Clunk - SCP Foundation

Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.

Turn to the right, hand on the rail, six steps.

Clunk. Clack.

Without stopping, without pausing, sling your bag across your front, pull out a water bottle.

Crink. Clunk.

Take a drink. Old, plasticky water, hard lump in your throat.

Shunk. Clunk.

Never slowing for even a moment. Fast heartbeat, thudding in your neck.

Clunk. Clurnk.

Put the bottle away, bag across the back. Straps dig deep into your dirty orange shirt.

Clunk. Clush.

If you stop, if you even slow, he'll see you. See you among the black hole of the stairs and the grey concrete of the walls.

Cush. Crunch.

Somewhere, far down there, she's crying. High and plaintive, "-ommy, please? Are you th-"

Clunk. Turn, six steps. Clunk.

Maybe that girl is walking downward, just like you. Her voice cuts through the quiet of this place, no matter how far down she is.

Clunk. Clunk.

She never seems to get any closer. "-one? I- I- I'm so alone, pl-"

Crick. Clunk.

Whatever she's doing, she's scared. Dark clouds at the border of your vision, fear and anger and protectiveness.

Clunk. Shunk.

Wish you could tell her there's nothing to fear. Your heart's beating up in your ears.

Shink. Clunk.

There's no sound in this place. Stuffy, wet, woolly silence.

Clunk. Clurk.

Nothing but your feet and her crying. One steady rhythm, one unpredictable anguish.

Shlunk. Clunk.

Nothing but stale air and rusty metal.

Turn, six steps.

And him.

Shkunk. Clunk.

Sometimes you worry that you'll turn the corner and he'll be there. The handrail glints in the darkness, leading around the corner.

Clunk. Clutck.

That he'll be staring up at you from the next landing. This landing's bare and dirty grey and faintly damp.

Clunk. Clusk.

Or that he's right behind you, staring. Goosebumps start to grow, on your arms, on your neck.

Clupk. Clunk.

His white eyes could be just a foot behind you, waiting for you to glance back. You see those blank, soulless eyes when you blink sometimes, for just a moment.

Clunk. Slunk.

But there's no use imagining. Just focus on reality, a dim cone of watery light, muddy steps ahead.

Clunk. Shlunk.

Just keep walking. Your legs start to cramp, unused to anything but a cell.

Clunk. Turn, six steps. Clink.

There's a strange smell, this flight. You've barely smelled anything but rust down here.

Crlunk. Clunk.

It's getting stronger. Piercing your nostrils, straight into the center of your attention.

Shlink. Clunk.

Like cat piss and bleach. It's making your head swim with its intensity.

Squelch.

Oh shit you stepped in it. Oh yuck it's fucking gross and it splashed on your ankle and it smells horrible. And it's brown and chunky and -.

Wait.

Oh no.

Slowly, slowly, look -

Oh shit fuck FUCK oh my SHITTING fuck

Oh god he's THERE you STOPPED YOU STOPPED AND HE'S THERE

Oh god RUN RUN RUN up and UP and UP and turn and up and UP

He's BEHIND YOU he's chasing you oh god no HOW did you STOP how COULD YOU STOP

NEVER stop never NEVER never never never never

oh shit oh god PLEASE PLEASE he's RIGHT behind you

oh no OH NO oh no OH NO up and UP and UP and up and UP and UP and UP and trip and -

Smack.

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crack.

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Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.

Turn to the right, six steps.

Clunk. Clunk.