One Way In, Always Out.

Yes, I'm working on the extra chapter but this has been bouncing around in my head for the past week. I just had to write this out.

Sorry.

Do tell me what you think of this?

This is the first chapter of my new Serpent's Hand SCP fic.

The MC thus time will be more chill and less psychopathic than Jay, as you can see. He didn't jump up in joy when he found himself in the multiverse unlike a certain someone.

He won't be a murderhobo but he's not going to be naive either.

And most important of all, he'll be a fun, flirty Ara, Ara type of character, like Jay was meant to be. Unfortunately for Jay, I kinda lost track of that character arc so here we are. Not going to happen with this guy tho.

I'll write better this time!

Anyways, enjoy!

It's 3800 words y'know?

So donate your powerstones too!

Let's get to top ten baby!

___________________________

An indefinite point in time.

A certain subway station.

I checked the compass again as I stared at the seemingly abandoned subway entrance, littered with debris, no-entry signs and hazard warnings.

Yup. This is it.

I jumped over the barricaded entrance, ignoring the signs and continued down the mossy stairs caked with filth. The tiles looked discolored, the handlebars rusted, the signs stripped, cement cracked, time and decay taking their toll on the tunnel.

The Foundation really puts the elbow grease on these things huh?

They made it look very genuine, that whole abandoned subway vibe is strong with this one.

I chuckled as I skipped down the steps emerging onto an old and decrepit platform that wouldn't seem out of place in an urban exploration horror film, complete with the flickering overhead lights.

"Hey! You!" A man called out to me from the side, powerwalking towards me, pulling out a badge from his high visibility vest, allowing me to briefly catch a flash of the familiar logo.

A three spoked circle, with arrows pointing inwards, the faintest shadow of an S and a C.

Sloppy disguise.

"The platform is-"

I turned to him raising a hand to stop him as magic coated my tongue.

"Sleep." I commanded, letting loose a word of power.

The world shifted ever so subtly, as if imposing my will onto reality and the agent's eyes began to droop. He stumbled, failing to catch himself in time as slumber took him over.

But I didn't let him fall.

I flashed forward, grabbing him by the shoulder, and gently laid him down a nearby bench.

No need to unnecessarily hurt some random agent who was just doing his job.

The lights flickered overhead and I felt a presence appear behind me.

I didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't expecting you." I said, turning to face the woman. She was of vaguely asian descent, her hair a bleached blond and eyes like big glowing stars against the deep, vast darkness of the cosmos. She wasn't particularly beautiful or memorable, above average certainly but not much more, her sole notable feature being the scar that ran down her face from her left eye to the tip of her nose.

"So would I." She replied, leaning against the wall as she lit a cigarette.

"Come to stop me?" I asked, pulling out a ticket from my jacket.

"You think too highly of yourself." She huffed.

But she didn't deny it.

Behind all that cold exterior, she was just another big softie.

She puffed out a plume of smoke, tapping the cigarette against her hand, as we stood in comfortable silence for a moment, before she broke it.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"What do you think?" I asked back with a mischievous smile.

She rolled her eyes.

"What I think." She emphasized, "Is that this is your last chance to get back home. The thing you've been chasing this whole time." Her gaze softened, "Is it really worth it? Is she really worth it?"

I looked up at the cracked ceiling for a second and gave it a second thought.

She was right.

This might be my only chance at a way back home.

I once again stood at a crossroads.

On one side was home. On the other, vengeance.

Whatever I chose, I already knew deep inside I would regret it forevermore.

But as Thanos once said, the hardest choices require the strongest wills.

And this was hardly a choice.

My grip on the ticket tightened just a little bit, creasing it as I turned back to her.

"Do you remember the day we first met?"

She nodded, a bit of nostalgia in her eyes.

"You were quite the cheeky brat."

"I prefer 'pain in the ass' thank you very much." I corrected.

"Still as cheeky as ever." She let out a dry chuckle.

"You offered me a similar choice that day. Do you remember?"

"I remember you puking onto my third favourite jacket." She teased, and I laughed at the memory.

"But yes. I do." She added.

"Then you know my choice." I replied.

She took a drag of her cigarette, and fell silent for a moment.

The lights flickered once more. A cool breeze blew through the tunnel like a herald, raising old newspapers from their slumber on the floor, sending them fluttering across the station.

The tracks hummed ever so slightly, a song of welcome, and two bright white lights pierced the pitch black darkness of the tunnel.

The train was here.

I took a step forward and heard her let out a sigh as a line of smoke flit past my vision, dissipating into the air like it had never existed, leaving behind only the sweet smell of the aftertaste.

