NOTICE

Due to the ongoing TEMPERANCE-PRINCIPALITY Event's impact on the Foundation's standard practices and priorities, the containment procedures for this SCP have been altered in order to allocate Foundation personnel and resources where they are most necessary.

Contact your Site Director for more information regarding the ongoing TEMPERANCE-PRINCIPALITY Event.

SCP-4819 as it leads into Lake Austin.

Item #: SCP-4819

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures (Updated 8/16/74): The water flowing into SCP-4819 has been redirected in order to temporarily neutralize its anomalous effect. Further containment has been deemed unnecessary.

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Annually on August 11th, SCP-4819 is to be cordoned off from the public under the cover story of routine cleanup of the surrounding land. Foundation personnel disguised as maintenance workers are to be stationed at SCP-4819 at this time, and are to turn away any civilians attempting to enter. These personnel must not possess a high school diploma from a Travis County high school in order to prevent activation of SCP-4819.

Description: SCP-4819 is a swimming hole located in Austin, TX, spanning roughly 450m2 and connecting Panther Hollow Creek to Lake Austin. SCP-4819 acts as a Class II Temporal Gateway, and is able to be activated annually on the day before Austin Independent School District classes begin August 11th1. The only individuals capable of activating SCP-4819 are those who have received a high school diploma from a high school located in Travis County. SCP-4819 cannot be activated more than once per individual.

Activation of SCP-4819 occurs when an individual (hereby referred to as the subject) meeting the above criteria fully submerges themselves in its water. Once this occurs, the subject will disappear.

Subjects are then transported to a parallel timeline, temporally manifesting as they were on the day before they began final year of high school in both location2 and physicality. Timelines generated by SCP-4819 uniformly differ from baseline reality as follows:

Subjects retain memories of events that took place in baseline reality after the time of their arrival, though these memories appear to gradually vanish3. This memory loss can be circumvented through various methods of notation, however.

In all generated timelines, a spontaneous meeting with the subject is arranged by an individual (or group of individuals) considered personally important to them4, taking place at SCP-4819 on the day of their arrival. These meetings can be declined or avoided without issue, though all subjects who have attended them describe them as pleasant or otherwise positive.

SCP-4819 does not possess anomalous properties and is not contained by the SCP Foundation in these generated timelines.

Subjects will remain in this timeline until they reach the exact point in time that they activated SCP-4819. At this point, the subject will re-manifest in baseline reality, appearing on one of the landmasses surrounding SCP-4819 approximately three to six seconds after their disappearance. Additionally, subjects will be clothed in whatever they were wearing in the timeline prior to their return, and retain any objects they had on their person at that time. Subjects will manifest even if they have expired at any point in the timeline.

Addendum - Abridged Testing Logs: Testing was supervised by Dr. Rhodes.

Test Date: 8/20/64

Test Subject: D-493750

Note: Upon arrival in the generated timeline, D-493750 was to record any memories he deemed important. This test was conducted shortly after SCP-4819's discovery in order to confirm its anomalous effects.

Summary: When interviewed following his re-manifestation in baseline reality, the subject was able to remember many important details of his recent life, along with much of his time at the Foundation. When asked, subject claimed to have met with several of his friends on the day of his arrival in the timeline. Subject was amnesticised and re-entered into the D-Class program without issue, despite making requests to activate SCP-4819 again.

Test Date: 8/15/67

Test Subject: D-3847833

Note: When briefed on the properties of the initial meeting, the subject was unable to think of any individuals she would consider to be personally important at the time that would meet with her.

Summary: Upon arrival, subject received a message from an individual (identified as ████ ████████) she had previously sold drugs to, asking to meet at SCP-4819. Subject complied with the request. Upon meeting with the individual, the two conversed about various topics, such as their struggles with drug addiction and coping with loss. The subject could not recall specific details past those topics, though she described the meeting as "eye-opening". It is to be noted that the subject returned to baseline reality without symptoms of opioid withdrawals she had previously posessed.

