The SCP Experience - You Can Never Leave This Highway | SCP-7034

Episode Date: September 21, 2026

A Thanksgiving drive home turns into a nightmare when Isaac finds himself trapped in an endless traffic jam swallowed by fog, with no signal and no way back. As the hours stretch on and the cars around him fall silent, he realizes the road may be leading somewhere no highway ever should. Listen ad-free + get access to exclusive bonus stories with a 7-day FREE trial of⁠ ⁠SCP Premium⁠⁠ — Cancel anytime. No commitment. 👉🏼 patreon.com/The SCPExperience This story is derived from ⁠The SCP Foundation Database⁠ and is released under Creative Commons Sharealike 3.0.⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ ⁠⁠⁠ Author:  Hayley Vandermaarl * * * CONTENT DISCLAIMER: This episode contains explicit content not limited to intense themes, strong language, and depictions of violence intended for adults. Parental guidance is strongly advised for children under the age of 18. Listener discretion is advised.  #thescpexperience #scp #scpfoundation #scpencounters #securecontainprotect #scpstories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And here, the Mona Lisa, gazed into Mona's eyes in perfect health with no undiagnosed problems and her optic nerve in excellent condition. Anyone here got eyes like Mona? Mine are brownish. Not enough people know about their eye health. That's why OCT scans are included in every standard eye exam at Specsavers locations. Should have gone to Specsavers. Book an eye exam today. Eye exams provided by independent optometrists.

Contact your local Specsavers for details. The sea of red lights did not bode well for Isaac's Thanksgiving plans. He took a deep breath as he veered onto the highway and stopped behind a semi-truck. He should have left yesterday. But he wasn't about to miss the biggest party on campus. Now here he was. Head throbbing, mouth dry, phone full of messages from his mother and endless traffic. Not a great start to the holiday.

But how was he supposed to know there was a stupid detour? It wasn't on Google Maps. He glanced at the map on his phone, but all it showed now was a lone car on a gray screen. He huffed and looked out the window instead, silently adding no cell service to his list of complaints, which was growing by the minute. He inched forward as a wall of fog descended upon the highway, obscuring everything but the bright red lights in front of him. He switched on the radio, but every station returned only static, as if he were inside a horror movie or something. Isaac glanced at the back seat, half expecting an axe murderer to pop out,

but all his car contained was a bag of dirty clothes, empty energy drink cans, and trash from his earlier stop at McDonald's. No stranger, no axe. He should have been relieved, but part of him was actually disappointed. It was only a matter of time before he got bored out of his skull, all alone in a car with no radio, barely making a dent in the road. At least a fight would propose. provide some excitement. He couldn't even let his foot off the gas before he had to break again.

The car behind him honked long and loud. Isaac returned the sentiment with a finger out the window. Not that they could see it through the fog. Other cars honked too, probably just for the sake of hearing something. Everybody was probably trying to get home to their families, but it wasn't like anyone could do anything about the traffic conditions, aside from hoping that they would clear up soon. His mom was going to kill him if he didn't make it home on time for dinner. Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday. While Bella planned her Halloween costume as soon as September hit, his mom was planning the holiday meal.

Sometimes he and his brother referred to them as fall freaks. They didn't seem to mind. His sister-in-law was just as crazy, which is probably why the family accepted her so quickly. That, and Bella always wanted a sister. Isaac was just happy to have his own space when Dean moved out, and now he was going to be an uncle. A smile pulled at the corner of his lips. The next time he made this drive, he'd have a little nephew waiting to meet him. Lila was going to be a great mother, and Dean, of course Dean

would be a fantastic father. He was the one who helped Isaac with his homework growing up, the one who taught him how to properly throw a football and talk to girls. Isaac loved his dad, But Dean had filled just as much of that role as he had. His heart warmed at the thought of Dean teaching his son with the same patience and care he'd received. Not that he would ever tell Dean any of this, or anyone, for that matter. When his girlfriend had asked what he thought about becoming an uncle, he'd simply grunted and said, It's cool. She just laughed at him and rolled her eyes,

her big, beautiful blue eyes. God, he missed her. There were plenty of beautiful girls at college. but none of them compared to her. He flirted with them, danced with them, made them think something was going to happen, but he'd never crossed that line while he'd been away. All he had to do was picture Savannah laughing, and all desire for other women went away. Temporarily. He was a man, after all, but he never realized just how much he loved her until now. He used to make fun of guys who stayed with their high school sweethearts, but now he was unashamedly one of them.

