Silent Hill fic: Outbreak - Chapter 1: Epidemiological Report

[mistressofmuses]

Summary: "In memory of the sixty seven who died of illness and now sleep beneath the lake." -The Rosewater Memorial in Silent Hill
The town of Silent Hill has long been known for strange events. In 2016, a virulent illness tears through the town, progressing rapidly through an array of horrific symptoms before the patients die. Worse, it has no identifiable cause. Epidemiologist Anna Garcia is sent to record everything she can about the sickness, in the hopes of tracing it to some point of origin, or discover something to combat it. She finds far more to the history of the town and its strange past.

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Illness, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death

Notes: First shared work for the Silent Hill fandom!
I actually wrote the first version of this fic way back in 2017-early 2018. At the time I held off on posting it, because my sibling was doing some betaing for me. Then their schedule got too busy, but we held out hope for it working out. Finally it was clear the timing just wasn't going to work out, so it was probably better for me to edit myself...
Then 2020 happened. And suddenly sharing a story about a horrific illness (even one with vague, evil supernatural components) seemed like it would be in extremely poor taste. Now it feels like maybe there's enough distance from it that it's not quite so ghoulish, even as we remain in the middle of a pandemic that we may never be free of. But I DO want it to be clear - the illness in this fic is not Covid, nor was it ever intended to resemble Covid.

For chapter one: this is the chapter that is the heaviest on "found footage" style narration; the future chapters will alternate between prose and sections of the "epidemiological report", though those future report sections are heavier on text and less so on descriptions of image and video.

Introduction to epidemiological report:

My name is Anna Garcia. I am an epidemiological investigator working for the Maine Department of Health in cooperation with local and regional medical and law enforcement professionals. I am writing this report to discuss the recent outbreak of an as-yet-unidentified infectious disease localized around the town of Silent Hill (sometimes being referred to as SHIO—Silent Hill Idiopathic Outbreak). I arrived in the town on September 20, 2016, but have attempted to chronicle everything from the first appearance of the disease until today.

My background is in cultural anthropology, and the importance of ethnographic accounts. As such, I find it important to state my known biases and limitations. I am not a medical doctor or a nurse, nor am I a virologist or pathologist of any variety. However, repeated cases have shown the importance of studying patients’ lives, histories, and interactions in order to determine causes of illness and the vectors by which it may be spread.

I have drawn from a mix of objective and subjective accounts in preparing this report, as well as my own research, and I have come to my own conclusions regarding this disease. If the timeline that I outline is found to differ from future consensus, so be it. I leave future editorial choices regarding this content to my superiors.

Anna Garcia
October 2016

Epidemiological report on unknown illness

The official statistics regarding the outbreak say that it began on September 10, 2016, with a large number of patients admitted to Alchemilla Hospital in Silent Hill, ME. It is currently widely believed that the first cases appeared in very late August or very early September of 2016, prior to the hospitalizations that triggered the outbreak designation. The official death toll, now that we seem to be past the outbreak, is listed at 57.

In studying various cases, I have traced what I believe to be the origin of the illness to an event from almost two weeks earlier than the popularly accepted timeframe. This is where I begin my report, after which I will do my best to adhere to a chronological timeline as I trace the progress of the disease.

Saturday, August 20, 2016

On Saturday, August 20, two young men, Kyle Ericson (age 22) and Andrew Flynn (age 22), both Silent Hill locals, decided to embark on an expedition onto Toluca Lake. Family and friends stated that they decided to go on a weekend trip, as it was the second to last weekend before they were set to return to the University of Pleasant River, where they were both students. They had a second reason for going on this trip as well: a treasure hunt of sorts.

