Llama
Tank
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Right, the first short story i've been working on, not sure where to post it as it isnt HL fan fiction (thought It uses references from HL 1+2, including g-man speeches), give me your views. I think it's fairly crap but hey, at least I tried 
(Note, I dont take any responciblity for the phrases / Names used by Valve Software / Id Software.)
October 31st, 1999 - An ordinary night for Halloween - or so it seemed. James Liner and Mark Kennedy crept through the darkness of Webster’s forest. The sky was completely clear, dappled moonlight falling softly onto the thick, crunching carpet of leaves. Mark and James had one mission, and that was to investigate the local mineshaft. James, who was only thirteen years old, was the older, and braver, of the pair. He spoke in a hushed voice as they slowly made their way through the woods, guided by the worn, ancient footpaths.
“They say that the mines closed down in 1840, after a little ‘incident’. Twelve miners vanished while working a night shift. They were never seen again.”
Marks eyes widened, but he hid his fear from James as they crept toward the base of the first shaft. “What happened to the Miners?”
“No-one knows” Replied James. “They never found the bodies”
“Bodies? What happened?”
“That’s why we are here, dumbo. I’m gonna find out. Are you,or are you chicken? Hurry up”
Mark shook his head. He was no chicken. Besides, what could possibly go wrong?
As they reached the base of the seemingly bottomless shaft, James took off his backpack, pulling out two grappling hooks, and several dozen metres of rope. Both boys were experienced cavers, so would have no problem rappelling down the shaft. James was awarded the honour of edging down first, following a second later by Mark. The vertical passage began to thin and compress as they slipped further down into the abyss below. Without warning, the boys’ tranquil journey was halted painfully by a solid granite floor. They now sat at the base of a huge cave. All around them were hundreds of stone pillars, carved in perfect precision to each other, with intricate patterns warping their otherwise plain features.
“Holy God,” breathed Mark. “What is this place?”
James, however, was not in the mood to answer. The moonlight that was streaming through the mineshaft had just shown a problem – the ropes had given way, and the boys were now stuck three hundred feet below the surface. James turned to Mark, who was still blissfully unaware of their problem. “Mark…we have to find an alternate way out” Mark gazed up for a second, groaned, and banged his head against the floor. He obviously got the message. “Come on, get up” James pulled his moaning colleague up, and they began to circle the area. It was when Mark first let out a high pitched scream that James turned round. What he saw then paralysed every bone, every muscle in his body. A narrow corridor, leading off the side of the main chasm. Its every inch of wall space covered in bone. Human bone. “What did you say about the Miners” James had read the books on the legend of Webster’s mine. It was said that the miners discovered a hidden passageway to what they called “The Dreamworld” It was also said that the creatures that dwelt in the Dreamworld were far from friendly. But this knowledge was overwritten by an urge within him to find out what lay behold the passage. He crept forward. “Come on” he shouted. “We have to see what’s in here!” Mark’s face contorted. His every impulse was not to follow, but he couldn’t leave his friend behind. It was a mistake that would cost him dearly…
The passage that they entered was lined with flickering torches. It had narrowed to the point the boys where shuffling on their sides in single file. It seemed to go on forever. Again, the corridor opened out. And again, it opened out into a chamber. But what the boys saw was not cause for celebration. The entire chamber was empty, dominated by a single, central pillar. The most magnificent thing the boys had ever seen. It was huge, entirely crafted with what seemed to be glass. The walls around it where equally decorated by what appeared to be basic forms of hieroglyphs. However, the hieroglyphs themselves where covered in messages, written in what appeared to be blood. Messages of hatred. Torment. Anger. Mark gulped. “I think we had better go ba-” His words cut off when he turned around. The passage had been blocked off, replaced by solid wall.
A hideous, ear-splitting roar filled the air, uttering the words “Suffer….burn….DIE…..”
“James, we have to leave this place, NOW!” But his cries went unnoticed. The glass pillar began to split in two, filling the chamber with blindingly intense white light, pulling its screaming victims towards it. Within seconds it was all over. The pillar closed its doorway, darkness overcame the light. The passage reopened, its torches diminished. High above, in Webster’s forest, clouds swamped the moon.
