Wheatley trudged on through the heat, begging his legs not to give out underneath him. The sun had set hours ago, and dark grabbed hold of the land. He knew this was about the time humans went to sleep, but he pressed on anyway, refusing to give up. One reason being he needed to find the lady asap. The other reason being he was afraid to sleep, because he might not get back up. Yeah, the darkness made navigation difficult, but all he had to do was continue forward until he found something. He could've sworn he could see a faint bit of light in the distance.
He stumbled over various things. Dips in the ground, sticks, his own legs.
Would it have killed her to at least give me a bloody flashlight? he thought, tripping over another rock. Honestly, she could've provided something.
No, she really couldn't have. She hated him, and that's why she sent him away. He knew that, since she didn't even try to hide it. Still, it seemed kind of rude to dump him out here with absolutely nothing, save for the grey jumpsuit and thin framed glasses. Those weren't really doing him many favors other than keep him warm(ish) and provide him with decent vision. He could still see without the glasses, but it was fuzzier, and gave him a headache.
Oh, man alive she better take one look at me, and forget the whole ordeal. With my luck, probably not. But still... I can dream.
He stumbled over another something, and it sent him towards the ground. He quickly managed to regain his balance before he fell on his face, and whipped around to confront the object. Facing him was a large, partially rotted pile of wood.
"Oi! What's your problem then? You just like seeing me get hurt, don't you?"
Wheatley marched up and kicked the pile of wood.
"You think pain's funny, don't you? How bout now, huh?"
The wood gave no reply, and Wheatley sighed. He sat down in the wheat, and curled his arms around his knees, staring forlornly at the ground.
"I'm never finding her, am I?" he mumbled. "I'm through. I'm gonna die out here, alone."
I deserve it. It's only fair.
He closed his eyes and lifted his head, the soft breeze catching his short, light brown hair.
Never. I'm done.
He opened his eyes to take in his final resting place, and found a rather exceptional sight. He had to do a double take. How did he not see this before? It's right there!
About a mile or two before him, a pretty decently sized town stretched, filling the small valley below. The lights gave off an inviting glow, and he could feel the warmth generating within the many buildings. He did it, he found civilization! Now, was the lady here? She had to be. There's no way she could survive out here without any recourses, and where were resources held? Civilization, that's where.
Every ache in his body was immediately forgotten as he jumped up and prepared himself for the rest of the walk.
Okay, just follow the path, and figure out the rest from there. he told himself. You'll find her, it's just gonna take lot's of asking around.
Wheatley took a steady breath, and marched down the path, on his way to set things right. He just hoped he could find her in this mess.
"Hope! Come get breakfast hun!"
Chell called to her daughter from the back door, and almost instantly she came running, boots caked with mud. She'd been playing in the backyard all morning, while her mother got ready for the day an prepared some pancakes.
"Ooh, did you put-"
"Yes, I put your chocolate chips in them." Chell chuckled. "Eat up quick, cause we're headed to the store today."
"Can we get some more chocolate milk? We haven't had any in ages!" Hope begged.
Chell nodded.
"Alright, that's fine. Just remember that when we get there."
Hope gave a little fist-pump of triumph, and rushed over to the table. Chell took her place across from her and began scarfing down her breakfast.
She ran through the things they needed in the house, until that list became too long to remember without a physical copy. She got up, grabbed a paper and pen from a drawer in the kitchen, and sat back down.
Let's see here. We need milk, eggs, coffee creamer, paper towels- crap.
The pen dried up after jotting down the first few items, and she tried her best to get it to work again. Once certain it was dead, she threw it away and searched for another. She found a pencil that was snapped in half, and figured it would do. Chell sat at the table once more, and continued the list.
Stationary. she added. Sugar, bleach-
There was a loud CRASH and some light cursing from outside. Then, a knock at the door. Chell rolled her eyes and gave an annoyed huff.
Now what?
"I'll get it!" Hope chimed, jumping up from the table.
"It's probably just Gary." Chell sighed. "I guess the mail's running early today."
Hope skipped merrily up to the front door, then opened it. There was a silent pause before she turned back towards her mother, a confused look on her face.
"Mom?"
"Yeah?" Chell answered, still scribbling on the list.
"There's -" she looked back at the door, then lowered her voice to a not-so-quiet whisper. "It's a stranger. This doesn't look like Gary."
"Maybe he's new hun. There's other mailmen besides Gary."
Hope frowned.
"But he looks like a hobo, not a mailman."
Chell continued to focus on the list. Hope stamped her foot in frustration.
"Mom, please just come here."
"Fine, I'm coming." Chell sighed.