They elaborate on this second reason in a series of videos posted to Kyle Erison’s Instagram account. This account has since been deactivated, but law enforcement gave me access to copies of the previously posted videos. I will transcribe them as best I can

[Video originally posted August 20, 2016; 11:34 AM:

An obviously handheld cell phone video of a young, white man with moderately long dark blond hair. He is putting packed backpacks and camping gear into a small motorized boat, tied to a dock, looking out onto a lake. The weather appears to be fairly sunny and warm, though it is also breezy. He is dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, as well as a light sweatshirt. He pauses in his work and looks at the camera.

Kyle: Hey all! So we—

The phone camera is turned around to show the young man filming it. He’s a tall young man of mixed race, with short dark hair. He gives a small wave with the hand not holding the device, before turning it back to Kyle.

Kyle: We are heading out onto Toluca Lake. Now, we said that this is a camping trip, but we also have a secret goal in mind.

Andrew (off camera): Treasure hunting!

Kyle: Exactly. Try not to be too jealous.

Kyle winks at the camera.

End video.

Tagged: #camping #adventure #tolucalake]

[Video originally posted August 20, 2016; 12:20 PM:

There is engine noise from the boat in the background. This time Kyle is holding the camera, and it shows Andrew controlling the motor, and the lake around them. Then Kyle swings the camera back around to himself.

Kyle: All right, so we are off on our little expedition. Andrew and I are going to find the Little Baroness. I know, I know, people with serious radar and shit to help them haven’t found it in the last hundred years. But being an environmental science major has its benefits. Now, I don’t want anyone stealing our glory, so I won’t go into it all the way, but I studied some historical records regarding the lake and the various islands on it, which gave me an idea. And considering that documentary company’s offer, the two of us might just be about 10k richer! You can get a little jealous now.

End video.

Tagged: #camping #boating #tolucalake #treasurehunt #shipwreck #lakewaterpictures]

Evidence found on Kyle’s and Andrew’s laptops suggest that they were using various climate models to determine water levels of Toluca Lake, going back into the early 1900s. A recent project along Pleasant River diverted some of the water that ordinarily flowed into Toluca Lake. While the overall water level was not dramatically affected, it did lower the level by a few feet, and they seemed to believe that it may have exposed (or enlarged) some small islands farther out on the lake. They also had several aerial photographs of the lake from different years.

Additionally, a flyer was found that expanded on Kyle’s comment about a “documentary company”.

[Flyer from “Lakewater Pictures”:

ATTENTION TREASURE HUNTERS
AND ADVENTURE SEEKERS!

The documentary company LAKEWATER PICTURES
is looking for anyone who can provide
NEW INFORMATION about
the sinking of THE LITTLE BARONESS!

Our company is hoping to put together a documentary
for release in 2018, to coincide with the 100th
anniversary of the sinking. The wreckage of the ship
has never been found, and we will pay a generous sum
to anyone who succeeds where so many have failed!

An anonymous patron is funding our venture,
and we will pay $10,000 to anyone who can find
the wreckage and take us to it.

Email Devon Morris at [email redacted] for further info! ]

For background information: The Little Baroness was a steamboat which sank somewhere on Toluca Lake. It was a tourist ship which, despite heavy fog, set out onto the lake one day in November of 1918, but never returned to port. 14 people were on board. Extensive searches were conducted at the time and since, however no evidence of the boat has ever been found.

[Video originally posted August 20, 2016; 1:47 PM

Kyle is again filming. This time the two young men are on an island, standing on the shore, looking inland. There is a thick knot of trees and undergrowth at the center, but the shore is barren for a few yards up until the trees. Driftwood and other detritus litters the shore, marking different tide lines.

Andrew has one of the backpacks and a cooler, and is walking toward the trees.

End video.

Posted with the caption: “You didn’t think we’d let you see what island we went to, did you?”

Tagged: #tolucalake #itsasecret #island #camping]

[Photograph originally posted August 20, 2016; 2:56 PM

A still image of a small campsite. A small area has been cleared of brush, though it is surrounded by trees. A two-person tent is set up, along with two collapsible soft chairs. The cooler Andrew was carrying is set between them.

