Troubled Minds
Chapter One: Waiting
Each morning was the same, but she really didn't mind. At least she was free from... That place. She enjoyed her freedom to the fullest.
Every morning her alarm clock would buzz at the same time; seven am. Each morning, she'd slowly open her eyes, using her lightly tanned arm to shield her eyes from the sunlight peeking through her window, a smile playing upon her lips as she realized she wasn't being awoken by the harsh glare of fluorescent lighting and an automated voice yelling at her to get up and do the exercises assigned to every test subject in long-term relaxation.
This morning, her alarm clock was late. When she finally opened her beautiful blue-grey eyes, it was nearly ten am. Struggling to stand up, the young woman used all her strength to roll off the un-sheeted mattress she had on the floor and onto her hands and knees. Her muscles straining and aching as she raised herself up onto her bare feet.
Since earning her freedom from Aperture Science, she hadn't been able to earn enough money to live as lavishly as she hoped. The world had become very corrupted, and finding a job was hard, mostly because there weren't very many jobs left.
The world had fallen into a state of pure anarchy. Although it seemed rather impossible, an infection had spread, causing a pandemic. The undead had risen, and although most deteriorated, many still remained limbering across the countryside like a scene in a George A. Romero film. Even if an area was zombie free, no area was 100% safe.
The woman waltzed into the tiny bathroom of the apartment, turning the shower on and stepping into the cold water. She almost immediately regretted it, cursing the armored apartment complex for not fixing their hot water system. She kept her guard up as the suds of soap washed over her body; just one of the many skills she had managed not to forget from her testing days at Aperture.
Stepping out of the shower and quickly drying off her already chilly skin, she poked her head out of the door and glanced at the time, gasping as she realized how late she already was.
She dropped the towel to the floor and rushed over to the basket of clothing she had near her makeshift bed. Most of the clothing was old military uniforms and donated clothing, as well as her old testing jumpsuit... She paused, her eyes focusing on the orange suit for a moment before lifting up a baggy old military uniform.
Dressing quickly, she finally made her way down to the lobby of the building. Nodding quick hellos to other patrons as she passed by, the woman shot passed the long forgotten mailboxes and towards the front door.
"Mornin' Chell! You speaking today?" The doorman teased. He stood up straight, a rifle in his hands.
She smiled softly, her eyes gleaming in the morning sunlight as she playfully shook her head: No. She hadn't spoken in a very, very long time and she definitely wasn't about to now. The doorman asked her everyday if she'd ever start talking again and every day she'd reply with a quick shake of her head. Chell enjoyed their little flirtatious conversations, smiling each time he asked.
Chell lived in a large armored complex, with two large apartment buildings, a set of townhouses, and a Walmart. The entire area was secured with a large steel wall. Chell had found it after escaping Aperture and had lived there ever since. Although there weren't many jobs, Chell had landed a position as a look-out on one of the walls. There was no pay; just a guaranteed apartment and 3 rations of food per day.
The job was simple; sit at the lookout and watch for any survivors, zombies, anything at all. Chell's lookout spot overshadowed a grassy field that had gone dry from lack of rain. In the far distance, a tiny aluminum shack stood alone. Chell would watch the shack through her binoculars each day unwearingly. It was almost as if she was waiting for something...
Chell walked at her own pace to her post, she knew the other young woman who she worked with wouldn't mind her tardiness. When she did arrive at the lookout, the 30-something year old, army-clad partner (named Michelle) smiled and waved, "You're late Chell, don't worry about it though, nothing interesting ever happens on this side anyways!"
Chell nodded and took her seat next to her. Chell looked down at her long fall boots; she had refused to wear anything but them since she landed the job. Then she saw her binoculars lying nearby, waiting for her. Chell ran her fingers along the textured barrels of the binoculars and picked them up. She smiled, ready to begin the day.
"Where's your giant cube you always carry around with you?" Michelle asked, she was already staring through her own pair of binoculars.
Chell frowned, glaring at her blonde-haired friend.
Michelle tapped a small pad of paper. She had brought it when Chell started working with her and she realized the dark-haired woman refused to speak at all. Michelle had been a therapist before the apocalypse and loved to listen - or in this case, read - what people were thinking and feeling.
Chell liked to write down what she couldn't convey through speech. Using the chunk of pencil they had taken from the Walmart, Chell scribbled, "We had another fight. The Weighted Companion Cube thinks we are all in danger if we stay here..." onto the paper.
Michelle's dark eyes scanned the paper quickly before returning to her position looking out into the golden grass. "Why don't you believe the cube, Chell?"
Chell wrote, "I do believe it. I just don't want to."
Michelle gave the brunette a quick reassuring glance before asking a question she'd asked many times before, "Why do you watch that shack? It's not like anything is gonna happen. You said you were the only living thing to ever come from that shack."
Chell nodded and scribbled across the page, "I'm waiting..."
"For?" Michelle continued.
"An old friend..."
Michelle stared at the young, mute, woman. Chell had obviously been traumatized by whatever the shack led to, and her traumatizing past had had lead her to have a slight case of schizophrenia. But Chell's undying determination and positive attitude surprised Michelle.
She sighed, patting Chell on the back. "Don't worry Chell, any day now... any day..."
Author's Note: Hey everyone! It's been a while since I last posted something!
It's finally here! My Portal fic! I want to thank VampireLady666 on Tumblr for helping me edit these first few chapters! Where would I be without her?
This is rated T right now, but that is subject to change depending on where the story goes from here...
Portal and its characters are copyright Valve