A MURDEROUS PSYCHO WITH A LUST FOR REVENGE
After Tim arrived home, Maddie was in the kitchen making a steak and potatoes dinner. Tim sat at the dinner table. Maddie was dressed in her corset and panties and wondered why Tim was not hovering around her like he had been recently. Maddie brought over two plates and gave one to Tim. She sat down and began eating. Tim contemplated the idea of telling what was wrong with him.
"You know, Maddie, soon steak will be the most sought after food," Tim said. "When the apocalypse comes, people will fight for food like this. It will be stale, but people will kill each other just to get one bite."
"I made it because you said it was healthy, you know, protein and carbs."
"It is."
"We should enjoy the food we have now."
"Yes, but we must face the inevitable."
Maddie looked at Tim and noticed a sorrow look on his face.
"Daddy, what's wrong?" She asked.
"Oh, uh, nothing, uh, did I tell you what happened last week?" Tim asked.
"No."
"Walter..."
"Oh that asshole."
"Maddie, you're not supposed to say words like that."
"Sorry daddy."
"Anyway, since he came back he thinks he can do what he wants, well now it went too far. His idiotic experiment nearly caused the death of one of the new scientists. Thankfully, she'll be okay."
"You're the best scientist in the whole world."
"Thanks sweetie. I'm really beginning to hate Walter."
Later that night, Tim laid awake in bed. Flashes in his head about killing Walter came and went. He needed to do it and tomorrow could be the day. The terminal disease inside of him was only getting worse and soon he would have no choice.
The next morning, Tim was getting ready to head out to Black Mesa. Maddie was up and cleaning the dishes after making breakfast. Before Tim headed out, he went into the kitchen and hugged Maddie.
"You know I love you sweetie," he said.
"I love you too.
"Please, remember to live your life to the fullest. I want you to be happy. Eliminate the bad people."
He rubbed the back of his hand across her face.
"I know," she said.
"Okay."
Tim left the house, leaving Maddie confused. As Tim drove down the deserted road, he saw Black Mesa in the distance and realized what he needed to do. Walter Bennett was going to die.
Tim was in his lab and made some adjustments on an HEV suit. He glanced out of the window and saw a security guard named Rick and a young teen girl walking by. She was beautiful, had long blonde hair with pink highlights, heavy mascara around the eyes, and a piercing on her lip and nose. She was dressed in a white shirt with really short sleeves, and black baggy pants with chains on the side. She was around the same age as Maddie. Tim walked out into the hall.
"Now Dawn, you should think twice about misbehaving," Rick said.
"Dad, this is so stupid," Dawn said, "I don't want to hang out with these losers."
"Look, Walter is not here yet. We'll visit Pete; he does some experiments with sound. He plays guitar. That should calm you down."
"You're just ignoring me?"
"Dawn, you don't dictate what you can and can't do."
"I really hate being here."
"Well too bad."
"Whatever."
Tim was disgusted by Dawn's behavior. He realized his relationship with Maddie was much better and people had the nerve to call her crazy. He still thought Dawn was very beautiful and couldn't stop staring at her. He watched her until she rounded the corner.
A few minutes later, he saw Dawn walk by his lab. She looked at him with an angry look and then turned away. He ran towards the door and followed them down the hall. Dawn and Rick waked into Laura's office. He snuck near the door and found that they were heading outside.
Later in the day, Tim was running down the hall with a pair of binoculars. Then, he saw a gruesome sight. There were dead bodies everywhere. Someone had stabbed and decapitated numerous scientists. Tim's initial thought was that Gordon was back. Then, he heard a scream. He ran towards the sound and saw a muscular blonde hair man stabbing a scientist with a sword. It was Adrian Shepard, the husband of Rachel Shepard. Tim ran away towards his office, passing more dead bodies that were missing limbs and were decapitated. He was revolted by the corpses and continued to run down the hall. He saw an open door and went inside. Dawn was lying on the ground. Her shirt was lifted up and her bra was off, exposing her breasts. He snapped a picture of them with his camera and then touched her breasts. She began to wake up.
"Hello," he said.
"Who are you?" Dawn asked.
"I'm Tim."
Dawn realized her breasts were showing. She snapped her bra back and put her shirt back on.
"There was someone with a knife and swords," Dawn said, "He's killing people. My dad might still be outside."
He moved closer to her.
"Shhh, calm down, you'll be safe with me," he said with a grin.
Dawn got off the table and backed away.
"I won't let anyone hurt you," Tim said.
"I'll manage."
Dawn attempted to leave but Tim grabbed her arm.
"My daughter needs a friend," he said, "Come home with me. Play with my daughter."
Dawn moved her arm away.
"Please! I haven't been with a woman in so long. My wife left me."
Dawn kneed him in the groin and he falls to his knees. She kicks him in the face and he falls over. She takes a computer monitor and smashes it over his head, knocking him out. She runs out of the room.
