Title: Gravity
Chapter: 10 (Two Children Threatened by a Nightingale)
Author: phantastus
Fandom: Silent Hill
Rating: R (see the Disclaimers/Warnings section for more info)
Genre: Horror
Main Characters: Angela Orosco, James Sunderland, Laura
Summary: Despite all roadblocks, dead ends and breakdowns, the journey continues. Even with monsters at their heels.
Notes:
Well, folks. This is it. Not the end of the story, but the end of part one, at least. With the completion of this chapter, Gravity has reached a length of 202,045 words (200k!! Holy shit!) and over 600 pages in printed book format. As much as that can be attributed towards me being an insufferable windbag who can't edit myself worth a damn, that's still pretty wild!

That said, given not only the significance of this milestone but also recent events, there's a couple of things I want to talk about. Namely, the subject matter of the story as it relates to the current state of affairs we're all dealing with. I'll get right to it— this year has been awful for everyone, and especially in the past couple of months (you all know what I'm talking about), it's looking very bleak. A lot of us, myself included, have a tendency to turn to fiction when the real world gets too scary and stressful, and that's so important. I can't count the ways that being able to fall back on the worlds and characters I love (including Silent Hill) has literally saved my life.

But this part of the story is not hopeful. It is not comforting.

It's a sad coincidence that the arrival of THIS chapter (which has been in more or less a state of completion since last year, just in serious need of polishing) happens to coincide with one of the most politically terrifying moments in the history of my country, right when all of us need a little extra hope. But that's how it goes.

In fact, as disappointing as it may sound, I'm going to go ahead and say that if you're coming to read this in a state of active stress and vulnerability, you should wait until you're feeling better to come back to it— and I promise, things will get better. Both for us, and the Gravity gang. This has always been a story about people battling trauma and mental illness, and there will always be times when that battle seems unwinnable. But that doesn't mean that it's over. Hang in there. I love you.

Depressing subject matter aside, this has been waiting in the wings for years, and I'm so excited to finally share it with everyone. Thank you all so much for your patience and support. I hope it was worth the wait.

Disclaimers/Warnings: In keeping with the source material, this fanfic depicts situations and events that may be considered violent or cruel. If you are triggered by anything in the Silent Hill series, this story may not be for you. This chapter deals with VERY DISTURBING CONCEPTS including but not limited to:
-descriptions of anxiety, nightmares
-self-harm, discussion of suicide
-intense PTSD episodes, trauma-induced flashbacks and hallucinations
-pedophilia and incest (father-daughter grooming and physical/sexual abuse)
-general focus on living and coping with mental illness
-there's a flashback to the Brookhaven cockroach room, so bugphobes beware
-Angela continues to misandry it up— she can't be stopped, she's too powerful.
-a Very Special Guest Appearance!

Please read at your own risk.
Additional Disclaimer: Again, in light of What's Currently Going On, something occurred to me that might warrant a statement— nobody's gotten this impression so far, but just in case, I wanted to mention it. In writing Angela (and by extension, her family) as Latinx, I had no intent whatsoever to evoke certain negative stereotypes about Mexican people, specifically Mexican immigrants, that have recently been normalized by the president-elect. Unfortunately, I can't change the facts of canon, and it's a little too late in the story (not to mention gross and whitewash-y) to go back and make Angela white in order to avoid her traumatic backstory being problematic by association, but I will say this: the character of Thomas Orosco, at least when it comes to the treatment of his daughter, has far more in common with Donald Trump himself than any person of Mexican heritage that I've ever met or known.
I hope that I have handled the subject matter sensitively enough to avoid making it seem like Angela's trauma and abuse are in any way connected to her race, and of course, if anyone sees places where I can improve, I welcome the help!

Recommended Listening:
-Abraham's Song (Bibio Remix)
-Little Baby (tw)
-Woodsman Wolf
-Ye Olde Hope
-The Demon God
-Everything Burns
-Civilian


( Metal roof, metal blood. Hide the boots, hide the mud. )

Title: Might As Well Swim
Author: phantastus
Fandom: Silent Hill
Rating: G
Genre: Friendship
Main characters: Heather Mason, Douglas Cartland
Summary: Douglas gets a late-night call from Heather, who has been struggling to cope after the events of Silent Hill 3.
This story was a drabble requested by snarkykatalyst. The prompt was "Tarantism (driving away melancholy by dancing) + Heather Mason".
Disclaimer/Warnings: Contains gratuitously fluffy surrogate father-daughter cuteness, shameless 90's music, and comfort cooking. And also Heather's sailor-mouth.
There is a very brief mention of suicide.

