The Dolphin

---

+ Show component code

:root {
        /* header measurements */
        --header-height-on-desktop: 10rem;
        --header-height-on-mobile: 10rem;
        --header-h1-font-size: clamp(2rem, 5vw, 2.8125rem);
        --header-h2-font-size: clamp(0.875rem, 3vw, 0.9375rem);
 
        --logo-image: url("https://nu-scptheme.github.io/Black-Highlighter/img/logo.svg");
    }
 
    #header {
        --search-textbox-text-color: var(--swatch-secondary-color);
        background: none;
    }
 
    #header::before {
        content: " ";
        position: absolute;
        width: 100%;
        height: 100%;
        left: 0;
        top: 0.75rem;
        background-image: var(--logo-image);
        background-repeat: no-repeat;
        background-position: center 0;
        background-size: auto calc(var(--header-height-on-desktop) - 1.5rem);
        opacity: 0.8;
        pointer-events: none;
    }
 
    #header h1,
    #header h2 {
        margin: 0;
        padding: 0;
        width: 100%;
        height: var(--header-height-on-desktop);
        display: flex;
        align-items: center;
        justify-content: center;
        display: flex;
        align-items: center;
        justify-content: center;
    }
 
    #header h1 a,
    #header h1 a::before,
    #header h2 span,
    #header h2 span::before {
        margin: 0;
        padding: 0;
        z-index: 0;
        display: block;
        text-align: center;
    }
 
    #header h1 {
        z-index: 1;
    }
 
    #header h1 a::before,
    #header h1 a::after {
        content: var(--header-title);
    }
 
    #header h1 a::before  {
        color: rgb(var(--swatch-text-tertiary-color));
        z-index: -1;
        -webkit-text-stroke: 0.325rem rgb(var(--swatch-text-dark));
    }
 
    #header h1 a::after {
        color: rgb(var(--swatch-headerh1-color));
        z-index: 1;
    }
 
    #header h2 {
        z-index: 0;
        text-transform: uppercase;
        pointer-events: none;
    }
 
    #header h2 span {
        margin-top: calc(var(--header-height-on-mobile)/2 + var(--header-h1-font-size)/2 - 2em);
    }
 
    #header h2 span::before,
    #header h2 span::after {
        --wght: 600;
        content: var(--header-subtitle);
        position: absolute;
        left: 50%;
        transform: translateY(-50%) translateX(-50%);
        width: 100%;
        text-align: center;
    }
 
    #header h2 span::before {
        -webkit-text-stroke: 0.25rem rgb(var(--swatch-text-dark));
    }
 
    #header h2 span::after {
        color: rgb(var(--swatch-headerh2-color));
        z-index: 1;
    }
 
    #search-top-box form[id="search-top-box-form"]:not(:focus-within) input[type="text"] {
        color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);
    }
 
    @media (min-width: 36rem) {
 
        #login-status {
            flex-grow: 1;
            left: 3%;
            right: initial;
        }
 
         #login-status::before {
            --mask-image: none;
            background-color: transparent;
        }
 
        #login-status:not(:focus-within) {
            color: rgb(var(--login-line-divider-color));
            -webkit-user-select: initial;
            -moz-user-select: initial;
            -ms-user-select: initial;
            user-select: initial;
        }
 
        #login-status #account-topbutton,
        #login-status:not(:focus-within) #account-topbutton {
            --clip-path:
                    polygon( 0 0, 100% 0, 100% 100%, 0 100% );
            background-color: rgba(var(--login-arrow-color), 0);
 
        }
 
        #login-status #account-topbutton::before{
            --clip-path:
                    polygon( 30% 35%, 70% 35%, 50% 60%, 50% 60% );
            --mask-image: initial;
            content: "";
            position: absolute;
            top: 0;
            left: 0;
            width: 100%;
            height: 100%;
            background-color: rgba(var(--login-arrow-color), 1);
            -webkit-clip-path: var(--clip-path);
            clip-path: var(--clip-path);
        }
 
        #login-status #account-topbutton::before,
        #login-status:not(:focus-within) #account-topbutton::before,
        #login-status:not(:focus-within) #account-topbutton:hover::before {
            --clip-path:
                    polygon( 30% 35%, 70% 35%, 50% 60%, 50% 60% );
            --mask-image: initial;
        }
 
        #login-status:not(:focus-within) #account-topbutton::after {
            display: none;
        }
 
