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Silent Falls (Chapter 10)

Fanfiction.net | AO3

Characters: Stanley Pines, Shermie Pines, Filbrick Pines, Stanford Pines

Words: 4564 Rating: PG-13 for language. NOTE: I've been hella busy but I don't wanna quit on my fanfictions~ apologies for any errors made in this story.

CHAPTER TEN: The Distance Between Pines

THEN

As soon as the car stopped and the engine was off, he scrambled out of the vehicle and quickly ran into the house. There was only one person in his mind that he needs to see immediately. He is the only one person left that he cares. The only one person he considers family. He was away too long and now he’s home. He ran straight to his brother’s room, “LEE!”

Shermie halted at the doorway. His brother’s room was dark, the curtains pulled to block the light from entering the room. His eyes adjusted to the dark and he saw his brother on the bed, sitting in the corner. He cautiously entered, “Lee?”

Stanley raised his head from where he rest it on his arms that were folded on his tucked knees. He blinked slowly and said nothing. He stared at Shermie with wide eyes. Shermie’s heart ached when he saw the state his brother was in. Stanley’s face was pale and gaunt. There were dark bags under his eyes and his hair was a messy mop of curls. Shermie approached the bed, his hands hovering, not sure if he should touch his brother, “S-Stanley?”

The voice coming from his brother was unfamiliar. It was rough and strained, “Sher… mie?”

Shermie’s eyes stung with tears and he forced a smile as he whispered shakily, “Hey there little brother. I’m home.”

If it was possible, Stanley’s already owl-like eyes widened a fraction. Shermie put a knee on the bed and he was startled when his brother quickly pulled him into a tight hug. Stanley was shaking as he sobbed, “Y-you’re here! You’re home!”

Shermie wrapped his arms around his brother and frowned when he realized how thin his brother had become. He could feel his bones under his loosely hanging sweater. He shut his eyes tight, He’s wearing Ford's sweater . The tears fall as he gave his sobbing brother a comforting squeeze, “Yeah. I’m home.”

Stanley curled his fingers and gripped his brother’s jacket tightly. He buried his face against his brother’s chest and cried his heart out. The relief overwhelmed him when the voices that had been tormenting him for days finally quieted. He clung to his older brother desperately, “They’re gone.”

Shermie frowned when he thought that his brother was referring to their deceased mother and brother, “Shhh, it’s alright Lee. It’s alright. I’m here now and I’m not leaving. You’re not alone.”

Stanley let out a strangled scream as he let everything out. For the first time since he believed he was going mad, he felt safe and sane again. Shermie is his beacon in the darkness overwhelming him.

When Filbrick returned home late that night, he found his sons asleep in each other’s arms. Shermie held his brother protectively and Stanley was clutching at his brother’s shirt tightly. He stared at his youngest’s face and was relieved to see how peaceful he looked. It had been a long time since he last saw his boy slept peacefully. His nights were often interrupted by nightmares and while awake, he was seeing and hearing things. I’m sorry to say this Mr. Pines.Your son is showing symptoms of those who suffer Schizophrenia, that was what Dr. Kauffmann told him.

Filbrick was distraught and horrified at the thought of having to watch his youngest son spiraling into madness. He had asked, demanded , his eldest son to come home as soon as he was done with his finals though he didn’t actually have to tell him since that was Shermie’s plan all along. He hoped Shermie would be able to help Stanley and it seems it worked well. Filbrick turned away and wiped away the tears. He retreated downstairs and went to the living room.

He stared at the empty couch where he would usually see his wife lounging with a book in her hands or the twins sitting there together to watch whatever was on TV. The house had gone very quiet and dark since his wife passed away. He missed them so much. The happy family he had. He closed his eyes as he sank into an armchair. His mind pulling out memories of happier days and he fell asleep with tears and an aching heart.

Stanley woke up feeling well rested and more alert than before. He felt warm and safe. He sighed as he burrowed under his blanket, feeling reluctant to get up. He caught a scent of peppermint. He inhaled deeply, Smells like Sherm, he mused. He vaguely remember dreaming his brother was home, his presence was comforting and anchoring him to sanity. His arms that were wrapped around him felt real. Shhh, it’s alright Lee. It’s alright. I’m here now and I’m not leaving. You’re not alone.

Stanley’s eyes snapped open and he sat up abruptly. Shermie’s jacket was laid on top of his blanket. He tentatively touched it and felt the soft, worn fabric in his hand.It’s not a dream… He’s here!

