open the switchblade. "I can deal with the girl problem myself. This isn't your task. Your task is to find Ash and keep her safe. You can deal with the rooms if you want," Jack said. He turned towards the elevator and tried to see if he could pry the door open.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 4:58 am**

Murray crosses the hall to the first door and tries the door. It opens smoothly to reveal an incredibly large store room full of so many mould-speckled cupboards it has several aisles just like a supermarket might but the smell of mould is more profound in here. It's enough to make Murray sneeze as it tickles his nostrils. He gets the strangest feeling that there's something else there ... in the store room ... that he can't quite see. His instincts drive his fingers toward his camera.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 5:43 am**

"Didn't know you already had one," mutters Murray. Almost unconsciously, without realizing he's doing it, he takes out his digital camera and views the storeroom through it, snapping a picture. "In that case, can I please have one of them back? And there's someone else alive here firing a shotgun. Fine, I'll head to the theater. Just tell me how to get there."

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 5:46 am**

For a moment, peering through the viewfinder, he could've sworn he saw a vague, static-y outline of someone beyond one of those sheets that hangs down over some contraption in the third aisle. Checking the digital picture capture reveals that, yes, there does seem to be some sort of silhouetted inside some sort of box shape behind that sheet.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 5:51 am**

"Get out of the hospital through the main entrance and turn right. You will see the theater when the Koontz street runs into the Wein street. Found anything in that room yet?"

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:04 am**

"Thanks," says Murray. "I see someone back there. Third aisle, behind that sheet."

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:07 am**

They vaguely make out a jagged female scream coming from somewhere upstairs.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:11 am**

"Fuck," Jack muttered. "I am going to go check on that."

Jack walked over to the elevator and tried to force it open.

Spoiler:

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:13 am**

Murray follows Jack back to the elevator.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:14 am**

There's no way to get a real grip with his fingertips and the switch blade would snap before it would force those great big doors open. He'd need a lever. Or maybe emergency power. Something more substantial than his fingertips at any rate.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:19 am**

"Where the hell's a crowbar when you need one?" Jack muttered.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:27 am**

"Might be one back in that storeroom," says Murray. He doubles back to the room and goes inside, looking around for a crowbar. While he's in there, he approaches the sheet where he saw the person hiding and takes a closer look there as well.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:30 am**

Jack quickly follows behind Murray and takes out his switchblade

Spoiler:

Jack shook himself from the thought and grumbled silently.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:54 am**

The store room doesn't seem to have any crowbars or anything that could be used as one. It seems mostly filled with hospital supplies, linen, and quantities of other disposables like a crate load of tissue boxes. The sheet that covers the box turns out to cover an old Iron Lung that probably belongs in a museum but is there nonetheless.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:42 pm**

"Nothing," says Murray. "You'd have better luck trying to find the generator and get the power back on. Or we can just take the stairs up to the ground floor. If we can't find whoever's screaming there, I'll head out to the theater. Can I have that second switchblade back, please?"

Posted: **Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:31 am**

"We already went by the ground floor," Jack muttered, handing Murray the switchblade. "You go look for whoever screamed. I'll look for the power."

Posted: **Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:34 am**

There is one unmarked door that hasn't been opened in the basement.

Posted: **Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:17 am**

"Thanks, try that door," says Murray, pointing at the other unmarked one. He pockets the switchblade and heads back upstairs and looks around the corridor on the ground floor again to see what other doors he can find there.

Posted: **Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:21 am**

Murray can see that there's the Director's Office, Kitchen, Doctor's Office, Office, and Store Room on this side of the double doors. On the other side is the stairwell and the Men's and Women's Toilets. There was one other door between the second double doors and the waiting room but he can't quite remember what that particular room is as he's only passed it once on the way in.

Posted: **Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:26 am**

Murray tries the door to the Director's office first.

Posted: **Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:36 am**

Murray heads upstairs and into the Director's Office, leaving Jack to return to his own thread. The Director's Office had obviously underwent some strange remodelling. The walls are padded and covered in thick, dusty sheets, and two figures (bodies? mannequins?) are trussed up in the sheets, left against the wall. It looks almost funereal and there's the strangest sound of wind blowing through non-existent cracks in the brick wall.

Posted: **Wed Jan 18, 2012 4:10 am**

Murray takes a closer look at the figures, to see if they are alive, dead, or inanimate.

Posted: **Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:21 am**

They look mummified, their skulls blackened, and too small to be quite adult although their frame suggests that they are.

So strange. It's like something one might expect to see in a carnival or some sort of museum.

Posted: **Thu Jan 19, 2012 4:16 am**

Murray leaves the room. He doesn't have time for this stuff. He just needs to check all of these rooms to see if the screaming woman is in any of them and then head to the theater post haste. He tries the door to the Doctor's Office next.

Posted: **Thu Jan 19, 2012 4:40 am**

Each room on this floor is empty of life. There's no sign of anyone, living or dead, in any of the rooms until he shoves open the final double doors that lead to the reception room and finds himself face to face with the smaller of the two goons -- who stands by the wall, slowly beating his forehead against it, spattering the plaster with blood with each terrible ker-thunk, his arms broken and twisted at his side, and some terrible growth pulsating like a tumorous cancer on the back of his neck, slick and pinkish-white under the beam of his flashlight. As the double doors swing shut behind him, the goon stops, his forehead still tilted to hit the wall again.

Posted: **Thu Jan 19, 2012 4:48 am**

Murray is bewildered, but he retains his calm, stoic demeanor. Nonetheless, he is glad he has the revolver in his right hand. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?" he says, keeping his distance from the man.

Play@YSDC

CHAPTER ONE: Murray's Journey: Following

CHAPTER ONE: Murray's Journey: Following

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