Alan Wake

Episode 2.4: Journey

I continued to navigate through the woods, following the trail which would hopefully lead me to Lovers' Peak quickly. Lovers' Peak made me think about Rusty since he was the one directing me how to get there and that made me feel horrible and guilty for being powerless to save him. However, I shrugged that aside. I cannot afford my feelings to get in the way and mess things up when it already is. The leaves were blocking off the remaining light that came from the moon. I had to squint my eyes to deal with it.

The birds and animals were all howling and growling inside, enhancing the already creepy environment. I made my way downstairs, crossed a bridge and turned right as the sign did. I reminded myself that Lover's Peak was at the far end of the nature trail. That made me wonder how 'far' it would take to get there. I noticed a battery resting at the phone booth and the beeping sound came from the phone booth. It was clear that the darkness was still at work, with the phone booth as solid evidence. 

As I left the phone booth, the same shadowy men came out from the bush. One was in front while there were two more behind me. I kept running instead of stopping and engaging them. I was at a disadvantage since there were two of them behind, a potential of surrounding me. I bent down as I sprint, avoiding a hammer that could have caused a broken bone on my body on full impact. I ran to the bridge and spun round, only to be greeted by the same person as he was within reach. His hammer had nearly knocked me off the ground but he hit the wooden bridge instead. I shone the rays of light against him and I delivered two shells on his body once I had took his protection off. The other two were still behind, trying to catch up with me. I used my iron sights, waiting for the protection of come off them with my flashlight and my fingers were at the trigger, ready to pull it. I did the same to the two once they became vulnerable.

I could feel my legs shaking and sinking fast in the soil. I was not a good runner and had not been running, the consequence of not exercising so often. The worse is the trail was going up. I walked upwards, doing my best to resist gravity and walked on flat ground once more. Just how long does the trail lead to?

The mist was getting thicker, not because of the weather. It was an indication; an indication for me that the dark forces are going to become stronger and I had to be careful if I wanted to live and see Alice again. The winds were now howling fiercely in the night. Not a good sign either. I continued despite of the dangers that would lurk around. I was determinded to get Alice back at all cost. Even if I had to brave all dangers and save her.

The trail even led to a tree that had a hole big enough for anybody to pass through. It would have been better if he had visited it in the daylight, free of trouble with Alice instead of fighting other people would want to kill him. I moved back as I saw a horde of them approaching me with one of them walking towards me with a pickaxe. This time, as I held my flashlight and allowed the rays of light to hinder him, I reasoned to myself that his size was larger than those I had met and therefore, his protection was much stronger. My rays of light were taking too long to deal with them. I yelled in pain as I felt my shoulder being pierced by a knife. I ran away from the horde, moving back. I had to change my tactics. 

As I moved back and shone my flashlight against him, he staggered once his protection was removed. I opened fire at him three times; knocking him off the ground and killing him, watching his body dissolve into thin air. There were two more, rushing towards me and as I looked at them, I smiled. Instantly, I ignored the fatigue, charging towards them. The two of them were too slow as I could only feel the rush of cold air brushing against me. I had charged through a gap in between them. 

I ran downhill and felt gravity giving me support this time, forcing my legs to add speed. However, I stopped dead in my tracks and turned behind, shooting the same person as he fell onto the ground, dead. I moved into the same area that I had left moments ago. Where was the other person? I held the revolver up, more alert now as I scanned the area, gripping my revolver and flashlight. Just then, I felt a presence behind me and when I realised it, I was too late. Realisation struck me a second before his weapons landed on my shoulder. I staggered in agony, nearly losing my balance. He had taken the chance to attack me from behind while I engaged one of them. My anger had dissolved with his dead body. I ran even faster now, ignoring my wounds. There were more of them coming at me.

I continued my journey downhill, not wanting to stop for I would not wish for another injury for myself once more. The murderous men threw their weapons at me, hoping that it would hit me while others were chasing me downhill. Ahead of me was yet another wodden bridge but there was a safe haven up ahead. I slowed down, relieved that I was nearing there when I continued to run once more, reminded by a sharp pain that had landed on my back. I turned back at them, shining my flashlight at them and doing the same old thing: killing them once their protection is down. As I bathed myself in the ray of lights that healed my wounds, I proceeded on, dreading at the distance I had to cover before I really reach Lovers' Peak.

With my last ounce of energy, I pressed on, nearly losing my balance and lunging for the next safe Haven. I had run past an intersection point which I would have assumed that it was a tourist sight as well. The men were aggressive towards me with one of the bigger sized person holding a shovel to hit me. It was as if I had stepped into their territory. The men dissolved into mist as I looked at them. I went out from the safe haven and followed the trail once more when one of them showed up. Before I could open fire though, he had already disappeared. I smiled as I guessed that he stumbled onto my 'territory'. I leapt across a broken fence with the help of a boulder and once again, I smiled in delight as well as heaving a sigh of relief. A cable cart would mean that it was time for my legs to take a break after helping me evade several assaults.

As I pressed the button for the cable cart to come towards me, it rumbled to life, the noise becoming louder once it came closer to me. The gates creaked once I pushed it open and pressed the button on the cable cart. It rumbled to life once more, moving towards the other end which I would think is Lovers' Peak. My delight was short-lived as the winds howled even more fiercely than it was moments ago. 

"Shit!" I swore. The cable cart became unstable now, shaking violently and threatening to throw me off the cart and down below the depths below. The cable cart stopped after that, leaving me hanging in the air.

As if my predicament was not serious enough, the raven were charging at me in swarms. I shone my lights at them, managing to kill them. After I had survived the assault unscathed, the cable cart continued but from its speed, I realised that it was broken. I felt like I was in a racing cart but this cart had no seat, safety belt or something that could keep me balanced. The cable cart crashed at the other end and an invisible force had sent me out of the cable cart and falling on the ground. My legs were left weak and they had not recovered from my journey moments ago. 

As I lifted my head, I looked in horror. The men were walking towards me, their weapons at their hands, ready to cut me down and they were nearing the flashlight. Desperately, I reached out for my flashlight but they were faster as one of them had stepped on my flashlight. I flinched, withdrawing my hand in horror and falling onto the ground once more. I was doomed. He had his weapon in the air, ready to stab me. My whole life flashed in front of me as I covered myself with my hands and close my eyes, hoping that it would at least do something. However, I realised that it will not change anything. I prepared myself for the blow. Goodbye, Alice.

However, I opened my eyes. I had not felt the blow at me and instead, my skin felt something slightly warm. I opened my eyes and saw a pinkish smoke engulfing the area. The three men growled in pain, their bodies disappearing. I looked puzzled. Who could have seen them? I though that I was the only one that could see them. My questions soon received answers as a man walked through the smoke like some hero in a movie. He looked like a tough veteran who fought several wars with his cap and army green vest and clothes.

"Come on, we got to get moving! More of them coming!" he yelled, reaching out his hands for me. I stretched my hands out, allowing him to grab mine and pull me up. I felt my strength coming back at the same time he lifted me up. However, I was still baffled, wondering if should trust him. I picked up my flashlight and examined it once more. It was still working.

"That flashlight's kid stuff," he continued. "The flares will keep the bastards away." He tossed a flare at me and I grabbed it. I followed him, realising that I did not had a choice. I shoved my questions that arise with his arrival and confusion aside, following him.