        #login-status:not(:focus-within) *:not(#account-topbutton):not([href*="account/messages"]) {
            --clip-path:
                    polygon(
                        0 0,
                        100% 0,
                        100% 100%,
                        0 100%
                    );
            pointer-events: all;
            -webkit-clip-path: var(--clip-path);
            clip-path: var(--clip-path);
        }
 
        #login-status:not(:focus-within) *:not(#account-topbutton):not(#account-options):not([href*="account/messages"]) {
            opacity: 1;
        }
 
        #login-status #my-account {
            --wght: 300;
        }
 
        #account-options {
            background: var(--gradient-header);
        }
 
        #search-top-box {
            top: 1.5em;
            right: 3%;
            background: rgba(var(--search-focus-textbox-bg-color), 0.4);
        }
 
         #search-top-box:focus-within ~ #login-status {
            opacity: 1;
        }
 
        #search-top-box::after {
            transition:
                background-color 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1),
                -webkit-clip-path 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
            transition:
                background-color 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1),
                clip-path 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
            transition:
                background-color 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1),
                clip-path 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1),
                -webkit-clip-path 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
        }
 
        #search-top-box:not(:focus-within)::after {
            --clip-path:
                    polygon(
                        0 0,
                        100% 0,
                        100% 100%,
                        0% 100%
                    );
            background-color: rgba(var(--search-icon-bg-color, --dark-accent), 1);
            -webkit-clip-path: var(--clip-path);
            clip-path: var(--clip-path);
        }
 
        #search-top-box:not(:focus-within):hover::after {
            --clip-path:
                    polygon(
                        0 0,
                        100% 0,
                        100% 100%,
                        0 100%
                    );
            background-color: rgb(var(--search-icon-hover-bg-color));
        }
 
        #search-top-box form[id="search-top-box-form"]:not(:focus-within) {
            max-width: var(--search-width);
        }
 
        #search-top-box form[id="search-top-box-form"]:not(:focus-within) input[type="text"] {
            max-width: var(--search-width);
            padding: 0 var(--search-height) 0 1em;
            outline-width: 0;
            background-color: rgb(var(--search-focus-textbox-bg-color), 0.35);
            color: rgba(var(--search-textbox-text-color), 0.4);
            cursor: pointer;
        }
 
        #search-top-box form[id="search-top-box-form"]:not(:focus-within) input[type="submit"],
        #search-top-box form[id="search-top-box-form"]:focus-within input[type="submit"] {
            pointer-events: all;
            border: none;
        }
 
    }
 
    #page-title::after,
    .meta-title::after,
    #page-title::before,
    .meta-title::before {
        content: "";
        flex-grow: 1;
        height: 0.0625rem;
        background: rgb(var(--swatch-primary));
    }
 
    #page-title::before,
    .meta-title::before {
        margin: auto 1.25rem auto auto;
    }

+ Show component code

@supports(display: grid) {
    :root {
        --sidebar-width-on-desktop: calc((var(--base-font-size) * (14 / 15)) * 19);
        --body-width-on-desktop: 45.75rem;
    }
    @media only screen and (min-width: 769px) {
        #side-bar .close-menu {
            display: block;
            position: fixed;
            top: 0.5rem;
            left: 0.5rem;
            width: 3rem;
            height: 3rem;
            background: unset;
            opacity: 1;
            pointer-events: all;
            z-index: -1;
        }
 
        #side-bar .close-menu img {
            color: transparent;
        }
 
        #side-bar .close-menu::before,
        #side-bar .close-menu::after {
            content: "";
            box-sizing: border-box;
            position: fixed;
            display: block;
            top: 0.5rem;
            left: 0.5rem;
            width: 3rem;
            height: 3rem;
            padding: 0;
            margin: 0;
            text-align: center;
            pointer-events: all;
            cursor: pointer;
            transition:
                opacity var(--sidebar-transition-timing);
        }
 
