All Words Are Lies 


All words are lies, little fabrications we weave into tales that give us 
hope and make us feel complete. Parents tell their children lies to 
shield them from an ugly world and those kids tell lies to be a part of 
that world when they grow into men and women themselves. 


Everyone lies for a reason, or that's what | had thought. 


Lies were something | always believed were based on motive, some 
innate desire to twist reality into whatever we wanted, so long as we 
believed it and others believed it too. But that's not the only reason 
we lied. 


| can't tell you the first time | was dishonest and any guess | could 
come up with would be wrong, no matter how much | did want you to 
know the truth. It was an impulse that started at a young age, and 
even in my earliest memories | do not know why | did so. | did only 
because | could, and for no gain whatsoever. It was pure bliss, ina 
way, but even then | didn't care that much about the feeling. | knew | 
was unhappy and the lie only made that ache ease just so much. 


| was five years old. | was not an outdoor kid and my stepfather 
knew that too. He fucking hated me for it. | was innocent at that age; 
| had no motives and just wanted to be alone. | wanted to be alone 
and | wanted to make up stories in my head, for | had a wild 
imagination. | remember filling his gas tank with dirt when he wasn't 
looking. | did a mess of it and he knew | did it too, | could see it in his 
eyes. When he asked me if | did, | shook my head. | carried 
everything to my grave. 


| always knew it would be my undoing, but boy did | not give a shit. It 
took me a long time to die and even then my lying had no more 
influence on my death than anything else I'm telling you right now. 
That's the moral of the story. Nothing happens for a reason. 


When | was sixteen | got caught fucking my Latina ex-girlfriend in 


the back woods of New Jersey. Someone saw my car pulling off 
onto a dead-end trail and called the cops thinking | was dumping 
garbage or some shit. | still remember which track of my Chevelle cd 
was playing when the cops knocked on the fogged up window. | 
climaxed with sheer adrenaline and morbid irony coursing through 
my veins at one penultimate fuckup of a moment. The zenith of 
white trash and an unsung hero in a beat-up beige Buick sedan. | 
barely lied myself out of that situation because | didn't lie myself out 
of that situation at all. | told some exaggerated truths and | pushed 
some unknowns like they were conditions of certainty and it helped 
a little. 


| told them my stepfather would beat me if they found out. He 
wouldn't, but | knew what | was in for regardless. It was during 
school hours so | only got an in-school suspension for truancy. | 
thought | was pretty much out of the woods when | got home and 
told my mother | ran late to school getting McDonalds with some 
friends and got a suspension for it. | take the blame like a champion, 
and her God-fearing ass accepts it as is. 


A few hours later my stepfather arrives home and | think all is well in 
the world until he says we have to speak with my mom about 
something. 


"| got a call today. You know what about?" 


| look at my mom and give her the old "we've just been through this" 
glare. 


"Yeah, some truant officer picked me up outside of McDonald's after 
getting breakfast with a group of friends. It was after school started. 
You know, they got pissy." My look was stone-cold sober. 


"Actually, it was from your principal. They said they picked you up 
off school grounds with some girl. Something Jimenez." 


That was a little tricky, because | don't tell my family about my 
girlfriends unless they've been around a while. And | had been 
dating the daughter of a Methodist priest, this Caitlyn chick for about 
a year at that point. | fucked her spirituality out of her head, ramming 
it into her headboard and had taken up hiding under her bed when 


SCP-684: The Caretaken 


Item #: SCP-684 
Object Class: Euclid 


Special Containment Procedures: As SCP-684 is too large and 
massive to relocate, much less fully contain in any orthodox sense, 
HotBox procedures are in effect. If SCP-684 is judged to have 
expanded beyond the coordinates of [COORDINATES 
REDACTED], containment is said to have failed, and HotBox 
borders are to enact standard deterrent methodologies’. 


No staff living on the surface of SCP-684 are allowed to know the 
true nature of SCP-684. This specific file is not to reach any 
observation post studying SCP-684. 


Description: SCP-684 is a massive object (assumed to be a living 
creature) found on the seafloor of the Indian Ocean. It is irregular in 
shape, with the center of its mass located at approximately . , - 

. . From that center mass, SCP-684 extends approximately 70 km 
outward, maintaining an average height above seafloor of 12 m. 


The outward 'skin' of SCP-684 is dark brown, with a rough, grainy 
texture. There is a slight 'give' when pressure is applied to its 
surface. From time to time, small sections of SCP-684's surface will 
dimly glow a faint blue, yellow, or pink hue. These lights tend to 
move in the direction of SCP-684's center mass, or to six slowly- 
pulsating sphincters that are believed to be mouth analogues. 


