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It was Carly’s 18th birthday. She wanted to do something interesting. It had been years since she and her father were trapped in the laboratories away from the rest of the world when GLaDOS went rogue, killing almost everyone inside. The last time the teenager felt a cool breeze or the warm sun had been when she was six years old.
Deciding that going outside was exactly what she wanted, Carly went to one of the laboratory’s mini kitchens. If she made him a nice breakfast while asking it might make it easier to get him to agree. Carly searched the little room until she found the dried powdered eggs they sometimes ate, and in a cupboard, an old bag of flour. It wouldn’t be perfect but she could make some scrambled eggs and pancakes as her bribe breakfast.
It took her several attempts to get them just right, but eventually it all looked almost edible. She tidied up, grabbed the plate of food and went to go find her father.
Choosing her words carefully, she approached him with the plate. “Dad, I was wondering,” she started, tucking a bit of red hair behind her ear, “if for my birthday we could… go outside?”
“Carly, that’s dangerous; you know how GLaDOS is about letting people out,” her father argued, looking up from screwing panels together on a turret.
Carly’s sighed, she knew he was just trying to keep her safe, something that wasn’t easy to do living in Aperture, but she really wanted to explore outside. “It will only be a little peek, I haven’t been outside since I was younger!” The red head was the man’s only known family so it was almost certain he was going to keep her in the labs, but she still had to try. Maybe he could bend slightly, just this once. Take a risk. It was her birthday after all. “It’ll be so quick! GLaDOS will be busy with other test subjects that she’ll never even notice!”
Greg removed his glasses to rub his eyes and temple. It wasn’t the first time she’d asked to see the outside world, but the tired scientist knew this time she would keep trying to work him down, asking him to let her out for her birthday. If he was with her he would be able to yank her back inside if something went wrong. Placing his glasses back on, Greg fixed his daughter with a defeated frown. “Fine. But just a peek.”
“Thank you dad!” the red-headed teen exclaimed, hugging her father. She then left him to finish his work, and breakfast, for now.
Later, when GLaDOS was indeed focusing on some of the other test subjects, Greg grabbed a few emergency items before taking his daughter to one of the exits in the top floor of the labs.
Carly’s dad unlocked the door before opening it just enough to peek around the edge. Nothing nearby appeared to be moving, so he took cautious steps out. As they stepped out, Greg kept hold of his daughter’s hand to keep her from running off or to pull her back inside if he spotted something suspicious or dangerous while his eyes darted everywhere for any signs of trouble.
The pair crept out into the unknown, looking around any time there was a crinkling crunching sound on the brown and dead leaves scattered around on the ground. Each time they didn’t see anything to have caused it. The outside world seemed abandoned.
Venturing out further, Carly saw a flash of movement. She dropped her father’s hand to get a better look. “Carly, Carly get back here!” her father hissed quietly so as not to draw the attention of anything nearby. Carly waved a hand that she was fine and continued to investigate.
As she walked closer she saw what looked like a homeless person eating road kill. Upon closer inspection Carly could see that the person was ripping out handfuls of bloody entrails of a dead body, and ravenously stuffing them into his mouth. He didn’t even seem to swallow, he just ripped and stuffed, tore and stuffed. Carly covered her mouth to stifle a gag. Her instinct was to spin around and run back to the labs. Leaving the safety of their underground shelter had been a huge mistake. Her father was right! But running away would surely attract attention.
“Come back… Slowly… don’t make any sudden movements or sounds.” The hushed, stilted voice of her father came from behind her. Carly backed up from the horrific and bloodied sight, edging closer to her father before the creature snapped its head up from its prey. “Run, Carly run - Now!” The red-head didn’t need to be told twice, she turned and bolted back for the labs, her father quickly behind her.
Was it following them? Did it resume its… meal? Neither one even dared a glance back at the creature for fear of losing speed and seeing it right behind them, snapping at their heels.
They rushed back to the lab entrance, shoving aside brush, ignoring the crunch of dead leaves. Slamming the door they leaned against it, panting. After catching their breath, Greg and his daughter walked back down into the depth of Aperture. They were inside again, but after a scare like that they weren’t going to feel safe until they were no longer on ground level. They made sure every door they passed through closed firmly, and then locked, just to be sure.