        #side-bar .close-menu::before {
            --mask:url("data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'%3F%3E%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink' id='Hamburger' x='0' y='0' baseProfile='tiny' overflow='visible' version='1.2' viewBox='0 0 32 32' xml:space='preserve'%3E%3Cpath d='M4 10h24c1.1 0 2-.9 2-2s-.9-2-2-2H4c-1.1 0-2 .9-2 2s.9 2 2 2zm24 4H4c-1.1 0-2 .9-2 2s.9 2 2 2h24c1.1 0 2-.9 2-2s-.9-2-2-2zm0 8H4c-1.1 0-2 .9-2 2s.9 2 2 2h24c1.1 0 2-.9 2-2s-.9-2-2-2z'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");
            z-index: -1;
            background-color: var(--toggle-icon-color, rgb(var(--sidebar-links-text))) !important;
            -webkit-mask: var(--mask);
            mask: var(--mask);
            -webkit-mask-repeat: no-repeat;
            mask-repeat: no-repeat;
            -webkit-mask-position: 50% 50%;
            mask-position: 50% 50%;
            -webkit-mask-size: 60%;
            mask-size: 60%;
        }
 
        #side-bar .close-menu::after {
            z-index: -2;
            background-color: var(--toggle-button-bg, rgb(var(--sidebar-bg-color))) !important;
            border-radius: var(--toggle-roundness, 50%);
            border: var(--toggle-border-color, rgb(var(--sidebar-links-text))) var(--toggle-border-width, 0.25rem) solid;
        }
 
        #side-bar:focus-within .close-menu,
        #side-bar:not(:has(.close-menu:hover)):not(:focus-within):hover .close-menu {
            pointer-events: none;
        }
 
        #side-bar:focus-within .close-menu::before,
        #side-bar:focus-within .close-menu::after {
            opacity: 0;
            pointer-events: none;
        }
 
        #side-bar:not(:has(.close-menu:hover)):not(:focus-within):hover .close-menu::before,
        #side-bar:not(:has(.close-menu:hover)):not(:focus-within):hover .close-menu::after {
            opacity: 0;
            pointer-events: none;
        }
 
        #side-bar {
            display: block;
            position: fixed;
            top: 0;
            left: calc(var(--sidebar-width-on-desktop)*-1);
            z-index: 10;
            transition:
                left 500ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 100ms;
            height: 100%;
            overflow-y: auto;
            overflow-x: hidden;
            margin-top: 0;
        }
 
        #side-bar:focus-within {
            left: 0;
        }
 
        #side-bar:not(:has(.close-menu:hover)):not(:focus-within):hover {
            left: 0;
        }
 
        #side-bar .side-block {
            margin-top: 1rem;
            background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0, 0);
            border-radius: 0;
            border-left-width: 0px;
            border-right-width: 0px;
        }
 
        #main-content::before {
            content: "";
            display: block;
            position: fixed;
            top: 0;
            right: 0;
            z-index: -1;
            opacity: 0;
            transition:
                opacity 500ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 100ms,
                width 500ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 100ms;
            margin-left: var(--sidebar-width-on-desktop);
            background: rgba(var(--swatch-menubg-black-color), .3) 1px 1px repeat;
            padding-right: 0;
            width: 100%;
            height: 100vh;
            pointer-events: none;
            z-index: 99;
        }
 
        #side-bar:focus-within ~ #main-content::before {
            width: calc(100% - var(--sidebar-width-on-desktop));
            opacity: 1;
            pointer-events: all;
        }
 
        #side-bar:not(:has(.close-menu:hover)):not(:focus-within):hover ~ #main-content::before {
            width: calc(100% - var(--sidebar-width-on-desktop));
            opacity: 1;
            pointer-events: all;
        }
 
        @supports (-moz-appearance:none) and (background-attachment:local) and (not (-moz-osx-font-smoothing:auto)) { #side-bar {
            padding: inherit;
        } }
 
        #content-wrap {
            display: flex;
            flex-direction: row;
            width: calc(100vw - (100vw - 100%));
            min-height: calc(100vh - calc(var(--final-header-height-on-desktop, 10.125rem)));
            flex-grow: 2;
            height: auto;
            position: relative;
            margin: 0 auto;
            max-width: inherit;
        }
 
        #main-content {
            width: 100%;
            position: initial;
            max-height: 100%;
            padding: 2rem 1rem;
            max-width: var(--body-width-on-desktop, 45.75rem);
            margin: 0 auto;
        }
 
        #page-content {
            max-width: min(90vw, var(--body-width-on-desktop, 45.75rem));
        }
 
        @supports (-webkit-hyphens:none) { 
            #side-bar {
                transition:
                    left 500ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 100ms,
                    padding-right 500ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 100ms,
                    background-color 500ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 100ms;
                padding-right: 0;
                background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0, 0);
                pointer-events: all;
                overflow-x: visible;
                overflow-y: visible;
                z-index: 999;
            }
 
