Still Here

An Introduction to the System

"Why not?" Saxon whined. He looked down at Chell from the rafters with an expression that could be considered to be pathetic. It's rather hard to read the moods of a green optic sensor. "Come on, Chell!"

Chell ignored the adventurous core's pleas and instead focused on the project at hand. She had to get this done today, or it'd mean more time testing tomorrow. Though no longer limited to tests, Chell would always be a subject in GlaDoS's eye. She was required to complete three tests every morning for fitness and (you guessed it) science. Incomplete work counted against her, which meant more time testing the next day.

Chell never showed it, but the tests absolutely terrified her. The idea of going back each day was like getting shot in the gut.

A voice pulled Chell back out from her thoughts.

"Chell?" Saxton asked obnoxiously.

She was not going to respond to him.

"Chell."

No way.

"Chell~~~~~~~~~~"

Not a chance.

"Cheeeeeeeellllllllllllllllllllllllllllll."

Just ignore him.

"Chell~"

No.

"Chell~"

No.

"Chell~"

No.

"Chell~"

No.

"Ch—"

"FINE!"

The green core jolted in suprise, Chell did not yell often. Even after GlaDoS restored her voice, Chell avoided talking as much as possible. It made her throat ache, and her voice sounded scratchy and broken.

Shouting? Hurts like hell.

Chell got up from her swivel chair, leaving an incomplete Epsilon on her workbench. This was the fourth time the white core had malfunctioned this week. He had to be shut off for this repair, as Chell was fixing his central motor system.

One job of Chell's was repairing and maintaining the "defective" cores. If she didn't fix them, their parts would be recycled into the facility. Chell could never let that happen. As much as they could annoy her...