SCP-2676: For S

Well run where lights won't chase us, hide where love can save us…

Item #: SCP-2676

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: Observation Room 145-B of Site-25 has been equipped with a magnification device. A perimeter of 50 meters must be maintained between SCP-2676 and all dormitories.1 Testing requires Level 3 authorization. Should SCP-2676 activate outside of authorized testing, Site-25 should be placed on Level-1 lockdown until both Alpha subjects can be located. Further action can be taken at the Site Director's discretion. No anomalous objects pertaining to sleep or dreams should be stored in the same site as SCP-2676.

Description: SCP-2676 is a coffee-style table, 1.5 x 0.8 x 0.5 meters in dimension, composed of African blackwood. The top and sides have inserts made of lead crystal. Visible within the center of the table is a miniature cityscape, composition unknown. Buildings range in size from 0.5-3.2 cm in height; most are in a state of disrepair or have been heavily damaged. The infrastructure is cracked and crumbling, with numerous areas blocked by rubble and fallen debris. On the bottom of the table, the words "For S" have been inscribed; a series of scratches after the S suggests the original inscription was longer.

When SCP-2676 is inactive, its interior occasionally displays multicolored lights with no discernible source. These lights are always present when SCP-2676 is in its active phase. No pattern is otherwise obvious, and inversion of the table when SCP-2676 is inactive will cause the lights to vanish; righting the object causes flakes appearing to be ash to fall over the city for a period of upward of 8 minutes.2

SCP-2676 enters its active state when at least two individuals, designated Alpha subjects, enter stage 2 sleep at approximately the same time3, within 45 meters of the object. Alpha subjects unanimously4 report restful, dreamless sleep.

During its active state, the interior of SCP-2676 will manifest three entities: SCP-2676-A and two instances of SCP-2676-B. SCP-2676-B manifests as two humans, typically (>75% of tests) with appearance similar to the Alpha subjects, though miniaturized in scale with the buildings. SCP-2676-A is an independent humanoid apparition which does not vary in appearance across manifestations.

SCP-2676-A will attempt to chase down and capture SCP-2676-B, whereupon the latter will demanifest. If both simulacra are captured, the Alpha subjects will wake violently; otherwise, all entities will demanifest upon subjects' normal waking. SCP-2676-A has been successful in capturing both SCP-2676-B in more than two-thirds of tests, owing to its speed, ability to levitate, and knowledge of the layout of the city within SCP-2676. SCP-2676-A is also assisted by multicolored spotlights emanating via unknown methods from the roof of SCP-2676, which track SCP-2676-B whenever they are out of cover.

Upon waking, Alpha subjects report greater emotional attachment toward one another, regardless of previous acquaintanceship. These feelings have manifested as friendship in 83% of tests, and love in 44%. Of note, romantic feelings do not develop counter to subjects' sexual orientations; tests where such feelings are unrequited have only occurred when subjects' orientations are incompatible.

Addendum: Log of Incident 2676-04

+ Incident log

- Access granted

On ██/██/████, SCP-2676 entered an active state outside approved testing at 00:34. Site-25 was placed on lockdown and searched. The view of the inside of SCP-2676 was obscured due to dust clouds, but one SCP-2676-B was identified as Junior Researcher M████; the other could not be identified. Lockdown was finally lifted when Junior Researcher M████ and Doctor S█████ were located in the latter's office, having fallen asleep after a sexual tryst. Five hours later, SCP-2676 displayed unusual behavior, with all clouds and lights dispersing before the Alpha subjects woke.

Addendum: Interview 2676-27

+ Due to ongoing investigation, level 4 authorization is required

- Credentials accepted

Interview with JR McCoy, ██/██/████, 09:28

Audio log of full interview can be requested from Site-25 Archives.

So I'm there in this city, it's totally ruined. Buildings are all but falling down around us, right?

