Item #: SCP-1518

Object Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-1518 is housed in a humidity-controlled vault within the underground sector of Site-117. The vault is 10m x 5m x 10m, constructed of concrete and lined with industrial foam. SCP-1518 itself is contained in a 1.5m x 2m x 1.5m cylindrical shell constructed of the same industrial foam. The shell is 30cm thick and composed of 2 equally sized pieces divided by a vertical seam. Said seam is hinged to allow the shell to open for necessary rotation and maintenance due to the damage caused by SCP-1518-1. The vault contains 4 additional shells for the purposes of rotation; these shells are to be kept open when not in use for inspection. All 5 shells are suspended from the ceiling by the mechanical assembly used for rotation.

At three hour intervals, personnel monitoring SCP-1518 are to remotely rotate the shells, using fans to force SCP-1518-1 released during the rotation into the foam-lined walls. Afterwards, 1 D-Class personnel equipped with a foam spray canister is to enter the vault and repair any damage inflicted to the interior of the previous shell. Should SCP-1518 breach its current shell, rotation and maintenance must occur immediately, and the schedule will be adjusted accordingly. Once every 24 hours, 2 Level 3 personnel are to enter the chamber and inspect the integrity of the shells.

In light of Incident-SCP-1518-B3, the vault containing SCP-1518 is to be further soundproofed, auditory surveillance to be disabled, and personnel used in maintenance are to be outfitted with ear protection.

No water lines or systems may exist within 10m of the vault. SCP-1518 must not be exposed to rain, and must not be transferred across bodies of water under any circumstances.

Description: SCP-1518 is a 1.1m x 1.8m x 1.1m nonfunctional limestone fountain. It does not appear to possess any power source or external operational controls. The fountain is filled with a liquid superficially resembling water. This liquid does not evaporate and appears to be irremovable from the artifact; it is unknown what mechanism holds the substance in place, but it does not spill if the fountain is disturbed or even inverted. Any solid or liquid matter exposed to the liquid (other than SCP-1518 itself) will instantly sublimate or evaporate, respectively.

SCP-1518 sporadically releases bubbles (SCP-1518-1) of variable size. SCP-1518-1 behave largely identical to non-anomalous bubbles, but have not been observed to rupture in any circumstances. After emission, SCP-1518-1 will slowly float away from SCP-1518 until they come into contact with solid or liquid matter (other than SCP-1518 itself and the liquid contained within, as the bubbles appear to "bounce off" of these substances). No adverse effects have been observed from SCP-1518-1's interaction with gaseous matter.

SCP-1518-1 have a mutually destructive reaction with solid matter. The exposed bubble will reduce in size until it ceases to exist and destroy an amount of solid matter equal to the volume lost (the mass and density of the substance is irrelevant to this reaction). No trace of the bubble or destroyed matter remains.

SCP-1518-1 will assimilate all liquid matter they are exposed to and increase in size by an amount equal to the volume of the matter assimilated. Due to this, exposure to rain or atmosphere with significant humidity is typically disastrous. Additionally, the high liquid content of living biological matter generally results in the death of exposed organisms. Presently, it is believed that the contact of even 1 bubble with an oceanic body of water is likely to induce an XK-Class End-of-the-World Scenario.

SCP-1518 was discovered in [REDACTED], Bosnia, in 199█. The area in question was presently involved in systematic ethnic cleansing due to the ongoing Bosnian Civil War; a cleansing event causing ███ fatalities had occurred only 10 days prior to the initial rumors regarding the artifact. The primary informant was █████ ██████████, a member of a death squad hired to carry out said cleansing event. The other 14 members of the squad were killed by anomalous behavior associated with SCP-1518. Shortly after the artifact was retrieved, light rain occurred in the area, causing significant damage and killing the recovery team. The secondary team was successful in retrieval, and the artifact was transferred to Site-117. ██████████ committed suicide shortly after his initial contact with the Foundation, though his personal effects were recovered, among which was a journal.

Foundation linguists have provided the most direct English translation of the recovered materials.