Posted with the caption: “The ground is soggy, but that’s what tarps are for!”

Tagged: #camping #campsite #tolucalake]

[Video originally posted August 20, 2016; 4:23 PM

Kyle and Andrew are sitting together in the chairs. The phone seems to be set up on something holding it steady, as neither of them is holding it.

Andrew: So, so far a bust. We looked around, but didn’t find anything yet. And it’s getting chilly, so I think we’re going to call it quits for the night.

Kyle: I’m not too worried. We have all day tomorrow and at least half of Monday to keep looking. And if we don’t turn anything up, we can come back later in the week. Or weekends even after classes start. It might be too cold to camp by then, but we can come out for the day. We are going to find it!

End video.

Tagged: #camping #treasurehunt #tolucalake]

[Photograph originally posted August 20, 2016; 4:42 PM

Kyle and Andrew each have a beer, and are clinking the necks of the bottles together.

Posted with the caption: “Cheers.”

Tagged: #camping #beer]

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Kyle Ericson and Andrew Flynn continued their search for the shipwreck on Sunday.

[Photograph originally posted August 21, 2016; 5:55 AM

A photo of the sunrise, looking east over Toluca Lake.

Posted with the caption: “Morning!”

Tagged: #tolucalake #sunrise #riseandshine]

[Photograph originally posted August 21, 2016; 7:45 AM

A photo of Toluca Lake. The morning is sunny, with light reflecting off the clear water. Judging by the relatively still water, it is not especially windy.

Posted with the caption: “Getting started!”

Tagged: #tolucalake #treasurehunt

[Video originally posted August 21, 2016; 9:26 AM

Video taken by Andrew, showing Kyle sifting through some of the rock/sand mixture that makes up the lakeshore. He has a small pile of collected objects next to him: worn glass, small bits of metal, and some other things that aren’t completely visible.

Kyle: Right now I’m looking for anything that might be about the right age. The lake water is too cold to really go diving for anything; we’ll need to get some more serious gear to do that. But we’re still working to really pinpoint a location to start looking anyway. I have a feeling that a lot of today is just going to be doing this.

Andrew: You enjoy that.

End video.

Tagged: #tolucalake #treasurehunt]

[Photograph originally posted August 21, 2016; 12:15 PM

The photograph is of Kyle’s hand, holding a very tarnished bracelet. It appears to be silver. The style is of several rectangular metal panels attached by smaller metal hinges. The bracelet may not be entirely complete; it is hard to tell from the image. It does appear to be engraved, though it is not legible in the photo.

Captioned with: “It’s engraved with “William”, “1915”, and “Elizabeth”. It’s hard to read, but I think that’s what it says. This could be what we were looking for!

Tagged #tolucalake #foundobjects #jewelry #vintage]

After this, the posts take on a different tone.

[Video originally posted August 21, 2016; 12:48 PM

The video is of Kyle, also being filmed by him, though less well-framed than usual. He seems shaken.

Kyle: So uh… we found something that… uh, I don’t feel comfortable posting images of. Like, something we shouldn’t. We have to report it when we get back tomorrow. I, uh, don’t want to let it freak us out too bad, y’know. But um… it might be more of what we were looking for anyway.

Andrew (off screen): Man, are you sure? We could go back now.

The camera tilts, so neither of them is in frame.

Kyle: No, no, it’s fine. Another day won’t make a difference.

The video fairly abruptly cuts off.

Not tagged.]

[Video originally posted August 21, 2016; 1:50 PM

The video is distorted, slightly out of focus, and choppy or blocky as if it were being played over a connection with low bandwidth, but it’s a problem with the video itself. The audio is also fuzzy. It appears to be Kyle filming, as Andrew is in the video, looking at something not visible on screen.

Andrew: Looks like (inaudible) coming in. At two in the fucking afternoon, man?

Kyle: It happens. I know I (inaudible) but sometimes it just happens.

