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James Sunderland returned to Silent Hill for a simple reason.
To locate his wife, Mary. His beloved wife who died from her disease three years prior, and whose letter beckoned him to a “special place” somewhere within the town.
But he failed, because she wasn’t there in the way he initially thought.
This place managed to warp his mind and make him believe that such was real, sending him on a journey of straight out of his worst nightmares.
Monsters around every corner, being forced into frightening situations, along with being left with sickening feeling that something wasn’t right.
Lo and behold, through many trials and tribulations, James had made it to the “special place” mentioned in his wife’s letter, the Lakeview Hotel. And then, after several more run-ins of the normal and paranormal type, he had successfully unlocked his path to the room the couple stayed in before. It was there the man had viewed a tape that had been left behind on their last visit.
And afterwards, the sordid truth had been revealed.
Mary had been dead this entire time, by his own hand. With her sickness and the deterioration of their relationship having finally taken its toll, James had chosen to smother her before taking her body along with him to Silent Hill, to the place that had been the last time where they had been truly happy.
The intent was to drown himself in the lake upon his arrival, but plans had a way of changing.
By the end, James could say he had survived. He survived and was finally able to discover the truth. It was far from an ending that could be described as fulfilling, however, leaving the man with more regrets than he had before.
He chased off Laura with the reveal of his misdeed against Mary.
He couldn’t save Angela.
He had to kill Eddie to save himself.
And Maria? The version of his wife this town had conjured up for him?
On his volition, James chose to reject her.
He did not come here searching for a replacement for his beloved wife. A second-rate copy wouldn’t have sufficed, no matter how prettier or sexier she might’ve been. She also lacked any semblance of the past James shared with Mary, both good and bad.
And why leave with only the second best option, let alone with an individual whose sole purpose for existing was to drive him to temptation?
Which was something made quite clear on the rooftop of the Lakeview Hotel, where she was seen wearing Mary’s skin and clothes in an attempt to trick him. But James saw through it, quickly making his dismissal of her clear prior to their final fight.
But there was one thing she said that stuck with him, echoing in his head long after her defeat.
“Mary’s dead!” Maria cried out, “Don’t you understand? She’s not coming back!”
With all that he learned and knew, that should’ve been it.
The nail in the coffin for whatever delusions may have remained in James’ mind, allowing him to finally accept that his wife was dead by his own hands and finally moving on.
But James couldn’t. He wouldn’t. Not after what he went through,
And why should he? During his journey, James uncovered many notes, texts, tombs, and writings from the residents of this town, all of which implied that there was more than met the eye.
After all, it was as Mary had said during their vacation three years prior.
Silent Hill… had been a sacred area, a place of worship and of faith.
But it wasn’t just “sacred”. The powers which lay beneath this town, which would turn it into someone’s personalized version of Hell, were also ones which could be harnessed if a person sought them out for their own desires.
And James decided he would be the latest in a long line of individuals to do just that.
It was this motivation, along with the hope of being able to revive Mary, that compelled him to stick around in this foggy town a bit longer.
Once he made it back to his car and obtained the long-dead corpse of his wife, James gently placed her into that small boat and rowed to the church in the distance. From there, he got to work gathering all the materials and texts needed for a human revival.
Then, James got to work setting everything up.
Before long, he had Mary’s corpse laying in the center of a sigil drawn in blood, lit candles surrounding them from every angle. He also stood over her, a holy text in hand, and spoke the words that would allow this attempt of bringing back his wife to begin.
And upon finishing the sentence probably used many times before, James closed the book… and wished for it to succeed against any odds which remained.
Initially, nothing seemed to happen. Mary’s corpse remained still and the candles continued to burn like usual. It seemed that this plan was a dud, one which gave him a false sense of hope.
That was… until a crow suddenly crashed through the cathedral's stained glass window, sending shattered shards falling from above. The bird had also died on impact, landing right in front of James just as things began to intensify.
Soon enough, the wind around the old church picked up, pounding against the walls and shaking the structure to its very core.
