SCP-3865

Item #: SCP-3865

Object Class: Safe Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: The property containing SCP-3865 is to be owned and guarded by a Foundation front company. Level-3 clearance is required in order to enter SCP-3865.

UPDATE: SCP-3865 are not to be entered under any circumstances. SCP-3865 are to be monitored by armed security personnel at all times for any irregular activity. SCP-3865 are to be kept from filling to capacity with barley grains through the regular removal and incineration thereof.

Description: SCP-3865 are a pair of concrete stave tower silos located within ██ square kilometers of abandoned farmland in ███████, Idaho. SCP-3865 are in a state of dilapidation, with heavy rusting and structural damage indicating sustained neglect. SCP-3865 are always filled with variable amounts of barley (Hordeum vulgare) grains. These grains do not decay, and will replenish themselves if removed.

Any individual who is fully submerged in SCP-3865’s grain supply will emerge in an alternate and far less dilapidated version of SCP-38651 within an extradimensional location designated SCP-3865-1. Individuals may exit SCP-3865-1 and renter baseline reality through the same process. SCP-3865-1 is composed mostly of farmland and has a total surface area of ██ square kilometers, beyond which is an impenetrable white mist. The entirety of SCP-3865-1’s farmland is dedicated to growing barley. SCP-3865-1 is inhabited by two species, designated SCP-3865-2 and SCP-3865-3.

SCP-3865-2 are humanoid organisms resembling "scarecrows". SCP-3865-2 vary from 1.4 to 2.2 meters in height, and are outwardly composed of dried barley and cloth. SCP-3865 are sentient, sapient, and capable of speech2, communicating in American English with pronounced midwestern accents. SCP-3865-2 have not been observed to age or expire, and do not regularly eat, drink, or sleep, instead dedicating most of their time toward the communal effort of harvesting barley grains and depositing them within SCP-3865-A3. Due to the constraints of their pre-industrial farming tools, the number of acres available, and the seasonal growth patterns of barley, this accumulation of grain is slow and gradual. SCP-3865-2 are generally friendly toward Foundation personnel, and can thus be approached without incident. (See Addendum 3865.2)

SCP-3865-3 instances are physically identical to American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos). Like SCP-3865-2 instances, SCP-3865-3 instances do not require sustenance or sleep in any form. While they are not believed to be sapient, SCP-3865-3 instances are intelligent enough to understand and obey verbal commands from both SCP-3865-2 instances and Foundation personnel. Like SCP-3865-2 instances, SCP-3865-3 instances are primarily oriented toward the task of growing and harvesting barley.

Addendum 3865.1: Interview Log 04/22/2016

Interviewer: Dr. Jorgensen (Head Researcher of SCP-3865)

Subject: SCP-3865-2-24 (referred to by other instances as “Farmer Jeck”)

Dr. Jorgensen: Excuse me, I was wondering if you would be able to answer some questions for me.

SCP-3865-2-24: Sure thing, just hang on a sec. [SCP-3865-2-24 steps out of the barley field and places its pitchfork on the ground]

SCP-3865-2-24: Alright, ask away.

Dr. Jorgensen: Why do you and your people harvest barley and store it in those silos? [Dr. Jorgenson points at SCP-3865-A] You don’t seem to use it for food, so what purpose does it serve?

SCP-3865-2-24: Why, we’re saving it all for the Harvest Festival! It should be coming up real soon, y’know.

Dr. Jorgensen: I see, and what exactly is this “Harvest Festival”?

SCP-3865-2-24: Why, it’s only our oldest and most important tradition! Every couple of hundred years or so, when we’ve collected enough grain to fill the silos, we celebrate by throwing an enormous party. You and your science friends should come, it’s not something you’ll want to miss. There’ll be singing and dancing and more food than you know what do do with! [laughs]

Dr. Jorgensen: That sounds interesting. When will it be?

SCP-3865-2-24: Probably later this year. The last few harvests have been a little low, with this cold spell and whatnot, but one more yield should do the trick. You’ll get a more formal invitation once it’s all planned out. Hope you can make it!

[END TRANSCRIPT]

Addendum 3865.2: Incident Report 12/09/2016

On 12/02/2016, a handwritten note emerged from SCP-3865, inviting Dr. Jorgensen and any other willing personnel to attend the “Harvest Festival”, which was to occur a week later at 5:00 pm4.

Head Researcher Dr. Jorgensen, intending to study the cultural practices and significance of the festival, entered SCP-3865 at 4:55 pm, accompanied by Agent █████. Agent █████ emerged from SCP-3865 the following morning in a heavily disheveled state. Dr. Jorgensen was never recovered.

The following is a transcript of footage recovered from Agent █████’s body camera.

4:55:47 pm: Dr. Jorgensen and Agent █████ emerge from SCP-3865-A

4:56:09 pm: Dr. Jorgensen and Agent █████ are greeted by several SCP-3865-2 instances, and are lead to an open field.

5:03:20 pm: An SCP-3865-2 instance can be seen playing a banjo while several other instances perform a dance resembling the hoedown. Dr. Jorgensen is encouraged to participate, and eventually obliges after writing some precursory observations in his notepad. Agent █████ watches, and is not approached by any SCP-3865-2 instances.

6:45:13 pm: SCP-3865-2 instances cease dancing, and move toward a distant barn. Dr. Jorgensen and Agent █████ follow.

