Citizen 17

[Aguyinarpg]

((Hey all. I was real interested recently to do some research up on the "Half-Life series since I just completed the last two episodes and realized that it'd be rather cool to set a story in the City 17 area from a different perspective around the course of that time. A fanfiction I guess you could say, but an experiment as well. Enjoy.))

The wheels ground harshly against the smoldered tracks, moving forward at gripping rates towards the distant city beyond, sending some aside and lost at balance, while others stared with their anguish, but none offered even a hand to them. What was it about them anyways? What was it about me? Had we already lost the hope inside? Perhaps we were just... Tired. That's right, wary souls. Unwilling to help a fallen woman rise as a slothing arrogance to couple with depleted energy. She got back up... I think. Didn't bother to check. That or she was beat back up. Hey, it wasn't me.

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Day 1

Arrival- 9:45

I've only heard minimal things about City 17, and all of them are true straight from the survivors themselves. It's a filthy hole of decrepit Combine agents and robots that hover around you like a flock of bees, though I'd rather be chased by hornets than monitored by these things. Not a moment's peace or rest, and why I don't know. The work we do here is rather mundane and unimportant anyway from shipping barrels to moving crates. I'd bet a thousand dollars they'll get crushed here soon, if money was even worth anything here.

For deporting us into this Earthly Hell, it seems they really didn't want us in when you look at it. The process to get in literally took a good four hours, and the trainload wasn't even full! What good is this "advanced society" if they can't even move a freaking line? A lot of people really lingered behind too. Guess they didn't want food. Not sure how good it is in other lines, but in the one I was in, it tasted like garbage. Another thing the Combine fail at. Also someone drank some water they had about outside, puked and passed out immediately. I think the guards went to incinerate him or something for being "insubordinate" or something idiotic like that. Poor guy.

Everyone has to wear these denim suits, feel like a am a prisoner. Nothing about this place screams "betterment" to me. We're constantly reminded about the "evolution of our species" (By the way, who needs monitors that big?) but I don't think this guy even understands how evolution works. You can't force it, it's brought on by mutations in DNA. Well, I guess the Combine at least have that much on us. They look like degraded mutant freaks. They don't even carry real weapons either. I mean what the heck's a stick gonna do anyways? I'm just racking up Combine failures huh? Heh... Well whatever. We keep in line and do our freaking duties. Where do they get all these barrels anyways?

The home's we're shacked up in suck too. There's blood in most of the rooms, torn up floorboards, sharp.... things, and pretty much the mattresses are for the "omegas" among us. I got mine without a fight, well, mostly. Had to knock a girl out. Should I be worried? Well, I'm already taking my eternal punishment so... Bring it on God. I'm surprised to see what else you can pull out. Really though, how do they expect us to live in this heap? They don't. They'd much rather not waste the bullets they're holding onto and instead give us infection risks. Doesn't matter to them, as they're damn near done taking over the world. I'm told City 17 isn't the only, but it's by far the worst I can tell you that personally now. I don't care if other places tear your limbs off and force you to live, because there is no greater concentration of loneliness and human misery than in City 17.

At night, the Combine roll about to make sure we don't ever leave our place. Ugh... The sound of those robots drive me up a wall. I decided not to join in with the other people in their games and stories, just for tonight. I want to keep my mattress if only for this hour. Which is- 11:25. Wow. I've got a whole short life ahead of me. Better get some sleep so I can be ordered around tomorrow! But really, is there any hope left from what we came in with, or was it all lost against those smoldering tracks?

-J. Jackman

[Aguyinarpg]

Day 2

Awake- 6:34 (Because of the damn ruckus)

Time of Entry- 8:56

This morning I awoke to the irritating sounds of a man being beaten to death by the combine for aparent harboring of.... Something or other. So I got up, had my slop from the "food" dispensers and came back to find another raid under way. This time they had freaking grenades. Good thing they're contained enough not to bring the place down. Sometimes I questiong just how that works, but it does no good.

Sure enough, I returned to find my mattress stolen. Good thing or another it was the person they were trying to blow up, and the mattress didn't so I went and got it. God it's a nightmare it's Hell here. I haven't even mentioned the heat sometimes, which is overbearing and unbearable to say the freaking least. Also the windows are all smashed and sometimes I forget that, put my hand on the frame, and get a nice sharp surprise. Whatever. Going to write some stuff later... If anything happens.

12:34

Well, looks like I underestimate the eventfulness of this city. Crap happens, a lot, but it's favorable for no one. I literally walked for ten minutes and saw two raids on big store based houses, with guns a-freaking blazing. Like others I pretty much ran, but even if I wanted to watch there were "control" Combine that just kind of beat people away. I think they overtook him, didn't look back, but I heard them calling for his head, if there is one under there...

Got to know the neighborhood too. I'm not unfounded in what I said about loneliness and misery, just ask this young paralyzed man without a wheelchair, Gerry. I mean... Good god. He's forced to carry himself around after the Combine paralyzed him after tossing him off a roof and not even checking to make sure he was dead. Says he feels pain always, and I can't blame him. Also said something about how he stopped doing "outside" work or another. Couldn't comprehend with the thought of agonizing pain with absolutely no medical treatment running in my mind.

After I worked my way back, I myself was subject to a random beating. Didn't hurt too much, what with them being clubbed in the head by some fleeing chick, and they gunned her down too. She wasn't in civi's either. Had on weird rags. I wanted to take them... Not in an erotic way of course. Just.... You know, I hate these clothes. So I got here.... Waiting for night really. Wanting to make drawings in this book, but I fear that whoever reads this will be subjected to the horrible mental stigmata that I may produce with them.

11:23

I just got back from the stories... Wow did that relieve some tedium. These guys are rather well off, especially for being.... Well you know by now. Umm.... so ya, good people. They kept bringing up in slight moments about "the rebels" which I'm assuming are the people fighting against the Combine. Futile effort I may add. Also said that bitch who stole my mattress was taken by them for helping the rebels... Kinda makes me think those other occurances were rebel actions as well. Again, I will say, not a very fruitful venture when these demented forms of existence just kind of keep multiplying daily.

I need to stay as far away as I can from rebel activity though or I'll b next. Anyways, this guy, Johnny talked about the great oceans to the West where he was from.... And how there was a citadel there too, but he never saw it. Kind of makes you think of what he meant. I mean, was he blind? Sorta noticed him fumbling for his soup can, but nothing that makes me think that too much. One girl, Alice was apparently a veternarian before she was deported and says that she supposes the combine killed all the animals too. I've seen birds, but that's all. Maybe they're aim is bad enough they just don't find birds worth the effort.

There was also one old, really sick guy. Big Mike. He wasn't actually fat, just Big in presence. Great voice, that guy. That sort of cool, relaxed and deep voice. Had the raspiness though, sick and all. Said he was there before the Combine was there and how even though it was in urban decay and "looked like the touched-down side of the frying pan" heh.... It was like the freaking Northern lights compared to City 17. I'd say that my humble home on the worst of days has the value of a mountain of gold for anyone here compared to City 17. I've only been here two days... But I feel their burden, believe me I do.

Of course though, that's what you have to believe. I tell you waht I see and you take it as fact. I don't want to mislead whoever may read this, especially since you took the time. If you are reading it though, I hope you feel what I mean to convey....

Oh, sorry to get all emotional on you there. Jeez now I feel like I'm talking to myself. Entry done for now. Gonna get some sleep. See you... I mean, maybe. Or not...