And Then I Died IV - Series 2

Welcome to the 4th edition of And Then I Died…, an SCP collective writing game! Useful information is held behind a collapsible tab right here:

+ Click here to learn the rules of the game! - Click here to make these rules go away! Whoever guesses an entry correctly first (more on that below) will pick an SCP to write a mini-tale about (200 - 500 words). If someone doesn't want to write, they shouldn't guess. The entry needs to be written within 72 hours (3 days). If it doesn't happen, the second person to guess correctly will be given a chance to write an entry. This continues until no one else has guessed, in which case, the judge will step in and write an entry for the person based on the SCP. The character "speaking" must die at the end and the entry must end with "And then I died.". It might not be from the SCP in question, so long as their exposure caused it somehow. While not required, a few red herrings are definitely encouraged, so long as the final solution is the most likely/most obvious answer. The answer doesn't need to be obvious, but it definitely has to be guessable, or at least have something clear about the connection to the answer at hand. There are three days for guessing. There's a 24 hour wait time before the guesses are revealed (if someone guessed correctly in that time), to collect the guesses made. Otherwise, two additional days are allowed for guessing, for a total of three days. If no one guesses the SCP after three days, congrats to the author! They can write one more. If someone is writing an entry, they should send a message to all of the judges so the judges can know what the SCP in question is. Judges can help for proofreading, though do note the judges will tell you if you're potentially being too obtuse, or veto your entry if you're abusing the rules to get away with no one guessing. The judges, then, can't actually guess or give the game away. If you've guessed right before and you guess correctly, your answer will be put in a lower priority than any other correct guesses. This is to prevent people from writing multiple times in quick succession and leave no room for other guessers. Finally, for this edition we are only looking for SCPs belonging to Series 2 (SCPs 1000-1999) - given the size of the database and number of entries, this is to hopefully streamline the game. - Click here to make these rules go away!

Looking for the old entries? Click right here, here, and here for some excellent reads! Answers are included at the end of each entry. Have fun reading, guessing, and/or writing!

Round 1: Shaggydredlocks

I spring, full-formed from the realm of all Happy things, brimming with excitement!

My first sight upon my joyous manifestation is a timid-looking person in a lab coat. They stare at me, eyebrow cocked, expectant. It is as if they're waiting for something to happen…

I stroll up to the glass dividing us, giving my most adorably dopey grin, and I can't help but notice the stranger seems to be desperately avoiding eye-contact. Why, that's silly.

From somewhere above me, a hatch opens. I hear the unmistakable sound of a chainsaw revving up.

And then I died.

SOLVED

Round 2: Captain Kirby

The world is about to end.

And that’s fine.

My whole life, in fact, all of our lives, were created just for this moment. Most don’t understand that of course. You can’t just tell the whole world that it’s about to end. That it’s just a decoy. No, best to let them live their last day in ignorance. It is bliss after all.

I smile as I type out a farewell.

And then I died.

SOLVED

Round 3: Weryllium

Lung cancer, the doctor told me. Stage 4, terminal. Exactly what I needed to hear, as if the divorce wasn't enough.

Some shady guy came by the hospital room, offering a chance at an "experimental treatment". I could almost see him making the air quotes; his voice was that transparent. I didn't even care anymore, I'd be dead soon anyway.

An assistant led me to a room, and I sat and waited for the doctors. Right when I thought no one was coming I felt a pinprick, then another, then more. Couldn't feel any pain, couldn't move a muscle. Shady guy from earlier came down in a labcoat and stood there taking notes.

Whatever they gave me, I'd never felt anything like it. I felt like I was being poked and crocheted from the inside out. And then, wham.

Every cell in my body screamed and I felt like I was melting. My heart mixed with my kidneys and my veins and blood swirled. Still couldn't move, but I saw labcoat guy rush to stick a needle in my sloshing arm.

And then I died.

SOLVED

Round 4: Ellie3

My daily cravings had hit me again, this time at the mall. Luckily, there was a small candy store. Usually overpriced, but it would work.

