Welcome To Bright Falls ~ Chapter One

Arrival

Alan?" Wake heard Alice calling to him though his nightmare. He slowly woke up toward the sound of her voice, still drowsy.
"Alan, wake up. Come see where we are. It's so beautiful." Wake opened his eyes, squinting in the sunlight. Through the car's open window, he saw Alice on the railings of the ferry. She wore tight jeans and black boots, her light-brown hair billowing over the upturned collar of her black leather jacket. Whatever she was looking at, it wasn't nearly as beautiful as what he was seeing.

She waved again and got out of the car and walked across the deck towards her, feeling the low engine vibration though the soles of his feet.
"I didn't want you to miss this," said Alice, pointing,
It took a effort to tear his eyes from her, but he followed her direction, he saw an immense forest stretching out on each side of the water, the biggest trees he had ever seen, so tall and thick, he couldn't see the forest floor.
"Old-growth timber," said Alice. "Hundreds of years old, never been cut. Not much of that anymore."

"Forest primeval, I get it," said wake. "Welcome to Sasquatch country." He looked down at the dark-green water churning around the ferry. He buttoned up his gray tweed coat. Even with the hoodie underneath, he was shivering. The sun seemed to warm Alice, but Alan was still cold. Wake's face was long and angular, with a cleft in his chin and a three-day stubble like a rock star on a bender. His eyes were blue, very alert, volatile even. He told Alice once that if he had a tattoo that read: Born Pissed Off. She told him that he shouldn't bother doing that. One look at him and people figured that out fast enough.

A fallen tree was up ahead, a gnarly elm bobbing gently along the currents. It's thick trunk and broad leaves made it seem out of place among all the tall timber, and wake, ever curious, wondered how it ended up here, what had it torn it out of its roots. A huge raven perched atop one limb, fluttering its glossy black wings as it pecked at something. It kept pecking at it. Wake leaned forward, straining to see what the raven was so interested in. the raven cocked its head, as though aware of Wake's gaze, then bent down, pulling up something white and stringy in its beak. A worm Wake thought.
"We should be arriving in Bright Falls in about twenty minutes," said Alice, basking in the light.

The raven's greedy cawing echoed though the water as the elm drifted closer, and Wake finally saw what the raven was working at, a child's tennis shoe caught in the branches, the bird tugging the laces. Alice turned as the raven flapped off. "Wow that's one gigantic bird."
"Yeah," said Wake softly.
"Honey are you okay? You look so . . . pale."
"It's nothing, just my imagination messing with me. As usual." Wake ran his hand down his brown hair. Alice worried about him, worried about his moods, and even about his temper. He gave her reason to. In the distance he could see a small town that nestled in the bay. Had to be Bright Falls.

Alice took her camera from her purse. "Let's act like we're on vacation. Why don't you stand next to that old gentleman there. I want a shot of you with the town in the background. "Sure. I'll even you a title for the shot: A city boy, moments before he got eaten by a bear." teased Wake. Alice laughed. "Come on, say hi."
Wake walked over to the older man. "Hi."
"Hello there." greeted the old man. 'You've picked a good time to visit our town. Deer fest is just two weeks away."

"Deerfest, huh? Did you hear that honey?" He didn't know what the old man was talking about. The camera clicks, while Alice smiled. The old man looked at Alice after the camera took the picture. He smiled and looked back at Wake. "You have a lovely wife, if you don't mind me saying. I'm Pat Maine, by the way. Nice to meet you."
"Yeah . . . I'm Alan Wake." Wake shakes hand with Pat.
"Well, I won't pretend I don't recognize a famous writer such as yourself, Mr. Wake. An honor . I'm an avid reader myself." Wake starts to look livid. "I hope this isn't too presumptuous of me, but I'm the night host at the local radio station. Any chance I could get an interview?" Wake sighed and looked a little frustrated.