assuming she didn't break up with him for missing Thanksgiving. Isaac blared his horn in frustration, joining in the cacophony all along the road. It couldn't be that much longer, could it? He needed air and water. The car was starting to smell like sweat and old grease, but when he lowered the window, exhaust fumes flooded in. He endured it until he started choking and had to put it back up.

It took him a while to realize something was seriously wrong. By hour two, he assumed there had been a nasty accident, but now that it had been almost 12 hours, he knew better. He was in hell. Or purgatory. There was no other explanation. He couldn't move forward. He couldn't turn back. He couldn't get out of the car. He was going to spend eternity in this crappy Honda Civic, wasting away on a road to nowhere. He'd only moved ahead about four feet since he first got on the highway. Isaac rested his head on the horn, needing the vibration so he could at least feel something. He wasn't the only one. The honking was constant now, from drivers who fell asleep at the wheel to the one still going through the stages of grief.

Anger and acceptance were the same, a long stream of honking until you didn't know where you started and the car ended or began or anything. He stopped noticing the cramping in his legs, but he couldn't ignore his parched throat. He had already squeezed every last drop out of the cans in the back. It didn't help. Why didn't he listen to his mom about keeping an emergency kid in the trunk? She'd always warned him to be prepared in case he ever got into an accident. And this was worse, much, much worse.

The sky was pitch black. He didn't know what time it was. Hell, he didn't know what day it was. He definitely missed Thanksgiving. He tried not to think about it, but he couldn't help it. All he had for company were his thoughts. He imagined the dinner table, covered in a pumpkin tablecloth and tall candles, the aroma of steaming turkey and fresh rolls emanating from the kitchen. He would kill for even a bite of bread now. How many times that his mom called him? And what about Savannah? Were they worried or simply

annoyed. They must know something happened to him. Were the police looking for him, trying to track him down? They wouldn't find him here. Nobody could find anything here. Between the fog and the darkness, Isaac could barely make out the car next to him. He wasn't going to last much longer, not without food, definitely not without water. But was he really going to sit here and wait for death to claim him? He was too young to die. He'd just graduated high school. He had his whole college life ahead of him. He'd only gotten a taste. Surely that wasn't all he'd get. And what about Savannah? Was he really just going to give up and let some other guy take his place in her arms? The mere thought sickened him. Or maybe it was the fumes. They seemed to be slowly seeping into the car.

Or was he just going crazy all on his own? There was really only one thing to do. Isaac ripped the strip off the bottom of his shirt and tied it around his face, covering his nose and mouth. He took a deep breath and opened the car door. His lungs were about to explode from his chest. At first, he had to walk slowly as his legs adjusted to mobility again. He used the nearby cars as stabilizers. One driver honked at him, but he couldn't tell if it was meant in anger or encouragement. After a few minutes, he'd managed to pick up the pace.

He tried to hold his breath, but he'd never been good at that. Now he was choking so bad. badly that he could barely walk. He fell to the side and landed against the back window of an SUV. He thumped his fist against the glass and crawled to the side to open the door, but it was locked. He moved to the driver's door and tried the handle. This one opened. The middle-aged man in the driver's seat lay still with his eyes closed, and Isaac realized that he wasn't sleeping. He brought a shaky finger to the man's neck and quickly pulled away when he touched cool skin. Isaac collapsed onto his hands and knees and began to crawl down the road.