Us? Oh, yeah. Okay, you know how you get into a dream and you just know things? Dream logic? I'm there with this young woman, never actually seen her before, I can barely remember her face. But I know she's supposed to be J… I mean, Dr. Sawyer. She's scared. I'm all but dragging her through the city by the arm.

We're running, trying to escape from the lights. There's all these colored spotlights everywhere, right, all kinds of colors, coming out of the sky. And I know, I just know, that if one of those lights lands on us, we'll be caught. I don't know by what, or what'll happen, I just know it's bad, right? So we're ducking between buildings, trying to stay behind cover while keeping an eye on the way, the pattern the lights sweep around the city, looking for us.

That goes on for a while. Not sure how long. Dream time, right? And the whole time, it's like Dr. Sawyer is trying to show me something, like screaming and crying for me to look at her, but I'm just too concerned with keeping us safe. I think I told her something like that.

Then, eventually, the thing shows up. I think it's what they call dash-A. Like this big, floating Grim Reaper kinda monster. It has, like, a dozen eyes. No mouth or anything else, just eyes all over its face, and big long, spindly arms, like almost bone. All I can do is stare at its face, like it's got me hypnotized just to stare at it, and I can't move. It doesn't matter if I could, because right then the lights found us and this thing can pass through walls, you know?

Anyway, I know we're screwed, and I squeeze my eyes shut because dash-A's coming toward us. But I can still see, you know? And Dr. Sawyer, she throws her arms up and she shouts something like, "No! You stop! You stop there, because we're going home!" And then this big beam of light shoots out of her hands all of a sudden. Dash-A looks surprised even, like he rears back and stares up at the sky.

See, it was overcast, like the whole sky was covered in clouds, but that beam of light, it zaps up into the clouds and parts them, makes them go away. And the sky behind them is bright crystal blue, like any nice clear sky you'd ever see, right? And all three of us are just standing there, staring at the sky.

Then dash-A, he talks, but not with words. More like, I dunno, thoughts? Like, concepts? And he says something like, "I'm sorry, I tried, I thought you loved it, please come back." And then in, like, the instant I wake up, everything bad vanishes, the monster, the lights, the buildings, so it's just me and Dr. Sawyer and this bright, clear sky.

Addendum: Interview 2676-28

+ Due to ongoing investigation, level 4 authorization is required

- Credentials accepted

Interview with Dr. Sawyer, ██/██/████, 10:48

Audio log of full interview can be requested from Site-25 Archives.

I remember the ground was rocky, it was covered in rubble. Large chunks of concrete with rebar, and sometimes glass, emerging at odd angles. I remember the ground best because, during the whole dream, I was fixated on my hands. I was holding a key, or maybe a ring of keys. It might have been just a few keys, I'm not sure. The point is, I was holding them, staring at them, like they were the most important things in the world and if I looked away for even a second, they'd be gone, and all hope would be lost.

The surroundings? Like I said, I was mostly focused on the ground. I do recall the air was filled with ash, maybe soot, as though there had been a great fire. I got the impression that whatever had destroyed the buildings, I think they were buildings we were running through, whatever had destroyed them had done so recently, and the fallout of the destruction was all around us, in the air.

Yes, Junior Researcher McCoy was there. No, I don't recall what he looked like in the dream.

Most of it is hazy for me. I remember the keys very clearly. There was something wrong with them, but I was still holding them in my open hands, like one cups water to drink.

The other main detail I recall with any clarity is the entity, 2676-A, I believe. It was monstrous. I was truly horrified of it in the dream. The moment I saw it, I clasped my hand to my chest, holding on to those keys lest it swipe them from my hand at any moment. I think it exchanged words with Tommy. At least, I got the impression they were talking. I swear it said something about being like us once. Well, one of us, I'm not sure who it meant.

It seemed odd in the moment, and even in hindsight, because here was the thing from which we had been running all that time, just conversing with us, and Tommy didn't seem to care.