Test Date: 8/11/70

Test Subject: Agent DeVarga, member of MTF-█-██ (now defunct)5

Note: DeVarga had lost his right arm in a car accident occurring twenty years prior to this test. Subject was instructed to avoid the events leading up to the accident in the generated timeline.

Summary: The subject re-manifested with no signs of dismemberment. Shortly after manifestation, however, the subject pulled a makeshift device out of his pocket, which [DATA EXPUNGED] once activated. This rendered nearby containment staff unconscious, and allowed for his escape. Subject's current whereabouts are unknown, and his capture has been deemed a low priority.

Incident Log A-811: On 8/11/2074, an individual previously employed by the Foundation was able to activate SCP-4819 despite current containment procedures. Containment staff6 made no attempt to stop this individual. An impromptu interview was held prior to activation, which was captured on nearby security cameras.

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Interviewee: Carol Navares, former Level 2 Researcher assigned to SCP-███

Interviewer: Dr. Rhodes, current Head Researcher and Containment Director of SCP-4819

<Begin Log, 8/11/74 14:23>

Navares arrives at the portion of Woodlands Park that borders SCP-4819, with Dr. Rhodes seated at a nearby picnic bench.

Navares: Hey, Esther?

Rhodes turns towards Navares.

Rhodes: Dr. Navares? You aren't supposed to be here.

Navares: Not really. But I needed to see you.

Rhodes: You aren't… what happened?

Navares: I got fired.

Rhodes: Fired? Did they… are they planning on using SCP-███ against the Principality?

Navares nods.

Navares: I was opposed to it. I didn't want that kid getting himself killed, he's already been through enough. But, of course, they did it anyways. That… wasn't the reason I got fired, exactly. I was deemed as-

Rhodes: Personnel non-essential to the combat of the ongoing TEMPERANCE-PRINCIPALITY Event. Right?

Navares: Mm. Exactly. Either I could allow myself to be transfered to a… worse department, or I could pack my things and live out the rest of my life somewhere more pleasant. So, here I am. I'm thankful they gave me the choice, though.

Rhodes: They didn't amnesticise you. Do they… are they not doing that kind of thing anymore?

Navares: I don't think so. My guess is that they don't have enough juice to spare.

Rhodes: Nava- Carol, I'm sorry. I know you'd rather have forgotten.

Navares: No, it's fine. I think it's best that I remember.

Both are silent for a moment. Rhodes turns back towards SCP-4819.

Rhodes: Come sit down, Carol.

Navares does not respond.

Rhodes: Listen, I'm not going to get in trouble for it. No one's got the energy to tell me off anymore. Come on, enjoy the sunshine.

Navares slowly approaches Rhodes and sits next to her.

Navares: The water's… nice here. I'm a little surprised the creek's still flowing.

Rhodes: Mm-hm, it's like nothing's changed. I always liked this place. Way better than the office.

Navares: You always hated the noise.

Rhodes: Everyone always made fun of me for being so excited over a skip as simple as this one. But… as much as I hate to say it, this beats what everyone else is doing right now.

Navares: Couldn't agree more.

Irrelevant conversation continues for roughly two hours before Rhodes returns to the subject of SCP-4819.

Rhodes: …Hey, you said you came here because you needed to see me, right?

Navares: I did.

Rhodes: Was that a lie?

Navares: No, of course not. Well… kind of, I guess. I may have some… ulterior motives.

Rhodes: I knew it! You're such a bad liar!

Navares: Alright, fine, you got me!

Both burst out into laughter for a moment.

Rhodes: You're… you're sure about this, Carol? You know it's only temporary, right?

Navares: I know, but I think it's what I need. You aren't gonna try to stop me, are you?

Rhodes: No, of course not. I'll be upset if you knocked me out like the last guy did, but I don't think you'd do that.

Navares: To someone else, maybe, but not to you.

Rhodes does not respond.

Navares: Look, I'm sorry, Esther. I just need to forget. About what happened to pops, and Sybil, and Sal7. Everything.

Rhodes: It's okay, I understand. Are you ready now? Or did you want to wait a little longer?

Navares: Nothing else to do here.

