Day One

Thursday mornings meant two key things for me; the school week wasn't even over and my mom was missing as always. For as long as I could remember my mom would simply disappear for long periods at a time. She always blamed it on her work. But of course, being a part of the "famed" Umbrella Company meant living a secret double life her own daughter couldn't know of. It seemed like everybody in Raccoon City was brainwashed into the company's lies, except me. They were evil and couldn't be trusted. But after they saved us from the horrid city-wide economic crisis just a few years ago, it was as if they were our "saviors". Sometimes it hurt. My dad took off before I was born, and my own mother chose work over a child. I practically raised myself. Sure, the money was great, the mysterious all paid trips were great, but having a close relationship with my mother would be even greater.

All dressed and somewhat prepared for the day ahead, I made my way down the wooden Victorian-style spiral staircase from my bedroom down to the first floor. I picked up my bag off of the kitchen counter, a small pink sticky note catching my eye from the refrigerator.

Dear Shiloh, Gone for a few days... Go to and from school, no stops in between. Lock the doors, close the blinds, DO NOT let anyone inside. . Love, Mom XOXO

Well that sounded reassuring... Raccoon City was small, cozy, propaganda free. But lately you couldn't help but be taken back by the rumors. It all started with the incident at the Spencer Mansion which little information was released about. It broke my heart to hear it had been burned to the ground just a few days earlier. I spent much of my childhood there since my mother, and apparently my father had been good friends with the head of the manor. Something really bad must have happened there, it was too great of an explosion to be by accident. Just another incident attempted to be covered up by Umbrella. Ever since the rumors spread and grew in detail. Many spoke of cannibalistic monsters prowling by the wreckage of the manor in the mountains. More and more hikers and search parties went missing each day, if they were found all that remained were half eaten corpses. Some blamed rabid wolves or bears, others believed it was far worse.

I pressed my hand against the doorknob, hesitant of opening it. With all these events back to back I couldn't believe I was even expected to go to school. Whatever this all was, it couldn't be too bad seeming my mom hasn't shipped me off with her.

Finally making my mind up, refusing to live in fear, I opened the door, closing and locking it behind me. The warm bright sun hit my crystal blue eyes as I quickly made my way down the street towards the large brick school building.

First bell, the start to a shitty day...

By mid third period all the teachers started going from classroom to classroom whispering to each other. Moments later two tall men dressed in black made their way into the classroom.

"Shiloh Waterson, you need to come with us."

Eyes wide I cautiously stood up, doing as the men said to. As I walked closer to them I noticed the iconic Umbrella Corporation logo stitched onto their suits. The simple sight of it made me snort, a sarcastic smirk forming on my face. As we left the building I muttered out,

"Oh lovely, Umbrella's here to save me, woo-hoo!"

As always, no response. So I spoke again,

"Where are you taking me, what's going on."

After a few moments, clearly spent trying to think of a response that wouldn't expose the truth, I finally received a response,

"We have orders from your mother to bring you home, there's been an incident. You are to go inside of your house, lock the doors, close the blinds, and DO NOT answer the door no matter who it is. You are to then await a phone call from your mother with farther instructions. Do you understand?"

"But what's--"

"Do. You. Understand?"

"Sure..."

I stepped out from the large black vehicle, purposely slamming the car door as hard as I possibly could. Walking forward to the front door, I kept looking back behind me noticing the two men were staring me down like hawks. How creepy.

After inside and the door locked, they sped off into the distance. In all honesty, I was pretty freaked out. So freaked out I actually listened to those two jerks and closed all the blinds. I plopped my body down on the living room couch with remote in hand. I started flipping through the channels on the tv, hoping watching something would calm me down a bit.

--This just in

Raccoon City news, this could clear things up. I turned the volume up trying to make out what the reporter was saying.

Reports of flesh eating monsters wreaking chaos on the streets of Raccoon City -- Here we are live down town

The screen switched to a male reporter surrounded by screaming civilians I couldn't help but laugh at how fake it all looked. Within a few moments the reporter started screaming , a half burnt alive mutant looking woman appeared biting into his shoulder . The screen went black and I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

They really think I'm going to believe this!

I shut the tv off , sitting in silence awaiting the phone call from my mother . But soon the silence was broken by a bone chilling scream from just outside the house .

Shakey hands pulled the blinds apart. My eyes scanned the street searching for the source of the screaming. Soon a crowd of people sprinted , another crowd following close behind . This second crowd standing out so clearly to me . Each with eyes full of hunger . Skin tinted grey practically falling off from the bones . Some slow , some fast .

A high pitched squeal escaped my lips as I fell back off from the couch and away from the window in shock .

This was really happening

So many questions flooded through my head ; How could this happen? What is my mom hiding? How was I going to survive this?

I sat still in silence for a good thirty minutes , screams echoing from outside . I was terrified.

I finally managed to stand up and make my way into the kitchen . I looked disgusted at the note on the fridge, tearing it down and throwing it to the floor.

"You really are going to leave me here to die..."

I always knew my mother cared more about her work than me. But leaving your own daughter alone to be eaten alive is pretty low, even for her . I wanted answers . No, not wanted , needed.

Already so enraged with my mother , it was time to break some damn rules . I raced up the stairs , stopping in front of my mother's room . It had ALWAYS been off limits to me . Even when I really needed her , I could never go in . Well today , I was going in . Pulling a bobby pin in a single quick movement from my mid-length silky black hair , I jammed it into the locks' hole moving it around carefully . Soon I budged the door open , heart racing at the thought of what I could find.