It will happen again. Webster’s forest has claimed many victims. James and Mark were not the first. The Dreamworld will take another victim, on another moon. It will lie in wait, until again discovered…and the midsummer nights dream will live.
James and Mark were still alive, but only just. James’s eyes began to open as he slipped in and out on consciousness. All he could see was grey. They were lying on top of a pile of rubble. It was a city. High rise buildings all around them. Car wrecks littered the roads. The entire place was deserted. All except for one man, standing upon the roof of one of the buildings. Mark was still knocked out, so James could only watch as the man approached the edge. He looked around to the left, and then to right- Then threw himself off.
James could only watch as horror as he fell towards the earth. The sound he made when he hit the ground was too much for James. He collapsed on the floor, weeping silently. It is highly likely that he would have continues to do so, if not he were rudely interrupted by a slap to the face. A man in an immaculately tailored dark blue suit stood over him. He appeared to be fairly old, at least 50. His face was withered and he seemed very frail, but his cold grey eyes were burning with an aura of power. He was clutching a briefcase in one hand, but pulled James to his feet with an almost frightening lack of effort. He crouched over Mark, who awoke immediately, then straightened up. “Let’s go.” James stood perplexed.
“Who are you?” The man grimaced, straightening his tie. “That, my friend, is irrelevant. What IS relevant is that you and your accomplice are the only two living creatures in this entire world. Whether or not you want to get back to your homes now rests on your co-operation. Do as I say…or suffer the punishment”
James stood standing for a second. How did he know where they came from? What did he mean they where the only ‘living’ inhabitants of the area? And what was the punishment? However, he had no time for contemplation. The man had began to stroll down the pavement, and Mark was following.
They walked for hours, until the sun had become a blood red streak on the horizon. The man turned off into a side road, into the entrance of what looked like a car park. They continued to walk, level after level. After 7 levels of striding the man stopped. Mark and James followed suit. The man turned round to face them. “Look to your left. You will need what’s in there” The boys obligingly turned around. All that seemed to be was there was a damp cardboard box. Unfortunately, that really WAS all that was there. The man had disappeared. Panicking, they rushed over to the boxes and peered inside. Inside was a pair of steel baseball bats. “Why would we need these?” Mark breathed. But his question was answered before James had a chance to move his lips. Answered by a low, throbbing moan. The boys spun round, just in time to see it crawling out of the shadows.
It was bipedal, just the similarities with the boys ended there. It must have been 7 feet tall. Its hide was a mass of black scales. What appeared to be clustered red eyes were burning in its skull. It gave out a low hiss, and started to shamble over. James didn’t stop to think. He leapt forward and slung his bat as hard as he could at its head. It certainly did damage, twisting its neck round. But it didn’t stop turning. Within a second it had revolved around completely, its twisted features once again facing James.
“Um, mark….why isn’t it dead yet?”
“I dunno. Umm…run?”
“Yeah”
The boys turned round and sprinted as fast as they could away from the beast. They hurled themselves up the concrete steps until they reached the top floor. They could hear the creature shambling up the stairs. They had to think quickly. James peered upwards. A large concrete tube was suspended by a thin wire. “Mark, when I say now, whack that wire as hard as you can with the bat, ok?” Mark nodded.
As the creature exited the steps James could clearly see that a huge hole had been torn out of its face by his bat. “Okay, Mark, ready….NOW!” He and Mark flung their bats at the wire cable with all their might. It snapped, sending the concrete flying into the creature. It ripped through its stomach and impaled it against a wall. Even as it started to thrash around, a familiar white light struck them, blinded the boys instantly. As everything faded to black, an all to recognizable voice began to slice through the air.
“Wisely done, Mr Liner.” It was the business-like man from the Car park. “That was quite a nasty piece of work you managed over there, I am impressed…”
In a flash, the two boys where once again stood at the top of the car park, with the creature thrashing on the adjacent wall. But this time, they where gazing into the cold eyes of the business man, as a door concealed in the concrete slid open, revealing nothing but light.
