ITEM #: SCP-1573

OBJECT CLASS: Keter

SPECIAL CONTAINMENT PROCEDURES: Foundation personnel are only permitted to enter SCP-1573 for exploration and testing purposes. Subjects determined to be migrating towards SCP-1573 are to be tracked, located, and detained if applicable.

Subjects within SCP-1573 that are attempting to exit the region are to be amnesticized and reinserted.

All SCP-1573-1 instances exiting SCP-1573 are to be contained off-site for further experimentation. Standard terminations are approved in cases where containment cannot occur. In the event that Foundation personnel are compromised by the anomaly, they are to be reminded that SCP-1573-1 instances are not children.

DESCRIPTION: SCP-1573 is the town of Telerana, estimated to be approximately 100 km away from Delicias, Mexico. SCP-1573 possesses minor antimemetic properties that conceal both the exact location of the town and the identities of people living within it. Regardless of this, subjects and Foundation personnel have still been able to access the region, although different methods have been used on a case-by-case basis. These methods include, "subjects suddenly understanding the location of SCP-1573," "the Way," and "instantaneous translocation to the town." SCP-1573 also contains spatial-altering phenomena, as no perceivable increase to the town's size or area of effect has been detected despite an increasing population (See CENSUS INVESTIGATION).

Captured image of an unknown subject within SCP-1573.

Several miles of cable and electrical wire extend below the surface of SCP-1573, originating from the town's square. These wires terminate without any connections or into other unpowered components. The purpose of these remains unknown.

Within the center of SCP-1573 is an 8 m tall statue primarily composed of steel, silica-glass, and plastic sheeting. It acts as a trigger for SCP-1573's secondary anomalous attributes, which allows SCP-1573-1 to manifest. To activate this trigger, subjects must attend prayer in the vicinity of the statue, often referred to as a holy site within the town. Prayers are conducted en masse, where residents will either praise or worship this statue for upwards of 30 minutes, typically beginning at 8:30 A.M. Once the session concludes, residents will resume their daily schedules. Observations of subjects participating and attending these congregations do not indicate that they have been coerced into prayer by any anomalous influences.

SCP-1573-11 is the collective designation for parasitic, sentient humanoid cephalopods primarily composed of thin, interweaving tubes of metal, plastic, and copper. They will manifest once human subjects, who have settled into the town and have attended prayer at least once, attempt to conceive a child within SCP-1573. During ordinary childbirth, SCP-1573-1 will take the place of the affected subject's offspring via prenatal in-utero consumption. Upon witnessing the anomaly, subjects will perceive SCP-1573-1 as local children. They will then nurture and care for SCP-1573-1 as it leeches sustenance from them, often until adulthood or, in some cases, until they become aware of the anomaly.

SCP-1573-1 retrieves its energy via physical attachment to its hosts with any of its eight tentacles. Tentacles are equipped with sharpened metal of similar composition to the rest of its body, which it uses to pierce the victims' skin and open orifices to extract their fluids.

SCP-1573-1 is verbally aggressive towards non-native subjects of SCP-1573, with previous reports claiming that entities will threaten to inflict severe bodily harm unless the individuals settle in the town and have children. Additional statements including general emotional harassment have also been reported. No claims of physical violence have yet been provided.

Once SCP-1573-1 reaches approximately 18 years of age, they will leave SCP-1573 and migrate elsewhere. Upon leaving, the SCP-1573-1 instances will resemble a non-anomalous human with behavior similar to a typical 18-year old — potentially caused by an extended effect of SCP-1573. After migrating to another locale, SCP-1573-1 will find and allow humans to travel alongside them back to SCP-1573.2 Analysis of subjects intercepted by Foundation personnel from SCP-1573-1 indicates that, despite claiming that they wished to travel to SCP-1573, subjects were unable to recall any motives or reasons for their sudden interest. Continued observations indicate that affected subjects have been influenced by outside phenonmena, although the capacity of what said influences are currently elude the Foundation.

CENSUS INVESTIGATION: While indications of SCP-1573's existence have been dated as far as 1975, it was not until early 1979 when it was officially designated, following a spike in missing-persons investigations.

Then, in 1981, Foundation personnel were able to ascertain relevant information concerning SCP-1573's population via census. The first official census reported a population of several thousand people, despite unofficial records that indicated only a few hundred a mere 2 years prior. Currently, SCP-1573's population may exceed tens of millions, with SCP-1573-1 instances composing a large quantity of residents.3 Several other disparities were also noted alongside gathered censuses. Of note was the sheer amount of people with unlisted names, presumably caused by SCP-1573's minor antimemetic properties. Additionally, no data suggested that subjects practiced any religion despite a widespread attendance to congregations around the statue within SCP-1573.

Upon entry into SCP-1573, Foundation agents were instructed to gather information concerning the motives and reasonings for subjects to live and settle within the town. Whilst Foundation agents made several attempts to communicate with and question subjects, only one of those approached was willing to be interviewed.

[BEGIN LOG]

Interview begins on the sidewalk of an unmarked street. Along the road, a multitude of miscellaneous electrical wiring can been seen. Besides the subject, a child-sized instance of SCP-1573-1 stands beside them, peering at the Interviewer from their right side.

Interviewer: What is this place to you, exactly?

Subject: What is this place?

Interviewer: Yeah.

Subject: It's, uh… well, it's an escape. You know? Like… you're here, so I mean, you probably want to be here as much as I do.

SCP-1573-1 hisses at Interviewer.

Subject: (Offhand) Shh, buddy. I'll get you some food later.

Interviewer: Right. But, I'm going to need more information. I'm still, uh, new. Just… please answer the question.

