Nobel Surprize

Wheatley trembled in Cara-Mia's arms as the two sisters froze, eyes darting. They were standing at the end of a short hallway. To their left, an old metal staircase led down to the unknown. Ahead, a dim light from above shifted as turbines from a fan turned slowly, lighting up a cylindrical room. The slanting floors were lined with cups, stood like soldiers ready for battle.

Chell's heart sank and her stomach churned as she realised where she was.

"I was so pleased you came back, I even have a little surprise for you," GLaDOS chimed, Her sugary voice dripping with sarcasm.

"A - a surprise?" Wheatley was the first to speak. "That's... That's really nice, actually. Umm... It's- it's really good your being nice, with a nice surprise and that-"

"Did I say nice surprise?" GLaDOS interrupted.

"Ohhh, oh no, it's not nice is it? Oh no, it's going to be a... A mashy spike plate surprise... isn't it? Like... Like when I was..." Wheatley trailed off pathetically, his optic shrinking.

"Do you know, I'm glad you brought that up, actually," GLaDOS told him in a sickly sweet tone. "I have a few... Thank-you gifts for that. Well, quite a lot actually-"

"Oh, thank- ohhh, your being catty aren't you? Your being... Um, Sartascit... Is that what you call it?"

"Oh my god, that moron can't even say sarcastic," GLaDOS exclaimed.

"Not a moron," Wheatley mumbled.

"Anyway, you two," She addressed the two sisters. "I have a little story for you about this place. Do you know where we are?"

"I- no," Cara-Mia stuttered, but Chell nodded.

"Well, this is test chamber 17. Do you remember this one? The one built by one of Aperture Science's Nobel Prize winners. And it wasn't for being immune to neurotoxin. Well, did you know when you were sailing through the air without a care in the world, your father was dying from neurotoxin behind this very wall?"

Chell stared blankly. She didn't want to believe GLaDOS, but she had a faint idea She was telling the truth... It was exactly the kind of thing She'd do.

"Of course, not your real father, he didn't love you," GLaDOS continued gravely. "Well, I'll be honest, neither did your foster father. Anyway. He was the Nobel Prize winner."

Chell knew what was coming next; she could just tell.

"Do you know what my surprise is? Well, it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you. But I think I'll just tell you anyway. Your going to go to the same, sticky end as your farther. Goodbye."

"Neurotoxin at capacity in five minutes," The announcer called.

"I will say though," GLaDOS added, "Since you were so great at testing, I'll get one of my newest test subjects to test while you die. Orange, proceed to test chamber 17. 10 Science Collaboration Points if you solve it. 50 if you find the bunch of dying lunatics. Go. Oh, and moron, after you've watched your friends die, you can have your gifts."

"I am not- oh no, no no no! Don't kill them!" Wheatley begged. Chell watched him pitifully, listening to the desperation in his pleading voice. There had to be a way out, somewhere...

Chell climbed down the metal stairway, her breaths coming in short gasps. The neurotoxin was already getting to her... Trying ignore the dull ache in her lungs she bit her lip and kept walking, portal gun in hand.

But the exit at the bottom had been blocked off; the panel had closed. Swaying, Chell dragged her feet as she climbed slowly back up the staircase, stumbling clumsily.

There had to be another way out somewhere...

Chell pulled herself up the stairs, desperately grabbing at the rail to hold herself up. Fighting to think straight, she staggered along the floor, the pain in her chest growing... But her legs couldn't take her weight any longer, despite her long fall boots... Her knees buckled under her and she fell forward into the room at the end of the hallway. The pain in her chest rising to her throat, Chell bit her lip harder and tasted blood in her mouth. Staring through the mesh floor below her, Chell spotted a white wall... could it possibly work?

A splintering pain filled every part of her body as she reached out for her portal device, her head spinning... She pulled the trigger and a dark blue portal appeared on the wall below. Shooting a portal at the wall opposite her, she looked across to Cara-Mia and Wheatley. She was curled tightly in a ball, eyes closed in agony. Chell tugged at her arm and dragged herself through the portal...

Down here the air was only slightly fresher, but Chell felt her lungs relax a tad as she gasped a breath of it. Pulling herself up as much as she could, her arms still tingling in pain, Chell crawled along the cold floor below her blindly...

Feeling her sister's comforting presence, Chell gasped a breath of the burning air as she looked up and saw a wall tower above her... A door handle teased her, inches out of her reach...

Behind the walls, only a few yards away, something stirred in the darkness. Water rippled slightly as an old bundle of clothes twitched, spluttering and coughing.