Andrew: Not like this it doesn’t. From the west? We can’t go back in this.

Kyle: Yeah, I know. It’ll pass, man. It’s fine. We’ve got (inaudible.)

Andrew: Like I want to stay here after finding… y’know.

Kyle: We’re not due back until tomorrow. We’ll stick to the plan. It was here last night, too.

End video.

Not tagged.]

[Photograph originally posted August 21, 2016; 2:22 PM

The image is almost entirely white and pale grey. Perhaps overexposed or run through a distorting filter.

Not tagged.]

[Photograph originally posted August 21, 2016; 5:33 PM

The image is almost identical to the previous one posted, though with minor variations in the white and grey.

Not tagged.]

[Video originally posted August 21, 2016; 7:53 PM

The image is entirely black, and only audio comes through. That is even more distorted than in the previous video.

Kyle’s voice: (inaudible) too dark. Barely after (inaudible.)

Andrew’s voice: I don’t know. I don’t know. Should have gone back.

Kyle’s: I know, okay. (inaudible) fucking get it. But it should be (inaudible) morning.

Andrew: Where’s the fucking lighthouse?

Kyle: What?

Andrew: The (inaudible) lighthouse. We could see (inaudible) night. Now (inaudible) all.

End video.

Not tagged.]

[Video originally posted August 21, 2016; 9:07 PM

There is an image with this one, but it is barely visible. It is extremely choppy and almost static, as if the video were frozen. Judging by the colors, it may be Kyle’s face, lit by some light source. The audio is still distorted and fuzzy, though some words are clear.

Kyle: (inaudible) the fog. I don’t (inaudible) it is. There’s just (inaudible) dread.

He stops speaking, and there’s a sound of a severe coughing fit.

Kyle: Both of us (inaudible.) What the hell (inaudible.)

End video.

Not tagged.]

This was the last video to be posted to Kyle Ericson’s Instagram account.

There had been some comments posted on the previous videos and photographs, remarking that there had likely been some sort of glitch in uploading them. Kyle did not respond to any comments.

Monday, August 22, 2016

Monday was the day Kyle and Andrew were supposed to return from their trip. No images or videos were posted to Kyle’s Instagram, and no posts were made on any of the pair’s other social media accounts. No one received any text messages or calls from them.

Several texts were sent by concerned friends and family who had seen the last video posted to Kyle’s Instagram, but there was no reply. Some people seemed to believe the pair was staging some kind of prank, trying to scare people, but others were genuinely worried.

Speaking later to Kyle’s and Andrew’s parents, they said they assumed at this point that the young men were fine, despite their worry. Both of the young men were experienced campers, and there’d been no inclement weather.

When they were not back by the evening, their families decided to report them missing. Emily Ericson, Kyle’s mother, and Thomas Flynn, Andrew’s father, both went to the Silent Hill police station to alert them that their sons were supposed to have returned, and that there had been no contact since the previous day.

The police declined to search overnight, but planned to send officers with search and rescue training onto the lake the following day.

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Tuesday morning, beginning at 10:30 AM, Silent Hill PD sent out two teams to begin search and rescue operations. Each team consisted of trained volunteers and an officer.

One team stayed on shore, combing the beach along both the south side of Old and Central Silent Hill and the north side of South Silent Hill. They were primarily looking for signs of a damaged boat, or anything belonging to the young men.

The other team went onto Toluca Lake and began a search of the islands and sandbars on the lake. They spent the most time on the well-known “Toluca Lake Island”, but this was not the island Kyle and Andrew had visited. They searched several other small, unnamed islands, but found no evidence of the two men.

At 7:00 PM the search was called off for the night, set to resume on Wednesday.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

The Toluca Times ran an article on Wednesday morning regarding the missing men.

