SCP-4295-A.

Item #: SCP-4295

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-4295-A is to be monitored remotely at the nearest intracity outpost to avoid drawing attention to its existence within the town. Comprehensive security measures are to be applied to its windows and doors to prevent incursion and potential vandalism. SCP-4295-A is currently being surveyed to establish routine maintenance procedures and repair damage using whichever methods are likely to provide SCP-4295-B with the best medical outcome. SCP-4295-B is to housed at Site-17 in a Standard Humanoid Containment cell and given a comprehensive medical examination once monthly to check for unexpected injuries or wounds.

Description: SCP-4295-A is a two-story Victorian house in Portland, Maine, built in 1892. SCP-4295-B is its owner, 62-year-old Martha Ackerman.

Various parts of SCP-4295-A are "mapped" to different parts of SCP-4295-B's body, causing her to experience a tactile sensation where the corresponding portion of SCP-4295-A is touched. Movement on the second story is felt in the upper body; movement on the first story is felt in the lower body, etc. In addition, injuries to SCP-4295-B's body are reflected in equivalent damage to SCP-4295-A in the associated area, and damage or decay to SCP-4295-A appears as damage to SCP-4295-B's body. These injuries do not respond to typical medical treatment and can only be reversed by repairing SCP-4295-A. This was discovered during routine testing to confirm the anomaly, when a section of the handrail on the basement stairs gave way due to rot. This caused a deep laceration to SCP-4295-B's right thigh.

As the result of natural wear and tear on the house, SCP-4295-B is suffering from:

Lichen planus on the skin of the upper left arm, corresponding to rot in the floorboards of the upstairs bedroom.

An injury to the chest wall, corresponding to damage to SCP-4295-A's central heating unit.

Alopecia, corresponding to damaged roof tiles.

Addendum SCP-4295-1:

Intake Interview 04/12/2007

Intake Interview 04/12/2007

Interviewer: Dr. Andrea Talbot

Interviewed: SCP-4295-B

Initial assessment: SCP-4295-B is a middle-aged white woman of average height and weight. Suffering from hair loss across most of the scalp. Skin is marked with scars and lesions of various sizes. Alert and oriented. Temperament is standoffish, but seems unlikely to escalate to violence.

Additional notes: Field agents Nguyen and Obasi were on standby during the duration of this interview, which took place within SCP-4295-A.

<BEGIN LOG>

Talbot: Thank you for your cooperation today. Now I just need to ask you some questions.

SCP-4295-B: I just want this to be over. I have plans this afternoon. You need to- I have plans.

Talbot: I understand. Could you go ahead and tell us a little bit about this house?

SCP-4295-B: Oh, I've lived here my whole life. My whole life.

Talbot: Ah, okay. And who lived here before you did? Do you know anything about them, or about what kind of connection they might have had with the house?

SCP-4295-B: I don't remember the people we bought it from. I could probably track down their information, I suppose, but that was an awfully long time ago. They never mentioned anything strange.

Talbot: And what about your connection to the house? When did that start?

SCP-4295-B: Well, let's see. That happened slowly. At first it was just being able to feel when someone was around. It scared me, but I liked knowing who was where. The mold came next, I think.

(SCP-4295-B rolls up her left shirtsleeve to reveal that most of her upper arm is covered in shiny, dark-colored spots. The discoloration is not typical of lichen planus, nor of any similar skin condition. There is a large bump at the elbow, and the joint creaks audibly when moved.)

Talbot: Did you break your arm? It looks like it didn't heal right.

SCP-4295-B: I had to do the repairs myself all these years. I couldn't let just anyone in here.

Talbot: The skin condition is from the rot in the house?

SCP-4295-B: Oh, yes. Yes. You saw what happens to me when this place isn't taken care of.

Talbot: We're very sorry about that. How is your leg?

SCP-4295-B: Doesn't hurt any more than the rest, I suppose. You did alright with the gauze.

Talbot: Can you tell me what you noticed after the mold? It was just your skin at first, and then what?

SCP-4295-B: Well, it got much worse after everything happened. Much worse.

Talbot: After what?

SCP-4295-B: Oh. I just don't like to think about it, is the thing.

Talbot: That's alright. Take your time.

SCP-4295-B: No, I don't think I will. Let's just move on.

Talbot: This could be very important. I need to know what triggered that change.

SCP-4295-B: No, you do not! You people come into my home-

Talbot: Miss Ackerman. We want to help you, but we can't do that if you're not honest with us. Now, why don't you go ahead and tell us what happened?

SCP-4295-B: This was years ago. We went out to go to a play, me and Martin.

Talbot: Who is Martin?

SCP-4295-B: My husband.

Talbot: Okay. Go on.

SCP-4295-B: And we were just walking home and it was some man. We didn't know him. He just wanted money. Martin was always so stubborn. He didn't want to give it to him.

Talbot: Okay.

SCP-4295-B: He shot him. My Martin. He didn't make it.

Talbot: I'm sorry to hear that.

