Chapter Text
A tanned young woman with curly brown hair pulled into a bun steps out of a taxi and retrieves a duffel bag and briefcase from the trunk. It drives off and the young woman walks down the sidewalk her light purple sundress swooshing around her ankles. She adjusts her copper-framed glasses as she makes her way down the sidewalk. The fog from Toluca Lake burns away revealing the typical Victorian-style houses you’d see in the average downtown section of a United States city.
She has a decent knowledge of English but when it comes to reading it she still struggles. She goes by the directions she recalls mixed with what her older brother told her in regards to landmarks. Edvard left Sweden six years ago for a better life. Typical story. Agatha finally left to join him once their parents died. She used the inheritance to buy passage to the United States and her brother told her that she was welcome to stay with him as her newfound wealth was sorted out by the bank. Then she could buy her own apartment or house depending on whether she could find a decent job. Doesn’t want to burn through all of her wealth.
She finds herself near Rosewater Park, a place that marks she’s near his home. Her pace picks up and on the other side of an apartment building she sees the familiar brick house with a white wrap-around porch covered by a slate shingled roof. She ascends the steps and excitedly knocks on the door and withdraws, waiting for a response.
Edvard opens the door and warmly greets her,
“Agatha! Det är så kul att se dig igen! Var din resa bra?” He asks hugging her, then withdrawing.
“Det var bra. Jag är lite trött dock.” Agatha responds with a thin smile.
“Kom då in, kära syster.” He gently ushers her inside.
After an hour of settling in she eats dinner with Edvard, his wife Kelsi, and son Derreck. Then settles into a guest room for the night. Before she sleeps her brother enters her room and places a book on translated words in English for her.
“Här, för att hjälpa dig.” He promptly leaves.
A few weeks pass and Agatha alongside her brother, has sorted out the money transfer and has found her a nice apartment on the other side of town. She moves in and says her goodbyes to her brother for the time being.
Looking around she suddenly feels sick and rushes to the bathroom. She gags but nothing comes out, she does it involuntarily a few more times and eventually she calms down. She has an inkling as to why this occurred but she ignores it.
She walks into the hall and turns to her right and into her new room. She sits in the bed and rubs her hands against the sheet her sister-in-law gave her. She knows she has to buy furniture and more sheets and other items. She leans back and accidentally falls asleep.
It is two months into her new life and by now Agatha knows for sure that she is pregnant. She left the turnip farming idiot she slept with in Sweden with no intention of speaking to him about it. Good riddance she thinks as she meanders around a farmer’s market in the lot of the historical society. So far she’s been able to practice her English reading well and has bought some produce. Now she has her eyes on more material items.
Her eyes scan between the crowds and her eyes settle on a sign titled: Soap, Arare, Candles, Omamori !!
Red stars are painted all around the white wooden sign.
She walks over and is greeted with a smile by a Japanese woman who looks close to her age.
“Hello! You new here?” She asks with a faint accent.
“Yes, I moved here recently.” Agatha’s accent drips heavily from her words.
“We are so happy to have you in our town. So, do you see anything you like? The arare is fresh.” The woman waves a hand over her table.
Agatha’s eyes wander over the soaps and candles. She doesn’t like arare that much so she wants a craft. She also scans over the omamori.
“Are these made of clay?” Agatha knows of wooden ones but she has never seen clay-based ones.
“Oh yes, I suck at woodworking. Clay is much easier.” The woman explains.
Agatha spots the hound omamori and gently taps it with a fingernail.
“I have one of these, my university has a lot of Japanese students,” Agatha recalls her old classmates in Sweden.
The woman looks pleasantly surprised.
“You are very lucky to have been around so many. The school at Pleasant River only has four of us.”
She explains.
“The sounds lonely,” Agatha tells her.
“It was, what is your name?” She asks.
“My name is Agatha Förbannad. Yours?”
“Yamamoto Nori or Nori Yamamoto, whichever you prefer.” Nori chuckles.
“It is good to meet you.” Agatha extends her hand and Nori takes it.
“Likewise. I know your brother.”
They pull away.
“May I buy the Sakura omamori please?” Agatha points at it.
