Nightmare Delusion

3. Back at the Bottom

Ellice and Charlie had spent a large time of the next day swimming in the pool at the upper deck. She was confident she wouldn't be here the next day, but she was wrong! It was obvious Ellice seemed to be very comfortable around Charlie and even his father seemed nice, which was a surprise to Ellice, as she always thought that rich people were mean, arrogant people. She's happy she misjudged him, because it was a nice surprise. He's called Johnathan and had found a girlfriend not long ago. Much like them it felt like they were just freshly in love.

Ellice was laying on a lounger, in the sun as it hung high in the sky. The days seemed to be long, where they were. It was nice and warm too! She exhaled, content for once. She listened to the sounds of the sea and not to forget the sounds of the cruise boat. Her body is fully rested, her eyes closed and for once feeling relaxed because she didn't leave when she woke up. Ellice was so relaxed, she started to fall asleep...

A loud static sound echoed through Ellice's head, as she began to fear the worst. She's gone, no more Charlie. So much for having her hopes up! She opened her eyes slowly, seeing a rather futuristic environment around her. She was sitting in a chair, in front of a bunch of security camera's displayed on screen. She seems to be in some combat outfit. 'I must be some kind of... Security guard?' She asked herself in thoughts, whilst observing the logo on the uniform she was wearing. 'Well, I guess something like that. But what am I guarding? And who should I be alert of?' She gazed to the screen with these thoughts, watching a bunch of scientists work. She exhaled softly. 'Charlie, I told you so. I'm gone...' She thought to herself, as she held back a few tears. Hopeless was the word to describe her feelings at the very moment she stared with an emotionally pained expression to the fuzzy monitors. On some monitors, she could observe a few individuals, covered in some special suit as if they were working with some dangerous chemical. Her attention was drawn to a monitor which displayed a small door in a large room. She exhaled heavily, slouched in her chair. A mug of coffee was placed in front of her, by another figure with the same attire as her. "Drink up, Rosenthal. You've been up all night." He said as he took a seat next to her. 'Rosenthal? That's my last name. I find it so strange that where -ever I am, I am just.. me.' She thought to herself, as she fixated a gaze on the coffee. 'It's even weirder that I'm not even wondering why this is happening to me.' She continued to speculate. "I wanted to ask y-" Before the guy could even finish his sentence, there was an incredibly blaring explosion that interrupted him. The building shook violently, the screens flickering. "What was that- Ah!" Ellice exclaimed, as the hot coffee spilled over her leg. The mug smashed into pieces on the floor. "Fuck! Arm yourself." He told her, as he stood up to pull out a handgun!

Ellice clenched her teeth in pain, standing up. She already noticed the holstered gun at her thigh, which she will unbuckle and hold a grip of. '...Why is this happening now? I've never held a gun before!' She seemed to be quivering as she followed the guy! "Where are we going to?" She asked him. "We have to investigate!" The guy replied to her, as they walked down the stairs quickly.

Running through countless hallways which she would never be able to memorise, they come across lots of locked cells. They had tiny windows, and all of them had something contained. Every door had a code and a bunch of digits; SCP-106, SCP-173, SCP-049 and so on...

Ellice managed to take glimpse of a few horrifying creatures locked behind these doors. 'What the hell is this?!' She wondered as chills run down her spine. The two continued to run, what felt like it never ended. After about another marathon, the guy came to a halt, rather quick. He gestured to Ellice "Rosenthal. We have little time, but I fear we have to split up if we want everything to stay contained and safe!" He spoke. "We lost connection for our communicator, so I'm afraid you will have to be on your own!" He told her. Ellice has never looked this anxious before "What do you mean!? What's in there?" She asked him in a swift tone, before she took a glance into the room. The issue was obvious, there was a bomb placed and was counting down from two minutes. 'Holy shit!' She thought loudly in her mind, running to it immediately! 'Wait, no! I can't do this! I can't deactivate a bomb!' She internally cried as she approached the bomb. With all force she was capable of, she tried to open the bomb! 'This is like in the movies! Open it up, cut the wire!' She tried to soothe herself. Eventually she was able to snap off the cover of the bomb, showing the wires! 'But, if I cut the wrong one... I'll just die like a little insect! Concentrate, Ellice, gather yourself! You can do this!' She took a deep breath before taking a glance at the time. It mentioned to be 00:58. 'Don't panic... Don't.' - Soon enough, the communicator that was attached to her ear started to sound. "Rosenthal? You hear me?" the voice of the guy she just met sounded. "I do!" Ellice quickly responded, standing up "I have nothing to cut any wires with!" - "Of course you do. You should have your pocketknife with you." The guy reminded her. "Oh, right!" Ellice said as she began to pat her pockets, finding one on her left pocket. "Okay, I got it!" Ellice spoke quickly, turning to the bomb.

Time was running out fast, typical if you want it to go slow. The timer displayed 00:05 and was ticking down too fast for Ellice's liking. The amount of adrenaline and fear she felt was sky high. 'Blue wires always work!' She told herself, since she was completely clueless. She cut the blue wire before casting a gaze to the timer. 00:02... 00:01... "Rosenthal! Hurry!" The guy's voice echoed through the communicator. 'No way...' Ellice dropped the knife, staring in disbelief. The timer shifted to 00:00. "ELLICE YOU HAVE TO STOP THE BO-" The bomb detonated in her face before she could realise.

"NO!" Ellice exclaimed, with tears in her eyes, as she sits on a bench in a park. The birds sung happily and the calm lake before her seemed to act soothing. People were walking their dogs, kids were playing together happily. She was catching her breath, confused. She rubs her face, as her heart is still pounding heavily, her body filled with adrenaline. Hiding her face behind her hands, she sat there, defeated. All she wants, is for it to stop.