Rhodes stands, and helps Navares to her feet.

Rhodes: Well, come on, then. You've read the document, right?

Navares: Of course. I'll write everything down, promise.

The two begin to enter SCP-4819.

Rhodes: What are you gonna do? Once you get there, I mean.

Navares: Well, first off, never get involved with the Foundation. Maybe try and convince you not to join either. Oh, but do let them know about the Principality so we don't have a repeat of all this. I think I know the right anonymous channels to go through for that.

Rhodes: Good call, good call.

Navares: Let's see… I doubt I'll be able to remember everything I want to change. But… don't hook up with Kincaid, treat my mom better, and…

After a moment of hesitation, Navares points at one of the nearby properties bordering Lake Austin.

Navares: That house, right there. Do you like it?

Rhodes: Yeah, it's nice.

Navares: Tell you what. I'm gonna buy it, and we're gonna live in it. You and me.

Rhodes: Oh stop it, you're gonna make me cry!

Both laugh to themselves for a moment. Once the water becomes waist deep, both Rhodes and Navares halt.

Navares: Well… this is it, I guess.

Rhodes: No it's not. After you're done with it all, I'll be right here waiting for you. And… we're gonna live in that house, just like you said. I promise you. Just… don't die. Please.

Navares: Of course. It's a promise.

Rhodes: …Hey, y'know what, Carol?

Navares: What?

Rhodes: My old man was right. I do regret dropping out.

Navares: Oh my God, I never thought I'd hear you say that.

After a moment of silence, the two embrace.

Rhodes: Love you.

Navares: Love you too. I'll see you around.

The two separate. Navares takes a deep breath, plunges herself into the water, and disappears.

Rhodes: …Oh God, please don't die.

Navares manifests on a nearby bench three seconds later, dressed in civilian plainclothes. Rhodes turns to look at her.

Rhodes: Carol?

Rhodes quickly makes her way towards Navares, who weakly stands.

Rhodes: Carol, are you okay?

Navares: E-Esther? Yeah, I'm fine. I take it I'm back?

Rhodes: Yeah, you're… you're back. Did you have fun?

Navares: Mm… yeah. Best fifteen years of my life.

Rhodes touches Navares' cheek.

Rhodes: Your scar is gone.

Navares: Didn't get involved with Kincaid.

Rhodes: You… you didn't. Holy shit. How much do you remember?

Navares: Just enough, I think.

Rhodes: I'm… God, I'm so relieved. I hope that-

Navares: Is anyone living in that house nowadays?

Rhodes does not react for a moment, before looking towards the aforementioned property.

Rhodes: I don't think anyone's lived in this area for a while now.

Navares: You do remember what you promised me before I left, right?

Rhodes: Carol, that wasn't even a minute ago. Of course I remember.

Navares: I know. Just making sure.

<End Log>

Following this event, Dr. Rhodes submitted her resignation from Foundation duties, which was accepted without issue despite her breach of containment protocol. Standard amnestics were not administered, due to a higher focus on combating the ongoing TEMPERANCE-PRINCIPALITY Event. Alternative containment procedures for SCP-4819 were implemented in wake of her absence as well. Further action against Rhodes and Navares has been deemed unnecessary.

Footnotes

1. Due to the impact of the ongoing TEMPERANCE-PRINCIPALITY Event, the Austin Independent School District is no longer operational. The last valid date of SCP-4819's activation prior to this event was on August 11th, 2068, and has remained as August 11th ever since.

2. Specifically, subjects will manifest wherever they were located at midnight on that day.

3. The exact rate of this memory loss is unknown, and has been theorized to possibly vary between subjects.

4. The exact parameters necessary for these individuals to be considered "important" varies between subjects.

5. Due to the ongoing TEMPERANCE-PRINCIPALITY Event, the use of D-Class personnel for testing has been suspended in order to allocate Foundation resources where they are most needed. DeVarga volunteered for this test, which was approved by both containment staff and his superiors.

6. Consisting only of Dr. Rhodes, following the relocation of other containment staff members elsewhere.

7. Birthname of SCP-███.