Silent Mountain: Chapter 1-B

The memory had faded, it never left, but it did grow dimmer. Three years later, Ian was far to occupied with life to worry about incidents long past. In the intervening time, Ian had found work at the only news station in the Silver Springs area.

He was out on a simple assignment today, shooting some footage for a story on a local bank. It was drizzling outside, which got on his nerves a bit as he unloaded his equipment from the company van. He shook himself off and headed inside the bank, introducing himself to the teller as he entered.

“Hey, Ian Elliot, Channel 4 News,” he said enthusiastically, offering a handshake.

“You need to check in with boss,” the bored looking teller droned, with out looking up, “Through that door.”

Ian looked in the direction she pointed, nodding. He was rather annoyed with her rudeness, on top of everything else, but headed towards the door. Upon entering he saw a small desk with an elderly secretary behind it. Secretly he wondered how old she could be, and how she still functioned. He often had such thoughts, much to his chagrin, so he pushed aside and before he had a chance to introduce himself, she struck up conversation.

“Oh! You must be that news man who’s going to film us. It’s such a pleasure to meet you!”

She excitedly shook his hand as she stood up from her desk.

“Yes. Ian Elliot . . .”
Before he had a chance to finish she was chattering away again.

“I don’t know if Mr. Morey is in, just one second, sweetie.”

With that she hobbled into the office behind her desk. Ian stood for a moment, but as one second turned into several, he decided to sit down.

One second, turned out to be quite the exaggeration. Ian began wondering what they could possibly be doing in there. He had never been very good at waiting and soon began fidgeting and studying the room in detail.

Before long, his eyes fell upon a small basket of fruit sitting on a small table by the wall across from him. For some reason he felt strangely drawn to the basket, focusing intently on it. Soon he felt the whole room fade away, then the basket, then one by one each fruit until all he noticed was one solitary kiwi. His entire mind seemed to be focused on that one fruit. It was a rather curious sensation, he felt, like a rush of energy, almost a muse you might say. Then he did it.

He was quite sure how he had done it, but there was no doubt in his mind that he had. As he focused on the fruit, suddenly it burst into flames. He was well aware that he should be frightened by this, but he wasn’t. In fact he actually found it quite exhilarating. The feeling of pure flame, under his control, the power of the untamed fire, was pure adrenaline. He soon found that he could make the flame bigger or smaller, hotter or colder. It was his flame.

He wasn’t quite sure how long this had gone on, before he heard the scream. Time lost all meaning to him, once he discovered what he could do. The blood-curdling sound he heard when Morey’s secretary re-entered the room quickly pulled him from his trancelike fixation and the room suddenly reappeared. He watched as the last burning embers of the fire died down in the now incinerated kiwifruit. The secretary stood horrified, but Ian didn’t even notice. All he could do was stare in awe at the burnt remains he had made.

**********

It was a slow morning for Helen. She managed to sleep in until noon, before Perry burst into her room.

“Hey, you gonna sleep all day?” She yelled piercingly.

“Yes!” Helen yelled grumpily, rolling over and pulling her blankets up above her head.

“Come on! It’s almost twelve!”

“I don’t feel well,” Helen mumbled, “Let me sleep.”

Perry furrowed her brow trying to determine if this was just a ploy to get more sleep. She waited a moment before Helen popped up from the bed looking haggard.

“Have I ever told you, you are the most annoying roommate in the world?” She grumbled.

“You just did. Do you really feel sick?”

“It’s my back,” Helen said rubbing just below her shoulder bone, “It feels like I . . .”

Helen stopped, suddenly, and a horrified expression crossed her face.

“Helen? What’s wrong?” Perry questioned, concerned for her friend’s well-being.

Helen did answer but jumped up and ran into the bathroom off her room. She looked in the mirror as she reached her hand down the back of her shirt feeling around between her shoulders. Perry rushed in behind her and reached for the back of her shirt.

Helen pulled her hand away and a cold, pale look crossed Perry’s face as she gently moved the shirt to see the place Helen had been rubbing. There she saw two rather sizeable bumps protruding from the back.

“What is it?” Helen asked, her voice quavering.

Perry didn’t want to reply. She couldn’t find her voice. Letting go of the shirt, she backed slowly away.

“We need to get you to a doctor.”

**********

Silent Mountain: Chapter 1-A

Elegance. If one word could describe Silent Mountain, that would be it. And, this night, more so than usual. If there was one thing Chester Winfield knew, it was how to throw a party. Droves of people filled the large hall that stood as the entrance to the luxurious main building of the secluded mountain complex. The guest list was nothing spectacular, friends, relatives, and other assorted acquaintances filled out the spacious room, mingling between the two large staircases that seemed to grow up from the ground to meet, forming a mezzanine in the center.

