I have an idea for an ikea-analogue which, once you enter, would essentially trap you by way of it not following the usual rules of space/time. I haven't decided if this would be a universal thing or if it only affects a certain percentage of people who enter it, but my general idea is that once you're in there, it becomes very difficult to escape due to the non-standard nature of its structure. It would be significantly large inside than outside (maybe infinite), and retracing your steps wouldn't necessarily take you back to where you came from. I picture people building settlements out of all the various bits of furniture inside, because they have given up on trying to escape, raiding the canteens for ikea meatballs to feed these settlements, etc.
Anyway, wanted to see what people thought of the concept, if anything like it already exists etc.
Thanks!
If it traps people like that, how do we know what happens to them?
There would be rare cases of people escaping; the exit still exists, you just can't get to it by travelling back the way you came, so it might be miles from the entrance or whatever.
I'm thinking the bulk of what actually happens in there would be told via the diary of someone who got trapped in there but then made their way out (or their diary did, at least), or an MTF team that goes in to investigate and eventually escape (or perhaps both).
I cannot find it for the life of me, but I recall a SCP that appears as a parking garage that has the same geometries that you are describing. However, I do like the idea of people creating mini societies within the Ikea. Since the idea of "infinite and ever-changing geometries" isn't particularly unique, I would mainly focus on how the people live and the phycological effects of being trapped in an Ikea. I do think that diary entries would be a good way to go about this; you could describe the change in the person's psyche over time.
Yeah I remember that garage one now that you mention it. I think that was sentient and actively hostile to people it didn't like.
The other idea I had for this was that there would essentially be a day/night cycle which would be determined by the shops opening times. Ie, once the shop closes, all the lights get turned off. At this point, the "staff" would start becoming aggressive towards anyone inside. The staff would be humanoid but strangely proportions (too short, too tall, limbs the wrong length etc). This would be what necessitates the building of settlements inside for those who are trapped there - defence against these things at night.
