Finally Free

Annette

I looked at Leonard. The man before me is a ghost? But how is he standing here in front of me? Though the information was hard to swallow, this whole situation was crazy. At this point in my life, I looked to Leonard as someone who completed me, but now I find out he will disappear at the end of this war. I sighed, stepping away from him. His face showed disappointment, but understanding as well.

"So, this is how it's gotta be. I help you, but, I'm making you disappear." He looked at me, then at the wall in front of him. "Love hurts." I felt a tear fall from my eyes as I wiped it away.

I opened my mouth to speak once more, but Leonard placed a gentle finger over my lips, "You will find someone, that someone isn't me. Our paths aren't aligned that way. I'm sorry, Annette."

I looked at the ground as air-raid sirens pierced the air. I looked around at the surroundings around us started peeling, and terror surrounded us. "What's going on!" I backed away from an enormous pile of flesh or something at my feet.

"This is Silent Hill, our reminder of what we all have to look forward to upon our departure. Our judgment." Leonard looked around. "The last stand, this is where everyone disappeared to during the great fire thirty years ago. Their souls transformed into monsters; my soul fell victim to this realm. Human by appearance executioner, at heart. These people are my playthings, my creations in this realm." He took a step forward, extending his arm, looking at me with a sigh. "You've seen the human form, but not what I am."

He closed his eyes as his body trembled, as fire surrounded his body. His beauty fading rapidly into large monster blood and burns covering his body, his black clothes looked like they were his skin, until the only thing he wore was skin-tight pants, with black shoes that housed chains and spikes, his long black hair now white and his lavender eyes now bronze. The fire surrounding him disappeared; with a scream of pain, he bent on one knee as a large spiral blade dropped in a pool of blood from his side. Once the screaming stopped, I ran to his side, kneeling to him. He looked at me, "You're still here?" his voice was weak and pain flowed from it.

"Of course I'm still here. Why wouldn't I be here? You need me." He looked at me, grabbing his weapon, struggling to his feet as he held onto the wall.

"This must be the end, it's getting harder to move. This weapon feels like it weighs a ton." He leaned against the wall, catching his breath. "I don't want to be friends, Annette." I looked at him as he continued, "I want you, even if it is a short time. I want there to be an us." I moved his hair from his face, kissing his lips. He looked at me, stroking my cheek, "I don't want to fight these feelings for you. It's not that you're hard to read. It was me who was making it difficult."

"Don't you always," I chuckled as he smiled.

"The demon and his worshipper have returned." I turned to look at our company.

Leonard

"Christabella, did you and your goons finally decide to get brave and wonder in my territory?'' I found my footing, gently shoving Annette behind me. "Now that you hypocrites are here, you won't be leaving here. The end of this madness has come."

I lifted my blade to Christabella, who shielded her face with a start. I smiled, jerking my weapon, beheading the cult leader. Her body fell to the ground. I looked at those with her, throwing my blade until it landed among them. They looked at me as I smiled as the weapon exploded, creating a hole fire blasting from it. The cult fell into the hole, the world of Silent Hill fading. I looked at Annette, kissing her lips. As she returned the gesture, something pierced my chest. I saw the humanoid creature Pyramid Head. He took his sword from my chest. The taste of iron feeling my mouth, my wound making it harder to breathe, my vision blurry. The smell of blood filled my nostrils. I could feel my consciousness slipping. I looked at Annette. My words weren't coming easily, "My love, he didn't." I felt something gentle against my lips.

Annette

"Shh, don't talk, save your strength, I'm fine," I assured him as I led him to the ground, his beauty returning. I sat on the concrete, stroking his hair. He looked at me, lifting his hand to touch my face. I held his hand. As he smiled, "The battles are over. I'm free. It feels great, no more darkness." He laughed a little, then smiled. I wiped the blood from his lips.

"Freedom feels great."

"I see the skies for the first time, so full of light, my mother hasn't aged, she's still as beautiful as ever."

He smiled as I looked at him with tears coming from my eyes. I kissed his hand, laying it on his stomach, "Better not keep your mother waiting any longer, I'll miss you, but your pain will stop, that's what I want to see."

He looked at me. Then he looked at the sky once more. He smiled once more, lifting his arm as I watched him float, then burst into a big flash of light.

I watched as the dark surroundings became sunny, looking at the sky. I watched as birds flew overhead. Silent Hill, revealing itself with the sun's rays, old buildings becoming new. I stood up as rain fell from the sky, the blood puddle at my feet, washing away. I smiled. "Okay, you want to be free. I'm leaving. I'm going." I laughed. Walking from the location, enjoying the town come to life.