More crows joined the fray as well, their squawking growing louder and louder while they circled above the roof outside.
And most importantly, Mary’s body began to float into the air as the ritual continued. While hovering over the spot she’d been made to lay on, her corpse visibly writhed and vibrated as it was subjected to the unseen work of the forces beyond mortal comprehension.
James, awestruck, could only look up and watch with the hope that this attempt at reviving his wife would end up paying off.
The chance of failure, while not desired, had potential to occur. Mary could very well fail to be revived, dropped onto the floor like a ragdoll.
Or worse, she could’ve been transformed into a monster, almost in the same vein of what happened to Maria.
Thankfully, from the looks of it, the very thing he was hoping for ended up happening in front of his very eyes.
Mary’s sickly and pale skin, adorned with all sorts of scars, developed a healthier complexion as any blemishes faded away.
Their hair also experienced changes, returning to how it used to look and regrowing in the places where chunks had ended up falling out.
Most importantly, his wife could be seen taking in breaths the more and more her body was revived. Slight twitches could also be seen occurring in her face, hands, and feet, making it all the more apparent that her internal systems were starting to work again.
The end of the ritual was signaled by the sudden snuffing out of the candles on the floor, along with the winds and squawking crows falling silent. Her airborne body also fell from its elevated position, but her husband was quick to catch her before Mary could hit the ground.
And with her cradled in his arms, James felt a sense of relief at seeing her being alive and healthy-looking once more. He quickly carried her out of the church, being careful to not wake her up prematurely.
Mary needed her rest, after all.
And as he rowed back across Toluca Lake in complete silence, the man realized there was one thing he had to do before this little foray into the fog-filled town could come to a close.
Finding Laura, even if she hated him more than ever by this time.
Hopefully… the sight of Mary alive and well would convince her to come along, regardless of whatever distaste would remain. And despite all which happened, he owed it to his wife to make her wish of the girl’s adoption a reality.
Upon reaching land, James lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the car. After setting them into the passenger seat and driving back into Silent Hill, she finally stirred from her slumber, doing so with a groan.
Naturally, Mary was quite confused when she noticed where she was, leading her to begin asking him all sorts of questions. Thankfully, none of them had to do with any pertaining to the monsters, with all of them thankfully being no-shows as James maneuvered his car through the town.
However, that didn’t mean it was easy deflecting her inquiries.
Why am I in my pajamas?
What’s this fog doing here? Should we be worried?
Where is everyone? It’s so quiet.
Why did we come back to Silent Hill so soon?
Is there something you want to tell me, James?
Her husband did what he could to placate his spouse’s confusion and worry, while also keeping an eye out for wherever that young girl could be. Eventually, he tracked her down back by the wall adorned with drawings near the apartments. In contrast to her happily sketching atop it during their second interaction, James could see Laura against it on the asphalt, her legs tucked into her chest with their vacant gaze staring at the ground.
Predictably, as James left the car to approach her, she wasn’t all that enthused to see him again. But her mood promptly changed to elation upon seeing Mary, alive and well, exiting the car. The woman had a confused look in her eyes, which only increased the moment Laura dashed over and nearly knocked them over with a hug.
Based on her excitement and the giddy words leaving her mouth, it was clear that the young child was happy to see her friend alive and well again. It was almost a dream come true.
Especially after that horrible reveal.
Except… It was made apparent very quickly that Mary had absolutely no clue who Laura was. Instead of embracing them like the girl probably hoped the woman would, she merely stared down at her. It was as if the woman was unsure on how to react or respond.
Like… she had zero clue who Laura even was…
In an instant, the happy reunion between the two girls who bonded in the hospital turned into a situation where one assumed the other was talking nonsense. And James, watching their exchange play out, ended up having realization about his wife’s questions during her waking moments.
She hadn’t been just a bit dazed or confused. She outright had amnesia, which seemingly took away the memories from the last three years of her life.
Of her illness… of her time in the hospital… and of Laura.