He scrambled out of bed and went searching for his brother with his jacket in his hand. He padded down the stairs barefooted and the smell of coffee and bacon steered him toward the kitchen. His heart thudded rapidly in his chest as he approached the kitchen. He stood at the doorway, staring wide eyed at his brother who was frying some bacon strips and sausages. His lips quivered as he called out to him anxiously, “Shermie?”

Shermie turned to him and he felt sorrow at the fearful, uncertain look, on his brother’s face. He smiled, “Morning sleepy head. Well, it’s actually noon. So uh… Good afternoon.”

He waited anxiously for his brother to respond. Stanley kept staring at him unblinkingly. He cleared his throat, “Why don’t you take a seat? I’m almost done.”

Stanley shuffled toward the dining table and took a seat. His hands clutched at Shermie’s jacket tightly. He didn’t take his eyes off him as he watched his brother moved around the kitchen. After he was done, Shermie took a seat in front of him, “So uhh.. how are you feeling?”

“Are you real?” asked Stanley.

Shermie frowned a little, he clasped his hands together to stop them from shaking, “Lee. I’m really here. You’re not dreaming or seeing things.”

Stanley stared at him, eyes unsure. Sharmie got up from his seat and went around to stand next to his brother. He raised a hand and let it hover over his brother’s head. Stanley stared at him, his eyes filled with fear and uncertainty. Shermie lowered his hand slowly, “I’m here and I’m real.”

Stanley flinched when he felt the weight of his brother’s hand on his head. Shermie ruffled his hair gently, “It’s alright little brother.”

Stanley sighed and gave him a shaky smile, “Welcome home, Sherm.”

His brother smiled and gave the back of his neck a light squeeze, “Eat up bro!”

The two brothers ate their brunch in silence and Shermie cleaned the dishes once they were done. Stanley remained in his seat, looking at his brother, fearing it was all one of his delusions. He inhaled deeply, “T-thanks for the meal, Sherm.”

“You’re welcome. So are you in the mood to go for a walk?”

Stanley fidgeted with his brother’s jacket, “I- I dunno. I haven’t… I’m not…”

Shermie wiped his hands on his jeans, “Nevermind. Let’s just stay indoors and watch some movies. How’s that?”

“I’d like that,” said Stanley feeling relieved.

Shermie clapped his hands, “Alright. First, I want you to go wash up. I’ll set up the living room and make popcorn!”

Stanley stumbled slightly when his brother ushered him toward the stairs, he laughed and it was the sweetest thing Shermie ever heard. Stanley offered him his jacket and he took it, “Take things slowly little brother. I’m not going anywhere.”

Stanley smiled, “I’ll be back soon.”

Shermie chuckled and hit him with his jacket playfully, “Get going. Daylight’s burning away!”

Nearly an hour later, Stanley walked into the living just as his brother put down the bowl of popcorn. Shermie was getting worried that his brother was taking too long but he told himself that Stanley needs the time to readjust himself with being… normal. He stared at his brother who stood nervously, rubbing his arm. Stanley wore a black long sleeved shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants. Shermie noticed that his hair had been cut short. His brother shifted his weight from one foot to the other and scratched his cheek, “Do I look weird?”

Shermie blinked away the tears and took a step forward. He smiled reassuringly, “No, Stan. You look like yourself.”

Stanley smiled shyly as he ran a hand on his head, his now short hair tickled his palm. He raised his eyes to meet his brother, “Really? I think I messed up…”

Shermie motioned at the couch, “If you want, I’ll cut it for you later. I checked the program, we got Village of the Damned playing on HBO soon. You up for that? Or you wanna wait for the next movie, The Little Shop of Horror?”

Stanley sat on the couch and grabbed a soda, “Why not just watch whatever is on until we get bored of them?’

Shermie rubbed his neck and chuckled, “Right. Let’s do that.”

His brother peered at the bowl of popcorn as Shermie grabbed the remote and sat next to his brother, “I made sure it’s all sweet and buttery. Just the way you like 'em!”

Stanley smiled gratefully, “Thanks, Sherm.”

“Oh, I think we missed the first few minutes!”

Stanley cradled the bowl of popcorn close to his chest, “I don’t think we missed much though.”

Shermie stared at him. He wondered if Stanley remembered that he watched this movie with Stanford before. He remembered Stanley whining about how it was taking too long for the ‘monsters’ to show up but Stanford would shush him every time he complained. However, he got absorbed in it as the movie reached it’s climax and the twins started making predictions of what would happen next and asking each other what they would do if they have telepathic ability. They even discussed about the special effects and how they thought it could be improved.

