The Little Things
'Its the little things in life that keep you going.'
Chell has heard this saying numerous times in her new hometown, and it has been replaying in her mind for a few days now. Ever since she found civilization (or rather, civilization found her laying unconscious on a cube at the edge of a wheat field), Chell found out other humans cherish everything they can get, and that's very understandable to her.
When she was….there (the former test subject promised herself never to even think of that places actual name again), she knew literally Everything could be helpful to her survival and sanity (although she has questioned the latter lately); whether it was the brief moments of rest in the elevators or those out-coves away from her with the weird (yet strangely pretty) paintings that also had some food and water, or even…that well-meaning british chatter-sphere breaking the silence.
…Well, he was well-meaning at first.
Chell sighed and looked at her feet, 'even the best memories end terrible' she said in her head.
Even after leaving that place, though, the young woman wondered if everything was truly better for her now. Of course, the surface was better than down there for a multitude of reasons, but at the same time, the world was on the edge of death after some sort of apocalypse happened while she was asleep. Apparently only small towns like her own remained for the most part, not to mention a lot of nervous talk over something called 'The Combine'. It seemed there was always something to worry about, and she hated it. Perhaps she shouldn't have envisioned her freedom as big and grand and nice as she did, she knew better.
She sat down in an old chair at her home and sighed once again, her eyes wandering. As her eyes moved about, however, she came across something outside the window across the room, something on top of that bucket of dirt thats been on that window ever since she 'moved in'.
She got up and walked towards the new object with intrigue, she didn't remember it being there some days ago.
Getting closer, she suddenly let out a tiny gasp and pulled up the old window best she could.
It was a flower. A tiny, yellow flower, shining bright and healthy in its little home on her window sill, Chell almost didn't believe it as this type of plantlife she never saw outside of pictures and movies. Flowers were even prettier than she thought in real life.
A thought suddenly struck the woman, causing her to dart to her kitchen and find some clean water. She only had three water bottles left, and they were very expensive to buy in the town.
'eh, We can split it' she thought happily grabbing a bottle and heading back to the window.
She poured half of the bottles contents into a plastic cup and set it nearby the plant before holding up her own bottle.
"Cheers" she mouthed silently, tapping the plants cup before taking a sip herself then pouring the water onto soil under the flower.
'Here's to hope,' Chell thought. 'No matter how small.'
'Its the little things in life that keep you going.'