And seemingly… whatever final few moments she may have had before James pressed the pillow against her face.
That explained this current situation, with Laura being unable to fathom her friend not recognizing her and Mary being confused by this child’s continued insistence of shared history. The further it went on, the further a mortifying revelation began to settle in the former’s mind.
Yes… this was Mary. But not her Mary.
It wasn’t the best thing to have to come to grips with, made worse by James urging them both to pile into the car, preventing any sort of mutual understanding from being reached.
Though… given the circumstances that led to Mary’s revival, the man wasn’t sure he wanted either of them to do so.
It could ruin the second chance he had been given, especially if Laura decided to go ahead and reveal the truth. Right now, it seemed that shutting that down before the opportunity could arise was the best possible thing that could be done.
And as of this moment, the three were on their way “home”. James being in the driver seat, Mary riding shotgun to his side, and Laura sitting right directly behind him in the back. Nobody had said a word since he began heading on the road back, the only sounds which could be heard being the hum of the engine and the vibrations shaking throughout the car’s metal frame.
But this was something James didn’t mind. The chaos and cacophony of his journey had been an unrelenting presence since his first encounter with a monster, and he was finally happy to have some peace and quiet.
However, that wasn't to say there wasn’t some tension in the vehicle. Every time he glanced up at the rearview mirror, James could see Laura glaring at him with an intense expression of anger. Even so, it was an emotion he couldn’t blame the child for feeling.
Resurrection or not, it didn’t change the fact he had still committed that heinous deed. Mary had been smothered by his hands, and her being alive and well meant nothing to the child. Why would it? He had still done it, and his wife being resurrected ended up wiping every trace of her hospital memories.
Joining this animosity was Mary’s own confusion, as despite being kept in the dark, she could sense something was amiss as well. This itching feeling of something not being right clearly bothered her, based on how she shuffled and fidgeted with the buttons on her clothes.
James not even paying her any attention to her or the girl in the back only intensified such thoughts.
And so, Mary decided to go ahead with a request for clarification, hoping to gain some a hint of context regarding the elephant in the room.
“James… is it okay if you answer at least one of my questions, please? You have been acting dodgy this whole time.”
Hearing her voice, the man briefly tilted his head in her direction, but not by much.
“I could try. What is it you want to know the most, Mary?”
His wife briefly placed a finger to her chin, her eyes turning to glance at Laura. Afterwards, she gestured a thumb to the child, a pensive expression visible in her eyes.
“Her. The girl. Why did you go out your way to pick her up?”
James felt a bit of melancholy surge through his body regarding the irony of that very inquiry, especially given the “truth” behind it being something Mary herself had wanted him to do. However, rather than reveal it, her husband decided to go with the first thing which popped into his head.
“I… I just thought she deserved a family.” He said, keeping a lid on the truth, “And after meeting her, I didn’t just want to leave them there in the town. Alone.”
“So… you decided to take her with us instead?”
“More or less.”
Their spouse sent another glance in the kid’s direction before scoffing lightly, almost appearing a bit flabbergasted by the rash “decision” he decided to make.
“Really? I would’ve preferred having a kid of our own before going ahead and adopting one we don’t know, James.”
Laura’s eyes widened in surprise as Mary uttered that sentence, the girl looking aghast at the confirmation that her friend really had zero clue who she was.
“Huh? You don’t know me? B-But I do know you, Mary!” The girl protested.
The woman blinked in surprise, turning to face the child in the backseat with a raised eyebrow.
“I’m sorry?”
“I’m telling the truth! I know you! I-I’m Laura! I was your friend!”
The desperation on Laura’s face was palpable, the girl’s wish for Mary to recall those moments she had shared alongside her in the hospital
“We were friends?” She questioned, “I don’t… I don’t recall knowing someone like you before today, kiddo.”
“W-Well, you do! I knew you from back then! Back when you were sick.”
