Subject 3281; Chell's Story

Showers and Shame

The next minute seemed to go by in a flash.

Subject 3279 jumped off his platform, jogged over to the large metal sphere that had been dispensed at the joint activation of their buttons, held it suspended in midair using his portal gun's energy beam, and turned a silent glance her way. Her presence in the current instance appeared to be a mandatory component to his co-operation. Subject 3281 staggered over to the edge of the precipice, careful to keep the serious injury her head had recently received in mind, but she hardly felt any pain—no sharp stabbing sensation at least—'till she slid off the edge and landed in a heap on the floor.

She grimaced, and clutched her head, re-opening the nearly scabbed-over wound in her head. Her boots had absorbed just about all of the impact of the fall itself, but her legs had apparently decided that they had had enough of supporting her weight, and she had collapsed; sending a jolt up her body, and agitating the recent collision site in the front of her scull. She could hear her partner coming her way but the sound of his footsteps stopped halfway, as the pain in her head had subsided, and she was beginning to stand.

She was able to get to her feet relatively easily, and walked with a sure—if not quick—stride to her partner. He gave her a sharp nod, muttered, "Quick recovery," and turned to face what she could only assume was the sphere's receptacle. With a small buzz, he released the metal sphere from it's energy field, and it fell into its waiting repository with a resounding, clunk.

"You did an—excellent—job placing the edgeless safety cube in the receptacle," said the voice—Her voice—from above them, "you should be—very—proud."

Although her partner obviously still resented her brushing him off in her time of need, Subject 3281 through a glance his way. What did he think of this computer's approbation? His reaction was not one she would've expected of him; though it was almost perfectly consistent with what she knew of herself. The boy looked to the camera, nodded once, and threw a quick glance his partner's way. She narrowed her eyes.

There was something in the boy's gaze besides brevity; something that didn't usually spring from approbation or praise... Was that apprehension or indignation? Curiosity or amusement? Anxiety, or just plain fear? Whatever it was, it seemed directed not at the voice, but at herself, which seemed to her rather strange. Why would her partner point such a mixture of emotions her way, and why was fear the great underlying beast of the bunch?

Click. Shhhhh—

All thoughts and feelings were instantly put aside however, as the exit door at the far end of the chamber—She had referred to it as the 'chamberlock'—slid open, and the two were greeted with a surprisingly familiar sight. Three dark gray walls, two bunks, two holes, and a back wall that—No, she scolded herself, staring determinately at the room's gray tiled floor. Don't think about it, don't think about it! You don't need your head to flare up again, now do you?

As Subject 3281 stepped into the new sleeping room, she threw a glance over her shoulder to her partner. Apprehension could now be seen clearly in the contours of his face, but within two seconds he had joined her in the room. They both turned to face the newly closed 'chamberlock', and Subject 3281 finally looked up. She had been staring at the ground ever since her entrance into the room for fear of triggering another wave of pain upon beholding the wall at the back which was, unfortunately, just like all the others; a lighter shade of gray than the surrounding walls, oddly textured, appeared on occasion to change color, and, above all, radiated a sense of malice that had made her head throb even before her injury.

The room began to move downward at a crawl. Subject 3281, sensing the improbability of a short journey, turned and stationed herself on her cot. Her left arm was halfway to its hole on the wall, when she noticed what was written on it;