At the bottom of the stairs the lavish decorations melded seamlessly with the finest foods and drinks you could imagine. All things being known, this was the main reason Ian Elliot attended these events, and he was proving it here. On his third trip to the open buffet he had yet to slow down. As he filled his plate with the last couple of morsels, he took one last look around the room full of faces. He always came with the intention of meeting new people, but the simple truth was, that was never his strong point.

As Ian looked around the crowded room full of unfamiliar faces, he was overwhelmed. In each of the faces he saw the possibility of a new and wondrous relationship that he had no idea how to start. So, he fell back on his old stand-by, slipping away in to the long hall behind the double doors. He walked a short distance to another door, which he entered, balancing his plate of food as he opened the door.

He entered to a small study with a table and few scattered chairs. In the middle of the table stood a chess board, game in progress. On either end were two of the few faces Ian could truly connect with, his sister Jennifer, and her fiancé, David Primrose. Both sat transfixed, completely focused on the battle of wits before them. Ian sat himself down in one of the extra chairs and put the plate on the table.

“So, who’s winning?” He asked, glad to be with his companions again. Ian threw him an annoyed looking, displeased at having his concentration broken.

“I am,” Jennifer replied non-chalantly.

David rather took offense at this. “I’m just getting ready to make my big comeback.”

“Right,” Jennifer retorted sarcastically.

David furrowed his brow and smiled as he took Jennifer’s knight with his bishop. Jennifer chuckled, seeing the poor choice of moved. She quickly moved her queen to take his bishop.

**********

Back in the room, Helen Belleview, a beautiful, young woman, stood against the back wall, watching the crowds mingling. She found the staircase a good covering to keep her from being bothered. The honest truth was she wanted to join them, but the wall was always safer. From the wall she could watch and listen without taking the risk of standing out or making a fool of herself. For her, it was like being a part of the crowd without joining them. For the most part people didn’t notice her in her hiding place, but on occasion she would be disturbed.

“You’re loitering again,” came a voice from behind her. She spun around to see Perry Slack, one of her few close friends, standing right behind her. “You should mingle, get to know some people.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you here?”

“I don’t know. I like it here.”

“I don’t. Let go.”

At that, Perry grabbed her arm pulling her towards the center of the room. Just as they got in to the crowd, panic seemed to strike. People were whirling around pointing down towards the ground. Helen looked down, and saw her feet, now surrounded by a mist-like vapor. The room was quickly filling with it. She held close to Perry attempting to brace them against the now panicked crowd racing for the exits.

**********

Jennifer and David’s game had ended quickly, and David was still annoyed with the loss. He insisted on scrutinizing the board from every angle, convinced that, with enough effort, he could figure a way out of checkmate. Jennifer was now slouched in her chair waiting for him to finally admit defeat. Meanwhile Ian munched happily on his food, taking time out every once in a while to point out the futility of David’s situation.

“What if I . . .” began David.

“Nope,” Ian butted in, “She’s got you.”

David threw another glare Ian’s direction. They were however distracted from their jesting by the noise of a loud ruckus out in the main room. Ian and Dave’s expressions both turned to curiosity and then concern. The two of them, along with Jennifer, leapt up and ran through the hall back to the main room.

**********

Helen and Perry stood motionless, as the sea of people continued churning around them. The gas had reached their nostrils now, causing them to cough.

“We’ve gotta get out of here,” Perry yelled over the commotion.

“There’s too many people.”

“We’re gonna suffocate!”

Helen looked around again. The door burst open and Ian was hit with a face full of gas as he entered the room, coughing violently. He regathered himself and ran through the door followed by David and Jennifer. David held Jennifer’s hand pulling her along with him. Helen looked back to the door. The room was largely clear now, allowing her and Perry to head outside. They burst out the front door, breathing in the fresh mountain air. The rest soon followed. Fire truck and ambulances crowded the breath-taking mountain vista. Ian surveyed the scene searing it into his memory.

**********

Silent Mountain: Teaser

The night was dark, and seared forever in Ian Elliot's mind. What had started as a beautiful evening with friends erupted into chaos and tragedy, as men, women and children rushed to escape Silent Mountain, the lavish estate of Chester Winfield.

Three years later, life has returned to normal . . . or has it? Strange new abilities and recurring visions slowly draw these same people back to Silent Mountain, in search of answers. But, the place that once brought them together threatens to divide them again as fear and paranoia set it in. Will life ever be the same for those changed by Silent Mountain?