[Search underway for two missing on Toluca Lake (run both in print and on the Toluca Times website on the morning of August 24.)
by Erica Matheson

A search resumes today for two Silent Hill locals that have been reported missing. Kyle Ericson and Andrew Flynn, both 22 year old Portland University students, were reported missing on Monday evening after failing to return from a planned camping trip.

The two men were in contact with friends via social media up until Sunday night, but there has been no communication from them since, and attempts to reach either of them by cell phone have been unsuccessful.

Kyle’s mother, Emily Ericson, says that is what worries her most.

“He’s always been conscientious. Any time his plans change, he calls to let me know,” she told reporters. “He keeps spare battery packs to charge his phone, just in case. He wouldn’t want to worry us like this.”

Still, she says, she is hopeful both Kyle and Andrew are all right.

Some friends are less hopeful. Jessica Thomas, a close friend, says the last few messages that were posted by Kyle to his social media accounts were strange and confusing, and she worries that something may have happened to them.

Police led small teams of volunteers in a search yesterday, but have expanded their efforts this morning. They are hampered somewhat, as Kyle and Andrew were secretive about their precise location. There are a multitude of small islands dotting the large inland lake; experts say as many as 20 that could provide enough space to camp.

There has been no official statement made by the police to the press, but Gerald Daniels, one of the officers in charge of yesterday’s search along the shore of the lake, says they are “optimistic” that they will be successful today. They are putting more searchers onto the lake itself, and cutting back on people combing the shore.

Kyle was last seen wearing black athletic shorts and a light colored t-shirt, while Andrew was last seen in khaki shorts and a dark shirt. Anyone who has seen or heard from them since around 9:00 Sunday night, or may have any further information, is asked to contact the Silent Hill Police Department.]

The search groups, made up largely of volunteers, and led by members of the Silent Hill PD, reconvened at 8:00 in the morning. They did leave a small group to search the shore of the lake, but true to the statement in the Toluca Times article, they focused more on searching the lake itself. Officers led most of the groups, though volunteers with previous search and rescue experience also led some teams.

At 11:25 AM, Paul Merrick, a volunteer with experience as a park ranger, along with Elise Arnell and John Dorset, spotted a small motorized boat pulled up onto the shore of a small island.

There was no answer when they called for Kyle and Andrew, but when they went into the trees they found the remains of the young men’s camp.

They took a few photos of the scene on a digital camera that Paul had with him, though all were careful not to disturb the scene.

They also immediately radioed to shore for police backup, asking specifically for CSI.

[Photograph from the camera of Paul Merrick; taken August 24, 2016; 11:36 AM

The camp appears partially destroyed. The small tent is torn and partially collapsed, but mostly upright. The folding chairs are knocked over, one with snapped supports. A portable electric lantern is on its side on the ground, plastic casing broken.]

[Photograph from the camera of Paul Merrick; taken August 24, 2016; 11:36 AM

A closer image of what can be seen inside the partially collapsed tent. There are two sleeping bags, one of which is torn almost all the way down the side. There are dark spots of what looks like blood on both bags, and on the inside of the tent.]

The three rescuers on the island fanned out from the campsite, calling for the missing men, and examining the ground for further signs of them. They continued their search until they’d canvassed the entire island, then worked their way back. The small island did not offer much ground to cover, and there was no further evidence of Kyle or Andrew.

Two boats of police personnel arrived at 12:41 PM.

They took their own photographs of the campsite, then bagged items as evidence. The list of items taken from the scene included: two cell phones; three portable USB battery packs; an antique silver bracelet wrapped in a t-shirt; two backpacks containing notebooks, writing utensils, beef jerky, water, crackers, and clothing; one cooler, containing beer; two collapsible chairs; the tent; two sleeping bags; one portable electric lantern; one flashlight; one trowel; one pocket knife.

Some of the personal items, like the notebooks, underwent forensic examination and were returned to Kyle’s and Andrew’s families.