“Certainly. Say, do you know Japanese?” Nori asks.
“I don’t have anyone to practice with.” She adds.
“I know some,” Agatha answers.
“If you want we could always hang.” Nori hands her the charm before adding.
“I live at Blue Creek, your brother lives behind me.”
“That is how you know him?”
“Yeah, he gives me apples from his tree sometimes,” Nori explains.
“I see what floor?” Agatha asks.
“204, West Side. I will say due to security I will have to escort you.”
“That is okay. May we exchange numbers?”
“Gladly.”
The two exchange numbers and part ways.
“See you soon Agatha.”
“You as well Nori.”
A few days pass and the two women finally have time away from their schedules to meet up. Agatha has been job searching but has had no luck. She doesn’t want to burn through her money. Part of the reason she bought an apartment rather than a real home.
She walks from Saul Creek Apartments to Nori’s apartment at a brisk pace. Despite it being August to town already had a chill in the air. Her forest green sweater and knee-length brown skirt provided enough warmth for her. It wasn’t as bad as Sweden.
Finally arriving at Blue Creek Apartments she waves to Nori who is waiting outside as she approaches. Her cream colored dress stands out against the dark colors of the building. Nori waves back at her and meets her halfway.
“There’s a nip in the air, come inside Agatha, I have tea prepared.”
The two women enter the room and remove their flats. As Nori smooths out her dress and goes to sit down, Agatha looks around as she walks to sit on a couch. The room is painted beige but there’s colorful artwork and flags all over. Vibrant rugs’ ceiling tarps, paintings, and paper lanterns. All of it brings soul to an otherwise bland room. As she sits by Nori her eyes focus on an open curio cabinet. It is narrow and made of dark wood. The glass doors are closed but she can still see something behind the ornate frosted glass.
As the two sip vanilla tea the conversation begins about hobbies.
“So, what do you do for fun?” Nori asks.
“I garden, read, draw tattoos, try to learn about different cultures,” Agatha tells her.
“You want to be a tattoo artist?”
“I tried, can’t seem to land a job for my passion or in general.” Agatha rolls her eyes.
“Sorry to hear that, do you have any tattoos?” Nori asks while sipping tea.
“Yeah, I do, some bindrunes. I know it is silly but I always preferred the pre-conversion culture of my homeland.” Agatha always feels nervous talking about this to people.
“That is fair, one of my greatest friends is the same way. Her family came here in like, let me think, 1899? They had to leave Iceland for heresy. The folk there did not like them worshipping Nordic gods.” Nori explains leaning back.
“Wow, does your friend practice?” Agatha also leans back.
“Yeah, she does. Her name’s Svana, she practices a combination of Wicca and Nordic polytheism. Plus some local tribal beliefs.” Nori adds.
“Local beliefs?” Agatha tilts her head.
“Yeah, it is a bit underground but Silent Hill has its own religion. There’s a main trunk but two branches. One of them me and Svana are in.” Nori explains while refilling the two small teacups.
“What all is based on? Like, what sprouted it?” Agatha asks.
Nori takes a moment to think then continues.
“Well, if memory serves right the trunk is a hodgepodge of Christian, local tribal, Aztec, and some overarching polytheistic beliefs. Our branch is Wiccan, Nordic, and tribal. The other branch is like the trunk but heavily leans on the Aztec side. The being they worship is called Valtiel but it also has a name I can’t pronounce. Begins with an X.” Nori looks at Agatha hoping she isn’t freaked out.
“That’s actually intriguing. Is that an altar over there?” Agatha points to the curio cabinet.
“It is but it can’t be open right now, not prayer time,” Nori explains.
“I see, what is the deity in your branch called?”
“She’s called either the Lady of the Liminal or the Lady of Innangard and Utangard. She appears to those trapped or lost. She’s considered to be the weaker of our pantheon.” Nori tells Agatha.
Agatha looks from the cabinet to back at Nori before asking.
“What is the trunk’s main god called?”
“She is referred to as either God or the God of Snakes and Reeds. She’s a Sun god that will eventually be birthed by the Holy Mother. A woman with the honor of ushering in Paradise. We haven’t figured out who that will be yet.” Nori answers honestly and with great pride.
