Awakening in Bright Darkness
Samuel’s head jolted off the pillow as he came out of his nightmare. He was in a struggle with army-looking guys who were taking him from his cell during the night. The men had administered a sedative to his fighting body, forcing him to close his eyes and doze off in their arms. Samuel looked around at the new room that lay before him, his mind reeling over a painful migraine. He gasped as he realized the reality of his situation.
He sat up and set his feet to the cold, cement floor, cringing a bit at first, but allowing them to stay put nonetheless. His head cradled in his hands, he remembered the men who came to his room. Not last night, but weeks before. They handed him a document signing his freedom from the needle if he’d follow all rules and accomplish all tasks at a strange facility. Samuel didn’t jump into it, but he thought it through and with a skeptical gesture of his hand, signed Samuel Withall.
“What in God’s name have I done?” he asked himself out loud, never expecting a response, but wanting someone to talk to. He stood up on his two feet and rested his body against the single table across from his bed. A note came into contact with his fingers. He picked it up and began to read.
On behalf of the SCP Foundation and our staff, we welcome you to an exciting, one-month working period in one of our top-secret research facilities. Unfortunately, the exact details of your upcoming work assignments are highly classified, but please read this document carefully to make your stay as safe and pleasant as possible.
Each of the Class-D Personnel has been given a numerical designation. Your personal designation is:
D-9341
Please memorize your designation, as the staff will use it to refer to you for now on.
During your stay, you will be taking part in various testing procedures. Some of them can be extremely dangerous if appropriate precautions are not taken. This is why we need your full cooperation at all times in all circumstances- our highly trained researchers and scientists know how to minimize risks and ensure the safety of the personnel involved in testing. If you fail to comply with the instructions you are given, you will be sent back to your term in death row.
If everything goes as planned (meaning we have your full cooperation), you will be released at the end of the month and you will be granted an absolute pardon for all your previous offenses.
Samuel felt uneasy. The words written on the page didn’t sound as if they would come to light. They left a horrible ache in his stomach. The world didn’t agree with allowing him to live, but these people… they wanted him. They wanted him to complete a month of work, in exchange for total freedom.
Samuel sat back on the cot, his head reeling over all the pain from the previous night and the migraine from constant thoughts. How many people have already escaped without the public’s knowing? Could a mass murderer be released? He rested his head into the palms of both of his hands, the paper crinkling against the constant wrinkling. Do I deserve to leave?
* * * * * * *
The room started to spin, a ceiling fan here, a table there, and a giant locked door. Caramel's eyes started to blink in constant frustration, attempting to clean out the sleep and dirt that accumulated below his eyelid. He grunted as the attempt to rise annoyed his spine. His dirt-brown mane was matted to his head as his sleep had mussed it every which way and his tan fur was swirled in many different areas on his body.
A sudden queasiness overtook his body, as he felt the need to vomit come up. He quickly twisted himself out of the small cot, the thin blanket curling up on the cold, cement floor. However, as soon as he stood over the toilet, a front hoof on each side of the rim, the sickness fell away. He gasped deep breaths as he attempted to force the vomit out. As fate found him, the illness didn’t pass. He only could gag in an attempt, but that became the extent of his retching.
Minutes passed, Caramel stayed silent aside from his heavy breathing. He gave up in the fruitless attempt to vomit the sickness away and looked to the desk that hung from the wall beside. On it, a sheet of paper sat, folded thrice in a neat fashion. Caramel read the contents aloud. “On behalf of the SCP Foundation and our staff, we welcome you to an exciting working period in one of our top-secret research facilities. Unfortunately, the exact details of your upcoming work assignments are highly classified, but please read this document carefully to make your stay as safe and pleasant as possible.
Each of the Class-E Personnel has been given a numerical designation. Your personal designation is:
E-9341
Please memorize your designation, as the staff will use it to refer to you for now on.
You will be taking part in various testing procedures. Some of them can be extremely dangerous if appropriate precautions are not taken. This is why we need your full cooperation at all times in all circumstances- our highly trained researchers and scientists know how to minimize risks and ensure the safety of the personnel involved in testing. If you fail to comply with the instructions you are given, you will be brought back here to be executed.
If everything goes as planned (meaning we have your full cooperation), you will be released at the end of a year to the world of Equestria and be known as ‘Caramel.’”
Caramel was stunned at the strange note. He had no reminiscence of his past. In fact, the pains of awakening are the only thing he had ever felt. With a soft voice, he quietly questioned, “What’s going on?”
Beyond all explanation, some things came natural to him. He knew how to read despite never learning. He knew how to talk beyond never hearing the words. He could move without ever strengthening his muscles. He knew exactly what things were and how they worked without ever hearing or using them.
The solid gray door loomed over him menacingly. His world was this small room, and that’s all Caramel seemed to know.
Author's Note
SCP: Containment Breach was such a fun game, a group of people made a ponified version of it.
I found the game to be so fun, that I drew the comic.
I found the story to be pretty good, so I wrote the story that sits before you now.
I had originally made Samuel to be named Mark and Caramel to be Flash Sentry. By the end, I decided that these would be the best characters.