Recommended Listening:
All Star

( It's a cool place, and they say it gets colder. You're bundled up now, but wait till you get older. )

~*~

Title: Fine Wine
Author: phantastus
Fandom: Silent Hill
Rating: G
Genre: Friendship/Romance/Humor
Main characters: Henry Townshend, Eileen Galvin
Summary: Hoping to brighten things up on the six-month anniversary of their defeat of Walter Sullivan and subsequent escape from South Ashfield Heights, Eileen decides that a nice meal is in order.
This story was a drabble requested by micahaphone. The prompt was "Capernoited (slightly tipsy or intoxicated) + Henry Townshend/Eileen Galvin".
Disclaimer/Warnings: Contains alcoholic substances and more gratuitous cooking because the author has no self-control at this time of year. Also contains Henry, escalating the Weird Warning Level from green to yellow.

Recommended Listening:
N/A

( Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove. )

Title: GRAVITY
Chapter: 9 (The Graveyard Girl)
Author: phantastus
Fandom: Silent Hill
Rating: R (see the Disclaimers/Warnings section for content info)
Genre: Horror/Drama
Main characters: James Sunderland, Laura, Angela Orosco
Summary: Life has grown harder on the road for James, who is finding himself having to juggle concerns for his own mental health along with caring for Laura. But matters become even more complicated when the pair stumble across someone James thought was lost to the Otherworld for good.
Notes: Chapter 9 of my ongoing, obscenely long SH2 fanfic. Set directly after the Leave Ending, but contains heavy implications of In Water. The fic is mirrored over here.
This story was initially written (and is still in progress) for NaNoWriMo 2009.
Disclaimer/Warnings: In keeping with the source material, this fanfic depicts events and situations that may be considered violent or cruel. If anything in the Silent Hill series triggers you, this story may not be for you. This chapter deals with VERY DISTURBING CONCEPTS including but not limited to:

-descriptions of anxiety, insomnia, nightmares
-graphic descriptions of being ill/vomiting
-discussion of suicide/implied self-harm
-PTSD, trauma-induced flashbacks and hallucinations
-pedophilia and incest (father-daughter rape/sexual abuse)
-... I... there's really no delicate way to put this. This chapter contains horrible rancid nonconsensual monster humping. It's not overly graphic nor is it supposed to be titillating or porny, but you've all seen the Abstract Daddy. This chapter is rated F for fucking gross.
-warning: chapter contains Angela MISANDRY!!!!!
-Laura fat-shames James at one point because she's a little shit
-another butt joke

Please read at your own risk.

Recommended Listening:
-Halo
-Breathe Me
-Sleep
-Lakehouse


( All we have to lose is time, and what we lose we leave behind. Stick around and we will shine. )

Title: GRAVITY
Chapter: 6 (Tilt Awhile)
Author: phantastus
Fandom: Silent Hill
Rating: G-PG
Genre: Drama/Angst
Main characters: James Sunderland, Laura
Summary: After tying up his loose ends, James is confronted with one last snag: what is he supposed to do with Laura, who he comes to realize that he knows very little about?
Notes: Chapter 6 of my ongoing, obscenely long SH2 fanfic. Set directly after the Leave Ending, but contains heavy implications of In Water. The fic is mirrored over here along with several subsequent chapters, but I will be posting the most up-to-date edits here for the time being.
This story was initially written (and is still in progress) for NaNoWriMo 2009.
This chapter originally contained a somewhat lengthy flashback involving Eddie-- anyone who's read it before and remembers that, don't panic, you're not going crazy. I removed it in this edit. It will likely be re-used/re-inserted later on!
Disclaimer/Warnings: In keeping with the source material, this fanfic depicts events and situations that may be considered violent or cruel. If anything in the Silent Hill series triggers you, this story may not be for you. This chapter deals with potentially-upsetting concepts including but not limited to:

-general horror concepts
-mentions of murder and gruesome imagery
-references to terminal illness
-vague references to cult-related/ritualistic child abuse
-a stupid original character butting back in for a pseudo-cameo
-sympathetic criers beware: this chapter is a doozy
-flagrantly-invented connections to nonrelated games in the series

Please read at your own risk.

