Item #: SCP-2836

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-2836 is to remain secured in a standard humanoid containment cell equipped with a water resistant high rise ceiling. Communication with the subject outside of approved interviews is not advised. During said interaction, SCP-2836 is to be provided with a suitable covering for its mouth in order to speak clearly and maintain steady breathing.

Description: SCP-2836 is a male humanoid of relatively slender build, height measuring approximately 2 meters. The subject is in his mid to late 20's and is most often seen wearing a black wet suit with waterproof fingerless gloves. Subject on occasion has also been seen wearing standard provisional Site 38 attire. SCP-2836 speaks fluent English with a faintly detectable accent from the southern United States. While usually docile, SCP-2836 seems to suffer from bouts of depression, at times resisting attempts at communication with researchers.

Though most of the subject's attributes appear basically normal, SCP-2836 exhibits anomalous qualities in its method of self-transport. In any dry environment, the subject appears to be completely submerged in water and will seem to swim or float in midair. Characteristics of aquatic buoyancy affect all movements of the subject, thus making walking, running or balancing on floors essentially impossible. Additionally, the subject's hair will appear to waft in various directions as though affected by an aquatic environment despite the lack of such conditions. However, SCP-2836 has proven completely capable of normal breathing in these cases, though communication with the subject in dry areas has also been deemed impossible. All uttered speech will sound garbled and washed out as though being spoken underwater, causing instances of SCP-2836-11 to project from the subject's mouth.

Conversely, another set of anomalous attributes become apparent when SCP-2836 is actually submerged in water. In this state, SCP-2836 will suddenly succumb to conventional gravity. Previously impossible movements will be aptly performed as though being done in a waterless environment. Words spoken by SCP-2836 are also fully understandable in these conditions. However, the subject's ability to inhale ceases, limiting the amount of phrases able to be said as well as how long SCP-2836 can remain submerged before suffocating.

SCP-2836 first came to the attention of the Foundation following a localized incident taking place near ██████████, Florida. On June ██, 20██, a mother, father and young daughter were found dead and waterlogged on the shore of █████ Beach, the result of a boating accident that had occurred the previous night. The surviving older son was later discovered 2-3 miles down the beach floating over the sand and sobbing uncontrollably, releasing large clouds of SCP-2836-1. Attempts at getting the son medical attention were only met with resistance, forcing him to 'swim' well above the reach of people on the ground. When air support arrived, the son frantically escaped into the ocean, where he was able to somehow sprint away on the sandbars at full speed, only occasionally coming above the surface to 'breathe'. Subsequent to amnesticizing all parties witnessing these phenomena, Foundation field agents stationed in the area were able to locate and detain the young man via surveillance drones.

Open Interview 2836-4

- Close Interview 2836-4

The following is a video recording transcript of the 4th interview conducted with SCP-2836 since containment.

Interviewer: Dr. Garrison, Site 38 advisor and presiding researcher of the subject.

Begin playback - 11:08 A.M., 7/12/██

[Dr. Garrison enters the room and shuts the door behind him. Proceeds to take a seat.]

Dr. Garrison: Good morning SCP-2836! [directing his greeting upwards.]

[SCP-2836 is seen doing the dead man's float approximately 6 meters off the floor of the interview room. No response.]

Dr. Garrison: Would you care to join me down here at the table? I need to give you your mask so we can talk. It won't take very long, I promise.

[A brief pause occurs before a garbled sigh is heard from SCP-2836, releasing a sizeable cluster of SCP-2836-1. Subject slowly starts making his way towards Dr. Garrison.]

Dr. Garrison: Thank you, I appr-whoops! [Garrison is seen quickly moving his cup of coffee out of the way of a sudden rain of water droplets from SCP-2836-1 bursting on the ceiling.] Ha, I'm getting good at that, aren't I? Oh, here you go.

[Hands the subject a rubber ventilation mask filled with water to enable communication. The subject's nose is uncovered to allow breathing. Subject complies and puts on the ventilator.]

Dr. Garrison: Careful, don't spill. Very good. So let me just start by asking, how are you feeling today?

SCP-2836: [brief pause] 'Bout the same.

Dr. Garrison: Happy? Sad? Somewhere in the middle?

SCP-2836: I don't really care to think about it much. [periodic breathing through the subject's nose can be heard.]

Dr. Garrison: For the record, just give me a simple adjective. First thing that comes into your mind.

SCP-2836: … Bored, I guess.

Dr. Garrison: [pen scribbling] Are you not satisfied with your accommodations?

SCP-2836: I'm just… bored.

Dr. Garrison: Well now, I know this place can get a little dull after a while. But maybe I can help you, talk to the other directors and make you a bit more comfortable. What do you think would make things less boring for you around here?

[No response from the subject for several seconds, just breathing.]