"Look, Mr. Maine, I'm on vacation. In fact, I'd appreciate it if we could keep my being here just between the two of us. I'm sure you understand." Mr. Maine look a little shocked, by what Alan said, but he just smiled. "Fair enough. You can trust me to be discreet. I'm not a hard man to track down if you change your mind, though. I hope you two have a lovely holiday. "Thank you." Wake walked back where Alice was still taking pictures. "Hey handsome, I got a couple of really good ones. And I see you made friend. That's cute. "Right." While Wake rolled his eyes.

Later on, about five minutes till reaching the town, Wake's cell phone started ringing. Wake answered. "Hello?"
"Hey, Bestseller! How's my favorite writer? Are you there yet?" The man on the phone seemed joyful.
"Barry. Yeah, we just got here."
"Are the looking the locals giving you trouble? Just say the word, and I'll hop on a plane and come make sure you're left alone Al." "No Barry we're fine."
"Great, great. Just want to make sure you can relax and recharge. So how is the place, has it got your creative juices flowing?" Wake was a little ticked off.
"Barry, we're just settling in."

"Okay, Al. I'll just call back later to make sure you're doing okay. And call me if there's a problem, okay? Okay! I'm just looking out for you buddy. Talk to you later." "Okay Barry, bye." Wake hangs up. "Man that guy talks." Wake sighed.
"You know he's going to be calling you every five minutes?"
"Barry is Barry. I can always turn off the phone." Wake received a text message.
Alice nodded. "What did I tell you?" Wake looked at the message.
"It's a text message from Barry. He says hi to you too." Wake smiled, and Alice giggled. They both look at the town, they're only a few seconds away, from the ferry stop. "Alan! We're here. Come on, let's get back to the car." Alan and Alice entered in their car.
"Where to honey?" Asked Alan

"Well . . ." Alice grabs a sheet of paper from her purse. "We need to stop at the local diner to get the cabin key from the landlord. A Mr. Carl Stucky. He's waiting for us." Alice starts driving.
"Do you know where your going?"
"I'm just following what the map is saying."
Alan stayed silent for a moment. "Great, we're going to get lost."
"Oh think positive, this is a small town you know." Said Alice. "And besides . . ." Alice started to smile. We're here!"

"Wait what? That was quick." said cocking his head.
Alice started laughing. "Ha! Never judge a woman's intuition."
"Whatever, I never understand you women." Wake said smiling.
"Okay I'll fill her up, you get the key. I'll pick you up here in, say, five minutes?"
"Sure." Said Wake while he gets out of the car.
"Alan?" Wake looks back to Alice. "Thank coming here with me." Alice smiled.
"I love you too. Go on. I'll promise to behave." Said Wake.
Alice then drove off. And Wake walked into the diner.

When inside, Wake starts to look around. "I'd forgotten there were still places like this - towns where everybody knew everybody." Then on his left, Wake saw a cut out cardboard body of himself holding the last book he made called, "The Sudden Stop" And he knew there was a fan inside the diner.
"So much for keeping my being here a secret." Alan sighed and walked to the waitress in the front.
"Hello welcome to the Oh Deer Diner!" said the young woman with the old-style red waitress outfit.

"Hi, I was wondering if you could help me. I'm looking for--" "Mr. Wake?" the waitress interrupted. "Alan Wake? Oh God! I am your biggest fan! I mean, I know people say that all the time, but I really am! Alan looked at her and in his mind he said. Well, she seems happy.
"I'm... glad to hear that..." said Wake with a unhappy look on his face
"I'm Rose"
"Rose. I'm looking for Mr. Stucky. Carl Stucky?"
"Carl? Of course, Mr. Wake. He must have gone to visit the restroom. He'll be back in a moment."

"Okay thank you Rose"
"An honor" smiled Rose.
Wake starts to walk to the left of the front table where Rose was standing. He looks at Rose once more, and he saw her muttering happily saying that she can't believe I met Mr. Wake.
"Hey you!" Wake looked where the voice was coming from. It was from an old man with an eye patch sitting drinking coffee with another old gentleman.
"Yeah?" said Wake.
"Do me a favor, sonny. I could really use a tune right now. "Coconut", number six in the jukebox.

