Back To You

12.

The first thing you did when you arrived at the breakroom was destroy the camera. It's remnants were thrown outside just to be sure. GLaDOS probably won't notice since she was busy rebuilding the test chambers.

The dusty burgundy walls and carpeted floor was a sight that was refreshing even though it wasn't exactly the pinacle of interior design. A brown leather sofa; a hardwood coffee table; a water dispenser and what looks like a projector were the first furniture you noticed.
All the feelings of urgency left you. Your body temperature was already rising. You set Wheatley down on the coffee table. Staring blankly at him, you thought about how easy it was to lie there and let the rest of the fluids escape from you. The cuts on your skin never spared you a moment without pain. It was tempting to just sleep. You knew if you did that, there was a chance you would never wake up again.

The good news: the room was in one of the hallways of the facility, it would be easier to find where Jerry was.

The bad news: GLaDOS blocked of both sides of the hall with new panels. She made it so you could only enter from the elevator directly to the room. That was probably what she meant by "fixing up a breakroom". It looked like it was a lounge area that those humans used some time ago.

You let your eyes wander around the room, the fake plants and small wooden cabinets didn't really seem interesting for now. The portal gun sat on the sofa beside you, giving it a bit of rest. It had scuff marks and soot around its white exterior—having been through its rough lifetime, it is much older than you. The gun felt like it belong to someone else.

You were feverish. All your strength was required for you to drag your feet towards the water dispenser. You took a mug from the table beside it and you let the rest of your hand hang by a finger from the button that released the water. A satisfying sound of the liquid filling your logo-printed mug made you close your eyes for a moment, imagining it pouring into one of the puddles that reflected patterns on the wall. The green leaves swaying happily in the sunlight. Moss and ferns.

Gentle blue light in the darkness.

Water poured on your feet and the carpet as it overflowed from your mug, painting the floor with a darker shade of beige. You carefully raised the rim of the mug to your lips, afraid of wasting any more of the dirt-free, parasite-free, and chemical-free water.

You were washed with a cool sense of relief as the water travelled through your dangerously warm body. Unfortunately, it won't stay inside you for long. The cuts still oozed cooling agents from you. It was a waste, really.

You filled your mug again, this time only half-way. Each swig you took, a little more determination returns to you.

You turned to the cabinets that lined the wall  some distance away from the dispenser, intending on finding something useful. You rummaged through the tapes, books and documents, taking a mental note to check them later. Pieces of cloth were found among the office supplies.

You sat down in front of the cabinets and began wrapping the cloth above the larger cuts on your arms. Some hisses of pain and involuntary jolts later, you've done all you could to prevent more water leaks, you felt like you did plumbing on yourself.

You found yourself downing another half-mug of water as a reward for being the best plumber that you knew. The dispenser gave you a bit of a scare when it released a blub!

It was just a bubble. As you calmed down a bit, you noticed something behind the blue-tinted jug that held the water inside.

You peered at it from the side and saw that it was a decently-sized crack on the burgundy wall. It looked like someone deliberately placed the dispenser there to cover it up. It didn't really make a good job at that.

Bingo.

You speed-walked out to where the elevator was, remembering how there was a pile of rubble beside it. Peering at the pile, a thick rod with a bent end caught your attention. It felt similar to the rod you used at the testing tracks a while back, you gave it a swing and a nice pat on your palm.

—

The falling pieces of concrete made frequent muffled taps on the carpeted floor. Each strike deepens the dent that was once just a crack.
You pounded on the wall aggressively, all your anger is directed to it as it helplessly takes every blow. Fine dust settled on your hands.

Just a bit more.

You continued your little steam-blowing session until one of the concrete pieces fell out to the other side. It revealed a bright fluorescent that stood out against the amber light of the breakroom. You went at it again, only stoping until it was a fist-sized hole.
You could see familiar dirty white panels on the other side.

You took the portal gun and fired it through.