Dr. Garrison: Any ideas?

SCP-2836: [Subject shakes head and is seen turning away from Dr. Garrison, seeming to lose interest in the interview. Subject slowly begins to float away from the table.].

Dr. Garrison: [grabs onto the subject's arm] Now hold on, just stick around a little longer, please?

[Subject remains still for several seconds before weakly clasping the interview table, re-anchoring himself in front of Dr. Garrison.]

Dr. Garrison: Now you can't expect me to believe that you have no interests whatsoever?

SCP-2836: [another brief pause] I miss our boat.

Dr. Garrison: [grinning enthusiastically] Well now we're getting somewhere. Please, tell me all about your boat.

[SCP-2836 seen pushing his hair out of his face from the aquatic effect. Nods gently at Dr. Garrison.]

SCP-2836: My dad bought it when I was just a little kid. He decided to name it, almost like it was a member of the family.

Dr. Garrison: Oh? And what did he name it?

[SCP-2836 falls silent.]

Dr. Garrison: Do you remember?

SCP-2836: [nodding] Jenna… after my mom. He had it engraved on the hull.

Dr. Garrison: How thoughtful.

[SCP-2836 stares blankly at the table, breathing steadily.]

SCP-2836: We spent a lot of time on that boat. I started to have dreams about it.

Dr. Garrison: Dreams? About 'Jenna'?

SCP-2836: No, not exactly. I would fall asleep during our trips. The waves would make me tired. I would feel like I was floating. And then, that's how my dreams would feel.

Dr. Garrison: I see.

SCP-2836: It felt so real. Sometimes, I'd dream about falling to the bottom of the ocean, and I'd feel my body hit the sand and snap awake.

Dr. Garrison: Ah, you're referring to a hypnic jerk.

SCP-2836: I don't know. But then came that night…

[Subject seen grasping the interview table tightly.]

Dr. Garrison: Go ahead, I'm listening.

SCP-2836: I was so soundly asleep, dreaming about the waves. I didn't even hear the huge storm that had hit us. And next thing I know, I'm thrown from the deck. I snap awake… and there I am, floating… above the water, like I'm still dreaming.

Dr. Garrison: And your family?

[SCP-2836 looks downward, visibly distressed.]

SCP-2836: I tried so hard to save them. The boat capsized. I moved as best I could towards them, but… as soon as I got into the water, I just… fell, all the way to the bottom.

[Dr. Garrison adjusts his glasses.]

SCP-2836: The wet sand broke my fall… and I just ran, all the way to the damn shore. I passed out only to wake up later, still floating, spewing out liquid whenever I tried to talk, and scared stiff. And on top of everything else, I knew they were gone… my folks… [subject begins sobbing] and my poor little sister…

Dr. Garrison: My deepest condolences for your loss. This is right around when we stepped in, isn't it?

[Subject nods, gradually regaining composure.]

SCP-2836: [sighs deeply] Your organization is cold, I feel like a science project sometimes. But all things considered, I guess I'd rather be cooped up here than out there, where people try to grab me out of the air because they think something's wrong with me. It's not even my fault…

[Subject pauses and looks up at the ceiling, visibly drained from crying.]

SCP-2836: Good old Jenna.

Dr. Garrison: You've been beyond helpful today, SCP-2836. Thank you. Feel free to remove the ventilator.

End interview log, 11:22 A.M.

Addendum 2836-1

- Close Addendum

Note from Dr. Garrison to Site 38 staff

To entire research team,

Since my last interview with SCP-2836, I've come to the conclusion that his condition is psychologically rooted. Specifically, the influence of multiple hypnic jerks during slumber seem to have triggered some kind of an anomalous bodily reaction stemming from his subconscious. I request future testing be conducted on the subject's brain during the sleep process to confirm these hypotheses. Pending approval from the higher-ups, I may also have an idea that will make my subject more open to our visits. I'll have to pull a few strings, but it will be worth it.

-Dr. Garrison, Site 38

Addendum 2836-2 (Follow Up)

- Close Addendum

Addendum 2836-2

Two weeks after the interview, Dr. Garrison provided SCP-2836 with a recovered piece of the wrecked boat referred to as 'Jenna'. The splintered fragment contained the letters 'J', 'E' and 'N' slightly faded from salt water damage. Subsequent inspections of the subject's chamber reveal the piece to be nestled in a vent grating roughly 4 meters above the floor, presumably for viewing purposes at the leisure of SCP-2836. Subject has since expressed contentment at a potential 5th interview with Dr. Garrison.

Footnotes

1. SCP-2836-1 appear to be 'inverted bubbles' comprised of H₂O and trapped within a layer of carbon dioxide exhaled by SCP-2836. These will inevitably burst as would normal bubbles either in the air or after contact with a foreign object, but will release the entrapped water rather than CO₂.