[Police evidence photo

A tarnished silver bracelet, made up of slightly curved, rectangular panels, connected by smaller hinges. It is laid out next to an evidence scale showing a total length of 7 inches. The central panels are engraved with “William”, “1915”, and “Elizabeth”.]

Given the design, it is likely an engagement or wedding gift, commemorating a couple’s union. Despite Kyle’s apparent hope, there was no Elizabeth (much less both an Elizabeth and a William) listed as having been on board the Little Baroness when it went missing, meaning the bracelet was likely unrelated.

The Ericson and Flynn families provided hair samples for Kyle and Andrew, respectively. DNA from these samples was compared to the blood found on the sleeping bags and tent. Both young men’s blood was present.

[Police evidence photo

A small, triangular trowel with a green plastic handle. There is a dark substance along the tip and the edge of the blade. It is set next to an evidence scale showing the full length from end to end is about 10 inches.]

[Police evidence photo

A small, foldable pocket knife with a red handle. The blade is extended, and covered in some dark red-brown substance. It is set next to an evidence scale showing the blade is about 3 inches, as is the handle.]

Both the trowel and the pocketknife were found to have blood residue on them, but there was no conclusive DNA recovered.

Both cell phones, as well as all three of the battery packs, were drained entirely of their charge. Police charged the phones, and then looked at the contents of both. Andrew’s phone yielded little new information, except that he had tried repeatedly to place calls to several family members, and then eventually to 911, between the hours of 2:00 PM until just before 9:30 PM on August 21, 2016. All of the calls showed up as unanswered in his call log, and none of his family members (or the police dispatch) received calls from him at those times.

Kyle was the one recording their media; the photos and videos he posted to his social media accounts. The posted images and video clips that had been uploaded to Instagram did appear on his phone, confirming their authenticity. However, in some cases the versions on his phone were more clear than the seemingly “glitchy” or distorted versions that had been posted. There were also additional recordings that had not ever been uploaded or shared.

With cooperation from law enforcement, I was given access to those images and videos, and again I will transcribe them as best I can. I would like to emphasize that these are potentially part of an ongoing investigation, and should not be shared publicly under any circumstances. I was granted special permission to include them due to the nature of my research on the outbreak, and their potential connection to same.

Some of these images and videos were already transcribed above, from Kyle’s public postings. I have included these repetitions in order to make the timeline clear.

Unmarked transcriptions were posted in more or less identical form.

Transcriptions marked “*” were posted, but were substantially altered or degraded from the versions on the phone.

Transcriptions marked “**” were not previously posted or transcribed here.

I have begun transcribing starting with images taken after the pictures Kyle took of the bracelet he found, which occurred at 12:15 PM, August 21.

[**Photograph on Kyle Ericson’s phone; taken August 21, 12:28 PM

Image of something in the detritus of a tide line marked on the shore. Some driftwood and plant material surround it, but it appears to be fabric-wrapped, though it is difficult to see it.]

[**Photograph on Kyle Ericson’s phone; taken August 21, 12:28 PM

Image of the same object as before, though closer. Definitely appears to be fabric wrapped around something, though the fabric itself is very faded and tattered, as if it has been exposed to the elements for a long time.]

[**Photograph on Kyle Ericson’s phone; taken August 21, 12:29 PM

Image of the fabric-wrapped object. Kyle’s hand is in the photo, moving some of the torn fabric aside. The cloth is bleached white, likely through extreme sun fading.]

[**Photograph on Kyle Ericson’s phone; taken August 21, 12:29 PM

Image shows the object the fabric had been wrapped around. It is a length of bone, apparently a long bone from a limb. Though it is difficult to tell conclusively from a still image, it is an appropriate size to be a human femur.]

[**Photograph on Kyle Ericson’s phone; taken August 21, 12:34 PM

Image taken on the shore near the previous images, judging by similarities in the visible background. What appears to be a human jawbone, missing some teeth along the right side.]

