Author's Note: Apologies for the wait, my time for writing has been short over the past few weeks. Anyway, Chapter 2 brings us to the great descent into Rapture! Personally, this is one of my favorite parts of the first game; I love Ryan's narration on the way down and had to include every bit in here. There is some strong language towards the end of this chapter, so please be warned! And, as usual, enjoy!
Rapture? I thought. What the hell is that? Although numerous questions demanded answers in my head, I felt I had no other choice than to proceed with the single usable mechanism available to me. Gripping the large lever in both hands, I pulled it down and then released the handle, allowing it to snap back into place.
A heavy, clanking sound from behind caused me to whip around, just in time to see the glass door swing shut. Eyes glued to that transparent surface, I merely observed, horrified, as the pod began to descend. Sinking steadily into the water below, I was aware only of the sight and noise of bubbles amidst an impenetrable wall of darkness beyond. At least fifteen seconds passed before I noticed a change in light and realized that the pod had exited the interior of a tunnel-like structure and passed into the open sea. However, before I could catch a glimpse of anything beyond, a white backdrop swiftly raised itself over the glass, as if on cue, and music riddled with static filled the pod. Apprehensively, I slowly backed up against the rear of the chamber, but quickly stepped forward again as the first images appeared on the screen.
"FIRE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS! INCINERATE! PLASMIDS BY RYAN INDUSTRIES". Thus read the first picture, presumably an advertisement of some kind, but the meaning, as with everything else, eluded me. A woman held out a cigarette, while the man standing next to her lit it with the tip of his finger. Is this some type of cartoon? I wondered. Maybe "plasmid" is slang for that.
My thoughts were interrupted by the changing of the picture to that of a familiar-looking man sitting upright in a chair. It was the same man depicted by the large statue in the tower above. Another caption read "FROM THE DESK OF RYAN". It struck me that this man must be an important figure, despite the fact that I never heard of him prior to the plane crash.
A pre-recorded voice began playing in unison with the pictures. "I am Andrew Ryan, and I am here to ask you a question. Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow?" Here, the screen changed to an image of a farm with an exhausted-looking worker in the foreground. "'No,' says the man in Washington, 'it belongs to the poor.'" A huge eagle was shown chasing after a man, with the American flag waving atop a building behind them. "'No,' says the man in the Vatican, 'it belongs to God.'" Reaching down from the sky, an enormous, extended hand seemed to be commanding the man to give something up. "'No,' says the man in Moscow, 'it belongs to everyone.'" The man now cowered beneath the oppression of a large hammer and sickle. Reverting back to the picture of Ryan at his desk, the voice continued. "I rejected those answers; instead, I chose something different. I chose the impossible! I chose…" The screen blanked and quickly withdrew, revealing what it had been concealing. "Rapture!"
Just as the pod rose from the obstruction of some rocks, I immediately doubted my own sanity as I witnessed the most breathtaking phenomenon of that night. A city, gigantic, expansive, brightly lit, sat atop the ocean floor! Resembling New York, the towering skyscrapers, some with neon signs on the sides, reached almost dizzying heights, cutting through the water as though it were nothing but air. In shock, I merely stared, dumbfounded, heart racing, as the pod carried me closer and closer. Once again, the voice continued to speak.
"A city where the artist would not fear the censor, where the scientist would not be bound by petty morality, where the great would not be constrained by the small! And with the sweat of your brow, Rapture can become your city as well." I hardly listened anymore and barely noticed when the recording ended. All of my attention was focused on the unreal sight before me. As I advanced further into the city, I realized that large, glass tunnels of varying lengths connected many of the buildings. These odd-looking corridors were almost completely transparent, and, although I caught only a glimpse of it, I felt certain that I saw a figure shuffling along inside one! However, I quickly pushed this thought out of my head; I didn't want to consider how an encounter with the inhabitants would turn out, and besides, I wasn't even in the city yet.
My gaze shifted to some of the signs that I passed by. "FLEET HALL" read one in a bright green, with "PHARAOH"S FORTUNE CASINO" next to it in yellow. I spotted many more but failed to understand what they said, due to missing letters that were unlit.
A series of four, metal rings brought my attention directly in front of the pod. I grew excited as I realized that I was nearing the end of my journey. The underwater vessel positioned itself in the center of the circles and continued moving forward without hesitation. Words lit up on the top of each loop right before I passed through each. "ALL GOOD THINGS" "OF THIS EARTH" "FLOW" "INTO THE CITY". How quaint, I thought. A true visitor's welcome. My mixed emotions heightened as the pod entered an interior tube and, after moving forward a small amount, paused. Then, with a creak, it began a long ascent upward.
Some time passed before I sensed the pod emerging from the confines of the tube and into a larger area. Slowing down, it gradually drifted up, breaking the surface of the water with a soft dripping sound. Of course, no sky greeted me as it would outside. Instead, I now found myself in an entirely new area.
