Want You Gone

[Chapter Five: The Cold Boot]

During the ride down, I had slumped against the wall of the elevator, letting myself rest, even for just a moment. I was fully aware that I wouldn't have time for it in just a few moments. I began to think that maybe, I would never have time to rest again. The elevator came to a stop, and my eyes opened. the glass doors slid open to reveal one mess of a chamber. It didn't surprise me in the slightest. I expected them all to look that run-down. 

"Sorry about the mess." GLaDOS broke the silence with her apology. I would have thought it sincere if her following remark wasn't as snarky as it was. "I've really let the place go since you killed me. By the way, thanks for that." After her remark, however, I heard a voice that wasn't there previously. One that I had almost forgotten existed. The Announcer chimed in thought the speakers, seemingly talking to GLaDOS. "Sarcasm self test: Complete."

 "Oh good, that's back online. I'll start getting everything else working while you perform this first simple test--" I looked over the room. It seemed simple enough, until the whole chamber began to shake. Rubble fell in and something new seemed to be added to the environment, presumably by GLaDOS. "--which involves deadly lasers and how test subjects react when locked in a room with deadly lasers." as she finished her sentence, a bright red beam shot down at the ground in front of me. I shot a portal directly underneath the laser, as if by instinct. I knew I would have needed it. I continued to look around, spotting a platform on the far side of the room. Obviously, the platform would rise if I could get the laser to shoot into the receptacle on the other side of me. Using this logic, I went to stand on the platform, and shot my remaining portal opposite of the receptacle, so that the laser shone directly into it. As I figured, the platform rose. Too easy. I know what I'm doing here all too well.  

"Not bad. I forgot how good you are at this." GLaDOS praised. I had forgotten as well, but then again, I didn't think I'd ever have to do any of this again. Why try to retain the knowledge? "You should pace yourself, though. We have A LOT of tests to do." She added as the door opened and I proceeded onwards. Yes, I'm aware. Might as well knock them out while I still have the energy.

"This next test involves discouragement redirection cubes. I'd just finished building them before you had your, well, episode. So now we'll both get to see how they work. There should be one in the corner." I stepped on into chamber number two, and sure enough, there in the corner, was a little cube. The purpose of it was to redirect the lasers. I want about my business. More lasers, more receptacles, more platforms to raise, more doors to open, so on and so forth. I became lost in thought as I worked through the chamber. It occurred to me: What am I going to eat? Drink? How long will I actually last here? Then something snapped me out of it. It wasn't a voice this time, but a wall panel. In the corner where I had gotten the cube, I saw movement behind a wall panel, before it was quickly snapped shut. I wanted to investigate, but I shoved it to the back of my mind. But I couldn't quite shake the thought. Is something else back there?

I got through the test, and was met with the same sarcastic tone. Every time, it was something new. A taunt, an insult. Always something. GLaDOS seemed to posses more sass than was necessary for a robot. "Well done. Here come the test results: You are a horrible person. I'm serious, that's what it says: A horrible person. We weren't even testing for that." I gave the camera a glare, and definitely not a friendly one. As much as I liked the thought of other beings in the sad building with me, I would take dead silence over her constant remarks. I was quite sure she wouldn't let me have that. 

There was a long moment of silence on the elevator ride to the next chamber, as if she realized that I wasn't too jazzed about her endless stream of insults. When I stepped into the room, I heard the beep signifying that she was back online. "Don't let that 'horrible person' thing discourage you. It's just a data point." I huffed. Thank you GLaDOS, that makes it much better. At first, I was wondering if she actually felt bad for poking fun at me. "If it makes you feel any better, science has now validated your birth mother's decision to abandon you on a doorstep." My eyes widened as I stared up at the camera in front of the door. I opened my mouth to speak, but once more, to no avail. This time though, I managed a noise most resembling a squeak. I wasn't pleased with her banter at first, but now it was starting to frustrate me. My family life is none of your business!