[**Photograph on Kyle Ericson’s phone; taken August 21, 12:36 PM

Image likely taken near the others. Multiple objects which appear to be the right size and shape for human vertebrae, partially embedded in the ground.]

[**Photograph on Kyle Ericson’s phone; taken August 21, 12:39 PM

Image is a close-up of one of the piles of debris left on the shore. It appears to mostly be dried long grass, pieces of wood, and other plant matter, but small bits of white stick out, and could definitely be bone fragments.]

[Video on Kyle Ericson’s phone; taken August 21, 2016; 12:46 PM

The video is of Kyle, also being filmed by him, though less well-framed than usual. He seems shaken.

Kyle: So uh… we found something that… uh, I don’t feel comfortable posting images of. Like something we shouldn’t. We have to report it when we get back tomorrow. I, uh, don’t want to let it freak us out too bad, y’know. But um… it might be more of what we were looking for anyway.

Andrew (off screen): Man, are you sure? We could go back now.

The camera tilts, so neither of them is in frame.

Kyle: No, no, it’s fine. Another day won’t make a difference.

The video abruptly cuts off.]

Presumably the subject of the above shared video was the human remains they had discovered.

[*Video on Kyle Ericson’s phone, taken August 21, 2016; 1:48 PM

The video is distorted and slightly out of focus. Parts are choppy or blocky. The audio is also fuzzy though discernable. It appears to be Kyle filming, as Andrew is in the video, looking at something not visible on screen.

Andrew: Looks like a bank of fog coming in. At two in the fucking afternoon, man?

Kyle (off screen): It happens. I know I checked the weather, but sometimes it just happens.

Andrew: Not like this it doesn’t. From the west? We can’t go back in this.

Kyle: Yeah, I know. It’ll pass, man. It’s fine. We’ve got food and stuff.

Andrew: Like I want to stay here after finding… y’know.

Kyle: We’re not due back until tomorrow. We’ll stick to the plan. It was here last night, too.

End video.]

[Photograph on Kyle Ericson’s phone, taken August 21, 2016; 2:21 PM

The image is almost entirely white and pale grey.]

[Photograph on Kyle Ericson’s phone, taken August 21, 2016; 5:32 PM

The image is almost identical to the previous one posted, though with minor variations in the white and grey.]

Considering the comments now audible on the video, it seems plausible that the above pictures were of the fog itself. It is worth noting that there was no fog observed in local weather reports, or anecdotally by any other residents of the town.

[*Video on Kyle Ericson’s phone, taken August 21, 2016; 7:50 PM

The image is entirely black, and only audio comes through. While there is still quite a bit of distortion on the audio, it is mostly discernable.

Kyle’s voice: It’s way too dark. Barely after sunset.

Andrew’s voice: I don’t know. I don’t know. Should have gone back.

Kyle: I know, okay. Yeah, I fucking get it. But it should be (inaudible) by morning.

Andrew: Where’s the fucking lighthouse?

Kyle: What?

Andrew: The God-damned lighthouse. We could see it all last night. Now (inaudible) all.

End video.]

No malfunctions of the Toluca Lake Lighthouse were reported.

[*Video on Kyle Ericson’s phone, taken August 21, 2016; 9:03 PM

There is an image with this one, but it is extremely choppy and almost static, as if the video were frozen. There are a few moments where the video is clear enough to freeze-frame and see the image. It appears to be Kyle’s face, lit by some artificial light source. His nose is bleeding. The audio is still distorted and fuzzy, though discernible.

Kyle: There’s something in the fog. I don’t (inaudible) it is. There’s just this total sense of dread.

He stops speaking, and there’s a sound of a severe coughing fit.

Kyle: Both of us are so fucking sick. What the hell could even do that?

End video.]