Stanley was drifting off as they reached the last thirty minutes of the movie and Shermie lowered the volume. He made some room on the couch so his brother’s head was now lying on his lap. He continued watching the movie in silence, his hand absentmindedly rubbing circles on his brother’s shoulder. When the credits rolled in he turned off the television. He sighed and looked at the time, it’s almost five in the afternoon.

Shermie’s ears perked when he heard the sound of keys jingling and he felt dread overcoming him. Their father is home. He hadn’t talk with him since they last talked on the phone. He’s not sure what to do or say if they were to meet. He carefully lifted his brother’s head and placed one of the small cushions to act as a pillow for his brother’s head. He then went to greet their father as he heard the front door opening.

Filbrick was going through some mail as he walked in, he looked weary and defeated. Shermie wondered if all those letters were his brother’s medical bills. He swallowed and greeted the man, “Welcome back.”

Filbrick looked up and tried to smile, “Yeah, you too son.”

Shermie motioned with his head, “Stan’s sleeping.”

Filbrick returned his attention back to the letters in his hands and nodded, “Good. That’s... good.”

His son picked at a fuzz on his jeans, “So, what do you want for dinner?”

“Anything is fi-” Filbrick paused and frowned when he found a letter with his youngest’s name on it. His eyes shifted to the logo on the upper right corner, “It’s from Gravity Hills University?”

Shermie tensed. He could feel his heart racing. Shit! Is it for Stan? Dad didn’t know he applied there , he thought dreadfully. He stepped forward and reached out his head, “For me?”

His father looked at him in the eyes, “It’s for Stanley.”

Shermie froze at the confused anger clouding his father’s gaze. He gulped nervously, “W-what? Are you sure it’s not mine?”

Filbrick showed him the name written in cursive, “Read it for yourself. It’s for your brother.”

Shermie spat out a list of expletives in his mind. Why now of all days?! His hands were shaking at his sides. He had the urge to run into the living room, grab his brother and take him away from here. Filbrick tore the envelope open and read the content. Fear clenched Shermie's heart at the furious look on his father’s face. Filbrick’s hand shook as his eyes landed on one word: accepted.

“D-dad? What does it say?” asked Shermie shakily.

Filbrick looked up at his eldest, “Did you know?”

Shermie’s eyes shifted to his brother who stirred in his sleep. He jumped when his father called his name, “Shermie! Did.you.know?”

His son gulped, “I… I… yeah.”

“When?”

“B-before Christmas.”

Filbrick crumpled the paper in his hands, “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

Shermie felt anger flared in him, “It’s his choice!”

“But GHU?! Do you know what’s near Gravity Hills?! That town!”

Shermie blinked, confused, “Huh?”

“Silent Falls.”

“Is that what you’re worried about?”

“Shermie! That town took away your mother and brother! Stanley hasn’t been- he hasn’t been the same since that accident!”

“But dad, it was just… just an accident. You can’t blame a town-”

“No! You need to understand! That town. Something about it is dark and evil .”

Shermie couldn’t help but laughed, “Dark and evil? Dad what are you talking about? It’s just a frickin’ town! We’ve been there a few times! There’s nothing wrong about it!”

“No, you need to listen to me! We need keep your brother away from that place!”

“Dad, you’re not making any sense!”

“Shermie? Dad? W-what’s going on?”

Shermie turned to his approaching brother and raised a hand, “Stay where you are, Stanley.”

Filbrick’s nose flared as he took a step forward. Shermie quickly stood at the doorway, blocking him, “Dad, wait!”

“Move aside Shermie.”

“S-Shermie?” asked Stanley nervously at the anger on his father’s face.

“No, dad. You need to calm down or you’ll- ugh!”

Stanley jumped when his father roughly pushed his brother to the side. He took a few steps back as his father approached him, “D-dad? What’re you-”

Filbrick gripped his son’s shoulders tightly, “You’re not leaving!”

“W-what?” his son sputtered.

Filbrick shook his son roughly, “You’re not going to Gravity Hills or any other town near Silent Falls. I don’t even want you in Maine! Do you hear me?”

“Why?” asked Stanley in a calm voice. Failbrick released his son and took a step back. His son’s eyes seemed to glow and for a moment Filbrick was sure he was talking with a different person. Stanley frowned and his brows scrunched together, “Why can’t I go there? This is my choice, dad.”

“You’re not going.”

“I'm going.”

“Stanley, listen to me-”

Filbrick was caught off guard when his son shoved him back, “No! I’m tired of you telling me what I need to do! You never let me do what I want! You never listen to me!”

“I’m trying to protect you!”

