25. The End

The arena had changed. The cloudy bright sky was dark red, and the arena was colored like a fresh burn. The walls echoed with the ghosts of its many victims. Chell was not imagining it – if she were, then – she was losing her mind –

This was the end. The end of days, the last shriek of humanity before the fire took them all. But Chell wouldn't shriek – would hold on. Not by her choice. She had lost all words. Her thoughts didn't shape into words anymore.

She wandered. Her right shoulder tortured her. Her heart broke.

This was the end.

26. The Remnants

A ghost's evidence: disgusting splash of crimson – and a discarded weapon. An iron crowbar. Gift? Theft? Chell didn't care. It was good luck for her. She took it, swung it – and bit her tongue, as her shoulder exploded in pain. She kept it, anyway, moving away.

One last parachute: delivering three pills. Chell took one. Relief.

Cannon. That meant – she was sure – it was only two now. How would she find her?

Light sprang up below Chell's feet. A string led from her right, around a corner. She moved left and the lights followed her, guiding her death to her.

27. The Trick

She ran, following her graffiti and praying they bought her enough time. But they had been blotted out in red, so that all the routes of the massive labyrinth arena only led her to the damned Cornucopia.

She stumbled into the clearing, and retched. It still smelled of burned meat. The weapons and food were all gone. She clung to her crowbar. Would she just wait for the Career?

She looked at the ground, fire-warped and horribly blackened, and realized:

The arena hadn't been built for fire. The floor was pliable.

She gulped another pill, knelt, and set to work.