Hot shell station in your area, ready to sell goods and/or… services

Item #: 7284

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: Two members of MTF Psi-17 ("Long Haulers") are to be stationed inside of SCP-7284-1 to ensure any affected individuals are amnesticized and able to exit the anomaly.

Description: SCP-7284 is the designation given to a Shell gas station on United States Route-66. When driving near SCP-7284, witnesses report an unidentifiable voice on their car radio, urging them to drive into the parking lot of SCP-7284. Upon hearing the voice, there are two possible outcomes:

If the affected individual drives into the parking lot of SCP-7284 and purchases gas or other products from the anomaly, the anomalous effects will cease.

If the affected individual chooses to drive past SCP-7284, they will be transported to SCP-7284-1. SCP-7284-1 is a direct copy of the 3-mile area surrounding SCP-7284 in an unknown location. The only known structure present in SCP-7284-1 is SCP-7284. Upon reaching the end of SCP-7284-1, the affected individual will be teleported back to the beginning. However, if the affected individual chooses to buy a product from SCP-7284 while within SCP-7284-1, they will be transported to the non-anomalous Route-66.

Discovery: SCP-7284 was discovered during a routine anomaly transport conducted by Agents Frank Armstrong and Luka O'Neil. As the transport was recorded using a camera on their dashboard, their encounter with the anomaly was recorded.

<Begin Log>

O'Neil: Are we there yet?

Armstrong: Dude, you sound like a toddler.

O'Neil: Not my fault you're going 50 in a 70. Aren't we carrying something that could fundamentally change the way the public understands the universe and their place in it?

Armstrong: And that's exactly why I can't afford to crash this car.

O'Neil: (chuckles) You mean the Foundation can't afford you crashing this car. I mean, are you even trying to drive? I feel like I'm in the car with my grandma.

Silence.

O'Neil: Oh, fuck off. You're going slower now, aren't you.

Armstrong: Shouldn't have complained. My driving is like cooking rice. The more you look at it, the slower it goes.

Static can be heard over the radio as the agents near SCP-7284.

Armstrong tries to turn off the radio, but is unable to do so.

Armstrong: Come on, turn off.

O'Neil: Can we file a complaint for them making us drive this piece of shit?

Armstrong: Trust me, the complaints never go anywhe-

The static stops, and a voice can be heard on the radio.

SCP-7284: Hot shell station in your area, ready to sell goods and/or… services.

O'Neil: Did somebody hack the radio?

Armstrong: I hope so, or that's the worst advertisement I've ever heard.

O'Neil: Or the best?

Armstrong: Just turn it off.

The agents drive past SCP-7284. Approximately nine minutes later, they enter SCP-7284-1.

Armstrong: Does this look familiar to you?

O'Neil: Yeah, that cactus over there, and that one over there, and that slightly elevated pile of dirt. Oh wait, that's what everything looks like.

Armstrong: I'm being serious, we should've seen our exit by now.

SCP-7284: Is that how it is? You're just gonna ignore me? Toss me away like all those other stations?

O'Neil: I thought you turned the radio off.

Armstrong: I did, but it's back on someh-

SCP-7284: Oh, so now you just want to turn me off? Well, y'know what, I was never turned on. I've been faking all those pumps.

The agents drive past SCP-7284 again.

Armstrong: Something weird is going on. Is the anomaly secured?

O'Neil reached into the backseat and touches a large bag.

O'Neil: Yeah, it's still in the bag.

Armstrong: I've got a bad feeling about this. Call the director.

O'Neil attempts to call the director, but is unsuccessful.

O'Neil: No service. Then again, that seems perfectly normal while we're in the middle of BFE.1

SCP-7284: You can't just ignore me. You know, I looked through your phone. What's this shit about finding a Buc-ees2 near you? What does she have that I don't?

The agents pass SCP-7284 again.

O'Neil: That fucking gas station. How much you wanna bet it's an anomaly?

Armstrong: I don't think I'd win that bet. We just need to keep going. Eventually they'll figure out that the transport wasn't completed on time and they'll search for us.

O'Neil: What if this is a temporal anomaly? We could be stuck in here forever.

Armstrong: I prefer to look at it with a glass-half-full attitude.

SCP-7284: You used to buy snacks from me all the time, Armstrong. What happened to that? What happened to our relationship? Was I not good enough for you?

O'Neil looks at Armstrong.

O'Neil: That sounds like a you problem. Should've bought more snacks, man.

