1 Welcome to Rapture - Chapter 1

My body shook with the ground, the metal clanking of boots became closer and closer as I felt dizzier and dizzier, weaker and weaker. I heard a deep whale moan as I heard the soft pitter-patter of bare feet on water, I couldn't even think straight to ask myself what was happening. The last thing I saw before I fell asleep was a little girl wearing a pink dress with glowing orange eyes, leather boots, and a giant metal boot with a drill as it's hand. I couldn't even think about the three creatures, I just passed out once again.

When I woke up, I was laying on an old and musty smelling couch, I shook myself awake and stood up, but I fell back to the ground, my legs were like jelly. My body wouldn't listen to my commands to get up, I just laid on the floor for a while before I lifted my body up with my hands. I looked down at the reflective tiled floor, it looked old, unkempt, old-schooled, or was it actually? I was confused about where I was, my mind was fuzzy, like the stuffing in a teddy bear, I couldn't remember anything. I remembered my name, Austin, my age, 14, but I couldn't remember anything. Not my birthday, eye color, hair color, parents, home, nothing. It just felt like it was removed, just gone, like removing water from a jar. My head just ached from trying to remember things, I opped to not, I needed to know where I was. I was able to get to my feet, I tested a few steps before I felt good about walking. I walked through the broken hall, it looked like something from the 50s, it was deteriorated, blood was everywhere, it made me feel sick to my stomach. There were old pictures, advertizing a product called: Plasmids, letting you have the power of fire, electricity, ice, and many others. It looked so surreal, but they even had prices, they were actually selling this stuff. Was it real? I didn't believe it, I couldn't, everything was so old, it was like I stepped back in time to WWII. There were even dead bodies, rotting with guns and bottles at their hands, I had to run past them before I puked. I trembled, my breathing was heavy, I had no idea where I was, what was happening around here, I forgot my past, and I was alone, clueless.

After wandering through the dead halls, only hearing water above me, I ended up in some kind of town center. There were many people, disfigured people. Tumors, blisters, cuts, and just unhuman, but they were. Many held guns, pipes, and wrenches, while others had little flying machines around them with machine guns on them. There were even people that looked like mafia bosses, strong but fat, they also looked to have tumors and cuts, but they looked the sanest out of the people. The people heard me and saw me, giving me a quick glance before doing whatever they were doing. They didn't care, a part of me was relieved, I wouldn't be bothered. But I thought that meant I shouldn't interact with them, not like I wanted to, they looked unfriendly and uninviting. But judging by the state of this place, I don't blame them. "G'Day Lambchop," I heard an old, rusty voice said behind me, I turned around to see one of those large people, he had a bloody bandage over his left eye, he wore a waistcoat and torn dress pants with black boots. I cowered away, he laughed at my fear, "You're new aren't cha?" he asked, I didn't want to respond, but I slowly nodded to the man. "What's ya name Lambchop?" he asked, "A-Austin," I said with trembling lips, "Austin, I had a friend named Austin, a good lad he was," he said, pulling out a cigar and matches. He lit his cigar and took a puff out of it, I always hated smoking, but now I didn't care, I was terrorized with fear. "Listen Lambchop, and listen good," he started, pointing his cigar at me, "I'm gunna help ya, but you got to repay me, ya hear?" he said, I nodded quickly. "Good, now follow me, and stick close," he said, turning around and started walking away, I quickly ran up next to him, trying to collect his nerves. The man patted my shoulder with a dry laugh, "I neva told my name, the name's Conner, James Conner," he said, not taking to time to look down at me. "W-Where are we going? I-If you don't m-mind me askin'" I asked, my lips feeling like they were on a trampoline, "We're goin' to see Grace, she runs Pauper's Drop, the place we're at now," he said, "And where's Pauper's Drop? The dead underwater city: Rapture," he said, raising his arms to the sky when announcing the name. Underwater? I was underwater? I was surprised by the placement of this city, but it explained the number of water puddles around. "How old are ya Lambchop?" he asked as we went down a glass hall, seeing fish and such. I then noticed a sign out in the water: "The Sinclair Deluxe", we walked through the right way and entered the building. It looked like a destroyed hotel place, and judging by the layout, it was, and Conner seemed to be at home. "I think she invited young Eleanor for a spot of tea, I hope we ain't a bother," Conner said to himself, Eleanor? Who's that? She must be kinda important for Conner to talk about her. I held my tongue however, I was too scared to ask anything. There weren't many people in the hotel, but it only made the place eerier, almost like a haunted house. "Not many Splicers around, somethin' must be going on at Fontaine's fish stand," Conner said, heaving a great laugh, Splicers? Where the people here called that? And who's Fontaine? I had so many questions, but I didn't want to say anything. We then made it down a pretty well-kept hallway to a door that had a sign that read: Grace Holloway. "Let me do the talkin'" he whispered to me before politely knocking on the wooden brown door. It took a minute before someone answered the door, an old African-American lady wearing a yellow dress and waistcoat, yellow scarf, and well-brushed black hair. Despite her age, she looked very healthy for her physical age, I was impressed, she looked better than everything in this city. "Why hello Conner, lookin' good as usual," she said in a strong southern accent, she seemed very sweet, it relaxed me a bit, "I hope I ain't being a bother to ya Miss Holloway," he said. "Not at all, Conner! Me and Elie were just discussin' some things, what brings you around to my cozy corner?" she asked, "I'm I not allowed to see your beauty?" Conner flirted, and god it was smooth, I gave him that. "Oh hush! I just wanted to know!" Grace said, she was so kind, I've seen it before, but again, it was the only kindness I've seen since Conner offered to help. "I got a little Lambchop that needs some help, lookin' young too," Conner said, he turned around and motioned me to move from behind him. "H-Hi Miss Holloway,"