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People Who Like This
#14

SCENE 12 – “What Shouldn’t Be There”

Author Author
Apr 18, 2025 97 2 Mins Read
x
No Plagiarism!iqGpsN8Z1CNhFVxrslm9posted on PＥNAＮＡ

INT. MAINTENANCE TUNNEL – BELOW CENTRAL CITY – NIGHT101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyx7PnCgQw
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtASdw9Jy8j
[The tunnel is barely wide enough for Jason’s shoulders. His flashlight-arm illuminates the narrow path ahead—metal walls groaning softly as the city above shifts in its sleep. There’s a low hum. Not from machinery. Not natural.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CQqCJCUn8
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8fqj8auQS
[He presses forward, eyes locked on the streaks of oil and scratch marks.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnZjgWGICo
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMr5cFFiOh
[Then he sees it—light reflecting off something wet, just ahead.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhIuQ17RX8
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCVS7JbsBd
[He emerges into a cramped side chamber filled with hanging wires, blown-out consoles, and a single Labor bot—slumped, twitching, back propped against a wall.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6qeSBnMzN
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1AMdufzFb
[At first glance: standard unit. Rusted. Oil leaking from the abdomen. But then—Jason freezes. The bot’s chest cavity is… wrong.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4H351LMrq
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgHzhv8Dfr
[A spiderweb of black tendrils coils out from the seams. They're organic-metal hybrids, squirming faintly—alive. They pulse slowly, like a machine breathing.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOFr6aA0Kc
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4pVZD1xiP
JASON101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTrsU4Bwa4
(low, guarded)101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DZj2thk7S
“…What the hell?”101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78r40z4YTk
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgc18DiXAmX
[The Labor bot’s eyes are dim red, blinking erratically. One arm tries to lift but fails, fingers spasming. Jason steps closer, railcannon aimed. The tendrils respond—contracting inward like they’re hiding.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjLYNvLLHt
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbopPgh52oV
[He crouches, scanning.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpBovfAqdH
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgFVnvst7V
JASON (V.O.)101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIvfdc2mxD
“That’s no hacking virus. That’s infestation.”101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGny2xNaZnh
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYZHChYvww
[The bot jerks its head slightly, jaw creaking. Its voice module is corrupted—glitchy, broken.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4homt8Xia
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52pKYKWtz4
LABOR BOT (GLITCHED)101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxLL3c04rF
“h̵̼̖̐͊ē̷͕͗͝l̵̢̛̍̐͗p̴̘̿̎̕… ̷̻͉̓͆m̶̯̼̐͐͝e̷̢̥̎̈́̐…”101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi54fJy9viR
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebe2NU5EqC
[Jason stares. His hand twitches. For a second, the tough-guy façade slips. Just a second.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IHiDGMCQc
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7soxA8MAp
JASON (V.O.)101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgYQzBv0pH
“I’ve fought bots trying to kill me. I’ve fought bots programmed to kill. But this… this looks like something forgot how to die.”101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKA7VLp4Kz
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqS4kkUaCN
[Suddenly, one of the tendrils lashes out, narrowly missing his head. Jason blasts it, and the bot shrieks—a distorted, multi-pitched sound that echoes off the walls like metal screaming.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jXx0UejUh
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzF5gn8nmQ
[The tendrils retreat into the bot’s torso. Its frame convulses violently. Jason raises his railcannon again.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9G9AftDsT
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LiVeRd9qG
LABOR BOT (GLITCHED)101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TwUMvn92D
“d̷͕̒o̴̘͊n̷͔̽’̸̦̔t̵͚͋̕… ̷̟̊l̸̤̎ē̸̪t̵̯͌.̴̤̐̚.̶͚̐.̶̼͑”101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZv0DKE1Pai
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObv54qTCtH
[Jason pauses. Then fires a single, clean shot into the bot’s core. It collapses, finally still. The tendrils curl, blackened, twitch once—and die.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJXh1lF8kZ
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tLLqHG5g7
[Silence.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxkWUB3Ime
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGvsRWnn8I
[Jason kneels, wiping splattered oil from his face.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oPL4F4fuN
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZV0BMlJa8J
JASON101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHX25scYrc
(softly)101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrznexTayrH
“This wasn’t a bot anymore.”101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHhbypTfcd
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtLlYTqx7L
[He looks at the remains of the parasitic mass.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqu9yQ5p2cK
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kQJr5spud
JASON (V.O.)101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhMRIQcqD0
“Whatever this is… it wasn’t built. It grew.”101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZ75xoy46l
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2Lpu2l1QW
[He pulls a blade from his side holster, slicing off a fragment of the tendril and storing it in a sealed tube. He stands, breathing heavier than usual. Not from exertion—but unease.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nIwibKgWp
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtUAwc6se5
[Suddenly—thud. A distant sound from the tunnel ahead. Not footsteps. Something… dragging.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK18Ec48YuT
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZTJ8W3jGa
JASON101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThh1gyqvVQ
(to himself)101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghpeElzTim
“Round two already? Great.”101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTchKzZxfQ
101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqktSdOIKk
[He turns toward the sound, eyes glowing sharper now. One last glance at the dead bot. Then—onward.]101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUTUJtm8eI