“That’s why I’m here Mr.Liner. I have recommended your services to my…employers, and they have authorized me to offer you survival, they agree with me that you have limitless potential” James could still barely see a thing, but he managed to grab hold of Mark as the man continued to talk.
“You’ve proved yourself decisive boys so I don’t expect you’ll have any trouble deciding what to do. If you’re interested just step through the doorway and I will take that, as a yes…Otherwise, well…I can offer you a battle you have no chance of winning.” He gestured over to the creature on the wall which was, despite the fact it was impaled through the stomach, beginning to rip itself off. “Rather an anti climax after what you’ve just survived…” James had no choice. It was uncertainty and most probably death - or certain death. He grasped Mark by the hand, and led him through the doorway…
James’s head began to pound. Every square centimetre of his flesh was searing, his temples throbbing. The white light began to fade, replaced with…sand. He lay face down. He lifted his head an inch of the ground. Nothing. Just an endless sea of desert, bright blue sky blazing overhead. It was only then that James realized he was alone.
“Mark? MARK! Where are you?”
No-one. Nothing. James was alone in the baking hot Sun. He began to crawl forward. It felt as though the clothes were slowly burning of his back, he had never experienced pain like this in his life. It wasn’t only the physical torture he could feel. He knew Mark was dead. He had no proof, but something within him told him that he had gone forever. Something glistened on the horizon. What could it be? Water perhaps? James began to crawl towards it. He struggled for hours, desperately defying the urge to give in. After what seemed almost like an eternity, the sand beneath him became to slope downwards. It was what looked like a crater of some sorts. And directly in the centre was…a lump. Before he could reach it, he felt his leg scrape painfully on the sand. Blood began to leak out, washing away a thin layer of dust and sand to reveal bare, rough rock. There was something different about this rock. It was covered in Hieroglyphics. The same that he had encountered in Webster’s Mine. Webster’s Mine. It seemed like only hours ago. Mark was with him then, wasn’t he? A tear rolled down his cheek and onto the ground below James, before it was almost instantly evaporated. Whatever that lump was it had to be something. James began to edge towards it. His legs felt as though they had been torn apart, the harsh rock face rubbing and scrapping them raw. The ‘object’ James was aiming for was only a foot away now. It was covered in a damp dirty cloth. James reached out his arm, and tugged off the cloth. His eyes widened. It was a stone heart. James began to panic. Where was the answer to his problems? Where was civilization? Where was the water he so desperately needed?
Before he had a chance to think, he reached out and grabbed the heart firmly in his hand. A horrible wave of cold swept over him. His eyes began to slip out of focus, his eyes filling with a noise of unimaginable horror. The screams of thousands, the deaths of millions, it seemed to resemble. He had no control. The screams became deafening, the heat overpowering – And the child knew no more.
(Note, I dont take any responciblity for the phrases / Names used by Valve Software / Id Software.)
Chapter 1
October 31st, 1999 - An ordinary night for Halloween - or so it seemed. James Liner and Mark Kennedy crept through the darkness of Webster’s forest. The sky was completely clear, dappled moonlight falling softly onto the thick, crunching carpet of leaves. Mark and James had one mission, and that was to investigate the local mineshaft. James, who was only thirteen years old, was the older, and braver, of the pair. He spoke in a hushed voice as they slowly made their way through the woods, guided by the worn, ancient footpaths.
“They say that the mines closed down in 1840, after a little ‘incident’. Twelve miners vanished while working a night shift. They were never seen again.”
Marks eyes widened, but he hid his fear from James as they crept toward the base of the first shaft. “What happened to the Miners?”
“No-one knows” Replied James. “They never found the bodies”
“Bodies? What happened?”
“That’s why we are here, dumbo. I’m gonna find out. Are you,or are you chicken? Hurry up”
Mark shook his head. He was no chicken. Besides, what could possibly go wrong?
***
“Holy God,” breathed Mark. “What is this place?”