James felt his breath hitch in his throat, worried that the child would end up spilling the horrible truth of what he had done to his wife. In contrast, Mary seemed more than amused by the words Laura spoke. She even glanced at her skin, noting its healthy appearance contrasted with the claim being made.
“Sick?” She chuckled, “With what? The flu?”
“It wasn’t the flu! It was worse! You couldn’t even-”
“Laura.” James cut in, trying to sound calm, “It’s not important.”
“It is! She should know what-”
His gaze swiftly turned up towards the rearview mirror, a warning glare in his eyes. The message sent by this warning was clear to Laura, who upon noticing him do so, refrained from finishing her sentence.
“I said… it’s. Not. Important.”
It may have been a cold thing to say, and James didn’t enjoy seeing her shiver with a hint of fear after those words left his mouth, but it was a message that had to be sent across. In contrast, Mary displayed a bit of surprise at her husband’s response, before sighing with a brief shake of her head.
“James… there’s no need to be so harsh. She’s just a kid.”
He didn’t even respond, simply turning back to face the road and continuing to focus his attention on driving down it. Mary appeared a bit surprised by his dismissive attitude, but decided against pressing him. Instead, she turned her attention towards the upset looking Laura, displaying as much kindness and sympathy to the girl as she could.
“Sorry, James isn’t usually like this. But he’s really nice when you get to know him.”
It was clear the woman meant well, but the look the child displayed afterwards made it apparent that such words rang hollow.
Especially knowing what Laura did about James by this point in time.
But fearing a reprisal of some sorts from the man himself, she just nodded her head and turned her attention outside, watching the scenery go by. This led silence to fall within the confines of this vehicle, something he welcomed.
Perhaps… the return home would go smoothly from this point onward? Now that there were no longer any remarks being made about past events.
Unfortunately, it seemed it wouldn’t be so, since James could hear his wife muttering to herself about what Laura had informed her about, rubbing a hand against her face while doing so.
“I was sick…? No… it couldn’t? I… take care of myself. I’m a healthy person. How could I get-”
“Mary, it’s alright.” James said, interrupting her, “There’s no need to think about it.”
“No, James. I think I do. Nobody would just say something like that as a joke.”
“But it’s not-”
“Not what? Important?” She accused, appearing suspicious, “I think I deserve to know if it’s true or not.”
A look of alarm flashed across his face and his body quickly became tense with worry. However, before he did or said something that would regret, James realized that he had to calm himself down. And with a quick breath through his nostrils, he felt his emotional state return to a more guarded, almost cold demeanor. His grip on the steering wheel also relaxed, making this change all the more apparent.
“Look, Mary. Believe me when I say this, and I really mean it. That’s not a path you want to go down.”
He said that as calmly as possible, but their spouse still appeared unconvinced and a bit concerned by his odd behavior.
“Well…” She stammered, “I-I think I want to get some understanding right now. Because ever since I woke up, nothing’s making sense…”
“But Mary-”
“Hold on, hold on, I just need to get some clarification. That’s all.”
James was ready to protest, but could only watch in silence as his wife turned her attention to the girl in the backseat, ready to lay out whatever questions she had in mind. So instead, he just refocused his attention once more on the road. Internally, he had a feeling that whatever Laura could say wouldn’t even matter, which included the truth of him killing her not too long ago.
After all… in her current state, who would Mary really believe?
“Hey? Laura, is it?”
Hearing her friend’s voice made them turn their focus away from the window, appearing a bit surprised by Mary seemingly wishing to ask her something.
“Y-Yeah?”
“When you say you knew me… do you mean like a one-off meeting? Or was it a more involved relationship? And it was at a hospital where you first saw me? Are you sure?”
Recognition appeared in Laura’s eyes almost immediately, along with a small hint of optimism at the woman remembering that time they shared together.
“I-I’m really sure! W-We were in the hospital together, Mary! You and me were in the same room! O-Our nurse was Rachel! Y-You showed me pictures of Silent Hill! You told me about how much you wanted to come back! A-A-And you wrote me a letter!” Laura recounted, growing more desperate, “Come on! You have to remember!”