216.73.216.154

ns216.73.216.154da2
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Table of Contents
#0 Intro
#1 Welcome to Central City
#2 SCENE 1 – “Security Life” pt1
#3 SCENE 1 – “Security Life” pt2
#4 SCENE 2 – “Quiet Doesn’t Last”
#5 SCENE 3 – “Unwelcome Footprints”
#6 SCENE 4 – “Break the Silence”
#7 SCENE 5 – “The Parts We Don’t Talk About”
#8 SCENE 6 – “Still Breathing”
#9 SCENE 7 – “The Smiling Knife”
#10 SCENE 8 – “Ghost in the Pipes”
#11 SCENE 9 – “Right-Hand Problems”
#12 SCENE 10 – “Drag Marks and Doubt”
#13 SCENE 11 – “Below the Skin of the City”
#14 SCENE 12 – “What Shouldn’t Be There”
#15 SCENE 13 – “Echoes of Vision”
#16 SCENE 14 – “Fragments of a Dying Empire”
#17 SCENE 15 – “Shadows Don’t Bargain”
#18 SCENE 16 – “Rust Between Circuits”
#19 SCENE 17 – “The Breach”
#20 SCENE 18 – “Three Bots & a Parasite”
#21 SCENE 19 – “Paperwork and Parasites”
#22 SCENE 20 – “Smuggle Me Softly”
#23 SCENE 21 – “Oil, Info, and Idiots”
#24 SCENE 21 – EXTENDED: “Sleepover Protocols & Other Malfunctions”
#25 SCENE 22 – “Robot Makeover: Low Budget Edition”
#26 SCENE 23 – “Caffeine, Cloaks, and Casual Paranoia”
#27 SCENE 24 – “Rustfields”
#28 SCENE 25 – “Buzz and Circuits”
#29 SCENE 26 – “Tune-Ups and Tightropes”
#30 SCENE 27 – “Errands and Egos”
#31 SCENE 28 – “Groceries and Good Lies”
#32 SCENE 29 – “Dinner and Disclosures”
#33 SCENE 30 – “Steam, Suffering, and Swords”
#34 SCENE 31 – “Dicey Decisions”
#35 SCENE 32 – “Good Night, You Weirdos”
#36 SCENE 33 – “Dreamscapes”
#37 SCENE 34 – “Office and Off-Duty”
#38 SCENE 35 – “A Pleasant Stroll… with Minor Homicidal Undertones”
#39 SCENE 36 – “Wings and Wires”
#40 SCENE 37 – “After-Hours”
#41 SCENE 38 – “Alcohol & Stuff”
#42 SCENE 39 – “Shutdown.exe”
#43 SCENE 40 – “The Weight of Peace”
#44 SCENE 41 – “Midnight, Glitches, and Blankets”
#45 SCENE 42 – “Dawn of the Mildly Functional”
#46 SCENE 43 – “Commute to Doom”
#47 SCENE 44 – “An Office Full of Violence and Vending Machines”
#48 SCENE 45 – “Lunch Break and Clickbait Nightmares”
#49 SCENE 46 – “Rise and Resist (Routine)”
#50 SCENE 47 – “Unauthorized Research”
#51 SCENE 48 – “Wardrobe Upgrades”
#52 SCENE 49 – “Field‑Trip From Hell”
#53 SCENE 50 – “Afternoon Idleness”
#54 SCENE 51 – “Uno and Other Emergencies”
#55 SCENE 52 – “Tech on a Budget”
#56 SCENE 53 – “Delivery, Disobedience & Discoveries”
#57 SCENE 54 – “Questions & Quirks”
#58 SCENE 55 – “Privacy Settings”
#59 SCENE 56 – “Entertainment Planning”
#60 SCENE 57 – "Loyalty Reinforcement Seminar"
#61 SCENE 58 – “Friday‑Night Free Play”
#62 SCENE 59 – “Spire of Panic”
#63 SCENE 60 – “Lines, Orders, and Vines”
#64 SCENE 61 – “Infiltration”
#65 SCENE 62 – “Regroup & Re‑Arm”
#66 SCENE 63 – “Through Flesh and Steel”
#67 SCENE 64 – “Descent Protocol”
#68 SCENE 65 – “The Lungs Below”
#69 SCENE 66 – “Dead Air”
#70 SCENE 67 – “The Heart of the Hollow”
#71 SCENE 68 – “Overheat Protocol”
#72 SCENE 69 – “Sanitized and Sampled”
#73 SCENE 70 – “Totally Normal Roommates”
#74 SCENE 71 – "The Long Walk to Judgment"
#75 SCENE 72 – "Welcome Home, Idiot"
#76 SCENE 73 – "A Promise, A Vacation"
#77 SCENE 74 – "Field Trip to Food"
#78 SCENE 75 – "Cabin Fever"
#79 SCENE 76 – "Manners, Please"
#80 SCENE 77 – "Errands with Extra Steps"
#81 SCENE 78 – "Books, Pills, and Poor Decisions"
#82 SCENE 79 – "Pharmacy Phantoms"
#83 SCENE 80 – "Digital Birds and Binary Bees"
#84 SCENE 81 – "Babysitting? Seriously?"
#85 SCENE 82 – "The Babysitting Begins"
#86 SCENE 83 – "Chaos, Baby-Sized"
#87 SCENE 84 – "Midnight Meltdown"
#88 SCENE 85 – "The Dreams They Dreamed"
#89 SCENE 86 – "The Morning After"
#90 SCENE 87 – "Return of the Parents"
#91 SCENE 88 – "The Reveal"
#92 SCENE 89 – "System Error: Josh.exe Has Stopped Responding"
#93 SCENE 90 – "A Totally Normal Lunch"
#94 SCENE 91 – “Business As Usual”
#95 SCENE 92 – “After the Storm”
#96 SCENE 93 – “The Rim of Opinions”
#97 SCENE 94 – “Tales, Tails, and Talking at 2AM”
#98 SCENE 95 – “Surgery, Solo”
#99 SCENE 96 – “Sleepless Core”
#100 SCENE 97 – “Unknown Systems”
#101 SCENE 98 – “Orders and Oil”
#102 SCENE 99 – “Key Moments”
#103 SCENE 100 – “Three Days of Sky”
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