Zain had arrived at the last bus stop. Because Silent Hill is quite far from the town of Lumiville, he had to change buses twice. But he still had to walk to get to Silent Hill.
In the midday heat, he walked to a grave. He placed the bouquet of sunflowers he had brought on the grave. Bright sunflowers. They brightened the mournful atmosphere of the cemetery.
"Your daughter gave them to you, ma'am. She's grown up now. She smiles brightly."
"As bright as these sunflowers."
As Zain was about to leave, someone called out to him.
"Long time no see, brother Zain."
Zain turned to face the person who had called him. It was a man who looked to be in his thirties. He was large and muscular. He wore an officer's uniform, with a badge indicating his rank on his chest.
"Lieutenant Colonel Zidane Arden."
"Please don't be so formal with me. I've treated you like my own brother." His stern face was friendly to Zain.
"Okay, Dane."
...
Seventeen years ago, when they first met, a black gate appeared in the town where Dane lived. Everyone was terrified and tried to escape. Because the soldiers were quite far from the gate, they were a little too late.
Many people had turned into zombies from the zombie bites from the black gate. The city was in ruins. People were terrified. They were hoping for their lives.
Somewhere beneath a collapsed building, a child was crying.
"Dad... Please wake up."
The child kept calling out to his father, who was protecting him from the falling debris. He couldn't get out of the rubble.
"I'm sorry..."
"Please... Someone, please help us."
The child could only helplessly ask for help. But no one came. Blood continued to flow from his forehead. The child was growing tired. He held his father's bleeding hand. As he continued to mutter the word "help," the child began to close his eyes.
Just as he was about to give up, someone approached him.
"Are you really going to give up?" The child looked at the man.
"Can my father and I survive?" The boy mustered the strength to raise his voice.
"I don't know. But maybe if you haven't given up, I can help you."
"The decision is yours."
The cold voice somehow filled the boy's heart with relief. Even if it was just a speck of light in the darkness, the boy wanted to reach for it.
"Please, I... want to live."
"I... still don't want to give up."
"Help us."
Zain used his long shovel to break through the rubble that had fallen on the boy and father. Zain laid them both down.
Zain's shovel transformed into a lantern. Zain blew out the lantern, and a swarm of fireflies flew and landed on the father and son. The boy's wounds began to heal, but not his father's.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't help your father."
The fireflies returned to Zain's lantern. The boy cried for his father. It was a cry from the bottom of his heart. The loss of someone he loved so dearly.
"I'm sorry, Dad..."
Zain stroked the boy's head.
"Your father tried to protect you. I'm sure he's happy to see you survive."
"His sacrifice wasn't in vain."
"So, don't waste this life your father saved."
"Live with pride and happiness." His voice was cold but caring.
"Okay." The boy was still sobbing.
"How old are you?" Zain asked the boy.
"Sixteen." The boy began to stop crying.
"You're still young, but from now on you have to be mature. Because you might be alone in this world."
"Stand up. I'll help you bury your father."
"Okay. Thank you."
Zain carried the boy's father on his back. They headed to the car specially provided for transporting the dead to Silent Hill.
"Sir... excuse me, but what's your name?" the boy asked politely.
"Zain. Zain Jadevine."
"And you? What's your name?"
"I'm Dane. Zidane Arden."
On a road, three pickup trucks and six people were waiting. Two soldiers, one doctor, and three pickup drivers. In the back of each pickup truck were seven bodies covered with a sheet. The bodies had been identified. The doctor took the data and gave it to Zain.
"Dane, tell the doctor your father's name and date of birth." Zain walked to one of the pickup trucks and put Zidane's father in it.
After that, they prepared to leave for Silent Hill. Zain and Zidane sat in the back of the same pickup truck with Zidane's father. The doctor and soldier were in the other pickup truck. They stopped at a funeral home in Silent Hill.
There were wooden coffins there. There were also several people there. They had arrived.
One by one, the bodies were placed in wooden coffins, draped with various white flowers. Not all the bodies were intact. Because of this disaster, the families of the victims may have scattered. Whether their families survived or not, no one knows. Zain had gone first to the cemetery. He helped dig graves.
Actually, Zain could have dug many graves himself, but because several people wanted to help, they were recruited to be gravediggers. Zain had no problem with that.
One by one, the wooden coffins were brought to the cemetery. A total of twenty-two coffins were to be buried. One by one, the coffins were buried. Tombs bearing their names were placed there. It was dusk.
The soldiers, doctors, drivers, and several others greeted the victims and began to leave Silent Hill. Only Zain and Zidane remained there.
Zidane remained silent at his father's grave. Zain placed a white lily on Zidane's father's grave.
"Visit your father's grave. Whenever that may be,"
Zain continued to place a white lily on each new grave.
After dark, it was getting dark. Zain took Zidane to Aria Village. There was a home there that housed children who had lost their families.
At least there he wouldn't be cold and hungry. A woman in her thirties opened the door. Zain handed Zidane over.