            #side-bar::-webkit-scrollbar {
                opacity: 0;
                -webkit-transition: opacity 500ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 100ms;
                transition: opacity 500ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 100ms;
            }
 
            #side-bar .close-menu::before {
                z-index: 999;
            }
 
            #side-bar .close-menu::after {
                z-index: 998;
            }
 
            #side-bar:hover .close-menu::before,
            #side-bar:hover .close-menu::after {
                opacity: 0;
            }
 
            #side-bar:hover {
                left: 0;
                background-color: rgba(var(--swatch-menubg-color), 1);
                padding-right: 0;
            }
 
            #side-bar:hover::-webkit-scrollbar {
                opacity: 1;
            }
 
            #side-bar:hover~#main-content::before {
                width: calc(100% - var(--sidebar-width-on-desktop));
                opacity: 1;
                pointer-events: all;
            }
        }
    }
}

Keeping count with my strokes, I turned my head and breathed in the humid air. I continued swimming, counting the seconds until I touched the end of the pool to turn and swim back.

I have a weird relationship with water. I can swim in the ocean, snorkel, surf, and scuba dive, but I can't swim in tiled pools. The competitive swim meets had been at plain concrete pools until the finals. The finals were at legitimate Olympic pools.

Which meant tiling.

I couldn't open my eyes.
I had to count.

If I opened my eyes and saw the bottom of the pool. I would drown.

My outstretched palm grazed the side of the pool. I turned and kicked off from the wall. My arm brushed against the boundaries for the lane. Blindly, I adjusted my path. I craved to know what my placement was, did I need to swim faster? I counted the seconds.

I turned my head and took a deep breath of air, and continued swimming. In the darkness of my closed eyes I saw that archaic memory.

I was two years old and at swimming class. My swimming instructor gave us a break. I waddled back out to the pool. My friend's Meemaw had volunteered her pool for lessons that week. Her pool had an elaborate dolphin mosaic. I really wanted to play with the dolphin. I swam down and imagined myself as a mermaid. The tiling was beautiful. All blues and greens, I stroked the smooth tiles and felt the crevices around the dolphin's eyes.

Heart racing, I turned my head to the side and took another breath, Don't open your eyes, I thought to myself.

Swimming over the dolphin, my lungs started to burn. I imagined that I grew gills. But the burning didn't stop.

In the blackness behind my eyelids I saw myself drowning again, and again, and again. My chest heaved, as I turned my head and took another gulp of air.

My lungs burned more, I tried to kick from the bottom to reach the top. Instead, in my panicked thrashing I hit my head. I floundered. Lungs burning with white hot searing pain, I cried dry tears and cursed the dolphin. My memory faded as I lost consciousness. Later I was told that my swim instructor saved me.

How close was I to the finish line? How close was I?

Don't open your eyes, or you will see the dolphin again.

My arms pounded into the water as I pushed myself further and faster. I counted in my head. 20 more seconds. My lungs started to burn.

I need to look. I thought to myself, I need to see how close I am to winning the heat.

Don't open your eyes! a voice said inside my head.

How close?

Don-

I opened my eyes.

~

The kaleidoscope of colors from the pool was overwhelming. Vertigo surged over me, my heart jumped and my stomach churned. Amongst the blue mosaics I saw the dreaded dolphin. Its tiling was covered in mildew and mold. My lungs burned with white hot pain.

Above the dolphin floated the body of a rotten, bloated two year old girl. Pain ripped through me and panic raced through my mind. My leg cramped when I kicked. Seizing, I floundered.

16 years of training left as I sank towards the bottom of the pool. I had been in the lead. My vision went dark. My body was paralyzed with fear, and I couldn't swim to the top. I couldn't keep going.

There was a cacophony from the crowd and, as their voices faded, I heard a two year old gagging for air as water rushed to into her lungs.

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‡ Licensing / Citation

Cite this page as:

"The Dolphin" by fairydoctor, from the SCP Wiki. Source: https://scpwiki.com/the-dolphin. Licensed under CC-BY-SA.

For more information, see Licensing Guide.
Licensing Disclosures

Filename: the-dolphin.png
Author: fairydoctor
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Source Link: SCP Foundation Wiki

For more information about on-wiki content, visit the Licensing Master List.