History: Upon discovery of SCP-684 in 19 , the Foundation 
attempted to place a prefabricated research outpost near SCP-684. 
Due to ocean currents, the post landed on the surface of SCP-684 
instead. As the outpost structure was undamaged by said 
misplacement, O5- authorized the deployment of Researcher . 

to the post, later dubbed Station Alpha. 


her parents got home, until a camp made her realize | was 
questioning her chastity. We had our problems but girls kind of just 
kept coming onto me and | couldn't say no. Still, nothing | couldn't 
handle. | handled them all quite well, actually. 


"Yeah, she's just some friend, | gave her a ride, she's pretty nice." 


His tone was uncertain. "Okay, well, if that's so, can you tell me how 
they didn't pick you up in Wildwood, but inland, and in the woods?" 


This piqued my mom's attention. | felt the little hairs standing up on 
my neck but | got slightly erect at the same time. How much did he 
know? The layers of my web of lies unwound, surely something 
would happen to me, the black sheep. The accident child. 


"Uhh, yeah. We took a detour coming back, we had some stuff we 
needed to talk about alone." 


"What kind of stuff, Will?" God | hated when they pried. 


"You know, relationship stuff. About Cait. | don't want to talk about 
it." That much was true. 


"Oh well, you also know what your principal told me?" 
"No, | don't, but you're going to tell me anyway, right?" 
"He said that, when they caught you, you were, ‘in the act’." 


My mom buried her head in her hands. There were so many things 
wrong with that moment. | didn't find out till years later that | was 
conceived in a parking lot by another man in my mom's lack of 
judgement. Thinking back on it, | thought that that would make a 
difference. It did not. 


My mother spoke, "Oh, boy, you are done. No more video games, 
no more car." | was in the middle of Bumblefuck, NJ. Those were 
the only things | had. | needed to divert this. 


"Look, | was just making out with her. They were exaggerating. It's a 
complicated situation and Caitlyn and | are on a break." 


My stepfather seemed to take my side in this. Maybe he's been 
through the same craziness as a child. 


"Alright, if that is the case, we will just go clear things up right now." 


| clenched my jaw but accepted my fate. The web of lies was 
growing deeper, but maybe, just maybe | could get out of this one. 
The ride over was silent, though | didn't expect much conversation 
and didn't really care to have it. It was just awkward. It got a bit more 
awkward when we passed by the turn-off for my school. 


"Uh, | thought we were going to talk with the principal." 


"That's not who picked you up, though, isn't it? Let's get to the 
bottom of this, why don't we?" / don't know why you didn't just listen 
to me but go through all this effort anyway. 


A short while later we pulled up outside the city's police office 
headquarters. 


"This is your last chance, you know. You can come clean about 
everything right here and you can save us the trip of going in there. 


You could have saved us the trip of driving out here if you weren't 
trying to prove a point, old man. | said nothing as we got out of the 
Car. 


It had started raining at this point, and the sky was the same shade 
of gray as the waters of the nearby shore. | followed slightly behind 
him as he pushed open the front doors. | saw my stepfather 
approach the guy behind the front desk and they exchanged some 
words. After a moment, my fat fuck of a dad motioned me over and 
we went into one of the side rooms. This was going to be interesting. 


A minute passed and the doors behind me opened again. A squat 
officer, looking a bit like he had more to deal with whatever | was 
involved in, moved to the other side of the office, a folder 
underneath one arm and a cup of coffee in hand in the other. It took 
me a minute to realize this was the cop who picked me up. He had a 
slight smirk on his face, whereas | could feel mine burning up. 


"What can | do for you today, young gentlemen?" 


My stepfather responded first. 


"Well, | understand you were the one who picked up my son here 
earlier." 


"Yes, that is true." 


"Was there anything abnormal or unusual about what was 
happening when you found him?" A lump in my throat started to 
form. 


"Well, nothing much, aside from the fact that they were, you know..." 


Silence thickened in the air. Of course he knew. My stepfather just 
wanted to hear him say it. | was waiting for the bomb to drop, too." 


"Well, uh- he was, uh. How do | put this..." 


| was looking at him with a pleading look in my eyes. Surely he 
remembered what | had said about the abuse, right? His smirk grew 
more when | had a slight realization. 


My dad, he was an EMT, and also a firefighter. He must have known 
some of these guys and they must have been dying just waiting to 
rat on his son. Because they didn't know the truth. About the things 
he would say and do when he had the reason. It didn't matter. 


"He was, uh, found, inside her." 


| stood up and walked out of the room. | could hear a chuckle as | 
headed back to the car. | was done with this crap. My stepfather 
caught up to me on my way there, and he was cackling under his 
breath. 


"You are so done. Just wait until your mother hears about this. | 
didn't trust you, just wait until no one else does." 


I'm not a bad person. | didn't want to be not trusted. | was just 
compelled to be untruthful. Call it mental illness, call it what you will, 
it wasn't how | thought it was going to go down. | tried to open up to 
my stepfather for the first and last time. | was crying as | told him | 
didn't know what | was, and | was trying to figure it out myself. He 


asked me if | was a faggot. What a prick. 


