For years, Alexandra did her best to avoid coming back. Why would she? Her family couldn't accept her, and the few friends who could have left the town long ago in pursuit of their happiness. And yet there she was, driving in her car to the place she vowed never to come back to. As Alexandra turned to West Sandford Street, the Toluca Lake – grand and tranquil as ever – appeared to her right. For a moment, a thought flashed inside Alexandra's mind: turn back, you will not find rest here. But it disappeared as soon as she drove past the welcoming sign. For better or worse, she was finally back home. Back in Silent Hill.

Driving past the Lakeside, Alexandra crossed the Sandford Street bridge and entered the resort part of the town. It was only when she parked her car across the Norman's Motel that she noticed the thick fog that had permeated the streets. She could swear that just minutes ago she had a clear view of the lake. Or did she? Alexandra sighed in disbelief at the extent of her absent-mindedness.

Turning the engine off, Alexandra left her car and headed inside the motel, expecting to get some rest before the dreaded family meeting. The place greeted Alexandra with a little doorbell chime, a stale and somewhat metallic air, and an empty front desk. She rang the desk bell and waited. No one responded. Tired, frustrated and in no mood to wait, Alexandra decided to find another place to sleep. She was almost out the door when a loud creak stopped her dead in her tracks. She turned around and noticed the door behind the front desk was now ajar. Carefully, she went behind the desk, peeked inside the room and barely managed to hold her scream.

Motel clerk's mangled body was hanging from the ceiling, his hollow eyes seemingly staring right at Alexandra. Two words were carved out on his body.

'WELCOME HOME'

Alexandra rushed out of the motel only to find her car gone. Scared and confused and without any better ideas, she ran through the desolate streets as far as she could before her unfit body forced her to slow down. As she ran, her mind was trying to rationalize what she just saw. Maybe it was a stupid prank by the townsfolk. Maybe someone got wind of her return and decided to 'make fun of the freak'. No, that couldn't be it. Nobody knew she was coming back. Hell, Alexandra herself never expected to return, especially willingly. Nobody who knew her did. But that would mean that the gory scene at the motel wasn't a prank. It was real, and whoever did that was still around somewhere, lurking in the shadows, in the fog.

The fog.

Only now did Alexandra notice that the fog had grown so thick she couldn't possibly tell where she was, let alone where she was going. Suddenly, she heard a noise. A loud thud, as if something heavy had hit the ground. Then more noises. Some sounded like footsteps, the others - like shuffle. The terror had gripped the young woman, making it hard to breathe, to think. Something was in the fog with her, and she had to get out. Find a place where she could hide, take a breather. Right on cue, Alexandra noticed a lit diner sign, towering above the fog like a lighthouse. A memory called out to her. A memory of her, and the other. Their place. A haven.

Making her way towards the diner, Alexandra stopped when she heard a squishing sound right below her. She looked down and almost vomited as the foul stench of blood and feces hit her nose. Someone's intestines had been strewn across the street in a bloody mess.

The footsteps were getting faster. Louder. Closer. Alexandra looked around frantically but only the fog was there. Slowly, she backed away and froze in terror as her back hit something both solid and sticky. An ear-piercing screech from behind her sprung Alexandra into action and she bolted away, not looking back.

Alexandra ran as fast as she could, almost not noticing the burning in her lungs. She only stopped once she found herself standing before the diner. Luckily, it was open. Alexandra shut the door behind her, barricaded it with a table and slumped on the floor, covering her face and taking slow, deep breaths. With shaking hands, she took out her phone and dialed her mother, hoping (for the first time in a while) that she would answer. No answer. A whirlwind of mixed thoughts and emotions raged inside, but a loud commotion behind the counter snapped Alexandra out of it. Be it bravery or stupidity, instead of listening to her instincts, she slowly approached the counter and--

"Stay away!" Someone swung at her. Alexandra dodged the hit by mere inches, but the sudden strike still made her trip and fall. Looking up at her attacker, Alexandra saw a face she did not expect to see again in a thousand years.