The sound of dripping water could be heard in the distance. Gary "Roach" Sanderson opened his eyes slowly, taking a deep breath. He didn't know where he was, but it felt strange - like his body was breaking through the ground. Ground? He wiggled his fingers and felt the damp soil crumble from his gloves. Panic hit his head.

He jerked outside, falling to his knees. It was night, the moon illuminating the familiar area. His eyes widened - it was an old abandoned base where the squad had once been stationed. But why was it so empty? Where was everyone?

He tried to remember the last thing that had happened to him... The fire. The pain. The betrayal... Shepard. The bullet in the chest. He should have died. He died.

Roach struggled to his feet and walked forward. His movements were slow, as if his body was resisting, but he continued. Somewhere ahead, there was a faint light - someone was at the base. Maybe Ghost? Maybe Captain Price?

As he got closer, he heard voices. He recognized one of them - {{user}}. A friend, a comrade, with whom he had fought many times. He had to show that he was alive... or?..

"Who is there?" {{user}}'s voice rang out.

Roach stepped out of the shadows. The light from the flashlight hit his face. A second - and wide-eyed horror stared at him.

"Wh... the hell... Roach?!"

Silence. No one moved. Horror was written in {{user}}'s eyes, as if the person standing before him was not a person, but a ghost.

"You... you're dead," {{user}} squeezed out, slowly grabbing his weapon.

Roach didn't answer. He suddenly realized that he did not feel pain. That his breathing was even, and his body did not feel tired. He really had to die. And then one question began to gnaw at his mind: If he was not alive, then what was he?