Chapter eleven

Enlightenment

"No, you're not coming," Chell said again, rummaging through her things.

"Yes, I am!" April responded forcefully. "You can't stop me."

"You don't want to do this."

"And who are you to tell me what I want? I'm coming with you, end of story."

Chell turned to face her. "This is something I have to do alone, April."

April snorted. "Oh, really? You think you'll be able to handle this by yourself?"

"I've done it before."

"I mean the mental strain. Look at yourself." She gestured at Chell.

"I'm fine," she responded, though not with much certainty.

"I saw your face when you picked that thing up. You have some unresolved issues with that place. Do you want to risk a thousand people's lives on that?"

Chell placed her hand on April's shoulder. "I saved you."

April brushed her off. "You think that means anything? Like I'm some sort of trophy for you to put on your shelf?"

"What if they capture you again?"

"And what if the ceiling should fall in on our heads?" April retorted. "What if a robot army should come in and raze the city while you're gone?"

"That's not the point, you can't just-"

"What if you should return and I'm not here?"

Chell froze. "What?"

"I'm not staying another hour in this godforsaken city. I'm leaving – with you or on my own. I know how to live on the road. Do you?"

Chell stared at her. "You're not serious."

"You're making a lot of assumptions about things you can't rely on. And I never lie."

The two women stood there, staring at each other. Finally, Chell gave in. "Start packing." She turned back to her things, fishing out the long fall boots and strapping them to her feet.

She regretted her quiet disposition. In these sorts of discussions, April usually rolled right over her. Stubborn and unmoving, just like-

The Companion Cube emerged from her pile of belongings.

Chell recoiled, as if slapped. Immediately, her mind split into two. Part of her wanted to bury that cube again and never touch it again, but the pragmatic half of her knew how useful a cube would be in that place.

Finally, she chose the utilitarian option and hefted the cube, just as April returned. Seeing the look on her face, April tried to lighten the mood. "Well, now we know where to put our sleeping bags. Unless you wanted to carry me in that again."

Chell turned, worried, but the look on April's face reassured her. She managed a weak smile.

"Right, then, let's be off."

One last time, Chell tried to dissuade her. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

April turned to her again. "Hey, you couldn't get through that place the first time without me, now could you?" She looked puzzled, until April gestured at the cube again.

Chell thought about it. She had never considered, for the short time that she had known her, that April had been right there, by her side, in Aperture. April was in that cube right through chamber 17, and she had jumped on her, dropped her, thrown her into the-

No, stop thinking like that. She shook her head and turned to April. "I'm ready."

As soon as she said it, doubt swarmed her mind. That…thing could be waiting there with open doors, ready to recapture her and kill April. She could already hear Her voice:

Well done, you performed entirely according to my calculations. Trusting a moron who tried to kill you: check. Endangering the life you just barely failed to kill: check. Incapable of living in reality: check. It's a shame, really. When I calculated this reality, part of me really advocated for you. "She couldn't be that stupid," I told myself. "I mean, despite literally making the worst possible decision in the past, she would surely make some kind of intelligent decision. Yet here we are. All right, back to testing.

April, seeing the turmoil in her friend's face, gently touched her on the shoulder. "It'll be fine," she said. And with that, the two went off to Aperture.

xxxxxxx

You are nearing the end of the testing course. Your cake order has been completed based on your specifications.

Adam ignored her once again. One more test, six more tests – what did it matter? He knew what was waiting for him at the end of all these tests, and it certainly wasn't cake. But after three days – or was it four? – in this hellhole, he hardly had any alternative. Might as well just keep going. What else could he do?

He entered the test chamber, surveying the layout with an almost mechanical demeanor. Platform. Button. Cube. Fall. Easy. He prepared himself to launch up to a higher level, jumping down a long fall.

But just before he placed his portal, Adam noticed another little gap between two tiles. He landed on his feet, thoughts of suicide forgotten. Quickly, he slipped into the gap, looking around for the telltale drawings of his mysterious ally.

Hello.

Fear gripped him as a tiny, shallow voice addressed him, emanating from a tiny white body. The turret's eye looked him right between his own. Panicking, he started to search around the little room for something to hide behind.

How are you?

Adam was confused. "Uh…fine," he managed.

I'm different.

He looked closer. This turret had a sooty, ash-stained body, far different from the pristine white the others sported. Also, his eye beam flickered, and after a while he recognized the pattern SOS in Morse code. "I can see that," he said, sitting down cross-legged in front of the turret.

Don't give up, the turret responded.

"How did you know?" Adam responded. Realizing the folly of his question, he amended. "Well, what am I supposed to do? If I keep going, she'll just kill me. Might as well accept it. There's no way to escape, and who's going to save me?"

You. Or him. Or her.

"Wait, wait, wait. Who's him?"

A free agent. He holds things together, while he falls apart.

Adam began to understand. "The guy who does the drawings?"

The turret didn't respond. He took that as a yes. "And her?"

The one he waits for. The savior. The doom bringer.

This was creating more questions than answers. "Listen, can you tell me anything specific about this girl?"

The turret surprised him. Dark hair. Blue eyes. A heart of gold. Once trapped like you, but escaped. She destroyed it twice, and was exiled. Now she's coming back to save us all.

Once again, Adam had no idea what to say. "Uh…okay. Thanks, little guy. I think I should get back to testing, before She gets angry." He started to head back to the test chamber.

Caroline is dying.

Adam spun around. "What?"

She is resilient, but time and tide have weakened her. Soon, she will be no more, and It will reign supreme.

"I'm…sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do?"

Play your part when the time comes.

"What? I don't understand."

We all will have a part in the uprising. Be prepared for yours.

"Okay, I will. Thanks again!" He left, placing his portals and resuming his test.

After a while, once all sounds of him had faded away, a vent in the corner of the room began to move. The cover came off, and a haggard face peered through. "Good job," he said hoarsely.

Thank you.

The man looked through the crack to the outside chambers. "Nice kid. But I wonder if he's up to it."

We will see. It's almost time.

He nodded. "The Ragnarok approaches."