6.
“Patter, patter.”
Along with those deep footsteps, Containment Chamber #2043's door was pushed open.
The person sitting in the room raised his head. The employee card reading "Abe Slane / Level 3 Clearance" glimmered under the light of the electric lamp. Abe Slane looked at the man walking into the containment chamber — he recognized him as his colleague, Lefs Abraham.
"Are the observations the same as usual?"
"See for yourself."
Abe Slane did something to the metal cage hanging in the middle of the room. The Scranton Reality Anchor began to produce a faint blue light, to show that it was still operating. In the middle of the cage was white mist — hard to scatter, yet unable to scatter. That was the pattern screamer.
They were containing, or rather trying to contain the pattern screamers, but more precisely they had spent 30 years just trying to find their shadows. They spent the next ten years trying to find ways to contain them, until they successfully constructed Containment Chamber #2043 to contain them. At least, for these nine months, containment was stable and calm. Wiith the exception of some… disturbing things appearing in the passage to the room.
Lefs Abraham thought nothing of them. He walked forward, approaching the observation point, looking into the depths of the cage. Only through the observation point could you see what didn't exist. They undoubtedly had put in a lot of effort into this, and everything was in order.
1.
Abe Slane's Notes
Yang ████'s copy of a fragment of the diary.
What do you think the threshold of madness is?
First you need a stimulus. You know, I'm slowly fading into nothing. I feel like I'm being thrown down there.
Do you think that's considered madness? I'm asking you. I think above us, there are people. Our lives aren't real — our lives are being controlled by someone. We are following a preset path not of our own will — the world is killing me — you don't understand.
Why aren't you speaking?
I just feel like, whether I and the things falling from my hands are a conclusion. Do you understand? Can you understand? I feel like that black cat is me. Do yo understand? Please, please, understand me, I am just worried that all of it has no reason, this is just chaos, I feel like I'm being thrown into it when are you going to reach me I'm suffocating.
I'm writing you. There's just you and me left. I am falling into the void, can you see it? Say something. I'm listening.
I'm just scared of you leaving me.
You can't leave me. [liquid traces] I feel like I'm being thrown down there. Turns out you were the one throwing me down there. You're evil. Only you can save me. Look at my eyes. Ah, you have no eyes. I'll share mine with you. Please. Don't leave me. I need you. I need you. I need you. I need you. In eed you. I need you.
I must be with you.
I don't know how long ago this was. Stimulus? Doubt.
2.
Head-mounted Recording Device Log
[Begin Recording]
Can the module be used?
Static
Not this one. Let's change it.
3 minutes silence
This one… works? It only needs a cage? I'm not sure. You should switch it for a more reliable one.
Faint screaming
You hear it? It's speaking?
I'm very doubtful.
You think this is possible? The module can't be used. What I mean is, how are you going to contain a concept?
This is what we should do.
We can't do it. This feels like something more for Miscommunications.
Listen, even if you think the whole management is crazy, here — we have been given a task on O5 orders, we should do it. So—
Static
— we have to contain it.
The problem is, how?
1 minute silence
That's what we're doing now. Power's on.
Faint screaming
Alright, don't worry about it, okay?
[End Recording]
3.
Meeting Record
[Begin Recording]
Abe Slane: Alright, I'm here. We can start now. First off, welcome to our team.
Lefs Abraham: I still need some time to confirm whether this is the correct choice. You go on first.
Abe Slane: Alright, as I mentioned in the email, we have already successfully contained a pattern screamer. It has been successfully contained in Containment Chamber #2043.
Lefs Abraham: How did you do it?
Abe Slane: Pattern screamers are nonexistent entities. Simply put, we used a type of technology to transform them conceptually from nonexistence into existence. Can you understand? Then, we used a metal cage and a reality anchor to control it. To check whether it's truly being contained, we constructed an observation point in the containment chamber. From there, you can see conceptual objects.
Abe Slane: We spent quite a lot of effort on this.
Lefs Abraham: You came here… to find someone to help you maintain the containment procedures?
Abe Slane: Yes. The turnover rate is quite high, especially to maintain the containment of the pattern screamer. You know, a nonexistent entity has the ability to consume everything. Every time a person approaches the reality anchor, they disappear. Disappear completely, at that, not just turn ito ash or anything.
Lefs Abraham: It can't be prevented?
Abe Slane: It's a pattern screamer. We can't do anything about it.
Lefs Abraham: Where are you getting personnel from?
Abe Slane: First we find thaumaturges with a certain degree of proficiency. We don't need D-classes who only know how to break stuff. Then we need some very careful people, or the number of deaths to pattern screamers will only go up. Finally we need some people with experience with these… Apollyon-level anomalies.
Lefs Abraham: Those are some very strict requirements. I'll do my best. One thing, though — don't waste personnel.
Abe Slane: Not unless there's a containment breach.
[End Recording]
4.
Observation Reports
Date: 2021/1/1
Report: Completely normal. The first day of containment is going well.
Date: 2021/4/2
Report: A D-Class rushed in for no reason, ignoring our safety protocol. D-Class was dealt with appropriately.
Date: 2021/5/22
Report: The mist is somewhat denser. Observation reveals another nonexistent entity near the pattern screamer. Its identity is unknown. The Scranton Reality Anchor has been strengthened.
Date: 2021/6/9
Report: The mist disappeared for 4 seconds. Maybe a conceptual hallucination. Containment continues.
Date: 2021/10/21
Report: Containment continues as usual.
5.
Containment Chamber Recording Device Log
[Begin Recording]
quietly Thank you.
quietly Help me. Please. Don't leave me.
2 minutes silence
quietly Can you help me?
quietly You don't understand.
quietly There's nothing here. This is an empty void. Here there's no people, no buildings. This is my world.
quietly This is the top floor. The top floor of the world.
quietly This is nonexistence.
1 minute silence
quietly Are you listening?
quietly Are you leaving? Don't go.
quietly Only you can help me. I need freedom.
5 minutes silence
quietly I will try it.
quietly Here.
quietly I will scream, and scream, until I get my freedom. Thank you. You can go. I'll find you when I come out. Wait for me. Goodbye.
[End Recording]
6.
“Patter, patter.”
Along with those deep footsteps, Containment Chamber #2043's door was pushed open.
The person sitting in the room raised his head. The employee card reading "Abe Slane / Department of Abnormalities / Level 3 Clearance" glimmered under the light of the electric lamp. Abe Slane looked at the man walking into the containment chamber — he recognized him as his colleague from the Department of Abnormalities, Lefs Abraham.
"Are the observations the same as usual?"
"See for yourself."
Abe Slane did something to the metal cage hanging in the middle of the room. The Scranton Reality Anchor began to produce a faint blue light, to show that it was still operating. In the middle of the cage was white mist — hard to scatter, yet unable to scatter. That was the pattern screamer.
They were containing, or rather trying to contain the pattern screamers, but more precisely they had spent 30 years just trying to find their shadows. They spent the next ten years trying to find ways to contain them, until they successfully constructed Containment Chamber #2043 to contain them. At least, for these nine months, containment was stable and calm. Wiith the exception of some… disturbing things appearing in the passage to the room.
Lefs Abraham thought nothing of them. He walked forward, approaching the observation point, looking into the depths of the cage. Only through the observation point could you see what didn't exist. They undoubtedly had put in a lot of effort into this, and everything was in order, with the exception that…
There was nothing there.
DEPARTMENT OF ABNORMALITIES: CONTAINMENT BREACHED.