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The Final Test

“D-54, are you awake? You haven’t moved an inch all day.”

The voice over the speaker sounded as monotone as usual, even with the question of concern. He was awake, but just didn’t want to get out of bed. Thinking. He was thinking about today. If he got up, the train of thought would be lost. But the speaker already crashed the train for him, so it wasn’t like he had to worry anymore.

“Yeah, yeah,” he responded, finally sitting up, “I’ve been awake.”

Sudden movement made his entire body practically shake from excitement. He had to remember to control himself. Save the enthusiasm for the test.

“Good, because you will be receiving the materials for today’s experiment soon. We wouldn’t want you to be half asleep when you get them.”

“No we wouldn’t.” 

Saying that was the first time that D-5448 responded to the voice without some kind of attitude. He was in too much of a good mood for that today. 

Time seemed to take ages to progress, but it was finally time. A woman wearing the usual visitor’s attire entered his cell, holding a filing folder.

“Hello, sir,” she said, handing him the object. “I wish you luck in today's experiment.”

He took the folder.

“Oh, you have no need to worry. Everything will go smoothly.”

“I sure hope so,” she mumbled, leaving the room.

The speaker in his room made a strange noise, like a phone being passed between people. Then, a voice could be heard, far warmer than the usual one.

“Morning, D-54! I bet you’re really excited for this.”

It was the orientation speaker. They weren’t just watching the experiment, they were conducting it.

“You seem pumped up, too. Are you excited to see me die or something?”

“Oh, no, no,” the speaker laughed. “I’m just happy that you’re happy. I’m not as crazy as you, remember?”

“Yeah, right."

“With that all out of the way, I think that we should begin today’s experiment. Open the file, please.”

“Wow, so polite.”

D-5448 abided by the directions he received. He opened the folder and inspected the contents. Instead of the drawn document, lined paper, and pencil from before, it was only the document. What did they want him to do with that?

“Instead of the writing that you did last time, you will be verbally interpreting the document. Start when you’re ready, but don’t wait for too long. We want some data collected today.”

This wasn’t just a test, it was a sacrifice, the exact reason why he was brought here. The purpose of all of the others in his class. The excitement was overwhelming, he had to expend it somehow. He stood up and began stepping towards the opposite side of his cell. The voice came back over the speaker.

“Oh, you’re pacing? Are you nervous?”

“A bit. I mostly just have to do something with all of this energy.”

“Sure, sure. Whatever you need to do.”

He scanned over the paper. Almost everything on it already felt memorized. It all just seemed so familiar to him. Nevertheless, he still referenced the file as he spoke.

“SCP-2521 is a keter class SCP. The special containment procedures are as follows.”

He had reached the wall on the far side from his bed. He turned around and began pacing in the opposite direction. His throat felt tight, but he pushed himself to keep speaking.

“The information of this SCP is only to be portrayed through pictures. No written, typed, or spoken forms of the information are to be used in order for this creature to be kept out of sight. These drawn files, however, are only to be accessed by class 4 or O5 personnel.”

He seemed to reach the original side of his cell faster than the first time. Turning back around, he began walking in the other direction. It became apparent to him that he had begun pacing faster. Could it be out of fear? Nervousness? He didn’t feel scared or worried, but maybe his body and mind didn’t agree on it.

“The physical information and other features of this creature are as follows. SCP-2521 is larger than an average human in height. There are streamer-like projections scattered amongst the body, most prominently on the head and hands. The feeling of the body has been described as sticky or gooey.”

Again, he had reached the opposite wall. He went to turn the other way, but something stopped him. The lights flickered. A presence was evident behind him. Something told him not to turn around yet. He remained facing the wall, fiddling with a corner of his paper instead of pacing. Swallowing hard, he continued.

“SCP-2521 is capable of passing through any solid object, so reliable containment is impossible to achieve. It has been observed that SCP-2521 does not understand any kind of pattern, image, chart, or sign. Despite this, it responds to any and all speech or written information about itself.”

The presence inched towards him. Turn around, he thought. The whole purpose of this was to see that thing again, the most intriguing creature you’ve known. So do it.

No. Something urged him to keep reading. Provide more information. Speak more of those words. He found the motivation to keep going and, though stuttering, he continued.

“The following entails the experiments conducted involving SCP-2521. In the first test, a D-class subject was instructed to write his interpretation of what a series of drawings describing SCP-2521 meant. Halfway through, the SCP entered the room and took the written copy. When the chamber was later entered, the test subject was found cowering under the room’s desk.”

He could feel it. It was definitely here. It dared him to read on. Not much further. He definitely couldn’t make it to the end of the document. But it was worth it to try.

“A second experiment was conducted with a different D-class subject. Instead of writing the information, he was told to express the pictures with words. In the midst of doing so, he…”

He trailed off. He didn’t have to say this. He was living it. It was time to give in.

Turning around revealed that it was there. The creature. Tall. Dark. But so enthralling at the same time. 

D-5448 dropped the file and backed against a wall. It approached him, reaching out. It was so happy, like an innocent child finding a stray cat. It wanted to take him home and love him forever. 

His heart was racing. He couldn’t comprehend this. He never knew that this was how he would die. 

It pulled him close to itself. A tight embrace. He could barely breathe. But it was so comforting. So relaxing. He let himself fall into it.

This was truly the end.