SCP-4295-B: That was when it started. When it really started. The house took care of me after that. At least there's one place that's just mine, I thought. This place is mine and I know it like the back of my hand.

Talbot: And what happens when you leave the house? Can you still feel everything going on inside it?

SCP-4295-B: Oh, I could never.

Talbot: Never what?

SCP-4295-B: Go out. I haven't in years.

Talbot: I see. And why is that?

SCP-4295-B: I couldn't do that. I just couldn't.

Talbot: IS there something you believe would happen if you did?

SCP-4295-B: (agitated): I couldn't. I just couldn't.

Talbot: Because you were frightened, or because you physically couldn't?

SCP-4295-B: There's no difference. I can't leave.

Talbot: Would it hurt you physically to leave? Would it damage your body to walk out that door?

SCP-4295-B: I suppose not, no.

Talbot: Well, it's going to be really hard to deal with those wounds in here. You need to see a doctor for proper medical treatment.

SCP-4295-B: No, I don't! I don't. I'm perfectly fine.

Talbot: You don't look healthy, Martha. I can see your hair is falling out. Is that related to the house?

SCP-4295-B: Might be, I suppose. Started falling out when the roof started leaking. Speaking of which, you have to fix that banister you broke.

Talbot: Do you think that will help with the injury?

SCP-4295-B: Of course it will! You did this. You saw how it happened. Shouldn't have gone down there in the first place.

Talbot: So it's not just the arm? It's everything?

SCP-4295-B: That's what I said. Didn't you hear?

Talbot: I'm only trying to confirm.

SCP-4295-B: Hmph.

Talbot: What would you use to fix something like that?

SCP-4295-B: Wood glue. Can't be picky. There's some in the cabinet there. (Points.)

Talbot: Obasi. Can you take care of that. I want to see what happens to the injury.

Obasi: Sure.

(Field agent Obasi retrieves a bottle of wood glue from a cabinet in the corner and leaves the room. SCP-4295-B sits forward and points to her lower thigh. Several footprint-shaped bruises appear spontaneously, each about an inch in length.)

SCP-4295-B: Combat boots. They're not good for the floors. This is why I don't have guests.

Talbot: Keeping up with the maintenance here must take up a lot of your time. Uh, can you take off that bandage so I can see if the injury heals properly?

SCP-4295-B: Why not?

(SCP-4295-B pulls her skirt up over her right knee and unwinds the gauze around her thigh. The wound is about four inches in length and runs vertically between the hip and knee.)

SCP-4295-B: I hope he didn't lose any pieces. That would be so- oh. There we go.

(The wound heals slowly, leaving a pink scar. It looks several weeks old by the time the repair is complete. SCP-4295-B sets the gauze aside.)

Talbot: Alright, Martha. I'm sorry. I can see this is difficult, but we're going to have to ask you to come with us.

SCP-4295-B: Oh? Well, I'm going to say no.

Talbot: It would really be the easier option if you agreed to come with us, Martha. We can't just leave you here. For your safety. We have to make sure you're taken care of.

SCP-4295-B: No. Are you threatening me?

SCP-4295-B: Why did you bring those men here? I'm not stupid. I can see they have guns.

Talbot: No one is going to hurt you, Martha. But I can see you're not doing so well. Some of those lesions are obviously infected. I think you know how serious it is.

SCP-4295-B: I can't.

(Field Agent Obasi returns. SCP-4295-B is secured at the elbows by the two Field Agents and makes an attempt at resistance by kicking Obasi in the shin. SCP-4295-B begins to weep as she is extracted from the building. At the front door, she refuses to support her own weight, and she is lifted and carried by Field Agent Nguyen. The group of people moves out onto the front porch. Nguyen descends first and reaches the last step before stopping abruptly and nearly losing his balance.)

Nguyen: Uh oh.

Talbot: What?

Nguyen: Uh, I can't carry her through. There's something stopping it.

Talbot: Stopping what? Can you walk forward?

Nguyen: Yeah, I can move just fine. I can't bring her with me. Look. It feels like there's a wall.

Talbot: Obasi, can you stand on the other side and pull?

Obasi: Why not?

(SCP-4295-B continues to weep and provides no verbal input.)

Obasi: Yeah, that's not going to work, either. I don't want to hurt her.

Talbot: Okay. Bring her back inside for now, I guess. Well, now this is interesting.

<END LOG>

Addendum SCP-4295-2:

Following this incident, SCP-4295-B was returned to the interior of SCP-4295-A, where she proceeded to lock herself in the bathroom. She was convinced to return to the living room after five hours. Plans to convert SCP-4295-A into a permanent containment zone with appropriate medical facilities are currently underway in the event that SCP-4295-B is unable to be removed.

Addendum SCP-4295-3:

Intake Interview 04/12/2007 (cont.)

Intake Interview 04/12/2007 (cont.)

Interviewer: Dr. Andrea Talbot

Interviewed: SCP-4295-B

Additional notes: None.

<BEGIN LOG>

Talbot: How are you feeling, Martha?

SCP-4295-B: Terrible. Thanks a lot.

