The air was deathly still. They could hear their own breathing, each inhale trembling like a whisper against the silence. Sweat, like tiny glass beads, slid down their foreheads. Their palms were slick, and their hearts pounded as if they wanted to leap out of their chests.
"Brit… what should I do…" Kiwo's voice trembled as she stared into the darkness ahead, her expression pale and tight.
She spoke barely above a whisper, terrified that even a single syllable might draw the attention of the orange monster lurking before them. Yet if she didn't speak, the suffocating dread might have consumed her.
Brit didn't reply. His lips moved soundlessly, but no words came. His state was no better than hers, stiff, tense, and utterly bewildered. And so they stood there, two trembling figures facing a monster that seemed to breathe silence itself. Seconds dragged into minutes. Each tick of time felt like another step along the crumbling edge of an abyss.
Still, a fragile thread of hope clung to their hearts. According to the chat from the viewers, Vale, the one who had been seized earlier by that strange yellow creature, was still alive. That alone meant something. The orange monster wasn't as cruel as the terrifying old man or the little peanut. At least it didn't kill on sight. If it didn't kill right away… then maybe there was still a way out.
"Don't panic… let's wait and see," Brit whispered, his voice steadier than he felt, trying to reassure Kiwo beside him.
But before his words could fully leave his lips, he froze. His eyes widened in disbelief. Because the moment he spoke, the orange monster moved. With frightening speed, it lunged straight toward Kiwo. Several slimy tentacles lashed out, coiling around her body in an instant!
The suddenness of it tore a scream from her throat, but that scream abruptly twisted into wild, uncontrollable laughter! Kiwo's laughter rang out, manic and desperate, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. The monster's tentacles writhed under her arms, tickling her mercilessly, forcing laughter that shook her entire body.
Watching this grotesque scene, Brit felt a cold unease ripple through his chest. He swallowed hard, instinctively snatching up the gas mask that Kiwo had dropped. Even through her helpless laughter, Kiwo hadn't lost her reason entirely.
She fought to turn her head toward Brit, her voice choked with laughter as she shouted between gasps: "Hahaha… quick… haha… the mask… hahaha… hurry… haha!"
Her meaning was crystal clear: put on the mask, escape now!
A flicker of hesitation crossed Brit's eyes. He didn't put the mask on right away. Instead, he stared at the orange monster, watching its every move. Because despite the chaos, something felt… off. The creature wasn't attacking Kiwo. If anything, it seemed to be playing with her.
And Brit wasn't the only one to notice. On the stream, the chat was going wild:
"Holy crap! It's happening!"
"Tentacles… tentacles…"
"Wait, why's it look like it's playing with her?"
"Yeah! It's not hurting her!"
"Bro, this is so messed up, but I can't look away!"
Even the viewers could sense it, the monster's actions weren't violent. They were disturbingly playful. Its tentacles danced with bizarre precision, as though it were playing a game… and from the rhythm of its movements, there was no doubt: it was tickling her.
Yes. The orange monster was playing a tickle game. And judging by its gleeful twitching, it was absolutely enjoying itself. Its writhing body almost seemed to hum with satisfaction.
"Everyone," Brit murmured under his breath, "perhaps this entity is… different from the others."
He didn't dare rush forward. Even Vale, far stronger than him, had been subdued easily by this creature. Charging in would be suicide. Still, its strange, almost harmless behavior made him hesitate. Should he really retreat? If it were only playing, maybe it wasn't dangerous. But if he entered that world, he'd have to face the humanoid horrors waiting there instead.
Comparing both fates, Brit froze in anxious indecision. He even thought of running, but one glance at the creature's speed crushed that idea instantly. His hesitation, however, didn't last long.
The orange monster suddenly shifted again. Its many eyes turned toward Brit. In a blur, a tentacle shot out and coiled around him. The instant it touched his skin, an overwhelming wave of euphoria crashed through his mind.
He gasped and then burst into uncontrollable laughter. Now he understood. He understood why Vale and Kiwo had laughed so wildly. Because the sensation was irresistible.
"Hahaha… hahaha!" Laughter erupted from him louder than before, echoing through the air like a mad chorus.
It felt like sunlight breaking through a pitch-black storm. The world suddenly glowed with warmth and color. For a moment, it was bliss, pure, forced bliss.
And deep inside, Brit realized the truth. He wasn't happy. He was being made to feel happy. This effect… this compulsion… was like nothing he had ever known. It shattered his understanding of the SCP entirely. Not all entities spread terror; some enforced joy. And that made them even more terrifying. After all, fear could be resisted. But euphoria? That stripped away reason itself.
"Hahaha… damn it… hahaha I can't control it… haha… I'm losing it…" Brit laughed and screamed at once, trapped in his own hysteria.
Kiwo, though still laughing, felt her heart sink. They were both caught. And she had no idea what would happen next. Then, before she could even think further, the orange monster shifted again. Its body coiled, and with a guttural sound, it enveloped both of them completely, swallowing them whole before darting back into the shadows.