██/██/199█, Entry ██

Received a message from █████ today, requesting our services in [REDACTED]. I knew that the place had a severe infestation, and was honestly surprised we did not hear from there sooner. He even offered accommodations for a few nights. The others cried in joy when I told them. A bed alone was uncommon. A full room with food, alcohol and a bathroom was a miracle.

██/██/199█, Entry ██

Arrival was simple, █████ greeted us and took us to his estate. A beautiful place, with many things crafted out of marble, granite, sandstone. He treated us to lunch and told us where to find the "problem areas." He had a little place set up on his balcony with binoculars and a telescope: apparently he wanted to watch tomorrow.

██/██/199█, Entry ██

Preliminary sterilization without incident. Males are cleaned, females and minors held on the first floor of the estate. Do not know why the others kept the minors too. Normally they would be cleaned with the males. █████ gave no complaint: he seems to be enjoying everything.

██/██/199█, Entry ██

Sterilization is not a point of joy or satisfaction. It is a job. A duty. I am not deaf to the world. We are monsters. Murderers of innocent families and children. The world feigns to care. It did not lament those suffering in my country until we killed them. It did not lament my wife when she died, or my children when they died. I do not humor the world and its "righteousness."

The others are not like me. They laugh and jeer. They take prizes in flesh. Today they took their prize from not only the females, but the minors as well. When they were done, they threw the minors into the river, and would not kill the females until every minor had drowned. █████ clapped and hollered from his balcony. I returned to my room, considering my alcohol and gun for two hours. The latter I consider every night. There is no justice. No righteousness.

██/██/199█, Entry ██

The sound of the females and minors plagued my drunken dreams. I awoke after only a few hours. The night was silent. I thought it strange, for the others would surely still be celebrating. Then I noticed it out my window. Rain. Rain falling upwards. I thought it a dream or drunken illusion, but something told me I was awake.

I left my room to explore the mansion. I saw no one. I heard nothing. My hands trembled on my gun. Why I brought it, I do not know. What use could it be?

I came outside, to the courtyard. I saw the others, drifting in the air. Was it air or water? Their hair and clothes drifted like they were underwater. Then I saw █████. He was standing inside one of his sculpted fountains. No, not standing. He was sinking. █████ was sinking into water that could not be more than a few inches deep. He made no noise, word or gesture. He did not notice me, nor did any of the others. Their eyes were wide and staring to things I could not see. Things I did not want to see. After █████ sank into the fountain and disappeared, the others followed, one by one.

Then they were all gone. The rain stopped. The silence ended. I could hear the wind.

I was chosen to survive and witness. That is my duty. There is justice, and it is unforgiving. There is righteousness, and it is terrible. The water is hateful.

Addendum [1518-001]: Incident Report SCP-1518-B3

On ██/██/████, at 5:05 AM, SCP-1518 began to emit noise inconsistent with previous behavior. This sound was only partially muffled by the foam surrounding SCP-1518, and was detected by the vault's auditory surveillance, exposing Agent █████ to the phenomenon. █████ subsequently opened the shell surrounding the artifact against protocol, and entered the chamber, wherein he attempted to "drink" from SCP-1518, resulting in his death. An additional 4 personnel were killed by this event, before agents with auditory protection were able to disable the surveillance and secure SCP-1518. The phenomenon ceased 3 hours later.

The noise generated by SCP-1518 may be observed on recordings safely, and has been determined to consist of a looped song vocalized by children in Bosnian (the number, age and gender of said individuals is unclear). The cycles of the song are not identical; the lyrics are consistent but the exact vocalization fluctuates.

A complete translated transcript of the song can be found here:

Come catch the bubbles,

So many, so many,

Do not let them pop,

The bubble is your life

Is that you, mother, father?

Do not cry, do not cry,

Is that you, sister, brother?

Is it not it beautiful?

Now the bubbles fall,

Down, down, down, down,

Cannot stop the bubbles,

Popping, popping

Come catch the bubbles,

See them, mother, father?

We are the bubbles,

See us pop and die