He thumped each car as he went, but maybe they were all like the man in the SUV. Maybe they'd all given up. Maybe he should too. His knees scraped against the rough asphalt, and his hands stung and started to bleed. He counted the tires as he inched past. One, two, three. He only reached eight when his legs gave out beneath him. His jaw slammed against the road, but the pain seemed distant. I'm sorry, Mom, he choked as he embraced the ground

and let the tears fall. A car door slammed to his right, and a minute later, a gentle voice said, It's not over yet, kid. Isaac opened his eyes to find a frizzy-haired woman bent over him. She grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her neck. Can you stand? I don't think I can carry you.

He opened his mouth, but could only cough, so he nodded instead. With Savannah's face in his mind, he mustered his strength and rose to his feet, using the woman as a crutch. Just over here, she said and guided him to her car. He slumped into the passenger seat as soon as she opened the door. When she slid into the driver's seat,

she was coughing so badly that he thought she might choke to death. He tried to ask if she was okay, but he couldn't speak yet either. She waved a hand in dismissal. I'll be fine. Isaac almost laughed, as if any of them were fine out here. She didn't look like a typical angel, but she had water, so that made her one in Isaac's book. It wasn't a lot, but she shared her last two bottles, giving them each an equal amount.

His throat was still sore, but he could speak now. They didn't talk much at first, though. She gave her name, Shannon. He gave his. Then she had another coughing fit, and they sat in silence for a long time. But it wasn't the awkward silence between a dentist and patient, more like the sober silence of a funeral, filled with both pity and commiseration. Do you think we're bad people? He stared into the darkness, but turned his head when she gazed at him.

Why would you think that? Why else would we be here? She pursed her lips and slumped against the seat. Do you think this is hell? Isn't it? Her lips curved and a half smile, which made her prettier. Shannon's pale face and tangled frizzy hair

matched the bags under her eyes. She looked like a serial killer, or maybe the victim of one. Not that Isaac looked any better. But when she smiled, even though it was just a little one, he glimpsed a different side. It's a type of hell, I guess,

but it can't be the real thing. Why not? Because we still have hope. Speak for yourself, Isaac mumbled. She glanced at his scraped hands and knees. You must have some. He couldn't argue with her there. I have a daughter. She's seven.

Shannon looked away as she fingered the locket at her throat. She stays with her grandmother during the week, but on weekends... A tear fell down her cheek and landed onto the leather seat with a soft plop. On weekends, we make pancakes and build pillow forts and play princess and drags. Are you the princess or the dragon? Isaac asked, if only to fill the empty space her confession created. Shannon sniffed and wiped her nose with the corner of her sleeve. She likes to be the dragon. My sister was always the princess, Isaac whispered, remembering the days the two of them would tromp around the house, him letting out a roar with his arms in the air, her shrieking, her tiara nearly falling from her curls.

Bella wasn't a little kid anymore, but he still still. loved to make her laugh. Would he ever do that again? What's her name? Shannon didn't answer for a moment, and Isaac thought she had fallen asleep. She was slumped onto the console, her head in her arms. But then a tiny, sleepy voice replied, Marie, what are you in school for? Isaac laughed. The ordinary question so out of place in the dark stuffy car on the endless path of asphalt. I'm in the accounting program, he finally said. Shannon tilted her head. He don't seem like an accountant to me, Isaac shrugged. Is that what you really want to do?

This wasn't the first time someone had asked them that, but it was the first time he responded truthfully. No, let me guess, you're an artist. Kind of. I want to be an animator. So why don't you? Did your parents pressure you into accounting? He shook his head and tried not to think about his parents. No, they're really supportive of whatever we want to do. I just... He sighed. You just what?

I want to be able to provide for my family. I want to be a good dad and husband someday. And I know it sounds so corny. But I want to make sure everyone is provided for, even if I'm doing something I hate every day. That's very sweet, Isaac. Kind of stupid, but sweet. Why is it stupid?

You gave up on your dream before even trying. How do you know you couldn't be an amazing animator with a stable income? Because it's an impossible feel to get into, Shannon snorted. With that attitude, yeah. What you need, my friend, is hope. Isaac rolled his eyes. Well, I don't think I'll find it here. Of course you won't, but you will find it here. Shannon raised her hand to her heart. It was Isaac's turn to snort. Okay, Dumbledore. She smirked, but kept her hand on her heart.

