Misunderstood Monsters

Chapter 25: Scarred

"What's Dr. Collingwood doing? I haven't seen her the whole day." John looked across the table at Billy. They were in the staff canteen and lunch break had already started.

Billy shrugged. "Don't know either. Can't you sense where she is?"

"I can, but that doesn't mean I know where she is, and if she's doing something important, I don't want to disturb her."

"We'll wait," Billy offered. "She might just be busy or talking to her coworkers about... whatever."

20 minutes later...

"That's it, we're looking for Molly." Billy stood up and briskly walked towards the door. "And I'm pretty sure I know where she is."

"I'm coming." John followed after him. Billy knew these winding corridors better than he did.

Eventually they came to SCP-999's containment cell and Billy typed a few numbers into a keypad. The door slid open, revealing Dr. Collingwood sitting at a table with her hand covering the left side of her face, looking like she'd already finished eating. 999 was sitting at her feet.

"Hi John. Hi Billy." She waved, keeping her head down.

"Molly, why didn't you go to the staff canteen? We've been waiting for half an hour. Is something wrong?"

Dr. Collingwood shook her head, seeming sheepish. "I can't hide anything from you two, can I?"

She let her hand fall away, revealing a massive scar; three large, raised, pale lines running from just below her hairline, down across her left eye, and ending just above her mouth, pulling her upper lip into a slight sneer or snarl. There were smaller, paler scars all across the claw marks where the injury had been stitched up and the top half of her left ear was mostly gone. Her eye itself seemed to be fine though.

She averted her gaze from them. "I didn't want you guys to worry about me."

John looked at her for a moment, then slowly walked over and wrapped a long, gaunt arm around her shoulders. "Look, we worry because we care."

Billy grinned. "And besides, isn't that what friends do?"

Dr. Collingwood looked up, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Thanks, guys," she said quietly. "Billy, I know that I might've called you an annoying little sh*t a few weeks ago, but you're still a great friend."

"Hey look, when you feel better, we all feel better." John playfully ruffled her hair. Then he caught her in a headlock, held her against his ribs and scrubbed the top of her head with his knuckles.

"John! Dammit, not again!" She tried to wiggle out of his grip.

"Alright, fine, you little squirmy wormy." He let go and hugged her.