Part 27: ENDING D - "Home"

ENDING D "Home"


"All right..."
That is as far as my memory goes.
Any thing beyond that is vague, and to give an account of it I would have
to make things up.

However, I do not wish to include any fabrications in this story, that is my
true intention.
In this case truth is stranger than fiction.
But if I said that it was the truth then I doubt anyone would believe me.

I carefully read over the manuscript again.
I could never even think about forgetting the detestable events of
seven years ago.
Even now, my body quivers.

And because of this when the request came in, at first I considered refusing
because the contents were too similar to the world view.
However, the person in charge pushed me into it.

Perhaps it is an overstatement to call this a diary.
It is not exactly my memoirs either.
I just described those events within the range of my personal tastes.
There was no commercial greediness, and I never had the ambition of having
this story known by everyone.

It is merely a world of self-satisfaction.

After looking over the manuscript again I let out a long sign, and neatly
pushed the stack of papers together and placed them in the envelope
I had prepared.

I licked the seal of the envelope and then tightly sealed it.
The act of properly sealing the envelope with such feeling seemed like a
certain kind of ceremony.


"Daddy"
I turn around and Cheryl is standing there pouting.
"Ah, sorry. I have just finished. Sorry to have kept you waiting."
Cheryl smiled, returned to her room downstairs, and pulled several of her
best outfits out of a wardrobe.

Tomorrow is the deadline.
If I mail it tonight by express mail it should arrive at the proofreader
in time.

"I'll just be a little longer."

I said that to her in front of her room and then placed my hand on the
front door.


Ziriririri... (Onomatopoeia for ringing phone)
The phone rings.
Who is it?

I stopped, and listened to the ringing of the phone.

A ) "It might be urgent, but Cheryl will probably get it."
(Ending D-1)

B ) "It's probably the publishing company, they are so impatient."
(Ending D-2)

ENDING(D-1)

It might be urgent, but Cheryl will probably get it.
Or they can just call back later.
The mailbox is not far from here.
I mumbled to myself, opened the door, and left my house.

"Daddy! Are you here?"

Cheryl called out in a loud voice right after Harry left the house.
There is no answer.
There is no helping it.
With no other choice Cheryl rushed to the phone and picked up the receiver.

"Hello."

"Oh, Cheryl. It's daddy."

"Daddy? Where are you now?"

"I am in front of the mailbox.
I am meeting an acquaintance of mine.
I will be done soon."

Page 4
"Hurry up and come home.
Or else it will get late."

"Yeah...sorry.
I will hurry home.
By the way Cheryl, there is a place I want to stop before we go to the
amusement park. Is that ok?"

"Where?"

"Silent Hill."

=================(END D-1)

ENDING (D-2)

I reluctantly turn and run to the phone.
At this hour the only person I could imagine calling would be someone from
the publishing company.

"Hello..."
...........................

The telephone is silent...
Perhaps it's a prank call?

"Hello?
If you have nothing to say then I am going to hang up.
I have no interest in dealing with a prank call."

At the moment I was about to hang up the receiver the unseen caller finally
spoke.

(......Hello......)

My hand holding the receiver trembles.

That voice is...!

That voice is......
There is no doubt.
The receiver fell to the floor, but I did not notice.

Seven years ago...
The town clouded with fog...
The school stained with the smell of mildew...
The empty teacher's room...
On the table...

The fragments of my memory come together in my head like a jigsaw puzzle.
There is no doubt, that...


I rush up the stairs.

"Cheryl...!"

Cheryl had completed getting ready, and was sitting quietly on a three-legged
wooden chair.

"What's wrong? Daddy?"

"I'm sorry...but something urgent has come up.
It doesn't look like we will be able to go to the amusement park.
I will have to leave you here alone, but...will you be ok?"

The expression that I expected appeared on Cheryl's face.

"Hey, you promised!"

"I'm sorry...
I have to go right away..."

Suddenly a different memory rose up in my mind.

The town with a lake...
The pier in the darkness...
The lighthouse at its end...

The man who saved me...
And then...
Definitely next to...

"Cheryl, I've changed my mind, why don't you come with me?"

"Where to?"

This time I spoke with confidence.

"Silent Hill...
Yes, the lighthouse in Silent Hill.
We're going to help someone that is in trouble there."

I took my amazed daughter's hand in mine and we bolted out of the house.


THE END