“Hmm, so, what about you? What are hobbies? I know crafting and cooking.” Agatha circles back sipping tea.
“Other than those three I like hiking, reading, music, and archery,” Nori answers.
“Nice, you hunt with a bow?” Agatha raises an eyebrow.
“Sometimes.”
The women talked till nightfall, they could already see the start of a friendship.
It is now November and Agatha is showing. Her bump is hiding under her apron as she carries plates of food around a bar and grill. She gives the patrons their orders and turns to head behind the counter when she stops in her tracks. A man who has been lusting after her has entered the building. She moves as quickly as possible behind the counter and finds her boss.
“Sir, that man is back.”
Her boss glares and heads into the main area to chase him away.
She sits in the small office both out of fear and because her ankles hurt. After a few minutes, her boss returns.
“He’s gone but be careful when your shift is over.” He tells her.
“Could you maybe escort me to the bus stop?” She asks.
“I have to stay for core. My bosses won’t want me leaving to help you. Sorry Agatha.”
After another hour Agatha is about to leave her job and makes a call to her brother’s house. Unfortunately, she just hits the voicemail. Her family must be out. So she leaves the building and passes by parts of the parking lot that have cameras. Just to make herself feel safe. She was in no condition to walk home so she waits at a bus stop under a flickering streetlight. She has previously gone to the police about the creepy man but they were useless. One man excused the pig by bringing up his PTV addiction. How foul, so much for protect and serve.
She waits and waits till she begins to question if the bus route was changed. She hears a twig snap followed by the light above her shattering as it blows out. This startles her and as she’s disoriented someone grabs her from behind and hits her.
She awakens in a dimly lit basement and as she struggles to stand up she looks around. The room is sparse say for a few chairs and some boxes. As she finally stands she walks in a circle around the room to see if there are any ground-level windows she can maybe squeeze out through. She sees nothing.
Knowing the man is most likely upstairs going for the door is not a wise idea but at the same time she has nothing else. If she rattles the door too much he might be alerted and will harass him. She knows it’s the pig. He even took her purse.
Swallowing her anxiety she tries searching through boxes to find a weapon she can use. To her luck she finds a packed-away kitchen knife set. She can hide it and stab him so she can escape. She just has to make it count. She is slower than him.
As she waits for her would-be killer or rapist or both, she hears a strange cracking sound coming from behind her. She turns around and sees the strangest thing. A door depicting a brunette woman in a red gown is before her. Approaching the door slowly she reaches out a hand to touch the lifelike statue fused into the door. The statue part of it felt like marble but the door part felt like normal wood, and it was so cold. When Agatha touches the outstretched hand the door slowly opens revealing a tunnel as black as a void.
Seeing no other options she enters with the door gently closing behind her.
It is damp and musty but she keeps moving forward. One hand against the wall and the other in front of her. After however long she bumps into a wall, or door. She feels around and finds a knob. She turns it and sees lights outside. She exits and when she looks back there’s no door.
Focusing back on where she is she quickly realizes she’s in a small residential area near the edge of the town by the bowling alley. She leaves and heads to the police station.
Those idiots finally help her and that night arrest the man. Her purse was stupidly sitting on his coffee table and was promptly returned to her.
Since her family still were away Agatha seeks comfort from Nori who drapes a soft blanket around her shoulders.
“Words can’t begin to explain how sorry I am that this happened Agatha.” Nori gently rubs her back as she sits by her.
“It took this for the police to do something. He was going to my apartment and sticking letters to the door Nori…”
“I remember you telling me.”
“I think I saw something important.” Agatha had lied to the police about how she escaped but she knew Nori was going to believe her.
“Saw what?”
“There was a door that appeared. It had the upper half of a woman statue on it. I escaped through it.” Agatha watches Nori’s face for any hint of disbelief.
“The Lady of the Liminal. She helped you.” Nori is stunned. She promptly gets up and opens the doors to the altar. In it is a painting of a woman similar to what Agatha saw.
“She helped me.” Is all Agatha can say.