CHAPTER ONE: Walter and Emily's Journey: Entrapment

[Seon]

"You know," Walter said, putting the CD in. "Deus Ex Human Revolution the game was all about the ethics of mankind trying to steal the fires from the gods by endulging in cybernetics and bioengineering sciences. In the end, it's left for the player to choose whether or not the goal was just."

[Laraqua]

The screen flickers blue and then flickers to static but somewhere, through all the static, comes a voice and the vague outlines of strange symbolism.

A girl's voice rises from the crackling static. So familiar yet so hard to recognise. "...can't ... if you c ... ear this ... it's t ... and I ... eed you ... alter ... ease ... n't go ... ease ... n't be ... aired ... oo lay ... want ... ee ... gain ... iss ... ever ... sorr ... n't le ... go ... ay the ... coming. I ... um f ... oo ... ate jus ... for m ... ease. I jus ... eed m ... ime. Nee ... me. Sh ... ost ... er ... ter ... an be ... ver ag ... ooon."

[Kadael]

"That... that's not a game," Emily whispers, barely audible over the girl's voice.

[Seon]

Walter frowned. "Okay, where the FREAK did this DVD come from?"

He threw up his arms. "Bulletproof windows, chained doors, and creepy DVDs! What's next? Would a monster emerge from the TV, waving two large swords in place of its arms?"

[Kadael]

It's really not a possibility, but Emily slams her finger on the power button anyway.

[Laraqua]

The television flicks off.

[Seon]

Walter, frustrated, kick the chained. Was there truly nothing inside the room which he could use to escape? Perhaps there were something in the cupboards or the closets or something.

[Laraqua]

The bedside cabinet contained a box of Ansell extra-lubricated condoms, a pair of fluffy, black handcuffs and an old, dusty bible. The writing desk contained a ream of fresh paper and a box of blue Bic pens. The refridgerator contained a Health Drink, two Mothers, a dozen small sample-sized alcohol bottles, and five small cereal + yoghurt combination plastic bowls. The closet contains two of his suitcases that he knows contains little more than clothing. As much as he might've liked to carry a gun in Silent Hill, they generally don't give them to tourists. There was a bag of cheet-os in one of them, though. There's nothing else in the room, though at least they won't starve for at least a couple days. More, in fact, if the running water from the bathroom holds out for them.

[Seon]

"Seriously?" Walter said, waving the box of condoms and the handcuffs. "Who put these junk in here?"

He threw them away into some corner of the room and picked up the bible. A condom, a handcuff, and a bible. An odd assortment of items indeed. He picked open a page.

[Kadael]

Emily blushes heavily at the condoms (and the handcuffs, once she realizes what they are) and flops down on the couch, face in her hands.

[Laraqua]

The bible is as ordinary as they come judging by the various printed words.

The Kauffman family tree on the inner leaf is a bit interesting, though. It dates back to the first Kauffman settlers in 1823.

[Seon]

"Is this...my family bible or something?" Walter muttered. He began to read the family tree in as much detail as possible.

[Kadael]

Emily peeks between her fingers, then hops off the couch and goes over to Walter. "Something interesting?"

She looks over his shoulder at the Bible.

[Laraqua]

The family tree is conspicuously slender and, judging by some of the way the branches intermingle, not only did few children survive to maturity but those that did had a tendency to inter-marry siblings or, at best, nieces/nephews and cousins.

John Kauffman (born 07/19/1803; died 04/13/1843) --- Mary Kauffman (born 03/21/1801; died 02/15/1856) are the first pair recorded here.

One other name is recorded who seems to have actually married outside of the family line:
Who Had Three children: Doris Jennerman (born 02/06/1833; died 03/04/1888) ------ James Jennerman (born 03/04/1813; died 03/06/1881)

Even Walter's own mother and father seem to have been cousins. Dianne and Dr. Michael Kauffman.

[Seon]

"No..." Walter muttered. "Just another senseless junk. Although I guess someone clever could have hidden something more in the book. Don't see anything that can be a page number though."

[Kadael]

The family tree disturbs Emily a bit, but she shakes it off. If it's junk, it's junk...

She's certainly strayed from her mother's faith since she left home, but she still feels some desire to read through its pages. The verses are lovely, at least in intention...

"Could I take a look at that when you're done?"

[Seon]

"Sure, why not?" Walter said, tossing her the book.

[Kadael]

Emily sits down on the couch and puts the Bible in her lap, opening to a random page.

[Laraqua]

The Bible looks to be the regular Bible, despite the junk written on the inner cover. All of the psalms and proverbs are where they should be. It hasn't even been highlighted at all.

There's the sound of a wheeled cart out in the hall. Emilyhears it and so does Walter.

[Seon]

"The housekeeper!" Walter yelled. He ran towards the door and started to beat it as hard as he could. "Hey! It someone out there?!"