“I don’t need your protection! I can take care of myself!”

“Stanley, you’re… you’re not well! You need to stay here and get treatment.”

“No! I don’t need it! You’re making everything worse!”

Filbrick froze. Stanley glared at him, his voice trembling, “You’re making me miserable. I can’t go on like this.”

“I… I don’t want to lose you too.”

Any emotion on his son’s face vanished as he stared at his father blankly, “You already did.”

Stanley ran passed his father, his brother and out the front door. It took Shermie a moment to realize what just happened and he took off after his brother, “STANLEY!”

Filbrick stared at the empty spot in front of him. His son’s words echoing in his head. Has he pushed him too far? Did he break his son? Is he the reason his son’s condition got worse? He raised shaky hands to his face, his thoughts racing. Lisa , what do I need to do?

Shermie called out to his brother and begged him to stop but his brother just ran. He noticed his brother was still barefooted and he’s worried he’ll hurt himself, “Stanley, please! Stop!”

Stanley couldn’t hear his brother. His vision shifted between reality and illusion. He could see flashes of that place in his dreams. He gasped when he heard a shrill laughter, That’s it Stano! Run! Run to us and we’ll help you get your answers! He shook his head. He was then assaulted by hundreds or thousands of voices, calling to him or blaming him for whatever happened to them. His hands flew to his ears and he screamed to drown the voices.

Suddenly, there was a blare of horn, the screech of tyres and then a heavy weight slammed into him, knocking the air out of his lungs. He fell and rolled on the ground. He was disoriented even though he already stopped rolling. The sound of his harsh frantic breathing was loud as he blinked at the gloomy sky.

“Jesus, Lee! Are you alright?!” asked Shermie as he loomed over his prone brother. He cupped his brother’s pale face and peered into his eyes.

Stanley blinked, “W-what happened?”

“You…” Shermie gulped and looked over his shoulder as the driver got out of her car, “You nearly got hit, Lee. You scared the shit out of me man!”

Stanley tried to get up and he hissed at the pain on his shoulder. The woman knelt down next to him and talked to his brother frantically, “Is he alright?! I-I didn’t see- He was suddenly on the road!”

“Lee, are you hurt?”

He shook his head, “I-I’m fine.”

The woman sighed and apologized again between sobs. Shermie tried to calm her down, one hand on his brother's chest to assure himself that his brother is still there, alive. Stanley stared at them, their voices unheard over the loud ringing in his ears. He felt the raindrops hitting his face before the world faded to black.

NOW

Stanley took in a deep breath then he opened the journal. The pages were stained and yellowed but the cursive handwriting is still readable. He read the author’s name was Victor M. Halloway. The first entry was written on October 13th, 1907.

My name is Victor and I’m writing in this journal to record my findings on my family history and the mysteries of Silent Falls. I was told that my family, the Halloways, are descendants of one of the four founders of this town, Rupert Halloway. I have lived in Silent Falls for all of my 28 years. I have tried leaving this town but I cannot. I ended up returning here again and again. It’s keeping me here. My sister, Katherine, is lucky enough and was able to leave the town safely. I told her to never return here. I hope she is alive and happy wherever she is now.

Stanley stared at the page, Katherine was their father’s mother. He vaguely remembered her. He skipped a few pages and stopped on one with spilled ink stain on it. There was an eye with a slit pupil, reminding him of a cat’s eye, sketched on it and the handwriting on the two pages were sharp and frantic. Stanley recognized the eye, he has seen it before in his dreams.

I have been seeing this eye in my dreams for a few weeks now since I found great, grandfather’s journal. I believe it to be one of the creatures from the Otherworld . This makes me believe that I am close to uncovering the mysteries of this town. However, this creature, this one eyed being… it’s tormenting me. I’m becoming a paranoid mess. I haven’t had any decent sleep in days for I worry this creature will find me. I have a meeting with Chief Bodaway tomorrow and I hope to find more answers from him concerning the history of this town.

Stanley moved on to the next page when he realized he couldn’t read whatever was stained by the ink. There was a sketch of an elderly Indian man on the next page. The name Chief Bodaway was written below the sketch. The pages that was supposed to be about Victor’s meeting with the man was torn off and Stanley cursed under his breath. He read the next available page and it was about the “ Halo of the Suns ”. There were varied sketches of it but Stan has seen something similar in the notebook he got from Susan’s car. He fished it out of his backpack and compared it with the ones in the journal. The three circles arranged in a triangle are similar.

