SCP-3628 was recovered from the home of one Trevor Ames, an antiques dealer who died under suspicious circumstances following a public feud with known members of a Sarkic cult.

Item #: SCP-3628

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-3628 may not be handled by permanent Foundation personnel except with written permission of an O5 council member, or Site 36's Director of Research. The object is to be stored inside a non-reactive plastic case suitable for permanent preservation of antique metal or lacquered objects, inside a standard locking cylindrical Foundation carrier filled with pressurized argon gas.

Description: SCP-3628 is a bronze inkwell measuring 8cm tall and 6cm in diameter, engraved with an intricate design. The object has a deep patina, suggestive of advanced age, but carbon dating of the object is inconclusive.1

SCP-3628 may be touched or handled without the object's anomalous effect triggering, so long as for the duration of handling, the subject's mind remains focused on the present moment and does not drift into reminiscence or abstract thought.2 If the subject's attention wavers even briefly, he or she will experience an intensely absorbing and tangential thought, usually relating to matters the subject has put off and can no longer address.

Once triggered, the subject is permanently designated an instance of SCP-3628-1.3

Instances of SCP-3628-1 are compelled by unknown means to recite the time remaining before their death. If they are already speaking, the recitation will match their pre-existing volume and cadence; otherwise, it will be recited at conversational volume typical for the speaker.4

The remaining time announced by the subject decreases linearly as time passes from initial exposure, and no known method has been devised to alter the indicated time. At the conclusion of the self-narrated countdown, referred to hereafter as the Expiration Date, every instance of SCP-3628-1 has expired, within a one-minute margin of error.

Subjects respond to their countdown in a variety of ways, with a majority presenting panic or despair. It is unclear whether this is another anomalous effect of exposure, or a property of normal psychology. Many subjects are on record responding with resignation, terror, bargaining, or denial.

It is currently theorized that SCP-3628 is not infohazardous or memetic in nature, as amnestic treatment is ineffective in preventing either the narration or the predicted time of death.

Cause of death is loosely correlated with exposure to SCP-3628's anomalous effect, with roughly 3█% of subjects succumbing to chronic exhaustion, exhaustion-related accidental death,5 or suicide. The majority of subjects' expiration dates will coincide with their pre-scheduled termination, where applicable.

Unless dictated otherwise by an approved test plan, all D-Class personnel involved in experimentation must have their terminations scheduled, with copies of all related paperwork filed with the Head of Research at Site 70 no less than 24 hours before the experiment. D-Class who are eligible for amnestic cycling are not eligible for testing SCP-3628 under any circumstances. Termination dates must be memorized by at least two (2) personnel holding Class 8 inforesistance and temporal recall certificates. Breach of secrecy regarding an individual D-Class's termination date is grounds for rejection of that D-Class from all associated testing.

+ Addendum: Test 3628/A1

- Addendum: Test 3628/A1

Test 3628/A1 - 02/10/198█

Subject: D-80592-04, Jamaican female, age 24

Interviewer: Dr. Claude L███████████, Research Lead

Foreword: The purpose of this experiment is to verify that the object's properties match the analysis provided by the Intake Team. The subject, D-80592-04 is scheduled for termination on 08/10/198█, after aggressive behavior toward other D-Class across several amnestic cycles.

Dr. L███████████: Good morning, D-80592-04. Are you comfortable?

D-80592-04: It's cold in here.

Dr. L███████████: Yes, it is. [brief pause] Would you mind describing the object in the box?

D-80592-04: Um, yeah. It's… [sound of latch opening, followed by a hiss of gas] …it's a knick-nack.

Dr. L███████████: More detail, please.

D-80592-04: It's, like, some kind of machine. No, sorry, a… paperweight? A tiny box? It's… heavy.

Dr. L███████████: D-80592-04, I did not instruct you to handle the object.

D-80592-04: Yeah? That a fact, you…

[Long pause]

Dr. L███████████: Subject D-80592-04?

D-80592-04: What? Fine. My bad. I am going to die in six days, two hours, and one minute. Jesus Christ. No I'm not. Did you make me say that?

Dr. L███████████: Try to remain calm.

D-80592-04: That's freaky [EXPLETIVE DELETED]. How did you do that?

Dr. L███████████: Please place the object back inside the case.

D-80592-04: I'm not touching that thing again until you tell me what the [EXPLETIVE DELETED] is going on! Why did I say that? I am going to die in six days, two hours. No I'm not. I'm not. Can you stop it?

Dr. L███████████: D-80592-04, pick up SCP-3628 and place it back inside the case.

D-80592-04: [EXPLETIVE DELETED] you! I'm not doing what you [EXPLETIVE DELETED] tell me! You guys are sick. Every one of you, in your lab coats, you're sick people! I'm calling my lawyer and you're going to jail, you sick son of, I am going to die in six days, one hour, and fifty-nine minutes! Make it stop!

Closing Statement: Subject D-80592-04 was mechanically sedated and returned to her housing unit, and was terminated on schedule six days, one hour, and fifty-nine minutes later.

+ Addendum: Test 3628/A3

- Addendum: Test 3628/A3

Test 3628/A3 - 03/11/198█

Subject: D-79484-01, Caucasian male, age 1█

Foreword: The purpose of this experiment was to establish whether intentionally distracting the subject would trigger the anomalous effect. The subject, D-79484-01, was convicted of sexual assault and double homicide during a particularly gruesome home invasion and was consequently tried as an adult. Subject's psychological profile indicates paranoia, anxiety, and substantial violent impulses. Subject is shackled to the examination chair. Subject is scheduled for termination on 24/12/198█. In breach of protocol, Research Lead L███████████ was given access to the subject's background documentation prior to the test.