[**Video on Kyle Ericson’s phone, taken August 21, 2016; 9:22 PM

The video cuts in and out. At times, it is totally black, with sudden flashes of visual information. When the image shows up, it appears to be Andrew, inside the tent, on hands and knees. He looks ashen under his darker complexion. His nose appears to be bleeding, and there is blood around his mouth. It appears he may have injuries to the skin of his face as well, though detail is hard to see.

Andrew: (coughing)

Kyle: So sick… can’t…

Andrew: Whatever is outside there. It’s going to fucking kill us.

Kyle: (inaudible)

Andrew: No answers… what the fuck happened? What is that thing out there?

Kyle: …be okay.

The phone suddenly falls, as if Kyle dropped it, and the video ends.]

[**Video on Kyle Ericson’s phone, taken August 21, 2016; 10:14 PM

Once again, there is no visible image, though this time it may be due to darkness rather than a problem with the video recording.

It sounds as if someone is gasping for breath, and unable to get enough air. It is impossible to tell which of the young men this might be.

There is also a background sound, something that sounds like growling or moaning. It does not sound like wind or water, but like something living. Whether this is one of the young men is not discernible.

Then there is a snapping and tearing sound.

The video ends.]

That was the last video or image recorded on Kyle’s phone. It is my theory, as well as the theory of the officers I spoke with, that the snapping and tearing sound was the sound of Kyle and Andrew’s tent being destroyed.

The videos introduce the possibility that the blood found on the sleeping bags and in the tent came from their nosebleeds, rather than violence, though this is not conclusive. The videos do lend credibility to theories other than an interpersonal conflict, as they did not seem angry (or indeed capable of major exertion) in the videos. However, the presence of blood on both the trowel and the knife is confounding, even as it could not be positively identified as either of theirs.

The brief hints in the videos certainly do not provide conclusive proof, but many of the symptoms shown by both Kyle and Andrew—the nosebleeds, the coughing, the apparent weakness, the blood at the mouth, and even possible skin lesions—fit the symptoms of the disease that would soon become an epidemic in Silent Hill. Of course, neither of them showed any symptoms earlier, not even the mild cold-like first signs, and there is no explanation for how their illness would have progressed so quickly, in a matter of hours, when ordinarily those are among the symptoms that appear after 7 to 10 days.

The island has been combed many times by very thorough search parties, and no further evidence has been found, and there has been no sign of the men themselves.

Also, using the photographs of apparent human remains that Kyle took, authorities tried to find those remains. They were able to find the stretch of shoreline from the pictures, and were even able to find the same piles of driftwood. However, they were unable to find any evidence of bone, human or animal.

Thursday, August 25, 2016

The Toluca Times ran a second article, detailing some of the finds made by the search and rescue operation the previous day.

[Search for missing men turns up discouraging evidence (published in print and on the Toluca Times website on the morning of August 25.)
By Erika Matheson

Search and rescue teams were out in high numbers, looking for Kyle Ericson and Andrew Flynn, the two locals reported missing on Monday night.

One team, led by Paul Merrick, found what appeared to be the remains of their campsite on a small island in a remote part of Toluca Lake, but there was no sign of the two men. Reportedly the camp was in disarray, and there was blood found at the scene.

While their boat was still on shore, neither young man was found on the island, despite it being small and offering no areas for someone to hide.

An anonymous source within the Silent Hill Police Department suggests that the police are now considering the potential for foul play by a third party, though there are no suspects at this time.

Searches will continue in the surrounding area on Toluca Lake.

Both Kyle and Andrew were set to return to the University of Pleasant River as seniors a week from yesterday.

Anyone with additional information, especially if they were in contact with either man after Sunday night, is asked to please contact the Silent Hill Police Department.]

Paul Merrick, despite being the man who led the team that found the only real evidence of the missing men, declined to participate in the search on Thursday, saying he felt like he was coming down with a cold. Elise Arnell called off for the same reason, and John Dorset was also not there on the third day.

I find it noteworthy that all three members of the initial team to have come across the island were among the earliest hospitalizations for the illness.

[next chapter]