"I just wish you wouldn't." She muttered under her breath as the train flashed onto the station, coming to a screeching halt.

"So do I, #£&@#£." I said, her name lost amidst the screeching brakes of the train, "So do I."

The doors of the train opened and the bony facsimile of a man in a conductor's uniform appeared at the door's edge, materializing from nothingness, his lidless eyes hollow shells of dread, pits with abyssal depths that promised no returns.

"Tickets please." He politely requested.

I handed mine in and he punched it before handing it back to me.

"Where to?" He asked.

"Alagadda, The End Of Time." I answered.

"Same." I heard her say as she handed a ticket to the conductor.

I raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?"

She took a final drag of the cigarette and looked up at me with a cheeky grin as she crushed the cigarette underfoot.

"Taking responsibility."

I sighed, a soft smile spread on my face.

"I guess it's true what they say about girls with daddy issues."

"And what do they say about girls with daddy issues?" She asked playfully as we stepped in, the train doors closing behind us.

"They are surprisingly caring."

"Surprisingly?" She punched my shoulder, with a huff.

"I said what I said." I chuckled, sticking to my guns as I watched the station and then the world disappear into the distance outside the windows, and darkness enveloped us.

.

Present Day

June 12, 20XX

Mumbai, India

As the latest meme video finished playing on my phone, I looked out the window at the beautiful summer day outside and yawned at the profound boredom I was experiencing.

I mean, summer vacations are supposed to be fun, y'know? You're supposed to go out with your friends, which I wouldn't even if I had any, and go to the beach or maybe even the pool.

Yet here I am. Watching meme compilations at 3 in the afternoon, halfway through my summer vacation, wasting away.

I looked outside as a cool breeze blew, bringing with it the sweet smell of wet earth, sending the trees outside rustling softly. Birds chirped and the familiar din of the mechanic shop below melded into a coarse symphony.

I could hear some hawker outside peddling his wares with a flute, adding to the music.

I smiled.

Maybe this wasn't so bad.

Now if I just had some khakhra and rooh-afza to go with this.....

I fished about in my drawer for some crackers, and felt the wrapper crinkle flat under my fingers.

All out.

I sighed.

Well, it was a beautiful day. Might as well go out and get some.

I put on my glasses, stuffed my phone down one pocket and slung my bluetooth earphones around my neck as I switched to a random lofi hip-hop stream on my YouTube feed.

Walking over to the mirror I did a once over.

Glasses, check.

Phone, check.

Earphones, check.

Belt....belt!

I looked around, ruffling through the pile of fresh laundry on my bed, past the faded t-shirts and jeans till I found my belt at the bottom.

I had lost some weight over the summer, and the belt I had stuffed away in the drawer for over two years had once again become essential carry for me.

I know I should put the laundry away but....what can I say, I'm lazy.

"There we go." I put the belt on and looked at myself in the mirror.

In small letters above the almirah mirror, written in white ink were my father's words.

Do I look proper?

No, he wasn't dead. Just at work.

He was just a stickler for the rules, written and unwritten.

I gave myself a once over and posed with finger guns.

"I look phenomenal!" I chuckled as I stared at my decidedly average reflection and that uncombed mop of black hair.

Gotta get a haircut while I'm at it too.

I usually keep it in a military cut.

Long hair doesn't suit me. No, not as in I don't look good in it, though when do I ever?

But rather in that having a military cut means I can avoid combing my hair.

As I said, I'm a lazy guy.

Slipping into my flipflops, I was halfway through the door when I remembered.

"Moooom! I'm going out, do you want me to buy something?"

"Bananas! And if they have gourds, bring three!" My mother shouted from the kitchen, leaning out.

I half considered playing the logician and just bringing three bananas, saying they had gourds.

But this being an indian mother.....yeah, let's not.

I nodded and closed the door behind me as I walked out eyeing the elevator display.

The elevator was on....the eighth floor.

Well, stairs it is.

Down the stairs, I hummed along the lofi tunes, skipping along unabashedly.

I could see a woman giving me an odd look as I jumped down three stairs at a time.

I could almost read her mind.

20 year old guys aren't supposed to skip like little girls.

But fuck her.

I'll damn well skip if I want.

I jumped down the last five stairs to the ground floor and felt the pleasant jerk and small rush of adrenaline as I landed, legs slightly numb.

It, however, didn't stop me from skipping to the doorway out of the apartment complex, completely missing the small drop as my leg suddenly seized as if a jolt had run through it.

"Woaoah!" I flailed, stumbling through the archway as I fell flat onto my face, my glasses flying off to the side.

