Resident Evil Dark Files: Raccoon's Shadow (with OG character)

Garden of the Dead

Friday, July 24th

The feeling of deja vu swept over me as my bag dropped on my bed with a dull thump. At least this time, I knew what I would head into. The four clips clinked together as I fumbled with the two handguns I got from dad's safe. I packed them in the bag with a small first-aid kit we had stored in the bathroom; I'm not sure how helpful some bandaids and first-aid spray will be against those monsters, but anything is better than nothing.

The zipper on the bag cut through the heavy silence as I secured it over my back and stood straight. My heart thumped against my ribs, and my hands wouldn't stop shaking as I hooked one of the kitchen knives to my belt. I wish I had my knife, but there was no time to think about that now. I grabbed the handkerchief and rolled it up before tying it around my head. Satisfied, I started towards my door.

The hinges on the door creaked annoyingly loud as I popped my head into the hall. The muffled voices from the TV echoed, and the light splayed across the stairs. Quietly, I padded across the wood floor and to the stairs before pausing. There was no movement, no stirring, nothing.

Mom was still at work, making the only obstacle in my path dad--

Gentle snores filled the air; it gave me the silent strength to take the first step down the stairs. Slowly, I leaned down to get a better view of the living room and honed in on the couch. The flashing lights from the TV splayed across the sofa, catching the greys in dad's hair at the other end of the sofa. I took another step but stopped as the board creaked under the added weight. My heart clenched as dad coughed and shifted. I didn't dare breathe--let alone blink--as I watched dad settle back down, and the soft snores filled the air once more. Slowly, I relaxed and started down the rest of the stairs. As my foot reached the base, I plucked up my hiking boots, shuffled to the side door, and gave dad one last glance before slipping outside.

It wasn't until the door clicked behind me that I released my breath. I let myself lean on the door and stare into the black sky. Gathering my strength, I shoved my feet inside my boots and started towards the park. The sticky humidity clung to my clothing as I made it down the road and slipped into the shadows.

The blockades barred off the park entrance with cement barriers and signs telling me the park was closed until further notice, signed by the mayor. Without pausing, I climbed over the blockade, pulled out my flashlight and the mountain map and studied it. Investigating the crime scenes weeks earlier gave me a leg-up. I was comfortable with my surroundings but knew what lurks inside these shadows.

The flashlight shook in my hand, and my knuckles hurt from gripping it too tightly as I pulled out one of dad's guns. As I loaded the clip, the metallic click eased only a bit of my uncertainty, but I tried to shove those thoughts away. Rolling my shoulders back, I took the first step inside the forest. The world immediately closed around me as the lights from the streetlights faded away, leaving me in pitch black with only the beam from my flashlight to guide me.

The branches above knocked together as the skeletal wind blew through them. The humidity still clung to the air and my skin, but now, it felt colder and more hollow. The gravel crunched under my shoes as I changed directions. The trail grew narrower and became increasingly hard to follow, and the dark only made it more challenging. My uncertainty grew larger with every step I struggled to take. Repeatedly, I stopped to check the map, curse, and re-adjust my location, only to figure out I was going the wrong way.

"To hell with it," I uttered, crumpled up the map, and picked a direction.

The sound of gentle, burbling water trickling by caught my attention. My interest and confusion grew as I stumbled into a clearing, navigated around the wet, moss-covered rocks, and almost fell. The clouds parted enough for the moon's light to catch the slow-moving water like fish scales. I stared at the creek before me, my head swaying as I yanked out the map again.