Interviewer: Dr. Claude L███████████, Research Lead

Dr. L███████████: Good evening, D-79484-01.

D-79484-01 does not respond.

Dr. L███████████: Would you mind describing the object in the box?

D-79484-01 continues to ignore the question, but begins to fidget.

Dr. L███████████: D-79484-01, if you do not cooperate with the test protocol, I cannot help you. It's your future at stake.

D-79484-01: It's a metal box.

Dr. L███████████: How old does it look?

[Long pause]

D-79484-01: Not old. It looks fake old. Like something you'd pick up at P███ ██.

Dr. L███████████: I want you to pick it up, and estimate how much it weighs. Please keep your attention on the object as we proceed.

D-79484-01: Okay.

[D-79484-01 retrieves SCP-3628 from the case.]

D-79484-01: It's rougher than it looks.

Dr. L███████████: Your weight estimate, please?

D-79484-01: Um, like half a pound?

Dr. L███████████: Good. Do you believe it is solid metal, or hollow?

D-79484-01: Uh… I dunno. Hollow. Is this an incense burner?

Dr. L███████████: That's great. Do you think your teacher deserved it?

D-79484-01: I am going to die in three minutes and twelve seconds.

Dr. L███████████: I see.

D-79484-01: Wait, what? What was the question?

Dr. L███████████: I asked whether you think your teacher deserved it. You know what I'm talking about.

D-79484-01: I don't… I don't want to talk about it. I am going to die in two minutes and forty seconds. Why did I say that? Are you mind controlling me?

[D-79484-01 grows visibly agitated, and thrashes against restraints. D-79484-01 throws SCP-3628 against the wall of the interview room. Interviewer L███████████ leaves the interview room without further comment, in breach of written test plan.]

D-79484-01: Where are you [EXPLETIVE DELETED] going? Help! Help me! I am going to die in two minutes and eight seconds!

Closing Statement: Subject D-79484-01 died of stress-induced cardiac arrest roughly two minutes after Dr. L███████████ left the room. Although the autopsy could not conclusively rule out any direct anomalous mechanism of death, it is reasonably likely death was a natural result of the psychological distress placed on the subject. Dr. L███████████ was placed under immediate ethical review for his conduct during the course of 3628/A3, and has been reassigned to SCP-███ pending on the board's decision.

+ Addendum: Test 3628/A8

- Addendum: Test 3628/A8

Test 3628/A8 - 11/04/198█

Subject: D-92039-09, Indian male, age 43

Foreword: The purpose of this experiment was to establish the effect of SCP-3628 on a subject with a termination date more than a year ahead, to establish long-term effects of the anomaly. After several inconclusive tests, D-92039-09 was selected on the basis of his unusual psychological and memetic resistance profile, the utility of which had justified an initial termination date two years ahead, on 03/03/199█. D-92039-09 was initially sentenced to death for burning his wife with acid and then stabbing her to death.

Interviewer: Dr. Lauren Schmidt-Conrad, Research Lead

Dr. Schmidt-Conrad: Are you sitting comfortably?

D-92039-09: Yes, thank you. It's a bit cold in here, though.

Dr. Schmidt-Conrad: I'm sorry. This won't take very long.

Dr. Schmidt-Conrad briefly reviews her notes.

Dr. Schmidt-Conrad: Let's begin. I am Doctor Lauren Schmidt-Conrad, D-92039-09.

D-92039-09: It's nice to meet you. You can call me Arjun. Arjun K█████.

D-92039-09: Okay. [pause] What do you want me to do?

Interviewer: I would like you to open the case in front of you, and take out the object inside.

D-92039-09: Sure.

D-92039-09 opens the case and removes SCP-3628.

D-92039-09: It's some kind of curio. Bronze. It looks very old.

Dr. Schmidt-Conrad: I would like you to think about the last time you left your childhood home.

D-92039-09: I will die in seventeen years, three months, two days, six hours, and eleven minutes.

Dr. Schmidt-Conrad: What?

D-92039-09: I don't understand. What's happening, Doctor?

Dr. Schmidt-Conrad: Place the object back in the case, D-92…

D-92039-09: Please, I don't know why I said that. They told me… I…

Dr. Schmidt-Conrad: Please put the object back, Mr. K█████. This experiment is over.

D-92039-09 was placed in a standard Foundation anomalous humanoid containment chamber. Due to his unexpectedly distant expiration date, D-92039-09's termination date was temporarily suspended pending full administrative review.

During review of D-92039-09's intake records, evidence was found suggesting the subject's innocence of the crimes leading to his death sentence, and eventual acquisition by the Foundation.

After review of Mr. K█████'s intake records, public surveillance, and social media records from the time of the attack on Mr. K█████'s wife, it has been determined with absolute certainty that Mr. K█████ is innocent of all crimes.

As SCP-3628's effect makes release impossible, Mr. K█████ has been redesignated POI-3628-01. Because of the anomaly's impact on his mental state, he has been remanded to solitary Foundation confinement and regular psychiatric care.

Footnotes

1. The inkwell appears unremarkable and has no anomalous properties detectable to mainstream science. Competent resometric analysis shows an abnormally high Hume reading.

2. It is not necessary for the subject to know they are touching SCP-3628 for its anomalous effects to manifest.

3. The effect is typically not noticed by SCP-3628-1 until their attention returns to their immediate surroundings.

4. The words are spoken in the native language of the subject, but if the subject is speaking in another language at the time, the anomalous phrase is sometimes spoken in that language instead.

5. Profound disruption to the subject's sleep patterns has been observed, as the speech is loud enough to interrupt transition to a sleep state, even discounting the disturbing nature of the communication.