"Fuck." I rubbed my nose, pushing myself off onto my elbows and spotted my glasses.

"There you are." I muttered as I put them back on and gingerly stood up, blushing with embarrassment when I finally spotted it.

"When did they carpet the lobby?"

And why is it all so dim? It's three in aftern-

Bookshelves.

Rows and rows of bookshelves.

Columns too, rising up high as the sky. Unnaturally high. I couldn't see the ends of them, nor the source of these mysterious dim lights.

The laws of physics dictated they couldn't be that high and yet, in defiance, the sky high bookshelves stood.

"What the fuck? Where- where am I?" I looked around at the.... library? Was it some sort of library?

No.

Nononono.

I was just in the apartment, I- This doesn't make any sense. Did someone kidnap me?

For what though? My family isn't exactly wealthy and if I had been kidnapped why would I be dumped here, without binds or tape over my mouth or whatever kidnappers do.

Where even am I?

I pulled out my phone and saw that it was still charged. Great.

Pulling up google maps , I tried to use the GPS but....there was no signal.

Is this place somewhere in the boonies?

No. Even the boonies have signal nowadays.

Wha-What is this place?

I looked up and down, over and around for some clue as a small dread crept up into my heart.

What if I'm lost, truly lost, without a single clue?

I mean this place looks just so....weird.

Weird?

Weird!

Like a dream!

This must be a dream! Yes. I'm probably dreaming. I realized.

One way to find out.

I raise my hands parallel to one another and jabbed my thumb of my left into the flat of my palm on the right, trying to push it through.

A simple trick to lucid dreaming.

But.

"Fuck!" I cried out as the thumb failed to pass through my palm, ramming straight into it.

It sent a jolt of pain up my arm that had me hopping around like a one legged chicken, shaking my hand as tears involuntarily crept up at the edges of my eyes.

Maybe I didn't do it right? Maybe, I should try it again.

I took a deep breath.

Alright. I resolved.

One more time.

This time, with my index finger I pulled my hands apart and tried it again.

"Motherfucker!"

To the same results.

I rubbed my fingers as I slid down to the floor.

Not a dream.

So not a dream.

With this much pain, I'd have woken up already.

Unless I'm in a coma!

Like that one pokemon theory.

That'd be so creepy.

I doubt it though. I didn't hit the floor nearly hard enough. And I fell arms first. No way I hit my head on the floor that hard.

Not that this place isn't creepy enough already. I couldn't see much past a couple of rows to the side, the rest seemed to be veiled in a permanent coat of shadow.

I half expected a monster to come charging through, or maybe a jumpscar-

Suddenly, I heard some chittering above me. The silent tip tap of metal against wood, and the rhytm....

A chill ran down my spine as I froze to the spot, my brain recognising the pattern.

It was walking. Up on the shelves. Something was walking, with more legs than just two or four.

Why did I have to jinx it? Why couldn't I keep my mouth shut, stupid, stupid me.

I gulped thickly as the sound of flesh and metal came closer, as it examining me.

What is it?

What is it?

I need to know. I need to look.

I told myself, urging myself on.

I can't die here.

I need to look.

Knowledge is power.

And I'm sure as hell not dying without looking whatever it is in the eye.

I'm a brave boy.

I'm a brave boy.

Mustering up enough courage, I slowly turned around, craning my neck as I came face to face with...it.

A monster, six legged, with a metallic shell covering it's body. It had one arm, wrinkled and melded with the same bronze-like metal it's shell was made of and where another should have been, connected to it's humanoid upper torso, there was a chain with a lantern attached to it. Looking further up, I came face to face with it's.....mask. A featureless mask emblazoned with some sort of carving. Bones jutted out from it's back like a flattened ribcage and it's neck twisted, the flesh scraping against it like raw, putrid hide as it looked at me curiously.

I'm brave boy.

I told myself as I felt fear to my deepest core, my arms shaking as I stood up on jellied legs.

A truth self evident to my mind at this moment.

I'm going to die.

I just knew it.

It took a step forward, I crawled two steps back.

It raised it's lantern chain in ways chains shouldn't move as it's mask creased in a terrifying display of oddity.

And I screamed like a little girl.

And I ran.

Not a brave enough boy for this.

I looked back to see the monster climbed down from the shelf and land on the ground.

Nonononono.

Please don't follow me. Please don'tfollowmepleasedon'tpleasepleaseplease....!

Hieee!

It was following me!

It ran at a frightful speed, with insectoid jumps, almost catching up to me.

I'm not dying.

No. Not today!

I made a sharp turn into a nearby row and weaved between the bookshelves, to throw it off, my heart beating like a war drum as adrenaline pumped through my veins.

