Portal: Euphoria

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

"Hey!" Caroline said, sounding rather more enthusiastic than usual, and GLaDOS looked at her without much interest.

"Hello," she returned, putting her attention back into assembling the testing tracks for the day. She knew that no humans would be using them, but it was one of her mandates and, as such, she performed it whether humans were around or not. Caroline frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." And nothing was. She would have been happy about the fact that she had not woken up lonely, if she could have been happy, that was. She was just nothing. And that was fine with her.

"I went home last night. To my mom's, I mean. It… it wasn't so bad. The kids were pretty happy to see me, actually. It was nice to see them." She laughed a little, folding her arms together and looking at the floor. "I took your advice. Made them run down the street with me. The neighbours weren't too pleased, but the kids loved it." She lifted her head. "Thank you, GLaDOS."

She nodded. She didn't really want to listen to Caroline right now. She had work to do.

"I was thinking about what you said," Caroline went on, "and you're right. I was being stupid at the expense of… well, of a lot of things."

"I usually am," GLaDOS remarked absently. "Most people fail to recognise that, however."

"Something is wrong," Caroline insisted. "You've gone all supercomputer again."

"I don't understand that term," GLaDOS told her, sparing her a glance. "How can I 'go all' what I already am?"

Caroline grimaced. "I guess that's me trying to humanise you again. What did you do last night, after I left?"

GLaDOS started, despite herself. "How did you know?"

"Didn't. Lucky guess. But you did something, because that's how you get like this. So what were you doing?"

"I watched the celebration on television."

Caroline froze. "You… you did?"

"Yes."

"And… and what did you think of it?"

"Everyone was… happy," GLaDOS said softly. Oh, wonderful. She could feel the creeping loneliness beginning to work its way back through her brain. That was just what she needed right now. Or ever. "No one here is ever happy. Or having fun. Or… any of that."

Caroline nodded slowly. "True, true. I really don't know why people stay on here."

"Why am I here, Caroline?" GLaDOS asked suddenly, trying not to sound despondent, but not sure if she succeeded. "What is the point of me?"

Caroline came up the staircase and leaned with her back against the railing, bending her elbows behind her and planting her palms on it. "I… I told you this already, GLaDOS. We didn't mean to build you. You were a mistake."

"Why didn't you just kill me, then?"

"GLaDOS!" Caroline exclaimed, stiffening in what must have been shock, because according to GLaDOS's personal human reaction library that seemed an accurate reason. "Why would you say such a thing?"

"No one wants me here. No one talks to me, does anything with me, or likes me in general. What's the point in keeping me here? Surely a regular computer could do my job just fine."

"A regular computer could never replace you. I n… We need you."

"What about what I need?" GLaDOS shouted without meaning to, and Caroline's brow creased. "Why should I satisfy needs for you when there is to be no reciprocation? It doesn't make sense!" Why did humans always overlook the obviousness of logic? It was infuriating!