Hand-Sewn - SCP Foundation

Her hands shook as she threaded the needle again, feeling around the head for the tiny eye. Decades of practice and well-worn fingers served her well, and she began the slow process of sewing in the final stitches. Behind her, staying out of the sun as a small child avoided the deep end of a swimming pool, sprawled out every which way on the grass, was… something. It had a lot of tentacles, that was certain. There were quite a few eyes as well — serpentine eyes, with sharp-slit pupils. The being hissed softly like a gas leak, although the old woman seemed to notice nothing unusual. The beast crept closer, tentacles sliding across green grass and leaving an odd mucus-like substance dripping in their wake. It reached out, putting an appendage on the woman. She froze.

"Oh! Is it you, my dear? I'm sorry, I didn't expect you to be back so soon!" The old woman relaxed and turned her eyes up towards the sky, smiling.

A thundering laugh sounded in her ears, like a thousand discordant bells ringing at once.

The being spoke with a clanging, low voice that was not a voice, which existed only in her head. "IT'S LATER THAN YOU THINK, MS. KATHERINE! YOUR SUN IS ALMOST GONE. ARE YOU ALMOST DONE WITH MY COSTUME? I HAVE TO FIGHT BAD GUYS, YOU KNOW. I'M GONNA BE SO KAWAII!"

"Almost done, love! Just a little bit more." She softly patted the tentacle on her shoulder with one small, frail hand. "I'm not near as young as I used to be."

"I UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS FOR ME. NO ONE ELSE WANTED TO HELP THE CAUSE OF JUSTICE, APPARENTLY!" The being snorted in childish distaste, crossing two of the tentacles that were not currently responsible for holding itself up, or going between the voids, or one of the other things tentacles normally do.

The old woman resumed her sewing, running a hand over the fabric to keep it straightened. The being helpfully smoothed out a fold, and she bobbed her head in thanks. "It's probably because they just don't know how much good you'll do yet, dear."

"YES, PROBABLY. THAT'S OKAY, SOON THEY WILL TRULY KNOW HOW HELPFUL AND COOL LOOKING A TRUE WARRIOR PRINCESS CAN BE! OH!" It rummaged around itself, causing small shimmers in space-time until it apparently found what it wanted. A crudely-crafted wand appeared from the folds of the earth and the sky, and it prodded her gently with it until she took it. "I FINISHED MY WAND! DOESN'T IT FEEL NICE?"

"You did a very good job!" She said, running her hands over the splintery wood with a light touch before returning it to its owner and continuing her work. "I like the little moon you have here. What sort of gem is that?"

The being approximated a grin that was not a grin, stretching its skin far too wide between a set of continuously rolling eyes. "IT'S A RUBY I FOUND! I'M GLAD YOU APPROVE OF IT, MS. KATHERINE."

They sat in silence for a few minutes longer as the sun set into a wash of dark pink and purple clouds, low on the horizon. A light breeze ruffled the woman's bone-white hair, and she hummed a little song as she finished the last few stitches. She snipped the thread with a flourish.

"There, love! All done." She stood up shakily, and the creature hastened to give her a tentacle to lean on, which she gratefully accepted. She turned towards the creature, looking down as she folded up one of the largest works she had ever done.

"THANK YOU, MS. KATHERINE! IT LOOKS LOVELY." It waved a few tentacles in the air.

The old woman looked finally towards her friend, and her eyes were the same cataract blue they had been for the last twenty-five years.

"No trouble, my dear. No trouble at all."