Tim struggled to get up. He realized he was bleeding and walked into a closet, leaving a trail of blood. Inside, he found a med kit and put a bandage on his forehead. He heard someone coming and looked out the door. It was Adrian and he had a pipe wrench. He closed the door and listen to what sounded like computers smashing. Here he was again: another madman in Black Mesa who was a murderous psycho with a lust for revenge. Then, Adrian tried to open the door but it was locked. A loud smash was heard and the door swung open. Tim saw Adrian with a mean look on his face and his heart pounded like a sledgehammer. His expression and the weapons he had reminded him of Maddie.
"No, please don't kill me," Tim said.
"Then you better tell me where Walter Bennett is," Adrian said.
Tim felt a little relieved and wasn't surprised that someone wanted to murder Walter.
"Walter? I'll be glad to tell you," Tim said.
"Oh really."
"He's outside in the woods, studying some stupid flowers. He's with that looney bitch and his asshole friends."
Adrian laughed.
"Thanks for telling me, I'll be heading there."
"Are you going to kill him? Please do."
"I'm going to torture him to death. He caused an accident to Rachel, my wife."
"You must be Adrian Shepard. Walter has always been doing idiotic projects. I've always hated that man."
"Thanks for the info, I'm going."
Adrian left the room. Tim's plan to kill Walter may have changed, but he decided to head back to his lab just in case something went wrong. He suddenly felt a weak presence and realized his health was deteriorating. He needed the table to keep him from falling. His head began spinning and he felt faint. All he could think about was Maddie. He saw the HEV suit and needed to put it on to regain strength. He stumbled over to the rack and put on the suit. He regained his strength and no longer felt faint. His modifications succeeded. Tim knew once he took it off, he would need to go to a hospital and would not let that happen. He took out his cell phone and hovered his finger over Maddie's name. He pressed it.
Maddie was resting after a training session when she heard her cell phone ring. She saw that Tim was calling and answered it.
"Hey daddy," she said.
"Madeline…how is everything?"
"Everything is fine."
"Um...good. Listen, I have something I need to tell you."
"What's wrong?"
"When I went to the doctor, they found something."
"What…"
"I'm dying."
"Daddy, please…what's…?"
"I'm not going to make it much longer. I'm wearing an HEV suit and once I get out, I will end up in hospice care. I will not let you see me like this."
Tears ran down Maddie's quivering face.
"No, no, no," she said, crying.
"I'm sorry."
Maddie sobbed.
"Remember Walter?" He continued, "I have to make sure he dies."
"Daddy, no, I want to see you again, please don't do this."
"I have to."
A mix of anger and sadness ran through her.
"Please don't do it," she said.
"Maddie, I'm not going to let this disease win. I'm not going out like this."
Maddie could not find the words due to her uncontrollable sobbing. For the first time in a long time, she shivered and fell to her knees.
"It's my decision," he said, "I have no other choice."
"But I want to see you."
"Maddie listen to me, there's a tape I made just for you. I want you to watch it alone."
"Daddy...no."
"It's over Maddie. I'm going to find Walter and his friends. There's a girl that's with them. She looks like she's your age. I want you to find her after this is over. She is disrespectful, rude, and her relationship with her father is nothing like ours. Her name is Dawn Crenshaw and she needs to be taught some manners. Promise me you will."
Maddie realized there was no choice and no stopping him.
"Okay, I promise," Maddie said.
"Goodbye Maddie."
"Goodbye daddy."
"And remember, I love you with all my heart."
Maddie's tears had caused her mascara to run down her face.
"Daddy, I love you too," she said, sobbing.
Tim hung up. Maddie continued to cry. Then, she looked through her contacts and saw the number for Black Mesa.
At Black Mesa, Barney Calhoun ran across a hallway with a large window that stretched across. He had a rifle with him and saw the commotion down below. Tim was in an HEV suit. Rick tried to stop him but was knocked away. Dawn was shoved near an SUV and grabbed a gun. Barney aimed the rifle at Tim at the same time Dawn pointed her gun at him. Barney fired a shot.
A few days later, Maddie was at Tim's funeral. She felt more anger than sadness even though he was the only person that truly loved her. Only her and Tim's mother, Ellie, an elderly woman in her late 70s, were in attendance. The pastor read the eulogy, but Maddie paid no attention as Ellie cried. After the casket was lowered, Maddie walked away and looked into the distance at the other gravestones. She turned back and saw Ellie still crying. Maddie would have to live with her now.
Det. Rusty Briggs was watching Maddie from the sidewalk. He thought about questioning her, but felt it would give the department bad publicity amid the violent protests against the police. Deep inside, he felt bad for her. He had lost his daughter to a drug overdose a few. Looking at Maddie, the resemblance was uncanny. He knew how she felt and it brought back a painful memory. Then, Maddie put her face into her hands and cried. Rusty thought about comforting her, but instead, he got in his car and drove away. Maddie sobbed and then suddenly stopped. She slowly pulled her hands off her face and smiled. She turned around to where Rusty's car was and saw that he had left.
The next day, after Maddie had moved her belongings into Ellie' house, she went to the bunker. This would still be her place. Maddie found the tape Tim had made but had been unable to play it. She finally hooked the camera up to the TV and pressed play. Tim was there looking down. He took a deep breath and looked into the camera.
"Madeline…"
