My Last Night in RavenholmPart 10

Richard's narration states he is trapped inside his own head, hearing what people are saying but unable to say anything. He stares into an orange pupil that is revealed to be a vortigaunt's eye. A female rebel medic comments that Richard has been slipping in and out of consciousness the whole week. A woman, Doctor Judith Mossman, asks the medic if it is a coma. She explains that it's much too violent for a coma, perhaps a bad dream.

Another rebel rushes in, calling for Doctor Mossman. He says he's lost contact with another squad he sent into Ravenholm. He says he can't spare any more men and the tunnel must be shut. Judith hesitates and the rebel insists.

Doctor Mossman relents and tells the rebel to do it. He replies that she has done the right thing. The female medic gasps as Mossman leaves, saying she will go get Alyx to help. The medic turns to Richard and says that he is the last.

Richard thinks to himself that he is the last as he loses consciousness. Sometime later, he wakes up.

Richard is lying on a mattress, with a cast around his chest and another around his leg. He sits up and calls out for anyone. He looks around at an unfamiliar place, with beds and benches. He gets up and starts looking around, calling for people.

As Richard looks around, blood seemingly drips from the ceiling right in front of him. He looks up and sees his wife, Andrea, begging for his help, but he can't move. A zombie screams next to her.

It is a vision of Andrea stuck to the ceiling, surrounded by screaming zombies. She begs at Richard to do something but he can't do anything but stare. A zombie swipes at her head and Richard screams her name. Suddenly, the female medic from before says he's awake.

Richard comes to, waking up for real. He asks the medic what happened and where he is. She explains that Richard was picked up by one of their vortigaunt friends and brought here. She continues by saying it's a good thing they found him, and that it gave them hope they might find more survivors, but they didn't.

Richard asks the medic what she means and she tells him they closed the Ravenholm tunnel a few days ago. Richard is shocked and asks why. She starts to explain they had no choice, if those things got in. Richard gets up, saying he has to go. She asks him where he's going and he says he wants to see the tunnel.

The medic tells Richard he doesn't even know where the tunnel is. As he walks away, he simply replies he'll find his way, as he thinks to himself he is getting quite good at that. He makes his way through the halls of Black Mesa East, thinking it sounds almost like something is guiding him.

As he walks, he wonders why he is doing this, as he just got out of the damn place. He thinks to himself he thought he would never want to see that place again as he approaches a metal door.

Richard stares mournfully through the gap in a huge metal door, the last barricade against Ravenholm. As he contemplates the dark within, he thinks to himself he wishes he could see her one last time.

The female medic approaches Richard, telling him he's the last. She says he is the only one to come through before they closed it. She calls him the first and the last. Richard says there is still people out there and the medic puts her hand on his shoulder, telling him he knows he can't help them and has to let go.

Richard angrily snaps back at the medic, telling her not to touch him. She falls back onto the ground. Richard stares at her and, for a moment, sees a vision of his late wife in her stead. He thinks to himself what has he done.

Richard looks at his hands, thinking to himself he can still see the blood on them. He apologizes to the medic and extends a hand to help her up.

The medic takes his hand and he helps her get up. He apologizes again and asks if she is alright. She tells him she will be fine and that they should leave. Richard asks her for her name. She tells him it's Veronica.

Richard introduces himself to Veronica and tells her it's nice to meet her. They walk away from the door to Ravenholm, leaving it in darkness. Cut to some time later.

Life in Black Mesa East goes on as Richard thinks to himself it's not easy saying goodbye to a place you have lived at for months. He sees Black Mesa East as his new home now.

Richard thinks to himself that where before he was a refugee, here he takes a greater part in an effort against the Combine. Richard is working with Doctor Mossman in the decontamination chamber at the Black Mesa East entrance, months after Ravenholm. Doctor Mossman turns to Richard and tells him he's been quiet lately. He stares at her as she asks if it is his wife.

Richard tells Doctor Mossman it's been tougher to let go than he thought it would be, and then asks her whether that's healthy. Doctor Mossman tells him it's always good to remember loved ones, it's perfectly fine, but is then interrupted by a console beeping. She mentions they have got something.

Inside the decontamination chamber, the lights turn on. Doctor Mossman realizes whatever is in there is human and calls out to whoever is inside, saying to take it easy in there as they are safe now. Within, we get a brief glimpse of Gordon Freeman with his trademark crowbar.

Looking at the inside of the decontamination chamber, Richard contemplates if his wife has been worth living. Outside, the Sun is setting, as Richard recalls his last night in Ravenholm and how it was less an endurance of the body and mind and more of the will to live. The end.

3 thoughts on “Part 10”

aples

September 27, 2022

HIS NAME IS CHESTER BUT IT IS RICHARD I AM CONFUSED!!!

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1. Mythos
  
  September 27, 2022
  
  @aples Back in the day, nobody knew this particular NPC’s name was Chester – keep in mind this was made in 2005, only one year after the game came out – so the author named him Richard.
  Here’s a suggestion if this is too much for your headcanon: just consider one of the names his middle name. “Richard Chester” has a nice ring to it.
  
  Reply
George_Stukas

July 6, 2023

I like that Veronica doesn’t have time for Richard’s apology.

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