From what I could see through the wet glass, a short bridge stretched from the pod to the floor on the far side. Filling up the majority of the wall facing me there, large windows reached up to the ceiling that towered high above. Elaborately designed support columns rose around the bridge, obscuring my view of the rest of the chamber.
As if on cue, the pod's door swung open, exposing me to the city of Rapture. Apprehensive, I cautiously stepped forward, out of the comfort of my vessel and into this strange room in a foreign environment. Unsure of where to go or what to do, I merely walked across the bridge, albeit slowly, remaining ever vigilant for signs of danger. At first, I heard no sound except my own labored breathing and the pounding of my heart. However, upon crossing the bridge, a peculiar sound echoed from the right. Turning to face this direction, I observed an equally odd sight that made my skin crawl. Leaning against a mysterious, cylindrical chamber that contained what seemed like green energy glowing inside, with the words "VITA-CHAMBER" written in white letters across the top, a ragged woman sat weeping, her face buried in her filthy hands.
Burning with curiosity, I felt I had no choice but to attempt communication with this woman. "Excuse me," I spoke, my voice turning out raspy and weak. Clearing my throat, I tried again. "Excuse me!" The sobbing ceased and the woman glanced up at me. I was surprised to find that a mask covered the majority of her disfigured features. Bearing resemblance to a cat, it made her appear even more hideous than she would have without it. However, struggling to maintain my composure, I merely continued speaking. "I'm sorry to bother you, it seems you're having a bad day, but it just so happens that I'm having a bad day too. You see, I –"
In a gruesome voice that sent a chill down my spine, the woman interrupted, "Is it someone new?"
Stunned and horrified, I barely managed to reply, "Y-yes, I am new."
Leaping up with a speed and grace that I would not have expected from a body as damaged as hers, the woman grabbed me by the shoulders and hissed. Her putrid breath washed over my face, making me gag. Every instinct I possessed now screamed for me to get away from this monstrosity, to escape her terrifying grasp and run.
"I'll bet you have ADAM, don't you, fish?" she asked in the same, penetrating voice.
Mustering up the tiny bit of self-restraint that remained within me, I answered, "W-well, actually, my name is Adam (for that was, indeed, my name), if that's what you mean –"
"DON'T YOU?" the woman screamed, shaking me violently. It was then that I realized she had some sort of claws on her fingers. As she tightened her grip on my arms, I felt the cold metal drawing blood as it penetrated my clothes and skin. Crazed and feral, the woman shouted, "DON'T YOU, YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU, DO YOU HEAR ME? GOD DAMN IT, I KNOW YOU HAVE IT! DIE!" She thrust me backward, into a pillar, causing me to bash my head against the hard surface. I recoiled sharply, the pain temporarily stunning me, as my new opponent grabbed me once again and slammed me back, over and over, until my vision grew hazy and I felt nauseous. Trying to escape her hold, I desperately moved my own body over to the side, so that when she pushed me the next time, the force sent us both tumbling backwards and away from each other. Now free for a moment, I attempted to stand; however, my dizziness slowed this down, and the woman was on me again in a second.
Grabbing me by the neck this time, she lifted me up off the ground effortlessly, screaming as she did so. Without restraint, the woman squeezed my throat and hammered me in the chest with her fist. Each blow felt as though it shattered a rib, and I would have screamed if she hadn't been constricting my airway. Red spots gathered in my vision as I was deprived of oxygen. It seemed obvious that time was limited. Amidst all the pain, though, I realized that my arms were still free. With this in mind, a stupid but feasible idea suddenly struck me.
As the woman reared back for the next blow, still howling, I swiftly reached into the pocket of my coat and brought out the lighter. Despite the fact that it probably didn't work after my swim in the ocean, I nonetheless flipped up the cap. Before she could react to my quick action, I shoved the lighter right in her face. It was impossible for me to see whether or not the flame caught; the red spots in my vision had almost completely obscured everything around me. However, in response, she yelled, "AAAH! IT BURNS! IT FUCKING BURNS!" I fell to the ground abruptly as she released me and recoiled. Coughing up blood while eagerly drinking in air, I somehow managed to stand up to face my opponent once again. "MY BEAUTIFUL FACE! LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MY FACE!" Turning, she spat obscenities as she ran back at me, more aggressively than ever, to finish the job. This time, though, I was prepared. As she approached, I brought my arm back and jammed my fist forward just as she reached me. As it connected with her, she flew backward, nearly sailing through the air, and slammed headfirst into the green chamber, leaving a crack in the glass where she hit it. Amazed, I watched as she moaned, then fell silent and slid down to the floor, with a streak of blood tracing her head's path on the chamber door. I had no idea if she lay dead or unconscious, but I was too stunned, exhausted, and throbbing with pain to care. Back home, I never possessed such strength as to pummel a full-grown woman hard enough to knock her back that far. Glancing at my fist, I noticed it was covered in blood, and the intense stinging told me that it was mine. Feeling faint, I sat down in the middle of the floor to catch my breath and recover, all the while never taking my eyes off the victim of my crime.