The door creaked farther open revealing multiple monitors , filing cabinets , and endless silver coated brief cases. It was the to do what I do best , snoop around until I find what I need.

Walking over to the desktop I shook the mouse around until the screen lit up .

Unlocked , she really must have been in a rush...

There were so many icons, so many files , what the hell was I even looking for ...

So, so many ... Umbrella Labs Safety Manual - skip , B.O.W. - skip, T-Virus - this could be promising ...

I clicked on the file for a video of my mother in a small lab . The camera went back and forth showing cages of mice and rabbits , multiple tubes and needles , then focusing on strange green and blue liquid filled tubes , and finally focusing on my.mother again. As she began to speak i turned the volume up as loud as it would go,

"The t-Virus (also known as the Clay virus ε-strain and the tyrant virus) is a mutagenic virus created by the Umbrella Corporation. It was derived from the Progenitor virus and designed to take advantage of its mutagenic properties for the development of a new form of biological weapon known as "B.O.W."

Well that was assuring .

I scrolled down farther , eyes searching through what seemed to be millions of files - some easy to understand, some labeled with strange names and codes I couldn't understand. Finally , one file name stood out, hitting close to home.

Spencer Mansion Incident

With no second thoughts I clicked the file , another video appearing reading "Incident Report".

A few seconds in a strange man's voice began to speak, his camera focused on the outside of the building .

"This is Umbrella Corporation researcher Albert Wesker - currently under cover as S.T.A.R.S. Captain - entering the Spencer Mansion and underground labs for the first time since word of the incident..."

I couldn't stop myself from watching , skipping through as the man made his way through the mansion , revealing secret passages I never even knew were there. He encountered the same creatures wreaking havoc on the city , infected animals, and horrifying alien like creatures I would never have thought up of on my own. What really opened my eyes was what he discovered in the underground labs . The virus had broke out there. It made more sense why they later tried to destroy the mansion and the virus within. But clearly , they failed.

The videos freaked me out enough to fall from my seat as the phone rang from downstairs .

I raced down the stairway into the kitchen, grabbing the phone quickly hoping it wouldn't attract those things.

Pressing the phone to my ear I was greeted by my mothers voice, much more frantic than usual.

"S-Shiloh, baby! Is that you?"

"Yes, mom..."

"You need to leave! Get out! Go!"

"And where the hell do you expect me to go?!"

"Get the briefcase, the backpack! Get out!"

"What briefcase? What backpack! Where do I go?!"

Hearing the frustration in my voice she took a deep breath in, trying to recollect her thoughts.

"Shiloh, under my bed is a box, take the contents with you and use them if necessary. You must leave Raccoon City before..."

Her voice faded out as if she were still trying to hide something, even in a situation such as this one.

"Mom, before what?"

"Just get out right now... Take the quickest route to the Arkham Mountains. No detours, no helping anybody out! Once in the mountains cross over to the next town you can find. And Shiloh, please forgive me..."

The phone cut out as I stood wide-eyed in complete shock. She wasn't coming for me, she didn't even tell me where she was. I was all on my own and I had to leave the house and go out there with those... things.

A good half hour went by of me sitting in silence, trying to gain the strength to head back upstairs. Although my mom sometimes cared more about her work, deep down she loved me just as much and any instructions she gave had to be the best option. It sure beat sitting around waiting to be eaten alive!

Hesitantly I headed back into my moms room, collapsing to the floor. I began to reach around the small space of room under the bed frame until something hit my hand. I pulled the box out to find it read 'To Shiloh' on top.

It made me pretty nervous knowing whatever my mom was working on over the years, she had all this already planned out for me.

Hands trembling I forced the top flaps of the carboard box open to reveal its' contents. The box held two silver brief cases - one with a sticky note reading 'Take With You', the second with a note reading 'Take Contents With You' - , and a black backpack. I first searched in the bag seeming it was too heavy to be empty.

Inside the bag I found a silver flashlight, a map, a lantern, a thermos, a sleeping bag, and a first aid kit.

I next opened the briefcase I would take the contents of. Jaw dropping in shock, I couldn't believe my eyes. It took me a good few moments to truly comprehend what really was inside.

All tightly cushioned in a soft foam material were a set of heavy duty weapons - those of which someone my age should never handle and my mother couldn't have been involved with. Two of which were 44 Magnums , fully loaded with ammo surrounding them . The other two were long daggers .

I wasn't at all experienced with using weapons . But I did happen to read up on them , I knew the names and their uses, but never had any hands on experience . It almost made me sick realizing my mother must have had this experience . Her work no longer seemed as innocent as I'd always thought . I was so naive to the truth.

This was all so real now and I seemed to be lost in the moment . Raising one of the guns, I held it against my own body with a sense of comfort brought along with it . This i would keep close to me . I filled the bag with the rest of the weapons , making sure to keep one of the daggers in my boot for safe keeping.

I wanted so badly to open the second briefcase but a slight feeling of uncertainty stopped me . The fear of it's contents was almost too overwhelming . With time I would see , but for now the only thing that seemed right was taking it with me . Concealing the second brief case within the black bag, I zipped it up , throwing the bag on my back .

Considering my mothers instructions for a brief moment , a sense of anger took over . Why should I listen to her instructions? She didn't even try to come get me. I wanted to know the real truth . Maybe it was time to visit the old mansion and see how it all really unfolded .