James, however, was not in the mood to answer. The moonlight that was streaming through the mineshaft had just shown a problem – the ropes had given way, and the boys were now stuck three hundred feet below the surface. James turned to Mark, who was still blissfully unaware of their problem. “Mark…we have to find an alternate way out” Mark gazed up for a second, groaned, and banged his head against the floor. He obviously got the message. “Come on, get up” James pulled his moaning colleague up, and they began to circle the area. It was when Mark first let out a high pitched scream that James turned round. What he saw then paralysed every bone, every muscle in his body. A narrow corridor, leading off the side of the main chasm. Its every inch of wall space covered in bone. Human bone. “What did you say about the Miners” James had read the books on the legend of Webster’s mine. It was said that the miners discovered a hidden passageway to what they called “The Dreamworld” It was also said that the creatures that dwelt in the Dreamworld were far from friendly. But this knowledge was overwritten by an urge within him to find out what lay behold the passage. He crept forward. “Come on” he shouted. “We have to see what’s in here!” Mark’s face contorted. His every impulse was not to follow, but he couldn’t leave his friend behind. It was a mistake that would cost him dearly…
***
A hideous, ear-splitting roar filled the air, uttering the words “Suffer….burn….DIE…..”
“James, we have to leave this place, NOW!” But his cries went unnoticed. The glass pillar began to split in two, filling the chamber with blindingly intense white light, pulling its screaming victims towards it. Within seconds it was all over. The pillar closed its doorway, darkness overcame the light. The passage reopened, its torches diminished. High above, in Webster’s forest, clouds swamped the moon.
It will happen again. Webster’s forest has claimed many victims. James and Mark were not the first. The Dreamworld will take another victim, on another moon. It will lie in wait, until again discovered…and the midsummer nights dream will live.
Chapter 2
James and Mark were still alive, but only just. James’s eyes began to open as he slipped in and out on consciousness. All he could see was grey. They were lying on top of a pile of rubble. It was a city. High rise buildings all around them. Car wrecks littered the roads. The entire place was deserted. All except for one man, standing upon the roof of one of the buildings. Mark was still knocked out, so James could only watch as the man approached the edge. He looked around to the left, and then to right- Then threw himself off.
James could only watch as horror as he fell towards the earth. The sound he made when he hit the ground was too much for James. He collapsed on the floor, weeping silently. It is highly likely that he would have continues to do so, if not he were rudely interrupted by a slap to the face. A man in an immaculately tailored dark blue suit stood over him. He appeared to be fairly old, at least 50. His face was withered and he seemed very frail, but his cold grey eyes were burning with an aura of power. He was clutching a briefcase in one hand, but pulled James to his feet with an almost frightening lack of effort. He crouched over Mark, who awoke immediately, then straightened up. “Let’s go.” James stood perplexed.
“Who are you?” The man grimaced, straightening his tie. “That, my friend, is irrelevant. What IS relevant is that you and your accomplice are the only two living creatures in this entire world. Whether or not you want to get back to your homes now rests on your co-operation. Do as I say…or suffer the punishment”
James stood standing for a second. How did he know where they came from? What did he mean they where the only ‘living’ inhabitants of the area? And what was the punishment? However, he had no time for contemplation. The man had began to stroll down the pavement, and Mark was following.
They walked for hours, until the sun had become a blood red streak on the horizon. The man turned off into a side road, into the entrance of what looked like a car park. They continued to walk, level after level. After 7 levels of striding the man stopped. Mark and James followed suit. The man turned round to face them. “Look to your left. You will need what’s in there” The boys obligingly turned around. All that seemed to be was there was a damp cardboard box. Unfortunately, that really WAS all that was there. The man had disappeared. Panicking, they rushed over to the boxes and peered inside. Inside was a pair of steel baseball bats. “Why would we need these?” Mark breathed. But his question was answered before James had a chance to move his lips. Answered by a low, throbbing moan. The boys spun round, just in time to see it crawling out of the shadows.
It was bipedal, just the similarities with the boys ended there. It must have been 7 feet tall. Its hide was a mass of black scales. What appeared to be clustered red eyes were burning in its skull. It gave out a low hiss, and started to shamble over. James didn’t stop to think. He leapt forward and slung his bat as hard as he could at its head. It certainly did damage, twisting its neck round. But it didn’t stop turning. Within a second it had revolved around completely, its twisted features once again facing James.
