[ Welcome Candidate-#10! ]
Before me appeared a luminous blue message, its transparency giving it an ethereal quality. Rendered speechless, I could only gaze forward, my vision constrained to a single direction. Behind the screen lay nothing but utter darkness, a stark contrast to the vibrant hue before me.
[ You are to compete in the SCP world with nine candidates excluding you. It is a team match of 5v5. You can see the location of your teammates in the minimap. ]
A small minimap materialized in the upper right corner of my field of vision, its presence subtle yet undeniable. However, amidst the myriad thoughts swirling in my mind, one word resounded with eerie clarity: "SCP." How could I not know about it? In a world teeming with monsters, gods, and demons, the SCP Foundation loomed large, a shadowy organization tasked with containing the uncontainable, securing the unsecured, and protecting humanity from the incomprehensible.
For an ordinary high school student like myself, survival in such a world was akin to winning the lottery-a stroke of luck amidst the chaos and uncertainty. Each day brought new challenges, new anomalies to confront, and new dangers to overcome. Yet, amid the peril and the fear, there was also a sense of exhilaration-a thrill that comes from standing on the precipice of the unknown, daring to defy the forces that seek to unravel the fabric of reality itself.
[ You will be given a system to help you in your growth and survival in this world. Keep growing stay safe! ]
As the screen dissolved, the world around me gradually brightened, releasing me from its grasp. With newfound freedom, I could once again move my head and limbs.
"Where am I?" I murmured, surveying the unfamiliar surroundings. Towering trees loomed overhead, casting long shadows in the dim moonlight. I found myself enveloped by the dense foliage of a forest, the night sky overhead twinkling with distant stars.
A shiver ran down my spine as a sense of unease settled in. "I'm scared," I admitted quietly, the words barely audible in the stillness of the night.
Fear gripped me tighter with each passing moment, intensifying as my eyes acclimated to the enveloping darkness. Shadows danced before me, morphing into grotesque shapes and eerie figures that seemed to lurk just beyond reach.
The knowledge of my presence in the SCP world only compounded my unease, casting a pall of uncertainty over my surroundings. Every rustle of leaves, every whisper of the wind, felt like a sinister omen, a harbinger of impending danger.
But then, a beacon of hope amidst the darkness-a speeding light streaked across my field of vision, slicing through the oppressive gloom. With bated breath, I followed its trajectory from left to right, my pulse quickening with anticipation. It was a road-a sign of civilization amidst the wilderness, a glimmer of familiarity in an otherwise alien landscape.
I strolled inside with newfound confidence, the earlier fear dissipating. Emerging onto the road after a brief walk, I found myself amidst an expanse devoid of signboards, leaving me to contemplate the endless stretch ahead.
"Looks like it's hitchhiking for me," I mused.
In my world, I was the quintessential introvert, with just a handful of friends who felt more like family. Engaging with strangers was a daunting task, my speech often hindered by a persistent stutter outside the comfort of familiar faces.
The fleeting notion of walking crossed my mind, only to be swiftly dismissed upon glimpsing the seemingly endless expanse of the road before me.
Lost in contemplation of the vast stretch ahead, a sudden horn from the left shattered the silence. A car approached, interrupting my solitary musings.
Eagerly extending my hand in a thumbs-up gesture to signal my need for a ride, I cautiously edged closer to the roadside, hopeful that the approaching car would come to my aid.
However, to my dismay, the vehicle sped past without a second thought, leaving me sprawled backward in its wake, narrowly avoiding a collision. As I watched the car disappear into the distance, frustration boiled over, accompanied by a venomous curse directed at its retreating form.
"MAY AN SCP KILL YOU IN THE MOST GRUESOME WAY!! F*CKING B*STARD!!"
Cursing vehemently, my tirade punctuated the eerie silence that enveloped the swaying branches of nearby trees, stirred by the gentle caress of the wind.
As time crawled by, each passing moment felt like an eternity, the world around me suspended in a timeless void.
Lost in the solitude of my thoughts, memories of my former life flooded my mind. Though not extravagant or illustrious, it was a life marked by the comforting presence of my parents, their unwavering support and guidance shaping my journey through the maze of existence.