“Gimme half a pound of these little… erm”

“Yes ma’am, sorry about the misspelling on the sign for those, I’ve been meaning to print out a new one” the man behind the counter bagged up the multicolored, sweet, tasty little treats. Perhaps I was letting my cravings get to me.

I slammed five dollars down on the table and ran off with the goods before he could say any more, letting him keep the fifty cents of change. Finally, my hunger would be sated. Tearing the top off of the bag, I shoved a handful into my mouth. I had just swallowed a few before the bitter taste hit me. Disgusted, I spit them into a trash can, throwing the rest of the bag in after them.

Perhaps they were actually just supposed to be sour, I thought as I walked off and started my car, driving away from the mall. Yes, that might have been another reason they needed a new sign.

Suddenly, there was a burning pain in my chest. I pulled the car over and slammed on the breaks, clutching my stomach. It felt like my stomach was going to explode, almost like it was leaking. The torture intensified, and my vision went white with pain.

And then I died.

SOLVED

Round 5: magnadeus

It was 6 o'clock, I think, when I was on my merry way, off for what I hoped to be a typical Sunday drive. Afternoon, of course. Plans to go see a movie with someone I finally managed not to fuck things up with. Weaving my way down the I-4, taking note of the passing billboards, it was… inspiring, in a way. Optimism took up residence in my mind as my vehicle moved on its own.

Clearly, however, my autopilot wasn't without fault.

I felt an unexpected jolt forward, violent jerking motions throwing me around in my seat. I threw my stare at the road in front of me, noticing nothing abnormal save for a small, green light, skewed in a way that I suspected it was probably being shone from some kid in the next car. I couldn't afford to get distracted by that, though. I needed to focus.

Focus didn't do shit, as it turned out. My car veered off the highway, careening into the rails despite the careful instructions relayed from my arms to the steering wheel before me. All at once, my car was reduced to rubble, shattering, caving, and cracking.

I lied under the smoldering wreckage, the skin on my soon-to-be corpse torn by the shrapnel of my windshield.

And then I died.

SOLVED

Round 6: Croquembouche

I stand amidst an audience of none, all of whom watch with eager eyes as my life's work draws to completion. Tapping, tapping, scratching, tapping; the sounds of chalk hitting against and being scraped across my blackboard echo around the empty room.

It is excruciating. The delay from my brain to the hand is almost unbearable. The thoughts, my focus, my flow; they echo around my head as the chalk struggles to keep up, flying as it is across the blackboard, leaving in its powdery wake numbers and lines beyond the comprehension of anyone but a mathematical genius.

And finally, it is done. I step back, let the stub of chalk fall to the floor with a gentle clatter and admire my work.

It is wrong. Not the maths — no no, the maths is correct — the answer is wrong. I stare at it, reason with it, fail, and I stand amidst an audience of one.

And then I died.

SOLVED

Round 7: stormbreath

As I slide into the driver's seat of the car, I notice that there is something wrong with the view out of the windows. It's not the testing chamber, but some city I don't recognize. And in the windshield, right where there's a hole on the outside, is this view of stars, going on forever. I don't have time to say anything about it before I lose control.

Right as my hand touches the seat, I become a prisoner in my own body. It feels like I'm a puppet, with something from beyond pulling and yanking on strings tied to all my limbs. And I get the feeling that those strings go out through that hole out into space. There's something out there, making me play a specific part.

The others get into the car, and I try to scream to them that they need to get out. Nothing comes out of my mouth: my body isn't my own anymore. At the very least, the others seem to have stayed in control, unlike me. They're talking among themselves, trying to get my attention. It works, but they wouldn't know. The thing controlling me pretends to put a key in and start the car, but that's a lie. Nonetheless, our view starts to change, and the car rolls forward.

It drives around for an hour, stopping at points and freezing for minutes at a time. I rage as hard as I can to regain control during those moments, but nothing works. The thing gets back in the car and apologizes for "Taking so long, the lines are just always a hassle." In my voice. It unnerves me.

And just as we're driving past some laboratory, I see a van, coming at us from behind. It strikes the car, and my body is flung forward. Right through the hole, right into the stars. I feel a pressure on my neck, almost like a bite.

And then I died.