"Okay..." said Wake. He starts walking to the jukebox.
"I'd do it, myself but both of my legs have gone to sleep. Bad circulation. Yeah!"
"Are you serious? Coconut, again? You disgust me. Call yourself a rocker? Unbelievable. Hah! Said the other old man.
Wake walks upon the jukebox and presses six. Like the old man said.
"You put the lime in the coconut, drink 'em both up!" Wake looked at the man thinking that if he's drunk.
"Just because we're brothers, don't think I won't murder you in your sleep." the other old man said.

The machine didn't seem to work, the disc was stuck or something. Wake kept pressing the number six.
"It does that, gets stuck. Yeah. You need to give it a good, solid whack." Said the old man with the eye patch.
"Alright." said Wake. He gave a machine a whack of his right palm. It worked. The music started.
"Yes that's my favorite tune, "Coconut."
"Man this guy is drunk, that's one of the worst songs I've heard." said Wake, and walks off to the restroom.

"This is it. I've died and gone to hell." said the other old man.
Wake sees the restroom sign. And he also saw an elderly woman standing just outside the hallway to the bathroom, she was whimpering as if she was scared of something in there. Wake didn't pay much attention though. Wake was about to enter, but there was no lights, it seems that it all went out inside, it was pretty dark. Then, something grabbed on his arm. It was the elderly woman.

"Don't go in there, young man. You can hurt yourself in the dark." she seemed terrified. Wake lowered her arm. "I think I can handle it, ma'am." Wake turned around to the dark hallway inside. "I didn't want to wait. I wanted to find Stucky, to get the key and get out as soon as possible. The waitress was giving me a headache. Overeager fans always did." said Wake in his thoughts.
As soon as Wake entered the hallway, the woman said, "You don't want to die, do you? Or worse. I warned Carl Stucky about it, but he didn't listen." Wake was a little chilled about what she said, but he just thought that she was crazy or something. Wake walked on inside. It was pretty dark inside, but I make my way to the men's bathroom door. But as I try to open it, but it was locked, Carl was inside. I start knocking, but nobody answered.
"Hello? Mr. Stucky?" Wake walked back to the wall to start waiting.

"Carl couldn't make it." Wake jumped back scared, where did this woman come from? "Unfortunately, he was taken ill."
This woman, she was wearing all black, and has a black wedding type gown over her face. But from the sounds of it she was pretty old.
"But don't worry I have the key for you, and instructions on how to get to the lake." She handed me the things I need, and I knew for a fact that she was elderly, because I saw the wrinkles on her fingers. Also I felt this uneasy on my body when I looked at her, and when I touched her skin holding the items, it was cold as ice. But I thought she had Pernicious Anemia or commonly known as cold skin, a skin disease. And a serious one.
"I wish you a good stay at my cabin. I'll come by later to check how you've settled in. and to meet your wife." Wake looks up at her, his expression is showing denial for the key. But the woman picked it up quick.

"I insist." The old woman gave a weird and unsettling smile at me.
"...thanks." Said Wake.
I started to walk back to where the elderly woman was standing by the door. But as I walked slowly passed the woman in black, I didn't know why, but I knew she was staring at me. I didn't want to look back, because I was too afraid to see if she had a knife in her hand or something. But nothing happened, I just walked out of the hallway safe and sound. The elderly woman that was in the door looking inside the hallway was gone. She must have left. Later I heard a car honking outside the diner. It was Alice. I started walking out the front door.

"Mr. Wake! Where are you going?" asked Rose. "Crap." said Wake under his breath. "Me? Well me and my wife are going to a cabin to move in." "Oh alright then, I hope I see you back here later!" Said Rose smiling. I didn't say goodbye, I just walked out the door to where Alice was waiting.
"Hey handsome" Said Alice. "Hey honey, got the keys, and the directions." "My hero." Said Alice smiling. "Hey I got some flashlights, just in case." Said Alice while driving to the bridge to their destination.

"Hey, wait!" Said the man bursting out of the door. "Mrs. Wake? Your - your keys!" said the man with the name Carl on his back, while putting his hand on his head, trying to block the pain. Twenty minutes later, Alice and Wake stopped. They reached their destination, the cabin they were looking for. Diver's Isle.