The more I think about it, the more I feel it needs to exist. It would be absolutely heart-shattering, though.

There really would need to be a hug. Maybe at the end? Being hugged by Tom is what begins to pull Josh out of his Silent Hill delusions? He seemed to look upon Tom as his only hope when he had his episode during the exam - 'no, no, no, Dad, please just make it stop, make them go away, I don't like it' - and he seemed a bit calmer when Tom was holding him, escorting him out.