Recommended Listening:
-Capsize
-Friends
-Send Me On My Way


( C-A-P-S-I-Z-E all the way home, I'm gonna tilt awhile. M-I-S-S-M-E all you want, you're gonna wait awhile. )

Title: GRAVITY
Chapter: 5 (Nine Red Squares)
Author: phantastus
Fandom: Silent Hill
Rating: PG-13 to R
Genre: Horror/Drama/Angst
Main characters: James Sunderland, Mary Shepherd-Sunderland, Laura
Summary: Before James can leave the home he and Mary shared behind for good, there are wrongs to right and memories to unearth. So, so many memories.
Notes: Chapter 5 of my ongoing, obscenely long SH2 fanfic. Set directly after the Leave Ending, but contains heavy implications of In Water. The fic is mirrored over here along with several subsequent chapters, but I will be posting the most up-to-date edits here for the time being.
This story was initially written (and is still in progress) for NaNoWriMo 2009.
Disclaimer/Warnings: In keeping with the source material, this fanfic depicts events and situations that may be considered violent or cruel. If anything in the Silent Hill series triggers you, this story may not be for you. This chapter deals with potentially-upsetting concepts including but not limited to:

-general horror concepts
-intense depictions of PTSD/panic attacks
-mentions of murder via suffocation/smothering
-depictions of child neglect/growing-up experiences with a mentally unstable parent
-medical emergencies related to terminal illness
-mentions of alcoholism, alcohol consumption
-implied domestic emotional abuse
-STRIPPER ACTION sexual situations (non-graphic)
-extreme TL;DR
-the phrase 'Down Syndrome' is mentioned like once
-an umbilical cord in a box

Please read at your own risk.

Recommended Listening:
-All is Well (It's Only Blood)
-Weight of the World
-Fog in the House of Lightbulbs
-Wake
-Recessional
-All is Well (Goodbye, Goodbye)

( It's hard to keep the rainclouds out when the windows never close. The house feels like a graveyard now, like the floorboards hide the bones... )

Title: GRAVITY
Chapter: 4 (Like Maple Syrup)
Author: phantastus
Fandom: Silent Hill
Rating: G
Genre: Horror/Drama (Romance in this one, I guess? James/Mary obviously)
Main characters: James Sunderland, Laura
Summary: Utterly exhausted, James and Laura arrive 'home', which isn't really home so much as a haven of memories, both bitter and sweet.
Notes: Chapter 4 of my ongoing, obscenely long SH2 fanfic. Set directly after the Leave Ending, but contains heavy implications of In Water. The fic is mirrored over here along with eight subsequent chapters, but I will be posting the most up-to-date edits here for the time being.
This story was initially written (and is still in progress) for NaNoWriMo 2009.
Disclaimer/Warnings: In keeping with the source material, this fanfic depicts events and situations that may be considered violent or cruel. This chapter includes concepts such as:

-written descriptions of physical wounds
-mentions of terminal illness
-FLUFF FLUFF FLUFF FLUFF FLUFF that is doomed to end in tragedy jesus christ

Please read at your own risk.

Recommended Listening:
-Old Piano
-Rumpus Reprise

( It's the names in wet cement, it's the things you can't forget. It's the fear of growing old, it's the life you'll never know. )

Title: GRAVITY
Chapter: 3 (Growing Pains and Runaways)
Author: phantastus
Fandom: Silent Hill
Rating: PG
Genre: Horror/Drama
Main characters: James Sunderland, Laura
Summary: Well, that sucked. Waking up after the vicious fight, James finds himself dealing with another contender: a curious onlooker who is very interested in finding out why he helped her back in the bar.
Notes: Chapter 3 of my ongoing, obscenely long SH2 fanfic. Set directly after the Leave Ending, but contains heavy implications of In Water. The fic is mirrored over here along with eight subsequent chapters, but I will be posting the most up-to-date edits here for the time being.
This story was initially written (and is still in progress) for NaNoWriMo 2009.
Disclaimer/Warnings: In keeping with the source material, this fanfic depicts events and situations that may be considered violent or cruel. This chapter includes concepts such as:

-written descriptions of physical wounds
-creepy dream violence
-strong language
-discussion of murder
-casual, childish use of the word 'retard'.
-gross metaphors involving dead things and bodily fluids
-more butt jokes

Please read at your own risk.