“Um, mark….why isn’t it dead yet?”
“I dunno. Umm…run?”
“Yeah”
The boys turned round and sprinted as fast as they could away from the beast. They hurled themselves up the concrete steps until they reached the top floor. They could hear the creature shambling up the stairs. They had to think quickly. James peered upwards. A large concrete tube was suspended by a thin wire. “Mark, when I say now, whack that wire as hard as you can with the bat, ok?” Mark nodded.
As the creature exited the steps James could clearly see that a huge hole had been torn out of its face by his bat. “Okay, Mark, ready….NOW!” He and Mark flung their bats at the wire cable with all their might. It snapped, sending the concrete flying into the creature. It ripped through its stomach and impaled it against a wall. Even as it started to thrash around, a familiar white light struck them, blinded the boys instantly. As everything faded to black, an all to recognizable voice began to slice through the air.
“Wisely done, Mr Liner.” It was the business-like man from the Car park. “That was quite a nasty piece of work you managed over there, I am impressed…”
In a flash, the two boys where once again stood at the top of the car park, with the creature thrashing on the adjacent wall. But this time, they where gazing into the cold eyes of the business man, as a door concealed in the concrete slid open, revealing nothing but light.
“That’s why I’m here Mr.Liner. I have recommended your services to my…employers, and they have authorized me to offer you survival, they agree with me that you have limitless potential” James could still barely see a thing, but he managed to grab hold of Mark as the man continued to talk.
“You’ve proved yourself decisive boys so I don’t expect you’ll have any trouble deciding what to do. If you’re interested just step through the doorway and I will take that, as a yes…Otherwise, well…I can offer you a battle you have no chance of winning.” He gestured over to the creature on the wall which was, despite the fact it was impaled through the stomach, beginning to rip itself off. “Rather an anti climax after what you’ve just survived…” James had no choice. It was uncertainty and most probably death - or certain death. He grasped Mark by the hand, and led him through the doorway…
Chapter 3
James’s head began to pound. Every square centimetre of his flesh was searing, his temples throbbing. The white light began to fade, replaced with…sand. He lay face down. He lifted his head an inch of the ground. Nothing. Just an endless sea of desert, bright blue sky blazing overhead. It was only then that James realized he was alone.
“Mark? MARK! Where are you?”
No-one. Nothing. James was alone in the baking hot Sun. He began to crawl forward. It felt as though the clothes were slowly burning of his back, he had never experienced pain like this in his life. It wasn’t only the physical torture he could feel. He knew Mark was dead. He had no proof, but something within him told him that he had gone forever. Something glistened on the horizon. What could it be? Water perhaps? James began to crawl towards it. He struggled for hours, desperately defying the urge to give in. After what seemed almost like an eternity, the sand beneath him became to slope downwards. It was what looked like a crater of some sorts. And directly in the centre was…a lump. Before he could reach it, he felt his leg scrape painfully on the sand. Blood began to leak out, washing away a thin layer of dust and sand to reveal bare, rough rock. There was something different about this rock. It was covered in Hieroglyphics. The same that he had encountered in Webster’s Mine. Webster’s Mine. It seemed like only hours ago. Mark was with him then, wasn’t he? A tear rolled down his cheek and onto the ground below James, before it was almost instantly evaporated. Whatever that lump was it had to be something. James began to edge towards it. His legs felt as though they had been torn apart, the harsh rock face rubbing and scrapping them raw. The ‘object’ James was aiming for was only a foot away now. It was covered in a damp dirty cloth. James reached out his arm, and tugged off the cloth. His eyes widened. It was a stone heart. James began to panic. Where was the answer to his problems? Where was civilization? Where was the water he so desperately needed?
Before he had a chance to think, he reached out and grabbed the heart firmly in his hand. A horrible wave of cold swept over him. His eyes began to slip out of focus, his eyes filling with a noise of unimaginable horror. The screams of thousands, the deaths of millions, it seemed to resemble. He had no control. The screams became deafening, the heat overpowering – And the child knew no more.