He read what Victor wrote about it:

The Halo of the Sun is an insignia belonging to The Order . Often seen drawn in red or black. They use this symbol as a sign of worship to their ‘God ’, a deity of the sun - a demon, in my opinion though. Every year, they sacrifice an innocent soul to this so called deity of theirs and it has to be a descendant of the four founders of Silent Falls. They would choose one and then murder these people in different manners. They believed the blood of these sacrifices will bring them prosperity and great wealth.

Chief Bodaway said that if the Halo of the Suns are drawn in blue or yellow, it will reverse the effects of the curse and give protection to those who bear it. He believes it will also cause harm to the demon that The Order worshipped. I painted one under my bed using yellow paint and the one eyed beast stopped appearing in my dreams. I can finally sleep.

Stanley flipped through the pages and caught glimpses of sketches of different kinds of horrific creatures that Victor had encountered in the Otherworld. He recognized a few of them from his journey in the fog. A letter slipped out from the pages and he picked it up. There were blood stains on it. He opened it:

Dearest brother,

I hope you are well and safe. I miss you. I’m not sure if this letter will reach you but if it does, I’d like to share good news with you. Victor, I’m pregnant! You’re going to be an uncle! If it’s a boy, I’d like to give him your middle name, Mason. If it’s a girl, I’ll give her mother’s name, Marianne.

I wish you could meet them. You’ll be a great uncle. If you figured out a way to escape Silent Falls, come look for me-

The bottom of the letter was torn off and Stanley assumed it was because Victor didn’t want anyone to know where his sister was. He sighed and closed the journal. It was getting late and he needs rest. He put the journal on the bedside table and then searched for a towel in the wardrobe. He was relieved there were some clothes as well but he’s curious to know why they were there. He shrugged and went to take a hot shower.

After cleaning off the grime and blood off himself, he treated his wounds. Most of them had stopped bleeding, none of them serious or life threatening. The only wound that was still bleeding was the cut on his forehead that he has to suture. He was surprised to find a first aid box when he was rummaging the drawers earlier, and he was grateful. Once he was done taking care of his wounds, he pulled on a white T-shirt. He scratched his chin and could feel his stubble. He mentally took note that he’ll need a shave in the morning.

His stomach rumbled as he stepped into the kitchen area. His eyes landed on the refrigerator apprehensively and he wondered if there’s food. He opened it and his brows shot up in surprise: it was filled with food. He tilted his head, “Well, can’t look at a gift horse in the mouth…”

He checked the cupboards and found some canned food as well. He checked the expiry date before picking out a can of corned beef and beans. He set his ingredients on the counter and stared at the radio on the counter and wondered if it works. He shrugged and switched it on. Slow jazz filled the room and he nods in approval. He quietly made his dinner and enjoyed it, listening to jazz music. By the time he was done cleaning the kitchen, it was a quarter to nine.

He explored the apartment and he appreciated the small library in the corner of the living room. He saw familiar titles of books he had read before and he felt a little uneasy by all the things that he had found in the apartment. Most of them felt familiar. And it didn’t help that the apartment feels like someone who knows him well had lived in it, it feels like someone is still living in it too. He rubbed a thumb against his palm anxiously, it’s even rented under my name .

When he glanced at the clock he was surprised it’s almost eleven. He decided it’s time turn in for the night. He checked the door and windows before getting into bed. He lay on his back and closed his eyes. His breathing slowed and he was asleep in a matter of minutes. While he slept, the temperature in the room dropped and a mist appears. A figure stood at the door. It moved toward the bed, the cloud of mist shifting with its movement. It stood staring at the slumbering man, “You shouldn’t be here. I can’t hold it any longer… I’ll try to hold on a little longer… I hope he finds you and take you away from here. ”

He cursed under his breath as he drove frantically toward that town, “Idiot! I should’ve known he’d go there! I hope nothing bad happened!”

Shermie glanced at his watch, it was almost midnight. He stopped by his brother’s apartment that afternoon after an encounter with an apparition at his studio. He was shocked and terrified at first but then the apparition had warned him about his brother. The warning prompted him to close his studio early and rush to his brother’s apartment. He panicked when the neighbour told him his brother hasn’t been home since the day before yesterday. Then he remembered about the package and the photo, and he kicked himself mentally for not telling his brother not to got to Silent Falls without him. He made a quick phone call to his wife and briefly explained to her that he had to help his brother in another town. His eyes shifted to the flickering figure next to him, “I know! I’m going as fast as I can!”

The apparition nodded and then vanished, leaving him alone in the car. He passed the sign that welcomes him to Silent Falls. His fingers tightened on the steering wheel, “I’m not losing another brother!”

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