The Many Voices Nearby By Dr. Bravery

Society seizes to exist in America after a nation wide breach caused survivors to move into bunkers underground. 30 years later a survivor writes about her memories, losses and her education about the SCP Foundations failure.

SCPs mentioned:

“Should I phase it bluntly, or sugarcoat it?” I ask myself. I always ask that question every time I have to write to my higherups. They often don’t like what I have to say about the goings-on at Cell 1163-A and B. But what do they know? I can’t even enter the cell, let alone control those things. What even are they on a biological level? Are they even from Earth, “Why must we care about these stupid creatures?!”

A knock is heard at my door and I compose myself. A man walks in, a Latino with piercing amber eyes. His lab coat is torn at the bottom, and he speaks in an upbeat tone, “If you’re done ranting about 939, may I come in to talk to you?"

"Oh-oh… Yes yes, of course, Dr. Pozo. Come take a seat." I minimized the email tab on my computer and clear my desk of all my junk; stress balls, crystals, and my mini work in progress replica of The Sculpture. Dr. Pozo pulls up and chair and sits, staring at my replica, "You know it isn't real, right?"

"Oh yeah yeah, I know. It's… Really unsettling though. So, did you sent out that email?"

I sigh and rub my temples, "No no… Not yet. I'm just debating if I should sugarcoat it, or be blunt about it."

"What?! Be blunt! This is serious! Those things are saying things they never heard before! In voices that we never heard before, and then just stop using that voice after an hour! You got to let the project director know about this." He pauses before continuing, "We have to replace the glass every week now, they want out so badly. We need further instructions. So Dr. Bravery, if you have any regards for foundation safety, you will be blunt about this."

All I did was blink; never had Dr. Pozo yelled at me like this. I was in awe. I composed myself again and opened up the email tab again, "Well I guess I should begin then. Anything else you need from me?"

Dr. Pozo smiled, "Oh yeah the boys and I were going to run to SCP-294, you want anything?"

"Yes, a cup of black and mint tea please." I'm not looking at him at that point; too busy with the email. At the corner at my eye, I see him nod to me and jog out the door, "What a great guy that guy" I think, "What a great researcher to work with."

"Look at these monsters…" I say this to seamlessly nobody, sipping my tea, "And to think these were probably people at some point."

"Uh… You talking to us, ma'am?" One of the guards asks. I turn to them. They looked extremely confused at what I was saying. Perhaps they thought I was going mad. Perhaps I was.

Neither or less, I shook the feeling out and turned to them, "My apologies gentlemen. But-"

"But I just about had it with these monsters." My blood ran cold. That wasn't me, but that was my voice. I quickly turned to see the maw of an SCP-939, biting at the glass, "These monsters" it spoke in my voice, "These monsters should be destroyed. The Foundation has no use for such beast. All should be destroyed." It stops biting and heads back to where it was before. My heart sank hearing my voice say those things and a million things were running through my head like a fly attempting to escape a box.

"Uh… Doc? You ok?" One of the guards asked me. I just waved my hand, staring at the infrared camera. One of the other guards said something else, but I wasn't listening at that point.

"Who do you think you are, actively threatening me?!" I bang my fist against the control panel, turning on the lights in the cell. I could hear their screeches, saying to turn off the lights. My rage quickly quells and I turn off the lights. I rub my temples and begin to walk out the room, "I'm going to grab Dr. Pozo…" And I leave the room, still hearing those voices telling me to come back, you monster.

I bury my face in my sleeves. I dare not look at his face. I hear a throat being cleared and I look up at Dr. Pozo, who slides me a cup, "Rough day?".

I take the cup, "Yeah… I asked for reassignment and I got assigned to 053." I drink the liquid but immediately spit it out, "OH GOD!" I can hear Dr. Pozo laughing, "What the hell Pozo! What is this?"

Dr. Pozo looks to be dying of laughter. It took him a minute to be able to speak, "We- we had an idea to give you a cup of seawater and see if you would drink it, and you actually did!" I did not laugh at this. When he finally settles down and looks to have a serious look on his face, "That bad huh? Well… It could be worse. You could be assigned to something dangerous. You know just got to ask the little girl some questions now and then. Easy."

"Yeah…" I got up, "Well… Break time is over. I get to pack my things for my new office. I'll see you around Pozo." I walk away to my office.

"See ya Brave." He calls back.

"Brave? I like that nickname."

"Help! Help! Anyone here?" I run through the halls of the dark facility. Something happened, there were multiple containment breaches, several Keter SCPs got out, it's every man for himself now. But I'm just going with my gut: Keep running. And that's what I do, through the facility. Serval dead bodies I find, mostly D-Class Personal; poor guys, and some of my colleagues like Dr. Pozo's friends. Dr. Pozo… I had no idea where he went. I manage to reach Storage Area 6 before my legs give out, "I was not built for running, I suppose…" I though. I managed to bring myself back together and stable about, trying to find survivors to stay with.

"Brave?"

"What was that?" I though.

"Brave where are you? I need help."

"That was Dr. Pozo." I step back a bit, "Dr. Pozo?"

"Come on Brave, where are you?" Dr. Pozo sounded like he was close by.

"I'm coming, Pozo!" I begin to run to Pozo's position, "At last!" I think, "At last someone I know who can help escape this he-" I couldn't even finish that thought, as I stare at the bloody entrails on the ground, with that familiar tattered lab coat on the ground, soaked in blood. I shook my head no, "No no no! I walked right into a trap!"

"These monsters." I heard my voice say. I quickly turn to see an instance of SCP-939. Which one, who cares at this point.

Death was my only savior, and that's me being blunt about it.