Ah, what I did in the dream wasn't exactly something I felt in control of. Like reading a script and acting it out, or having it acted out for me, rather. My grip tightened around the keys, and then I shouted, "Stop! You won't let us leave, so you're going to have to watch it break!" I don't know why I would say such a thing. It doesn't seem to make much sense, does it? I do remember the words though, very clearly. They are perhaps the clearest part of the dream.

Then there was a bright flash. I'm not sure why or where from, but the smog and ash and clouds all cleared up. The sky was actually quite lovely. I remember I looked up at Tommy, and he was pointing at the entity. It was a very strange creature, now that I think about it, very ghostly with dark robes and skeletal features and the like. At that moment, when I looked at it, its face was turned up to the sky, and its arms were spread. It's the sort of pose you attribute to people in the midst of religious ecstasy, if that isn't too dramatic a description.

And in the very last moment of the dream, right as I wake up, I notice tears streaking down its face. I can only wonder why.

Addendum: Document 2676-13

+ Due to ongoing investigation, level 4 authorization is required

- Credentials accepted

From the desk of Dr. Ida DiMauro, Site-25 psychologist.

I hereby submit the following statements made by Junior Researcher Thomas McCoy and Doctor Julianne Sawyer, pursuant to the events of Incident 2676-04, to inform the Site Director's decision on the case.

From Junior Researcher Thomas McCoy:

Hey, if you could keep this from getting around to Dr. Sawyer… Oh geez, this is going to turn into an official inquiry, isn't it? I should have known. Like, we'd been careful, and then 2676 has to go and…

No, okay, gonna be honest. There's no one but me to blame. I was hoping I could fuck my way to a promotion, pardon my language. I've been here forever, doing dick jobs. I keep getting passed over. I'm tired of it, you know?

All I wanted was a promotion, or maybe even like, just a pay raise? I didn't want to hurt anyone. If I'd known she was married, I wouldn't have done it. I'd have put in for a transfer or something. But I saw an opportunity, 'cause she was flirting with guys on staff, not being too subtle about it. I mean, I'm not even into women, but I figured, hey, go for it, what's the worst that could happen? I guess I'm stupid for not even asking, just taking her offer at face value.

So, hindsight, twenty-twenty, you know what it's like. Actually, I take that back, I hope you don't. I hope you never, ever know.

Look, I'm really, really sorry. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. If I'd known, I'd one hundred percent not have done it. I just… Like, I don't want her to think that I hate her or anything, you get what I'm saying? I mean, she's really nice, and I'm not really into her like she maybe thinks I am or wants me to be, but she's got some good qualities, right? She gets down on herself sometimes, and I wish she wouldn't, she doesn't deserve that. I honestly feel sorry for her. She just needs some attention is all. I hope that's not out of line for me to say that.

From Dr. Julianne Sawyer:

I'm not stupid, I knew he was using me. Young men do not sleep with women my age without an ulterior motive. You know how it is. The curves become flaps, you don't shimmer or shine, the spark is gone.

If I am being completely honest, I really cared for him. That was also stupid, but I couldn't help it. Being with him made me feel calm, protected. I felt like he could make all my problems go away. That sounds awfully trite, doesn't it?

And now… Well, I am aware what effect SCP-2676 has, and that's likely the source of what I'm feeling right now. It's hard, knowing those feelings are not really mine, but I still don't want to let him go. I can't even describe how confusing and… and downright frustrating this, being one of those edge cases where it isn't mutual. Am I right in that assessment?

Ah. No, of course not.

Why did I do it? Isn't it obvious? Things haven't been all right at home for quite some time. I was trying to make my wife jealous.

Junior Researcher McCoy is to be reassigned. Dr. Sawyer will be given an official reprimand for her conduct. Containment procedures will be updated. -Dr. Utt, Director, Site-25

Footnotes

1. After Incident 2676-04, personal offices are also to be kept outside the perimeter.

2. No such activity has yet caused damage to intact buildings within, though they will shake when lateral motion is applied.

3. Within 18 minutes of each other.

4. With one exception; see Incident 2676-04.