Suddenly, her face turned serious, and she pulled her shoulder. towards him. If you make it home, will you do anything differently? He tilted his head, suddenly lost and thought, I'll be more grateful. I'll tell my family that I love them more than once a year. I'll try to be a better person, maybe even the kind that chases their dreams. That sounds nice, Isaac. He was about to ask her what she would do, but she was snoring gently. They were almost out of water. The two of them silently. stared at the half-empty bottle in Shannon's hand. You take it, Isaac said.

Marie needs you. Shannon's eyes softened. She looked tired. No, she looked exhausted, like she was half dead already. Your family needs you too, Isaac. Isaac shrugged. He tried to resist when Shannon handed him the bottle, but she remained firm. Only one of us has a chance of getting out of here, Isaac.

How are you so sure it's me? because I'm already dead. Isaac frowned and turned to her in surprise. What are you talking about? I got the news before I started driving home. I've got cancer, terminal. How's that for irony? Isaac didn't know what to say, so he remained silent.

I never told Marie. I still had this stubborn hope that maybe the doctors were wrong. I've been selfish, Isaac. She turned glassy eyes towards him, and he couldn't look away. I should have given you all the water. I should have given up a long time ago. I'm sorry.

Don't be sorry. We can still make it out of this. We can... Shannon rested a hand on his shoulder and shook her head. He followed her gaze out the window, where the darkness and fog obscured everything but the blurry taillights surrounding them on all sides. I won't make it out there, she said.

But we both know that you can. I... I can't. I barely made it last time. I wouldn't have if you hadn't. Do it for me. She interrupted. She slid a piece of metal into his hand,

and he looked down to find the locket, opened to an image of a bright-eyed little girl. Do it for Marie. Tell her what happened. Will you do that, Isaac? Isaac gulped. I... I'll try.

Your family needs you, Isaac. Your brother's child needs an uncle. Your girlfriend needs the best. man she loves. Your mother needs her son. Isaac nodded and tears ran down his face as he pictured each member of his family. They would be overjoyed to see him, of course, but how could he leave Shannon behind? Even if he made it home, how could he live knowing he left this young mother to die? Isaac, he looked into her deep brown eyes, expecting to find despair, maybe even anger, certainly pleading. But what he saw was a spark, a spark of hope.

You can do this, Isaac. I know you can. There's plenty of other cars out there. I'm sure some of them have water. Just hop into one whenever the air becomes too much. But whatever you do, keep going. This has to end somewhere. He wanted to tell her something cheesy, like he'd come back for her.

But they'd both know it was a lie. If he got out of this hell, he would never come back. But as Shannon dissolved into a coughing fit, he realized that it wouldn't matter. She'd be gone by then. Like she said, she was already dead. Go, Isaac. She choked. Run.

He placed a sweaty palm on the door handle. In his other hand, he held the locket and the water bottle. He looked at Shannon. She shook her head and waved him on. With a nod of goodbye, he slipped out the door. The fumes seemed even worse than last time. His throat burned immediately, and he clutched his shirt fabric over his nose and mouth, trying to remain calm.

He walked between the car lights, ignoring what lay beyond the windows. The road was quiet now. No one honked. No one yelled. It was just Isaac, the darkness, and the never-ending red lights. SCP-7034 is an extra-dimensional space of indeterminate length, unverified composition, and unknown features. According to the sole account of SCP-7034, the space resembles a controlled access interstate highway.

It contains a single stretch of paved road, featuring eight lanes cordoned by guardrails on each side. Other features, including those present beyond the guard railing, are indiscernible due to a heavy smog that lies over the area. Electronic signals, such as cellular service or internet access, are apparently impeded inside SCP-70. SCP 7034 is highly congested with traffic, with all lanes occupied by vehicles of various make and model. The length of this congestion, including its endpoint, is unknown. Attempts to identify these vehicles via license plate numbers have been met with varying degrees of success.

A number of automobiles align with missing persons reports, though some are geographically disparate from the supposed access point to SCP 7034. Thanks for listening. Be sure to click that follow button with all notifications on to get notified every time a new episode is released.