Armstrong: I swear I didn't cause this.

SCP-7284: So our relationship didn't happen? Is that how forgettable I was to you?

Armstrong: I- You know what? I'm not taking shit from a gas station.

The agents pass SCP-7284 again.

Sobbing can be heard on the radio.

SCP-7284: Is this what you do to all the other stations? You drive in, get a few gallons, maybe buy a soda, and then leave?

Armstrong: You have to understand. You provide things that I need when I do these transports. It's a purely platonic relationship.

SCP-7284: Is that all I am to you? A place to dump your money?

Armstrong: Okay, that's not what I mean and you know it.

The agents pass SCP-7284 again.

O'Neil: When you woke up this morning, did you think you'd be needing marriage counseling for your relationship with a gas station?

Armstrong: Can you shut the fuck up?

SCP-7284: What did you just say to me?

Armstrong: Hold on, that was meant for-

SCP-7284: No, I understand now. You come in for a quick fill and then you leave. Well, I filled your brother too.

Armstrong: I-

SCP-7284: That's right. He came through here needing gas a few months ago, and I filled him all the way up.

Armstrong: I don't really ca-

SCP-7284: And you know what? He's a better fill than you. Way better. He does all the things in the parking lot that you can't.

Armstrong: That doesn't matter. Hundreds of people get gas here every day.

SCP-7284: Hundreds? Are you calling me a slut now?

Armstrong is silent as the agents pass SCP-7284 again.

O'Neil: You really need to stop talking. You're just making all of this worse.

Armstrong: Are you siding with the sentient gas station?

O'Neil: We're gonna be stuck in here regardless of if I provide emotional support, might as well have fun until we're rescued.

Silence.

O'Neil: Hey, do we have any drinks? Snacks?

Armstrong: This isn't a road-trip. If you want to have Cheeto dust covering your fingers when we're ambushed, go ahead, but you're paying for it.

The agents pass SCP-7284 again.

O'Neil glances to his right and looks at SCP-7284.

O'Neil: No way. I'm not going in there alone.

SCP-7284: Why don't you come in and talk to my face. When you break my heart, you can at least look me in the eyes.

O'Neil: Can you just get this over with and deal with her? She obviously wants you.

Armstrong: Fine.

The agents take a right turn into the parking lot of SCP-7284.

Armstrong: I'm going to regret this.

Armstrong grabs the camera and walks into the gas station. O'Neil waits outside.

Armstrong: Hello? Anybody here?

Loud static can be heard on the intercom before SCP-7284 begins speaking.

SCP-7284: Here you are, crawling back to me. What, do you need to piss? Are you thirsty?

Armstrong: No, I just want to stop this.

SCP-7284: So you're willing to use other bathrooms but mine is too "dirty" for you? Wasn't too dirty when the gas was cheap.

Armstrong: Can you just let us go? I'm done dealing with this. I just want to finish this transport and go home.

SCP-7284: Why? Am I not enough for you?

Armstrong: (mumbles) Not when you're acting like a bitch.

SCP-7284: What the fuck did you just say to me? I'm a bitch? I'm a bitch?! Oh, really? I'm not the one who sleeps around with other stations and-

The voice fades away as Armstrong leaves the store and walks out to the car.

O'Neil: Did it go well? Is she letting us go?

Armstrong: Probably not.

O'Neil: Well, worth a shot. Can you hand me your card? Gotta get some gas if we plan on using the car to drive out of here.

Armstrong pulls his wallet out of his pocket and hands O'Neil his debit card.

O'Neil begins paying for the gas.

Silence.

The sounds of vehicles can be heard.

Armstrong: Wha-

Armstrong bumps into a young woman.

Woman: Oh, sorry.

Armstrong stares at the woman.

Woman: Are you okay?

Armstrong: How are-

Armstrong pauses and looks around for a second, noticing three vehicles in the parking lot.

Armstrong: Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about something.

Armstrong walks over to O'Neil.

Armstrong: Don't react, but we're back on the normal highway.

O'Neil: Huh? Oh, should I call the director?

Armstrong nods.

Armstrong: Also, grab the amnestics. I don't think we were here when that woman looked over.

<End Log>

Following this event, Armstrong and O'Neil completed the anomaly transport and reported SCP-7284.

Footnotes

1. Acronym for the slang phrase "bum-fuck egypt" referring to a remote location.

2. Buc-ees is a gas station popular within the United States.