ok this is my first installment of a series of chapters set in the first Half Life.

I hope that I can live up to the standards set by other talented Half Life writers!


May 10th 2001, Black Mesa,New Mexico

Barney Calhoun leaned back in his chair in the staff canteen, stretched and took stock of where he had got to in life. He felt content with his job which provided interesting opportunities in an unique environment. Originally he dreamt of being a Federal Agent outwitting criminal masterminds, however things never go as planned. He didn't have the first class science degree from the Ivy League to start with. When reviewing the direction of his career knew he liked to be active and get stuck into things. Also, he preferred to reply on himself, so the armed forces probably wouldn't be suitable. That was when enlisting as a security guard seemed like the most appropriate choice to make. He passed all the tests with flying colours and was soon being posted all over the country to guard over various installations.

Then came his surprise assignment to the Black Mesa research facility. It was a great opportunity considering this was a top-secret assignment. But that meant that it had to be kept secret even from his most loved ones. He didn't even know his precise whereabouts. Somewhere in the New Mexico desert away from civilization was the most he knew.

Breaking himself from his thoughts, Barney rose from his chair, drained the last of his coffee and put the mug in the sink. A quick look in the cupboard revealed a half empty pack of chocolate biscuits probably belonging to Dr Dritz. He popped a biscuit into his mouth thinking the doctor wouldn't notice. His mind then wandered onto what the doctor was doing. As he had some time left on his lunch break, he thought he would go and see what the old man was up to.

The complex itself was extremely technologically advanced, mostly underground and extremely big. Currently he was based in the Unidentified Biological Specimens department which examined alien life forms that had been captured.

"Those nutty conspiracy theorists were right all along." thought Barney wryly as he walked through yet another iris scanner.

He learnt from Dr Dritz that there were many different alien species were contained in the facility, each with different traits, intelligence and capabilities. It all seemed quite sinister but Barney didn't want to kick up a fuss, so he didn't ask too many questions and just got on with his job.

After passing through several iris scanners, Barney came to where Dr Dritz's lab was located. Barney got along with the doctor and knew that he wouldn't mind a bit of idle chat. Barney opened the lab door and looked around. Dr Dritz was busy probing an alien creature that looked like a giant sea anemone. It was had a large mouth with dangerous looking teeth. It was suspended in mid air from wires attached to it by hooks. Dr Dritz himself was fairly large, in his late fifties, had dark hair and round glasses and was slightly hunched. There was a pumpkin at the far end of the room on a table.

"Everything in order Dr Dritz?"

"Yes yes, fine thank-you....I am about to reach the conclusion of my experiment" Dr Dritz was looking at the insides of the creature and didn't take his eyes away from his work when he replied.

"Um, I didn't mean...Where did you get that pumpkin from?"

"Don't touch that please! It is a crucial part of my setup." The doctor paused momentarily.

"But this creature is truly fascinating. It has developed an incredible survival mechanism. There is a sticky thread originating from its mouth that can attach itself to organic matter." The doctor went on. "Once the organic matter it attached, it is then reeled in and consumed as a food source..... which is the pumpkin in this case."

"Could that food source be me?"

"Indeed, so stay right there out of the way. Now watch. I am going to artificially induce this behaviour."

Dr Ditz got a pair of medical pliers and prodded around in the alien's interior. He then seemed to grab hold onto something and pulled. The alien twitched and shot out a thread from its mouth towards the pumpkin. The thread hit its mark with a faint splat and began to drag the pumpkin, knocking it onto the floor. The reeling in of the pumpkin was slow and menacing accompanied by a greedy chewing sound emanating from the alien. In a few seconds the pumpkin was destroyed sending vegetable flesh everywhere as it was chomped up by the vast mouth.

"Success!" cried Dr Dritz. "I will now write up my report."

"Ok. Have you finished playing with your pet already?" Dr Dritz didn't answer as he was preoccipied with searching for his notes.

Suddenly, Barney's radio kicked into life with a crackle.

"kkkkk. Would Mr Calhoun please report to the main desk in Sector 46C immediately. kkkkk"

"Duty calls" sighed Barney as he duly obeyed his order.


Please review and be as critical as you like.

..... I'm not so good at characterizations (especially of Barney)