Chapter Text
Things here can happen in an instant… One moment, you’re alone with no one but your thoughts. The next, you could have multiple different scientists in one room… All of them focused on you…
Of course, not because they care about you or anything like that. Merely because you’re their little lab rat to test on. A new project.
The start of something new…
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Glados woke up in a haze… She could barely see anything… all colors mixing into a blur...
She could feel things though before seeing… it felt like she was in some sort of liquid in a rather small space… She had a mask on her face so she could breathe and was in some sort of gown… it looked like those gowns at hospitals. Patches were put on her back and upper chest to keep track of her vitals. She had some sort of feeding tube going into her stomach as well…
She had light brown eyes and brown hair that went a bit past her shoulders.
Eventually, her eyes adjusted and she saw everything that was in the room and… people?
Were they talking to each other?...
They were standing side by side… looking at her. One was taking notes, while the other stepped a bit closer with a soft smile…
He had dark brown hair and green eyes. He was dressed in a nice shirt and a lab coat with his name tag and the Aperture logo attached.
Softly, he spoke, “Hello little one…”
The other scientist interrupted, “Little one? Nick, this thing isn’t your child you know?-”
“Aaron, she’s five years old and just been woken up again after about six months-”
He rolled his eyes, “Whatever. Remember to take it out of the cryo-tube and do the basic tests on it before you decide to leave for the night.”
Nick only gave a small nod, not turning to look at him… he looked upset?...
Was he upset at the other scientist? Was he upset with her somehow? Did she do something wrong?... Or maybe he isn’t upset? Maybe a different emotion?...
Glados didn’t understand… She didn’t understand other people’s emotions… Why they act certain ways…
Was she supposed to? Is she supposed to know how emotions work? What each emotion is?...
She doesn’t quite know if she is feeling emotions right now, or even what the emotions are…
She feels so new to the world… Barely knows a thing…
Nick sighed lightly and looked back up at her… shaking his head a bit before going over to a computer to drain the stabilizing fluid out of the cryo-tube she is in.
Glados was still looking around in curiosity before feeling herself lower down to the floor of the cryo-tube. The air felt cold on her skin and her hair was soaking wet…
Soon, the tube opened and Nick helped her out, walking her over to a bed and wrapping her up in a towel in the process. He went over to a drawer and put on some latex gloves, starting to get some items out. The objects consisted of an IV, some vials, and some injections.
He put down all the items onto a tray and set it down on a table beside him once he moved over to sit beside Glados.
Hesitantly, he grabbed the IV and started to look for a vein in her wrist… He didn’t want to hurt her, but he didn’t really have a choice… He doubted she even knew what pain was yet…
Glados sat there completely clueless, unsure of what to expect…
Nick sighed lightly before lining up the needle, “You might feel a quick pinch…”
The only response to his words was a slight tilt of her head… What was he saying?... She didn’t understand…
As soon as she felt the needle of the IV puncture her skin though, a few tears appeared in her eyes, but she didn’t make a sound… strange…
She wanted to make some sort of sound to show she was in pain, but… she physically couldn’t.
Why couldn’t she say anything?? Why can’t she understand anything?-
She was so disoriented and overwhelmed…
“It’s ok! You’re done…” Nick tried to reassure her… He did notice her fear and pain...
Glados’ attention went back up to him, a confused look on her face… Everything was stressing her out…
Slowly, she tried to stand and back away from him… She ended up falling to the ground before taking a step…
Nick quickly grew concerned for her… maybe a bit guilty too… “Hey, it’s okay… You don’t have to be scared of me- I won’t hurt you...” He was speaking calmly and quietly to her…
Glados kept scooting herself back into a corner… hugging her legs up to her and staring at the ground with tears running down her face...
Nick decided to stop trying to talk, seeing how scared she seemed… He made her scared…
Who could blame her? She doesn’t quite know anything yet… not even simple things like talking… By the looks of it, she had no idea what he was saying to her…
He sighed a bit and ran a hand down his face… He couldn’t help but feel bad for the poor girl… No one else even sees her as a person. She doesn’t even have a family of her own. She has never seen the outside world and most likely isn’t going to for a very long time…
At times like these, Nick wished he didn’t even step foot in Aperture, knowing the cruel tests and experiments they do here…
Unexpectedly, Aaron, the other scientist in the room before, knocked on the door and came in to inform Nick of something, “The place is closing soon you know? Are you going to get ready to leave for the night or what?”
Nick turned to him and nodded, “Right… I’ll be leaving in a moment…”
Aaron only nodded and sighed before stepping back outside and walking off to leave…
Nick rubbed the back of his head a bit before taking off his lab coat and putting on his coat. He switched on a nightlight for Glados so she isn’t just left in a completely dark room. Once he made his way back to the door, he gave one last glance at Glados, who was still in that same position on the ground…
The only sound that came from him was a light sigh before turning the light off and closing the door behind him… making his way out of the building…
Now, Glados was truly alone…