Absolution
Chapter One: Catch and Release
Chell stepped out of the lift warily. Was this real, or was it another part of Aperture? GLaDOS had told her to never come back and even composed a farewell (good riddance?) song, but was that a lie, or could this actually be the door to freedom? Her feet did the thinking for her and moved her through the door and on to the concrete. She blinked rapidly to adjust to the overwhelming light and looked out at the expansive land. The wheat that surrounded on all sides was as gold as it could ever be. The clouds were like fluffy rabbits against a blue backdrop and it went on for miles and mi-
SLAM.
The woman spun around on her heel, ready to face whatever it was, and saw a plain, worn shack. A clanking and rumbling vibrated the ground under her feet and Chell tensed up. The door swung open and spitted out a familiar metal box before closing Aperture Science off from the world. No one would be the wiser of the rusted tin shack with the electrical warning posted on the door.
As the echo of the noise quickly faded, Chell stared at the Companion Cube. The dents, bullet holes, and charred body described exactly how the woman felt and she suddenly felt closer to the weighted cube than anything else. A breeze picked up, moving her hair, and Chell closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. The wheat she was surrounded by didn't have much of an aroma but she faintly detected an earthly scent she thought she would never encounter.
Trees. A forest. There was grass somewhere with birds chirping. And she could feel the sun on her skin - actual sun. Not the cold artificial daylight provided underground, but real there's-a-giant-burning-ball-of-gas warmth she could only feel from the real sun. A memory flashed through her mind of how tempting it was to lie down on the Hard Light Bridges, but her fantasy was ruined by the idea of her hair setting ablaze. But here, here she felt like she could smell the sunlight. Aquamarine met cerulean as she opened her eyes and looked up at the sky. The real sky – the one with no end. It went on for miles and miles and even though Chell knew she couldn't, she felt as if she could reach up and grab it. There were no pixels hidden beneath a false hue, no walls to box her in, just an endless blue atmosphere. Chell picked up the Companion Cube and held it casually in front of her. The woman looked at the horizon line, trying to determine the best direction to go.
'Anywhere but here.'
She started her way through the wheat, wondering what was to happen now, when a dull pain rose in her jaw. She opened her mouth to stretch out the muscle when she realized: she was smiling. She knew on an instinctual level that it was a normal thing humans did but it had been so long that it actually hurt to smile. An airy chuckle escaped her at how absurd that was. She could see the warning tag now, 'Aperture Science. Side effects may include death, shattered knee caps, and inability to smile.' The chuckle turned into a giggle and then silent laughter before going on full hysterics. The Companion Cube thudded to the ground as Chell could no longer hold it from shaking with laughter. She dropped to her knees, holding her sides.
She was free. It felt as if her body had been chained to those stark white walls and now they were gone. Her body felt lighter, as did her heart and mind. No more murderous super computers, no more toxic pits or crushing spike plates. She would miss the portals but she was FREE. She was determined that whatever was out here now would be better than the horrors of the late Cave Johnson. Tears formed in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Chell slumped forward, resting her head against the cube, and a lump rose in her throat. Her face scrunched up, feeling the pain of everything hit her like a ton of bricks. The laughter turned into sobs. Hidden in the wheat the woman clung to the metal box as if she would be dragged back and it was the only thing that could stop it.
She had no idea how long she stayed curled against the box. Her tears had long run dry and her body ached with exhaustion. But she knew she couldn't stay here, especially not this close to her former captor. She shuddered at the thought of GLaDOS changing her mind about letting her go. Chell rose to her feet and wiped her face off with her hands. She knew she had to go somewhere, anywhere, so she picked her Companion back up and continued forward.
The sun had lowered its position in the sky but there was still more than a few hours in the day. She had long ago left the perfectly square field of wheat and trudged along through plains of grass. In the distance Chell could make out some trees and beyond that mountains. She wondered if GLaDOS had told the truth before and if there really were humans. She hadn't seen any deer so the idea of any other social contact seemed faint. The adrenal vapors had long worn off and she felt dehydrated and ready to collapse but she (stubbornly) kept going. She would take the occasional break but would start to doze off and jump up to get going again.
She reached the trees by sunset and couldn't believe her luck. It must be some deranged fate that was in charge of this happening. She could hear Wheatley's voice now.
"Okay, say 'apple.' Aaapple."
She was staring at an apple orchard. The hunger that had been a low growl before turned into a roar now. Quickly she sat the cube under the nearest tree and all but leapt at the low hanging fruit. She held the red sphere in her hands in disbelief. It was perfect. Only nature would create something this amazingly perfect. Without any further hesitation she brought it to her lips and bit. It was bitter and still had days before they ripened to standard quality but it was the best thing Chell had tasted in a long, long time. As the juice dribbled down her chin and lips smacked loudly, she could hear the snarky voice in her head comment about being undignified. It didn't even phase her now, she would never have to worry about that voice again.
Chell threw the inedible core behind her and grabbed another, eating it as if someone would take it from her. She kept the cycle going it until there was a pile behind her and her stomach felt as if it could burst. She leaned against the bark of the tree and slid down to the cool grass with a satisfied sigh. A hand moved lazily through the soft green blades and she smiled softly. She never thought she could be as happy as she was now. The woman looked at the Companion Cube next to her and used the sleeve of the jump suit to wipe off the soot on top. She leaned on the cube and rested her head on top. She fell asleep almost immediately.
Author's note:
:I Well this is what happens when I try to write porn. It feels the need to have a plot. Sorry, people. Anyway, I do plan to continue.
And yes. There will be smut.
Don't expect the chapters to be very long, or even for this to be a full on adventure story.|
Just some ideas I needed to get out.
Thank you, your input is welcomed.