Dr. Jorgensen and Agent █████ enter the barn, where a large table can be seen holding several edible dishes5. The origin of these dishes is unknown.

6:46:31 pm: Dr. Jorgensen and Agent █████ sit at the table, along with the SCP-3865-2 instances. They are offered food, but politely decline. SCP-3865-2 instances can be seen inserting food into gaps in their cloth exterior. How or if this food is digested is unknown.

7:58:53 pm: Dinner concludes. Dr. Jorgensen and Agent █████ are lead back into the open field, along with all the SCP-3865-2 instances. They sit in a circle of wicker chairs that have been placed around a pile of dried barley approximately 3 meters in diameter.

8:00:04 pm: An SCP-3865-2 instance, hereafter designated SCP-3865-2-58, climbs on top of the barley pile and blows through an object resembling a cornucopia, producing a low, guttural tone.

SCP-3865-2-58: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and congratulations on another successful harvest! [applause] We’ve put in a lot of hard work over the last several decades, through the good times and the bad, all for this one special night. Now, as much as we all enjoy the music and the dancing and the enormous feast that comes with each Harvest Festival, it is important to remember what this celebration is really about. It’s about friendship, kinship, and family. It’s about all of us coming together as a community to celebrate our roots, and to reap the outcome of our labor. With that in mind, I would like our honored guest for this evening, Dr. Jorgensen, to come up here and join me. [gestures to Dr. Jorgensen]

8:01:37 pm: Dr. Jorgensen politely declines at first, but is eventually lead onto the barley pile.

SCP-3865-2-58: Dr. Jorgensen, on behalf of all of us, we humbly thank you for your contribution to the Harvest.

8:02:05 pm: SCP-3865-2-58 wraps its arms around Dr. Jorgensen's neck and squeezes violently. Several other SCP-3865-2 instances climb onto the barley pile to assist in restraining Dr. Jorgensen.

8:02:07 pm: Agent █████ draws his firearm and shoots several SCP-3865-2 instances. An unidentified red liquid can be seen leaking from their wounds, but they appear unfazed.

8:02:46 pm: Agent █████'s is separated from his gun, and is overpowered and restrained shortly thereafter by the crowd of SCP-3865-2 instances.

8:03:29 pm: Dr. Jorgensen ceases movement, and is presumed to be unconscious. SCP-3865-2-58 and the other SCP-3865-2 instances lay him down on the barley pile and walk out of view.

8:03:51 pm: SCP-3865-58 returns with a burning clump of barley stems, and throws it onto the barley pile, igniting it along with Dr. Jorgensen. Audience applauds.

8:04:38 pm: Black smoke begins to rise from the burning barley pile, congealing into several thousand SCP-3865-3 instances, which then fly out of view.

At this time, a large number of SCP-3865-3 instances were seen emerging from SCP-3865. Security personnel were ordered to terminate as many instances as possible, but were largely unsuccessful. Terminated instances each held a single barley grain in their beak. SCP-3865 were empty following this event.

Addendum 3865.2: Aftermath of Incident 12/09/2016

Over several months following Incident 12/09/2016, numerous anomalous phenomena were reported across the western and midwestern United States. These occurrences are presumed to be related to Incident 12/09/2016. Following these phenomena, Class-A amnestics were administered to all civilians involved, and SCP-3865's containment procedures were updated.

The following is a list of reported phenomena:

Feathers resembling those of Corvus brachyrhynchos were found in approximately ███,███ bedrooms on 12/10/2016. All bedrooms belonged to or were currently being inhabited by females between the ages of 13 and 45.

In the months following 12/09/2016, approximately ██,███ females reported excreting variable amounts of barley fibers, cloth, and foreign human tissue during menstruation. Genetic sequencing of tissue samples revealed portions of DNA matching that of Dr. Jorgenson.

Between 08/11/2017 and 10/19/2017, approximately █,███ females unexpectedly entered labor, each birthing a single SCP-3865-2 instance shortly thereafter. Birthed SCP-3865-2 instances measured between 46 cm and 56 cm, and were fully mobile. Once birthed, SCP-3865-2 instances traveled along the shortest possible route toward the location of SCP-3865, only deviating from said route when faced with an obstruction.

Through the use of incendiary devices, all birthed SCP-3865-2 instances were successfully incapacitated and/or terminated before reaching SCP-3865. Autopsies later revealed that captured instances each contained a stillborn human fetus beneath their barley exterior.

Addendum 3865.3: Recovered Note Transcript 11/26/17

On 11/26/17, approximately one month after the enactment of updated containment procedures, an envelope emerged from SCP-3865. Within the envelope was a handwritten note, along with a slightly charred head of barley. The note read as follows:

Greetings scientists,

It appears a plague of vermin has wiped out our most recent harvest. A plague that continues to hinder our growth by stealing our supply of seeds. Now, you folks may be men of science, but we know a thing or two about the Earth, and how to tame and cultivate its soils. We will do everything in our power to eliminate these vermin, until all that remain are their fertile ashes, from which we will reap our most bountiful harvest yet.

See you next Festival.

Footnotes

1. Designated SCP-3865-Alternate or SCP-3865-A

2. The mechanism with which they accomplish this is unknown.

3. A change in SCP-3865-A’s grain supply correlates with an equal change in SCP-3865’s grain supply.

4. Pacific Standard Time

5. Breadsticks, mashed potatoes, and an unidentified form of cooked poultry are all visible.