dusty-writes

[dusty-writes]

Whumptober 2024 - Day One

Take a Deep Breath... and Hold It

“Through twisting hands and choking air, a vulture at the wailing wall, I circled, waiting…” (Wailing Wall - The Cure)

- TW: Major character death, choking, broken neck

- PROMPT: Race Against The Clock

- Fandom: Portal

- Character/s: Chell, GLaDOS

• Word count: 1k

• Written by DustyPineTree (Ao3)

Writing below the cut... enjoy 😉💚

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Cyclosarin.

Cyclohexyl Methylphosphonofluoridate.

C₇H₁₄FO₂P.

A sinister hiss escaped the vents, a sickly green gas tumbling out through the slats and out into the vast chamber below.

A flat, emotionless voice rung out over the speakers.

"Neurotoxin at full capacity in 5:00 minutes."

Trapped within a small glass observation room, housed within the much larger central atrium, was Chell.

With gritted her teeth, her eyes flicked up to the screens on the chamber wall outside. A five minute countdown stared blankly back at her.

Instinctively, she backed away from the glass walls, noting the four misty vents that surrounded her, and the poison drifting carelessly out of them. She swallowed hard, taking in a deep breath of clean air before pulling the collar of her jumpsuit up over her nose. It wouldn’t stop the toxins, but maybe it might buy her some time?

A low, mocking laugh emanated from the giant mass of sentient machinery that loomed above her.

"That won’t work, you know. Cyclosarin is a potent nerve agent developed for use in chemical warfare. Do you really think a thin layer of polycotton will protect you from its effects?"

It wasn't long at all before Chell noticed a faintly fruity smell beginning to take form in the air. Her eyes widened in realisation - if she could smell the toxin… she knew it would already be working away mercilessly inside her body.

She blinked hard. Her eyes had begun to sting and weep from exposure to the gas, and no matter where she looked, there was no way out. After last time, GLaDOS had made sure there was no chance of escape.

Chell slowly shook her head, her denial and tenacity standing firm.

"You might as well give up, you know. You’re only drawing out the inevitable."

"Look around you. You are nothing but a helpless little girl with no one alive to save you."

No portal gun.

No incinerators.

No gaps in the walls, no objects to break out with, no nothing.

The room was devoid of anything other than the floor and the walls themselves.

Chell’s breath hitched as she backed into the centre of her glass cage, her throat becoming dryer and stickier with every quickening breath she took, and no matter how much she tried not to panic - her body was betraying her. She knew she had to breathe slower - the faster she breathed, the quicker the toxin would enter her lungs - yet the harder she tried, the more rapid and uneven they became.

"Now you appear to be gasping for air. A very typical side effect of Cyclosarin. Good. My hypothesis was correct."

Chell shot a dark, loathing glare at GLaDOS, clenching her jaw and failing to hold back a harsh cough. She glanced around, her eyes darting back and forth, up and down, trying to find anything, anything that she could possibly use to escape. A barrage of deep, wrenching coughs took hold of her, forcing her to stumble to the glass for support.

GLaDOS hummed in enjoyment.

"Does it burn? Another test subject tried to tell me it felt like their throat was burning. He didn’t live long enough to finish his sentence, though. How unfortunate."

Oh, did it burn. It felt like her lungs were on fire; every inch, every nerve was white flaming hot and the temperature was only increasing. Her coughs turned into chokes, her breaths into rasps, as she clutched her throat with desperate fingers. Adrenaline was completely in charge now - masking her emotions from the AI was a sentiment she’d long forgotten, as she began to pound desperately on the glass in sheer panic.

She needed air.

She couldn't get out.

She couldn't. Get. Out.

Wide eyes became wider as she threw herself at the other walls, smacking herself into them, banging her fists on them like a caged animal, even dragging her now-bloodied nails against them. Not even a crack.

She slid down the glass. Her knees had buckled beneath her. All that panic had only caused her to breathe in considerably more of the Cyclosarin.

"Neurotoxin at full capacity in 2:00 minutes."

A smirk could clearly be heard through GLaDOS’ voice as she fed hungrily off of Chell's agony. She'd been waiting for this moment… for two hundred years.

"Are you giving up already? Oh. My mistake. You’ve collapsed. That was much faster than I’d anticipated. I'm surprised, really, seeing as your tenacity results were off the scale."

Dark blotches began to creep over the corners of her vision. Breaths had become tight, wheezing, silent pleas. A final last-ditch effort of adrenaline attempted to make her flail to her feet, but it only forced her to come crashing down again. It wasn't long before spasms seized control of her major muscle groups, rendering her immobile on the cold floor. As she became rigid with convulsions, her head smacked onto the tiles beneath her.

Was this really it?

"According to my observations, you have now reached the final stage of Cyclosarin poisoning. What a shame. I was looking forward to watching you fight for your weak little human breaths for just a little while longer."

Eyes bulged, face gaunt. Nothing but grunts forced their way from her lungs, brought out by spasmodic contractions.

A sharp, hot agony crept its way out from deep within her chest. Chell could do nothing but wheeze.

A mechanical claw smashed its way into the room, shattering glass all over her, and gripped her face roughly - forcing her eyes in GLaDOS’ direction.

A tear crept down her cheek.

"Well. It was fun while it lasted. Good riddance, you Monster."

A satisfied, sickening laugh filled the chamber.

"It was nice knowing you."

Chell seized for a minute and a half more, before her body succumbed to the toxins, and fell limp.

The claw violently clamped down around her neck. There was an audible hard crack.

Just as GLaDOS had desired, her sickly yellow optic was the last thing Chell's terrified eyes had seen.