The rain had picked up a bit, but it was still in its early stages. That's 
when roads are most dangerous, when people lose control of their 
vehicles easy. | didn't see the truck as it pulled out in front of me. | 
did hear the tires screeching as my dad passed me. | felt for a brief 
instant the force of two tons of metal striking my back and | 
remember a dull throb as the world went black. This was the first 
time | died. 


When | opened my eyes again, everything was dark. | couldn't see, 
and there was nothing around me. | was unsure if | had a form or 
not, | couldn't move to find out. | couldn't speak either, but when | 
thought | heard the words around me as if | had talked out loud. 


Where am !|? 


Then, there was a response, a dialogue started from something, 
someplace else. 


ae, BS STAG 5a ? 


Child, do you remember? 


What? No, who am |? Where am |? 


49, RRA AS AE Aas MST AA, cS RR ON pee 
You are on the path that is the far back, on the road to your first 
home. 


RST? SNe Sey awa 5 aes a5 


NBAN, “ay aU J AU). SA] ARENA CAS), GALA. 
You walk along the path that is before and after, the beginning and 
the border of the wheel, Samsara. 


Samsara? Wait- no, that means I'm- I'm dead? 


Qe" Hq Qa aK Qe aa cat AB BAN ARE & NAN 
Death but deathless, that is the way of the Bardo, the passing state, 
the place between states. 


~N aN oN roON Nn we ALN N EN 
B55 AeeIN SISA NB: AN 5" 5, SA Ble MAN GN SIG, ONG 
BEATA ANE, 
Look upon the reflection and see your Self, but do not fear. Fear will 
not be your freedom. 


Then, a light was in front of me, behind me, reflected off the glass 
that was but a fragment's distance from my form, and | saw it, 
myself. Or what it would be. There was nothing there. Great terror 
built in my chest. 


a a 


Do not fear. Remember your Mantra and it will be your freedom. 
What is my Mantra? 


any ga. 
All words are lies. 


| began to weep. The light dimmed down and | knew | had failed. | 
wasn't ready. 


FAIS 


om mani padme hum. 


And then the pain began. 


"Clear." 


There was a bright flash, and all the nerves in my body lit up at 
once. | saw the metal ceiling, felt the movement of four wheels 
beneath me, but then it started fading again. 


"He's going again. He needs another. Now! [pause] Clear." 


A thousand colors bloomed in front of my eyes, which rolled half- 
open in a blurred haze. I'm still alive. But what had happened? It 
didn't take longer for me to fall unconscious again, this time with a 
pulse. 


Hours later | awoke with a jolt with diodes on my head and tubes in 
my arms. No one was around me. | was alone in a hospital. Alone 
again. 


Moments later | realized it wasn't true. There was someone else 
there, standing beside my bed. An elder man and a stranger ina 
tattered business suit. 


"Who-" 


| struggled to move but the pain knocked the words from my lungs. 
The man leaned over. 


"Hush now. | am Nobody. You can call me that." 
Coughing, | exhaled a few words. Nothing choice, but | was curious. 
"Is that your name, or not your name?" 


"| don't think there is much a difference. Call me Nobody. Do you 
remember who you are?" 


| struggled to find the thoughts. Head disoriented, | blurted out what | 
was just told. 


"lam alie." 


| think he smirked. "Getting ahead of yourself, are you? It'll come 
back, give it time. Don't worry, you'll be right as rain in no time, soon 
as yOu Say So." 


| didn't have a moment to question what he meant, as he vanished 
when he was out of my sight. | tried to turn my head but a sharp pain 
followed. Things blurred again and | fell asleep for some time. 


When | awoke again, there was a woman beside me. A nurse, dark 
hair and a face like a peach. As soon as she noticed my 
movements, she approached me and laid a consoling hand on my 
arm. 


"It's okay, Mr. . You've been in a car accident, but you are 
alright. Can you talk for me?" 


"Where- [cough]. Where am |?" 


She looked down on my form and spoke again. "Shore Medical. 
Somer's Point. You're lucky to be alive." 


| tried to sit up again but she eased me down. 
"Not yet, hun. Let's chat. Do you know who you are? 


"You tell me, you just did." | was disoriented and confused. So 
confused. 


"Mr. William . Ring a bell?" 

| suppose it did, but | couldn't be sure. 
"How old are you?" 

"Twenty-five." 


"That's right!" She smiled. 


"Who is the president?" 

"| don't know. Some asshole." 

She snorted slightly but said nothing. 

"How do you feel?" 

| was getting tired of this, so | said what | said to get her to go away. 
"I'm fine." 


"That's great!" She beamed, her oversized mouth full of white teeth. 
"I'll get your things, then." She left in a hurry.