Hl3.exe
Hl3.exe is a story about a man who is very enthusiastic for Valves games. His quench for thirst of Valve games was so much, he looked for a leaked beta of Half-Life 3 or Episode 3. He comes across a zip file and opens it, which he discovers is much more than a leaked beta.
I have always been a fan of Valve's titles.
I was ecstatic when I recieved a copy of Counter Strike: Global Offensive Beta; I went apeshit. I sent a copy to my friend, and we started playing.
He was new to the game, so I showed him the work arounds, and he enjoyed it.
I was wondering if a copy of the Episode 3 Beta is leaked, so I checked around the internet looking for a torrent. I didn't find much but a couple of space wasting torrents that cause viruses. Out of curiosity, I checked to see if there would be a Half Life 3 instead of Episode 3 (though not many hints have been given).
I searched around google until I found a zip file titled "Half Life 3." I checked it out, hoping for an engine upgrade and what-not. It was 3 GB, so I just waited around Playing Happy Wheels and TF2, when suddenly the download finished. As it finished, I heard a noise from steam. It showed "G4B3 N3W311" as a friend request. I found it ironic, maybe the hoster was playing a joke on me, however; his avatar creeped me out. I viewed his profile.
His avatar was of Gabe Newell, but with red eyes and white pupils. His skin was grey pale, and his hair was black, not brown. I added him to my friends list, and he sent me a message:
"D0 N0T 0P3N TH3 Z1P
S4V3 Y0UR$3LF
H3 1S 43T3R M3."
It appeared to be encryped 1337-speak. I've dealt with this before so I can read it. Then it showed "G4B3 N3W311 is typing..." but he said nothing for ten whole minutes.
At this point, I stop and think to myself:
1. How does he know I opened a zip?
2. How did he know I even downloaded the zip?
3. Isn't Gabe Newell's Steam username Rabscuttle instead of Gabe Newell?
4. Why didn't he finish his statement he was about to typ-
At that moment, he started sending me constant messages saying "666" and "L34V3 N0W." I was annoyed by this and got a headache, so I removed him from my friends list.
I return to the zip and noticed it required a password. Fucking shitty password protected bullshit. Then I remembered G4B3 saying 666, and for the hell of it, I tried it. It opened.
I thought it was fucking creepy that a password some random troll gave me actually worked!
Anyway, there are 3 files and a folder in the zip: "hl3.exe", "youhavebeenwarned.txt", "G4B3 N3W311.mp3", and the folder, "OPEN AFTER YOU FINISH PLAYING."
I was shocked, as the .mp3 file shares the name as that troll who was spamming me earlier. Before I started up the game, I open the two files to see what they say.
The text file read:
Y0U H4
This was more difficult to read, but it actually said:
You had to do it.
There is no turning Back now.
None Have survived.
Death Ensues.
I was a little spooked, but still determined to play this damn thing. I played the .mp3 file.
I heard a guitar riff, that slowly increases in pitch while a piano plays in the background. I heard someone breathing heavily, as if they were running from something. Then I heard the man trip, and land in gravel. The guitar riff and piano slowly came to a cresendo as the man screamed for his life. An angelic choir started singing in the background while the man was beaten to death. He screamed, and as he does so, it becomes high pitched, painful. I shoved my headphones off my ears so I don't go deaf. I could still hear it rising higher and higher. Then, it fell silent. I put on my headphones again, thinking the file is over. I heard the sound of static, and the man said, "you could have saved me.." Then it was over.
I threw the two files in the trash can, knowing they would only cause harm.
I tried to open the folder, but it required a password. I tried to throw it away, knowing I wouldn't need it, but it said I don't have permission to move the file, as if it were being used on the computer.
Impatiently, I started hl3.exe. It started like any other Valve beta, with the new logo and it's head turning, then turning back. I already knew this was used for a leaked beta. The background was like the normal Half-Life backrounds with the game going on without the player, like a cutscene that never ended. The game was using an updated engine like CS:GO with realtime shaders and better graphics. I was thinking, "this could be it!"