It was a lot to take in at once, but Mary tore her gaze away as she made an attempt to recall any piece of what the child revealed for herself, mulling over them as hard as she could.
And it looked like she was trying her best.
Unfortunately, since those memories had been wiped away, all she could do was shake her head with a hint of regret.
“I’m sorry… none of that rings a bell.”
Whatever hope the girl had left drained from her body almost immediately, which ended up being quickly replaced with despair.
“Y-You mean… you really don’t know who I am…?”
Laura’s voice seemed to choke as the reality of the revived Mary having no recollection of her finally settled in, not helped by her friend looking lost and confused by these events she could not remember experiencing.
“I’m afraid I don’t, Laura. I'm trying but... I can't for the life of me recall anything that you're saying.” The woman apologized.
Sensing the girl’s growing distress, she then gave her a kind smile in the hopes of putting them at ease.
“Though… I’m sure you and I could make some new memories.”
Alas, such a sentence ended up having the opposite effect of whatever Mary intended, leading the girl to suddenly slam her fists against the seat with a distraught look on her face.
“NO! No, no, no! I want our memories! I want them!” Laura protested, “I… I-I w-w-want… t-them…”
Tears promptly welled up in the girl’s eyes as she pressed her hands against them, filling the car with the sound of her wails and sobs. And Mary, who was at a loss for words by this point, felt a pang of sympathy for them and a bit of heartbreak at being unable to “remember” those moments which had been described.
Along with a worry that not everything was as it seemed.
With a frown, she then turned to face her husband, noticing James focusing squarely ahead at the road. He also seemed to show little concern for what had just transpired between her and the little girl, like it hadn’t even happened.
“James… I can tell there’s something you’re hiding from me. I know it. Please… talk to me, honey. Talk to me…”
After saying that, she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, her face mired with what appeared to be a mix of concern and unease. That gentle action of hers, although simple in its execution, ended up stirring something within her husband.
It had been ages since either of them interacted in such a manner, the signs of affections slowly being replaced by cold exchanges and bitterness the worse her condition got over the years.
And seeing Mary talk and act with tenderness was almost enough to cause James to break the masquerade and reveal the truth.
But… just before he could, he stopped himself.
No… Mary didn’t have to know. She didn’t have to know a single thing.
Ignorance was bliss, after all.
“None of that matters now.” James replied, doing so in a calm voice, “We have a chance for a new beginning, Mary. Let’s look forward to that instead.”
His wife didn’t appear all that convinced by his monotone and almost dismissive answer, but something inside her head told her that her spouse wouldn’t let up the “truth” anytime soon. That was something which worried Mary, especially in light of everything upon waking up from what felt like the worst sleep of her life.
But as their attention was brought to the tearful girl crying in the back seat, the woman decided to stow away those concerns to focus on Laura instead.
And while Mary did what she could to comfort the distraught child, James kept his eyes on the road and his foot on the pedal. His mind, in contrast, was elsewhere and repeating a set mantra on an almost hypnotic loop.
The future was all that mattered.
That was all that mattered…
He wouldn’t be pulled back into the past no matter how much the threat loomed over his head. Not on his watch.
And as the car passed the exit sign to Silent Hill, James felt a sense of contentment in the knowledge that his life would return to a sense of normalcy.
No more illness, no more heartbreak…
Just a family of three, existing as best they could in the present.
Of course, there’d certainly be growing pains or issues along the way, as well as questions from others about just where and how these sudden developments came to be.
But such were things that could be dealt with enough time, energy, and the right words.
Along with a good enough lie.
Plus, if he looked at his recent choices from a more general lens, they could be seen as both fulfilling the wish Mary had desired of him to begin with while giving Laura what she wanted more than anything.
In a sense, it was like killing two birds with one stone. Combined with the added bonus of allowing him to walk away from that horrid town with the very thing he had been looking for only made these circumstances all the better.
It was a wonder then why James couldn’t find it in himself to smile.