Tears welled in my eyes, tracing a path down my cheeks as I wept beneath the luminous glow of the moon, its radiance softened by the veil of drifting clouds.
Hope flickered anew as another set of headlights approached from the left, this time in the form of a truck. With a trembling hand, I raised my arm once more, silently pleading to the heavens for intervention.
Heart pounding, I watched with bated breath as the truck drew nearer, its slowing pace a glimmer of possibility in the darkness that had enveloped me.
The trucker's voice broke through the silence, concern evident in his words. "Hey, are you okay? Why's a kid like you wandering so deep in this forest?"
I hastily wiped away my tears, preparing to respond, but faltered as I struggled to conjure a suitable excuse.
My voice trembled as I stammered out my hastily concocted tale.
"I-I heard there was a ghost in this forest. I came alone, on my bicycle, without my parents' permission. Can you please help me?"
The fear in my tone mirrored the genuine terror coursing through me. If my fabrication failed to convince him, I dreaded the fate that awaited me in the wilderness, far from the safety of civilization.
"Hmm... There is no signal inside this forest to call the police. I can drive you to the nearest gas station."
Relief flooded through me as the trucker offered his assistance. A grateful smile spread across my face as he mentioned driving me to the nearest gas station.
With a nod of appreciation, I eagerly accepted his offer, quickly sliding into the seat beside him as he held the door open. Settling in, I braced myself for the journey ahead, thankful for the unexpected kindness of a stranger in the darkness of the forest.
He began to drive as the truck surged forward with increasing speed. The trucker tapped his phone, selecting a song, and bobbed his head to the rhythm, clearly enjoying the music. Perhaps he had downloaded the song earlier.
"So, what sort of ghost were you chasing in the dead of night?" The trucker's soft smile hinted at genuine curiosity as he glanced over at me.
"It's said that whenever a driver ventures through this area, a blonde-haired woman appears, seeking a ride. If the driver halts, she boards the vehicle, only to vanish once the journey resumes just to appear on another road," I explained, the weight of the legend hanging in the air. Silence enveloped us, broken only by the hum of the truck's engine. Then, the driver broke the silence.
"And if they refuse?" His curiosity was palpable, his interest piqued by the eerie tale.
"The woman appears behind the car and kills the driver," I replied gravely, aiming for credibility in my tone.
The driver's laughter echoed in the cabin, breaking the tension that had settled after my somber revelation. Gradually, he managed to regain his composure, apologizing between chuckles.
"Forgive me," he managed to say, still fighting off bouts of laughter. "I've heard my fair share of urban legends, but this one takes the cake for originality." Despite his amusement, my expression remained serious. The reality of the SCP weighed heavily on me; whether he believed or not was inconsequential.
"I've traveled this road countless times, but I've never heard or seen anything like that," he remarked.
I acknowledged, "Legend has it that the ghost only manifests on the 19th of each month. "
It's possible that he hasn't driven this route on those specific dates, or perhaps the SCP Foundation has effectively concealed any sightings.
I shrugged, realizing his skepticism.
Either way, sharing these details doesn't matter much if he doesn't believe me, and it's not as if the 'SCP Foundation' is eavesdropping on our conversation.
"Huh... I guess then we'll have the chance to meet her today!" the driver exclaimed with a hint of excitement, clearly eager for a break from his monotonous routine of truck driving.
Curious about our location, I inquired, "What's the state or place?"
"Muncie, Indiana," he replied.
I was in the same state as the SCP but it didn't matter as long as it wasn't that date. I tried to reassure myself.
However, before I could inquire about the date, the driver interrupted me.
"Oh! Looks like we've stumbled upon your ghost! Hahaha!" he exclaimed, amused by the coincidence.
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Author's Notes:
- The name of the character, you can tell in the comments since I haven't decided yet. (Just give it a normal name).
- The next chapter will not be soon enough.
Credits:
"SCP-1337" by AdminBright, from the SCP Wiki. Source: https://scpwiki.com/scp-1337. Licensed under CC-BY-SA.