I customize the settings to match my specs, and select a difficulty. The difficulty screen was rather interesting.
Instead of "Easy, Normal, and Hard" it read, "YOU, WILL, and DIE"
I was creeped out.
I choose 'YOU' assuming it was easy. Maybe it was a prank Valve pulled to keep people away from the beta.
I inspect the background, and notice someone with glowing white eyes past a fence. I looked at him, and he ran away, like he didn't want me to see him. I sat there for 5 minutes hoping he would come back, but he never did.
After all of this, I started the game, choosing chapter one. The chapter's name was, "Chapter One: Alyx Dies." Alyx dies? She's Gordon's sidekick though, that does not seem right.
I started up the game and it loads a level. I was in a dark building, what appeared to be the White Forest Hangar. It seemed familiar and takes off were we left off in Episode 2. A cutscene started, were Gordon picks up his gravity gun and crowbar, then hurls a heavy box at Alyx, crushing her. Her head popped like a watermelon, and dog attempts to kill Gordon, but he jumped atop Dog like Kratos fighting an enemy, and destroyed Dog by ripping out a ton of wires. I was horrified that the game automatically started this way; Gordon was the good guy, right?
The screen cuts to black, and it shows the text when you fail a mission; with a different phrase.
NEW MISSION: MASSACRE EVERYONE
I am then given an SMG and a pistol. Another cutscene shows Gordon going in and betraying the Resistance by killing everyone, including Magnusson, by brutally slamming his crowbar through his chest. Then at his neck, mutilating his adam's apple. The cutscene then zooms away from Gordon constantly whacking Magnusson, and organs spray out.
It then showed an imagine of an old man with a crowbar stuck in his neck. The old man is balding, wearing a white labcoat. It struck me that this was Dr. Kliener.
Then I heard a laugh of what sounds like an old guy.
He then said: "Did you think I was really dead?"
The screen cut to Gordon outside the White Forest with what seemed like an army approaching him. The army walked very oddly, and tended to limp, as if they were zombies. Then it showed Gordon running from them as they slowly gain speed to him, and surround him. He was eaten alive, with his legs ripped off and whole face gouged out.
The game then displayed: "Chapter 2: The part where you die."
It cut to black, and Gordon is all red, with the sky pitch black.
I decided to turn on my flashlight and it shows a pile of dead bodies.
A voice said, "You sadistic piece of shit. This is what you do to friends? These are all the people's lives you have ruined." I was shocked, as I didn't actually do anything. A select few of bodies rose, and reanimate back from the dead. The bodies are what appear to be Alyx, Kliener, And Magnusson. They opened their eyes, which turned into blinding white light. Then a loud scream echoed through my speakers, and the game promptly shut down.
I said to myself, "never start this program ever again." I checked the locked folder again and I can actually open it this time, without a password. Inside contained a text file saying "Thank you for playing the game." I opened the txt file. It said:
"You played the game well, but you still lost.
We're coming for you
See you then"
Who? Who is coming for me? What did I do wrong?
At that moment of thought, the window broke, and a blinding light floods the room.
A man climbed a ladder into my room. He was wearing sunglasses and grabbed my hand, holding a knife to it. "There are more," he starts to saw my hand with the knife, and I struggled to escape, to no avail.
His glasses fell to the floor, and shatter upon impact. His eyes are blinding like the characters in the game. He then took off his hood, revealing his bald head and a gash in his neck. More people climb in, and start to brutally saw my off my limbs. He held a knife to my eyes and begins to gouge out my eyes, when I wake up.
I thought: It was just a crazy dream. Right?
I looked out my window, and there is blood covering everyone's houses like paint. I headed downstairs only to see that the house is on fire. I tried to run out the door, but it's too hot to grab the panel. There is fire around the whole house now, and the roof is starting to cave in. I've been typing this story for quite some time now, I just it can reach to you in time before anyone finds me. If you find a package saying "Half Life 3," don't open it. Do it for me, and possibly others who tried to play it.
Credited to Honest Tea
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