SOLVED

Round 8: Ihp

Three generations gathered around the table. Grandfathers, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, all of them had the exact same features: The same scar on their arms, the same kind of wonky ears, the same color of eyes… even the same crookedness of the teeth.

It was my first clue that something was wrong. I'd come out here to research this family— part of a polygamous cult who tried to assassinate an evolutionary biologist last year. They'd agreed to meet with me on their terms, which meant a single cameraman and a microphone. We were streaming this live, so in case anything happened… well.

I avoided the obvious questions— about the similarities. But I knew this couldn't just be inbreeding. Something else was wrong here.

These people didn't trust outsiders. I decided to conclude my interview early, after I realized that they all had the same tattoo on their hands. They offered me a bit of fruit pie, and I figured it looked harmless. I took a bite, and when it hit my stomach, I started swelling and choking. I didn't bring my Epipen, of course not— who'd have thought that I'd find formaldehyde being served in a pie?

And then I died.

SOLVED

Round 9: CondorTalon

I almost called in sick today.

I woke with a terrible headache. A migraine, probably. And as much as I wanted to pull the covers all the way up over my head and return to dreamland, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I'd never missed a day of work before. I wasn't going to let a little headache make today the first.

And so I forced myself to get into the shower and then get ready for work. By the time I left the house I was almost able to convince myself that the pain was nothing and I'd be able to make it through the day.

I arrived at the school, heading toward the room where today's lesson would be held. Opening the door, I was immediately assaulted by a blinding light from within.

I grumbled as I squinted. Did the custodians leave the lights on through the night? One way or another, the lights were on when they shouldn't be. I turned toward the light switch. As I did, my foot kicked something across the floor, which collided with the nearby wall and shattered. I looked down to see the broken remains of a beaker.

Ugh, great, just one more mess I'll have to clean up, I thought, reaching for the light switch.

And then I died.

SOLVED

Round 10: Stallmantic

Halloween is my favorite time of year.

I put on my costume and go out to collect. My best friend comes with me in his Hulk costume, and he compliments my astronaut costume. We go house to house, collecting candy wherever we go with a merry "Trick or Treat!"

The real suckers are the people who are too lazy to give out candy, but too nice to not. They just leave their bowls outside. These are the Jackpot Houses. As the night goes on, more and more suckers leave their suckers, gummies, and chocolates outside for us to take. By ten o'clock we have entire trash bags worth of loot to eat.

"We gotta head home, Travis." my friend yells, "It's almost 10 o'clock."

"You're right, but first we have to trade candies!"

My favorites are hard candies. Jawbreakers, gobstoppers, anything hard and sweet. My friend hates those though, which turns out to be a very profitable exchange for me. While I give him my worthless trash, like pretzels and raisins, he gives me his gobstoppers. But in the exchange, I notice a brand I haven't seen before.

I can't just not try this brand. It would betray every ideal I have ever held.

I pop a red one in my mouth. It's delicious! I feel like every step I have is lighter. I do a giddy jump and I go real high! My friend is amazed, but now I want another. This next one is a lighter shade of red, and it looks even better. I pop it in my mouth. It's even more delicious than the last one! I do another jump for joy.

And I keep going up.

And I keep going up.

And I keep going up.

And then I died.

SOLVED

Round 11: Westrin

"Hey man, thanks for doing this for me."

"No problem man."

Me and my friend climbed up the stairs of his apartment building in order to conduct a photo shoot. I was looking to become a model, and to do that I needed a portfolio. It was sunset, and I wanted pictures of me in front of the sun. I was wearing a plain black t-shirt, jeans, and I was ready to pose. I even brought my aviators for bonus points.

My friend set up the camera facing the setting sun, and I prepared for the avalanche of pictures that would be taken. The camera is set up. "Alright man, prepare to pose."

I did just that.

"Alright, taking pictures in 3, 2, 1!"

I put on my aviators, and I posed as hard as I possibly could. Picture after picture, and I was flexing for each one. They wouldn't deny me for the position now! But then, my friend stopped, and took off his sunglasses.

"Uh… dude… look behind you…" I noticed a bright flash of light coming from behind me.

And then I died.

SOLVED