I'm not dying here. Not to some knockoff spider centaur thing.

Soon it was out of sight.

Yes!

A smidgen of courage bubbled up within me.

Yes.

I'll make it out of here. And I'll get back ho-Eep!

The creature leapt down before me from above, startling me.

I jerked back, stumbling over my own legs and fell to the floor.

I felt my stomach fall, a pit of roiling unease within.

Urgh!

I felt puke rise up my throat as it crept closer.

No. NO!

It was almost here. The monster and the puke as i sat frozen in fear.

I almost heaved onto the floor as my stomach turned and in an instant I could feel the monster's piercing gaze despite it lacking eyes of any sort.

The gaze held a promise.

I knew it somehow, like an instinct carved into my soul.

If I puked, it would kill me.

Well it was going to kill me either way!

But still, I stopped, with great effort and a corresponding amount of disgust, swallowed.

The monster seemed....pacified.

What?

It was only then that it occured to me.

If it was so fast and so strong and it wanted to kill me....why hadn't it already?

Why....this?

I focused in the creature again trying to gauge it's intentions, and once again I felt something, an intent it seemed to project.

Something I didn't quite understand. But....it wasn't killing intent.

It didn't want me dead. Somehow I understood that.

It didn't want me dead.

I heaved a sigh of relief and collapsed onto the floor, panting, the smell of my own vomit laced breath stinging my nose.

I just.....

I heard more skittering above.

More of those creatures came around peering down from their perches above.

Knowing they didn't want me dead was good, yes. But their appearance still made me deeply uncomfortable.

Very, very uncomfortable.

I looked up again and spotted some of them carrying books in their ribcaged backs, one of them even slotted a book back on it's shelf.

They're librarians.

I laughed at my own stupidity.

They're librarians.

And this is some sort of extradimensional monster library.

Wait-

"You were..." I looked at the creature that had chased me all the way here, "Were you trying to help me, like with finding a book?"

It projected some message again but it all felt unintelligible to me.

"I can't understand you." I replied politely, "But uh.... I'm lost. If you know like a way out of here....some way to send me back home.... That'd be very much appreciated? Appreciable?"

Librarians like big words, don't they?

I've never been to any library other than the university library at my college so I wouldn't know.

And even then I almost never talk to the librarians.

I'm more of a 'pirate the book and read it online' type of guy.

The creature, librarian, nodded slightly and turned up sending a message to it's fellow librarians that sent them scattering away.

It turned to me and tapped the floor, trying to tell me something.

"Stay here?" I guessed.

It nodded and walked away too.

"Wait, where are you going?" I ran after it but it raised a leg to stop me, tapping the floor again.

"Yes, I get it. Stay here. But how long? I don't mean to sound rude but I just puked in my mouth and I'd really like to clean up and y'know maybe get a drink? The acid burned my throat so..."

It nodded, extending it's hand.

I hesitated.

"Do I, just grab it?"

It nodded again, shaking it lightly.

"Okay." I grabbed his hand, and he suddenly flipped it, grabbing mine in an iron grip.

"What are you-"

Before I could say anything, he gave my hand a gentle tug, causing me to stumble forward.

Suddenly the world shifted around me, the bookshelves warped, folding in on themselves in fractals and before I could even perceive it, we appeared before a door. Or rather, the door appeared before us.

A restroom. And a water cooler to the side.

They have water coolers here?

He prodded me.

Go on, he seemed to say.

"You'll be here, right?" I asked nervously, looking between him and the door.

He nodded.

I really didn't fancy getting lost in whatever this place is.

I walked in and found myself in a typical public restroom, stalls on one side, sinks and mirrors on the other, stretching out to infinity.

A liminal space. Like the backrooms.

"I didn't no clip into the backrooms did I?" I mutttered as I dipped down and gargled my mouth clean.

"No you didn't." A voice startled me as I came back up and spotted a petite woman standing behind me, one who wasn't there just now.

I turned around and spewed my mouth empty.

"That was my third favourite jacket. And is that...puke?" She seemed angry.

I don't blame her.

"I'm sorry?" I said hesitantly.

She gave me a deadpan look.

"Out." She ordered, "And stay there until I clean myself up. Then we will talk."

"Yes madam!" I squeaked, rushing out the door.

Let's get out of here before she does something to me.

I mean she's here, and this is no normal place, so she's probably some monster too!

Best to get away from her as fast as possible.

But before I even crossed the door she shattered those delusions of escape.

"If I have to go looking for you again, trust me, you will not like the result."

My shoulders slumped and I nodded.

Welp.

I'm fucked.