Let's just get this over with.
She walked over to the door and pushed it open a bit further. Hope shuffled closely behind her, uncertain of the stranger at the door.
"Okay sir, sorry about that. Anyway, how's your..."
She trailed off once she got a good look at the man. He wore a dirty light gray jumpsuit, and looked like he just crawled out of the trash. His hair was frizzy and unkept, his glasses were smudged, and he seemed exhausted. Just stared, wide-eyed at Chell.
She stepped back in the doorway, and Hope pulled closer to her.
"Um, can I help you?" Chell asked.
He just stood there, fidgeting nervously.
Who the hell is this guy? What's his problem?
She shook her head and began to close the door.
"I don't have time for this. Good day."
He threw a hand out to stop her.
"Wait!" he shouted.
Chell froze right where she was. That voice... it couldn't be. No. It isn't him.
He struggled to find something else to say. It was her. This woman looked just like the lady. It had to be her. But she could speak? Since when could she speak?
"I- lady?"
Oh god. It's him. He's back. Why is he back? What's he doing here?
"Hope, run." she mumbled.
"What?"
"Hope, to your room. Now."
Hope was confused, but ran to her room anyway. Wheatley didn't take any notice, and instead babbled on about how hard it was to get here.
"Oh, you have no idea how much I went through to find you! It took so much bloody time to get all the way here. But I did it! I found you!"
He ran his hands through his hair, grinning like a maniac at her. Meanwhile, Chell was angry. She was angry.
"It's you, oh I can't believe it's you!"
Chell couldn't stand the look on his face. Why was he so happy? Did he honestly think that she'd forget everything he did, just like that? She thought she was mad at him before, but that didn't even hold a candle to what she felt now.
Once he was done rambling, he noticed the look of pure rage on Chell's face.
"Uh, everything alright luv?"
Luv? Okay, that's it.
She lost it. Chell reached out and punched him across the face, causing him to fall back and crash hard against an unforgiving concrete sidewalk. She slammed the door behind her and leaned up against it, bracing herself in case he tried to open it.
Wheatley reached to his face to check the damage. When his hand came back it was covered in blood.
Oh, that's not supposed to- okay.
He got up and tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge.
"I'm sorry luv! I don't understand what I said, but I'm sure I can explain!"
"Luv?" Chell shouted. "You tried to kill me! After about a decade, you come back and think it's a good idea to call me luv?"
A decade? It's been that long? he thought.
"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"
"Oh, and now you're sorry."
Wheatley sighed. He didn't think it would be this hard to talk to her, but apparently fate had another idea.
"How did you find my house?" she asked. "Go back to where you came from! I don't ever want to see you around here again!"
"Luv, I didn't have any choice!"
"I don't care! Get out of here. Get off my porch, out of this town, and out of my life!"
"She sent me!"
Chell went quiet. She? Why would she care about him? That day, she specifically said that he wasn't coming back. She never wanted to see him again, just as Chell did.
"Why would she care? Why should I believe you?"
"Because I'm desperate, okay?" he admitted. "I'm on my knees here luv, literally. I didn't even have these before! I gave everything up to come find you, so please, please at least consider my apology."
He sounded as if he was almost in tears, and she could hear him cursing under his breath at his "stupid emotions".
Chell hated him. She didn't care if he was on his knees. She wouldn't care even if he was dying on her doorstep.
"No."
Her voice was loud and firm.
"No, not after what you did. I have a life now, and I don't want or need you in it."
"Mommy? Who is he?"
Chell was startled by Hope's voice. She turned around to find her standing in the living room, trying to look out the front window to see him.
"Hope, you need to go back to your room now, okay? Just let mom handle this."
"Who is he?" she repeated.
"Nobody. Now-"
"He looks sad mommy. Did you hurt him?"
Chell felt a bit of her heart break at the upset tone in her daughter's voice. She couldn't actually care about him, right? She didn't know him.
"Hope, please just stay out of it. He's not important."
Hope turned away from the window and looked up at her mother with sad, innocent eyes.
"But you told me all people are important. You said that all lives have value. Why is he different?"
"He's not like us."
"But I heard it. You know him."
"Yes, but when I knew him he was mean. He's cruel and unfair. I don't want him around you."
Hope glanced back out the window at Wheatley. He was sitting on the ground, defeated and curled up into a ball.
"He doesn't look like any of those things to me."
Chell sighed. There's no way she was getting out of this.
"Can we let him in?" Hope asked.
"Oh no. No we don't. I am not letting him in."
"Please? He's hurt. He needs help!"
Ugh, why did I have to go and raise her to be so nice?
