State Hwy 61, a long winding stretch of gray asphalt through the dim trees of the coniferous forests that surrounded Toluca Lake. A single pair of headlights glared through the thick fog as a car rushed over the asphalt, disturbing small pebbles in its wake.
From the inside of the car, it was hard to see anything through the fog, clawlike trees appeared in the outskirts of visible space, only to dissapear again as soon as they were noticed. An interrupted and worn line of reflective paint in the center divider acted as the only guide to where the road began and ended.
Staring through the passenger window, Tobias Brook leaned back in the chair, it was one of the more comfortable places he's sat in for a while, even with the duck taped upholstery. The interior was temperature controlled enough, empty cans littered the floor.
"I really appreciate you picking me up like that. I'd hate to have to walk the entire way." Tobias stared out the window.
-- Edited by Tobias Brook on Wednesday 24th of June 2009 09:33:21 PM
"This where you need to be?" The driver asks nodding a little, "It's alright I've been doing this run for a awhile. You looked like you could use a little help." He says in a voice that echoes years.
"Yeah, what can I say? I've been trying to avoid this run for a long time. I did it once, the other way around. . . never been back. Never really wanted to go back."
He looks out the window at the fog for a bit. "Still, it was mighty neighborly of you. Don't see a lot of helpful people in my life, Mr. . . I didn't catch your name."
"Grady, Travis Grady. Remember son there are just some runs that in the end catch up with you." He says in a grim tone of voice and will let Tobias out, "Maybe on my way back through I'll pick you up."
"Yeah. . . Guess so." He looked out the window "Only so long you can run from your dues before they all catch up with ya." He sighs as he looks out the window "Can I trouble you for a smoke?"
He looks up "Don't mean to be a bitch, I don't like panhandling, but . . . I tend to rely on the kindness of strangers."
Tobias smirks as he says "Thanks man. . . maybe you know something I don't know bout old Silent Hill. . . but I'm afraid I'm gettin a rough feel for what's ahead on the road" He pulls out a cigarette, patting his pockets. "Ya got a light?"
"Maybe I aughta give ya the shirt of my back too." He smirks a little and takes out a metal lighter and tosses it towards Toby. "Just kiddin keep it." He says in a friendly manner.
"That shirt? You're kidding, right?" He takes the lighter, flips it open, then closed. . . looking at the side of it. "Thanks. . . This is a nice lighter, you sure you wanna give something this nice away?"
He glances at the symbol on the side. "Huh, don't recognize this one."
The driver does not answer Tobias when Tobias looks for him he is gone and the man has been left on Nathan by himself. The fog is all that can be seen in either direction. When did Tobias get out of the cab? He doesn't recall.
The woods are dark and seem to close in on him a little. crows flutter in the distance black wings making a fluttering sound in the dim light.
Toby flicks open the lighter as he stands in the roadway, lighting it once to see a little flame, then lighting the cigarette in his mouth. He flips closed the top, glances at the side again, then slips it back into his pocket, taking a long, slow, hungry draw of the cigarette in his mouth.
He exhales, contributing his own little bit to the fog. "Silent Hill. . . Welcome home" He muttered to himself. He exhaled, then starts to walk down the street, drawing his coat a little closer around his shoulders, the collar up around his ears, the hat down on top of his head to keep out the cold.
"Home sweet home . . . " His feet crunched on gravel roadways as he moved into the fog down that lonesome road.