Subject: Like I said then, uh — it's just an escape. From reality. From the world. It's a second chance at life. For a lot of people, I think. It's a second chance for people who want nothing held against them.

Interviewer: I see. Is that why you're here? For a second chance?

Subject: (Patting the SCP-1573-1 instance's cranium) Something like that, yeah. Having a name out in the real world was… tough. It was too much. So much responsibility and burden, and all for what? Some boring, mediocre life with a shitty 9-5? I just couldn't do it. And, then… it was like, one day I thought of this place and all of a sudden, I was just here. In this new place.

Subject: And are you happy here?

The subject hesitantly laughs.

Subject: Is, uh, anyone really happy here?

Interviewer remains quiet. The SCP-1573-1 instance appears to scowl at the Interviewer.

Subject: Don't worry, that was rhetorical. Am I happy? I, uh… I can't say. This place is beautiful in some areas. You got — you got all of these people forming their own communities and, well, there's some good in that. Great good, I think.

Interviewer: If that's the case, why aren't you completely "happy?" Seems like it can't be so bad, especially if you're here now.

Subject: Would you always be happy without anyone knowing who you were, or what made you special?

Interviewer: I… suppose not.

Subject: Everyone is just… sad. Or angry. Upset at the world for all their problems. (Pause) I think people come here so they get things out. Their rage and frustration — and not be shamed or ridiculed. Just so they can feel human again.

Interviewer: Right.

Subject: I don't know… I can't speak for everyone else. Some people in here are just good people. They want somewhere to connect. But a lot of the rest are, uh… well, aren't as friendly. I just try and stay in my own lane, especially since I have a son now.

(SCP-1573-1 screeches, apparently irritable at Interviewer.)

Interviewer: He's… a lovely child.

Subject: Maybe he likes you! (The subject grabs one of SCP-1573-1's metallic tentacles.) He's a little me. Just like me when I was his age. His sister is just like his mama, too. They're parts of us, y'know?

Interviewer nods.

Subject: My son… he's uh, he's everything. Truly. Everything I was, everything I am, and probably everything I'll ever be.

Interviewer: Mhm.

Subject: Yeah, his sister too. They're us. I see it in them, you know? They have our personalities, and our looks… they're both mini-me's. Mini-us's.

Interviewer: What do you mean?

Subject: Well, uh… (A pause) I think I just mean… like, the children here are much more than you think, you know? They're more than kids. They're reflections of us. Everyone in here has them, and everyone is always trying to teach their own ways. They suck all of that in like sponges. They're smart, you know.

Interviewer: Right, yeah.

Silence for several seconds.

Interviewer: I've noticed that… everyone tends to pray to that statue in the mornings. (Points towards the town's square) Why?

Subject: To be honest—I'm not sure.

Interviewer: Oh?

Subject: I mean, it's like what the people outside do to movie stars. Actors. Those types of people everyone admires and idolizes? It's like that. At least for me, that is.

Interviewer: Mhm.

Subject: It makes everyone feel better. We feel whole when we pray. We ask for forgiveness and it just comforts us. It's not really a "religion" I don't think. All of us are that statue. It's representative of everything. The people who live here and the town itself, I mean. It's, uh… what's the word. Synonymous? It's that. Everyone recognizes the town for what it is, you know? Without it, we wouldn't have anywhere to stay. No where to thrive.

Interviewer: Sure.

Subject: Does that make much sense?

Interviewer: Of course. Well, somewhat. I'll have to look into it more later. Thank you, sir. That'll probably be all for now.

[END LOG]

RECOVERED DOCUMENT: After further exploration, it was revealed to Foundation personnel that the initial founder of SCP-1573, one "Tim B-L," had been reportedly buried outside of the region prior to his death. His grave was eventually discovered, and excavations were later approved. Upon retrieving the body of Tim B-L, a note was uncovered that had been left near the coffin. Its underlying purpose and meaning is still being ascertained, although most of its contents remain indecipherable:

To whom this may concern,

[…] It was my belief that this place would be a place for true freedom. Not tied down by governmental or societal constraints. A single place for hundreds and thousands of communities to live and expand. To grow independently or to collaborate alongside others in good-standing faith.

[…] those who came here would be free to live their lives as they wished. Not […] or how to save their tarnished names from the rest of the world. They were to remain unnamed, for the sake of themselves and for the sake of our home. […] this was the point of this town. True anonymity.

My home was intended for so much more. It was […] from who they were. From what they were. However, as I lay on my deathbed, I cannot help but see the illusions of creatures […] being here.

I thought that they could see these demons for what they were, and destroy them at all costs. But […] they let them live and flourish. I was unable to stop […] this threat directly. I have come to realize that these… things, are not coincidental. In the beginning, I believed that they were merely creatures. […] As my beautiful home festers in the worst of human nature, derived from those without a name, so too are these demons born. The demons […] now living among us in the physical world. They may share the face of innocents, but deep down they are the wicked personas of […] those who've created them. Those with malice in their hearts and boiling anger throughout their souls. […]

It deeply saddens me to see this. I wanted to get rid of them myself […] too weak to stop it all. If anyone finds this […] I must ask that you remind the town […] these creatures are not our kin. Please help a dying man […] let the town of La Red become free of the monsters that lurk within our people.4

Footnotes

1. The origin and cause of SCP-1573-1 is still under intensive investigation, as it does not appear to correlate directly with SCP-1573 and its anomalous properties.

2. The underlying reason for SCP-1573-1 bringing human subjects into SCP-1573 remains under investigation.

3. As seen by the drastic increase of recorded hospitalizations for child pregnancies within SCP-1573 over the course of previous years.

4. "La Red," another name for SCP-1573 which, when translated from Spanish means, "The Web."