Talbot: I need to ask you some more questions. I was going to wait for these, but now it looks like we might be here a while.

SCP-4295-B: Why should I answer any more questions? You hurt me. I have bruises on my arms. Manhandle me again if you have to, I suppose.

Talbot: I don't think you understand how much more difficult you're making this by fighting us. You're clearly an intelligent woman. You know what needs to happen here.

SCP-4295-B: Well, and why shouldn't I fight you? You're the ones who tried to drag me off when I said to leave me alone! I don't want to go anywhere! I don't want to go, and the house will protect me, so you can just shove off!

Talbot: Is the house what's keeping you from leaving?

SCP-4295-B: The house. Me and the house. There's not really a difference anymore.

Talbot: How do you feel about that?

SCP-4295-B: Fine. I know I'm supposed to hate it, but I don't. I'm not…I have a life here. A good life. I take care of the house. It takes care of me. I'm not useless.

Talbot: We don't think you're useless.

SCP-4295-B: I don't believe you. It's leave me locked up here or make me normal, isn't it?

Talbot: It doesn't have to be. There are a lot of choices, Martha.

SCP-4295-B: It doesn't feel like it. Not after all of that.

Talbot: I'm sorry. I handled that poorly. I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do with you being combative.

SCP-4295-B: You're young.

Talbot: Sorry?

SCP-4295-B: I said, you're young. You haven't done this a lot, have you? Coming into people's homes to collect them and all that.

Talbot: Can I ask what makes you say that?

SCP-4295-B: Heh. You're terrible at it. Don't know how you made it through…whatever school you people go to. And that's not me being ornery, that's me being truthful. Anyway, what was I saying? I wasn't fighting. I never tried to hit anyone. You didn't even listen to me.

Talbot: Okay. I'm sorry. You're right. That was some bad behavior on our part.

SCP-4295-B: Yeah.

Talbot: Yeah.

SCP-4295-B: I think I'm stuck.

Talbot: Happens to the best of us.

SCP-4295-B: Not like this.

Talbot: (chuckles) Well, that's true.

SCP-4295-B: (sighs)

Talbot: So, you said that you don't want to leave. If you did want to leave, do you think things would be different. Do you think it'd be easier?

SCP-4295-B: Than being picked up and dragged off? Probably.

Talbot: But you don't want to give that a try.

SCP-4295-B: I keep telling you! I can't. You're not listening. Just leave me here to rot.

Talbot: Martha. I am listening. I wasn't listening to you earlier, but I am now. But you have to listen to me, too. Your chest injury looks bad. We really want to get that looked at in a proper medical office. You might need surgery.

SCP-4295-B: Can you do that here?

Talbot: Maybe, yeah. We can do a lot of things here. But it'll be a lot more comfortable for you, and a lot safer, if we can get you out of here.

SCP-4295-B: I can't. I- I'll die.

Talbot: You'll die if you stay here. You can't keep up with the maintenance anymore, especially not with your back. It's going to keep getting worse. The house is making you sick. We need to separate you. I'm sorry.

SCP-4295-B: I don't know what else to do.

Talbot: We can help you. But you have to meet us in the middle. And I know you want our help, or you wouldn't have been sending letters to anyone who might understand what you were dealing with. You knew you needed to get out of here.

SCP-4295-B: I don't know what I'll be like without the house. And who's going to take care of it.

Talbot: We will. I told you you're not useless, and I meant that. There's a lot more to Martha than this house. Like I said: meet us in the middle.

SCP-4295-B: How is me doing whatever you say meeting in the middle?

Talbot: Alright. That's fair. What can I do to make this easier?

SCP-4295-B: For starters, take your shoes off in the damn house. My legs look so bad.

(All personnel remove their shoes.)

SCP-4295-B: Now, I'm going to try coming outside with you, and if you try picking me up again I'll bite you.

Obasi: Alright. Noted.

SCP-4295-B (Hesitantly): Will you hold my hand?

Talbot: I will.

(Talbot holds SCP-4295-B's right hand in her left. She follows slightly behind as SCP-4295-B exits the front of SCP-4295-A and approaches the edge of the porch. SCP-4295-B descends the steps slowly. Upon coming to the last step, she passes through the place where her body was previously stopped.)

Talbot: Hey! Look at that! Great job!

SCP-4295-B: Alright, alright. Don't patronize me.

(SCP-4295-B drops Talbot's hand in apparent disgust.)

Talbot: Sorry.

SCP-4295-B: Now what?

Talbot: We're going to put our shoes back on and get in that van across the street.

SCP-4295-B: That one?

Talbot: Yep. Let's go. You lead, I'll follow.

<END LOG>

Addendum SCP-4295-4:

SCP-4295-B was transported to Site-17 without incident. Her injuries have improved rapidly with the repair of SCP-4295-A. As of 03/04/2008, the connection between the house's state and her body's has weakened significantly, and she has not experienced any serious medical complications in several months. This trend is expected to continue. When asked to describe her feelings on the matter, SCP-4295-B described herself as "ornery but optimistic".