„I hope it will be worth what I give up…" Said Freeman with resignation.
There was a light behind him. He looked at himself again. Feet wearing heavy boots, impressive segments covering his muscular legs and arms. Front chest panel that looks pretty massive but it all really fits like second skin. And that freakin crowbar that always finds a way to get back to him. He weighted it in his hand. The same one…
"My dear friend… This crowbar would have more right to exist if it was a boomerang." He finished this sentence and opened his mouth astonished with his own words. What the hell was he talking about? Boomerangs?
"And what do you give up all your life, the one free man?" Asked smooth voice but Gordon already felt like drifting away into the light, to the other shore…
He heard his own scream. It was like a curse. He had woken himself up with a scream at least dozen of times before. It was cold? No… Too hot? Was he having a fever?
He opened his eyes and immediately immersed into the worst hangover wake up ever. Ever!
"Aaaaaaarghh!" He explained how bad he felt and can someone help him.
There must had been a bunch of people around him. But he couldn't see very well. No! In this reality there was no crowbar, his glasses or freakin comfy and dry H.E.V. He was wet all over? Was this some kind of a bath nightmare?
"Take it easy doc!" Shouted some very familiar voice. And it irritated him.
After a few tests of his mouth movements, he finally expressed his feelings. "What happened? Who are you? Give me my glasses! Am I naked?"
He heard a chocked laugh. It wasn't that funny from his perspective. He taught his unconscious mind to always ask about that, even when he was pissed drunk. It always saved lots of trouble in the future….
From the mass of hands around him, one pair came closer to his face and put his glasses on. So he stopped wriggling and froze to recognize people around him.
Hmmm… That must had been Alyx… Some guy from the Resistance – he also froze and gave Freeman some amusing looks. Was he gay? Never mind! He moved his head a bit up, still lying down. Some more people he couldn't recognize and then he leaned his neck to see who is at the bedhead.
"Aaaa!" Immediately, so many arms grabbed him and put down on the mattress. He could not move much now. They hadn't say a word. It was too creepy! Maybe it was a dream and he was still wearing his suit and holding the crowbar, sleeping in some dark ass room or something?
"Let me go you fuckers! What the hell happened? Have I killed someone or what?" his eyes unintentionally wondered back to Alyx's face and her look said it all. So he panicked even more, totally forgetting he's only in his underwear lying on bed, surrounded by some crazy worshipers of Vortigaunts. Because one of them was standing just over his head.
"Who have I killed this time?" He asked with weak and trembling voice.
"Thanks god, no one yet!" Explained Alyx with some sort of hurt in her voice.
Gordon took a few deep breaths, as he started feeling strangely dizzy. His head felt fuzzy while the alien was chanting something.
White light, like in his dream, started pouring onto his head and along his chest. It was really cold…
Deep, buzzing voice or maybe just a noise filled in his ears. He felt… saved.
"So, are you ready to let it go, finally?" Asked familiar voice from a side. The speaker was hidden in the twilight.
Gordon was there wearing H.E.V. and holding crowbar like nothing happened…. He looked at his hands covered with shiny material of gloves. Much more than he remembered. He looked around and saw nothing but some very abstract shapes and shades of greyish and black… depths…
He felt fear but kept quiet and the voice didn't say anything. So he hit the ground with his boot as hard as he could and it didn't cause any sound. Like the floor was just an illusion.
"Shit."
He got a small enlightenment. Took of his right glove quickly and touched his beard. "Shit!" Shaved so smoothly like rarely ever… Perfect goatee… Something was really wrong here…
"Hell… I can throw away this crowbar." He waved the crowbar with his left hand, demonstrating it to the hiding voice. He threw it to the ground. "You see?"
"No, that wasn't that."
Deep breath. Mixed sounds and pictures… He was back! He was sitting down in the water!
"It's alright Gordon." Said Alyx.
He could barely open his eyes.
"You just have to try harder. You're much better already!"
His feet hurt so badly.