Recommended Listening:
-Runaway.

( It's been a long week, got a slow leak in my left front tire. )

Title: GRAVITY
Chapter: 2 (Capsize)
Author: phantastus
Fandom: Silent Hill
Rating: R (see 'Disclaimer/Warnings' for content)
Genre: Horror/Drama
Main characters: James Sunderland, Laura
Summary: Free of the Otherworld but feeling lost, James chooses to seek comfort in his old standby before leaving town-- and is unexpectedly thrust into a harrowing situation in which his choices could mean the difference between life and death for someone he already failed once.
Notes: Chapter 2 of my ongoing, obscenely long SH2 fanfic. Set directly after the Leave Ending, but contains heavy implications of In Water. The fic is mirrored over here along with eight subsequent chapters, but I will be posting the most up-to-date edits here for the time being.
This story was initially written (and is still in progress) for NaNoWriMo 2009.
Disclaimer/Warnings: In keeping with canon, this fanfic depicts events and situations that may be considered violent or cruel. This chapter deals with extremely disturbing concepts and should be read with this in mind. These concepts include but may not be limited to:

-written descriptions of physical wounds
-traumatic flashbacks to monsters and shit
-pedophilia/threats of a sexual nature against a minor
-misogynistic and sexist language
-violence
-harmful enabling of such behavior
-mentions of drug use
-religion, cults, and brainwashing
-gross, pervy old men
-James being both more and less useless than normal
-SILENT HILL IN GENERAL

Please read at your own risk.

Recommended Listening:
-Set the Fire to the Third Bar
-Crawl Claw and Scrape
-Burn it to the Ground
-Opiate

(The illustration above can be viewed in full here.)

( I hang my coat up in the first bar. There is no peace that I've found so far. )

SUP FOLKS I FEEL LIKE WRITING TONIGHT between my tags.

Comment here with two (or more) characters and pick a prompt or three-- I'll write you a drabble based on that prompt! These prompts can either be fandom-based (although I'm afraid I'm a one-trick pony and only trust myself to do Silent Hill justice, although I might make exceptions) or based on RP CR that we have.

The prompts are first-come, first-serve-- I wanna exercise my writing chops so try not to pick something that's already been chosen! Feel free to pick as many as you want as long as they haven't been picked already!


PROMPTS
( Theme List is under the cut! )

Title: GRAVITY
Chapter: 1 (Sirens in His Ears)
Author: phantastus
Fandom: Silent Hill
Rating: G-PG
Genre: I don't even know.
Main characters: James Sunderland, Laura
Summary: Well, James did it. He survived Silent Hill and accepted truth and retribution for his sins.
... Now what?
Notes: Chapter 1 of my ongoing, obscenely long SH2 fanfic. Set directly after the Leave Ending, but contains heavy implications of In Water. The fic is mirrored over here along with eight subsequent chapters, but I will be posting the most up-to-date edits here for the time being.
This story was initially written (and is still in progress) for NaNoWriMo 2009.
Disclaimer/Warnings: This fanfic depicts events and situations that may be considered violent or cruel, on par with the canon source material. This chapter deals with potentially-upsetting concepts including but not limited to:

-written descriptions of physical wounds
-traumatic flashbacks
-terminal illness
-references to murder and suicide
-a butt joke

Please read at your own risk.

ADDITIONAL DISCLAIMER: Although it's seen a few edits since it was written, this first chapter was written a long time ago and as such doesn't necessarily reflect the current writing style of the story. In fact, the author finds it embarrassingly long-winded and ponderous, but has banned herself from going back and fiddling with it anymore in the interest of moving the story forward and writing new material instead. SORRY. I PROMISE IT GETS BETTER.

Recommended Listening:
-This Time Tomorrow
-Machete


The illustration above can be viewed in full here.)


( Zero gravity... what's it like? )