An SCP-3540 event occurring in Oldenburg, West Virginia

Item #: SCP-3540

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: A list of all possible locations where SCP-3540 may occur should be compiled throughout the month of September. Once the event begins, a mixture of satellite imagery and ground surveillance should be used to identify the property undergoing the SCP-3540 event. Once identified, SCP-3540's location should be monitored throughout its active phase. Contact with sapient entities associated with the anomaly is allowed as needed.

Agents embedded in local authorities are to intercept any reporting on the anomalous phenomenon from local or national news agencies and rewrite or edit the articles and segments to remove SCP-3540, SCP-3540-1, or SCP-3540-2. Foundation personnel in the local government are to encourage the community to have trick-or-treating events in early November instead of the traditional October 31st, citing weather, commercial, or other reasons.

Residual psychoactive and amnestic compounds are to be added to the water supplies in the locations where SCP-3540 is active. Once the event has concluded, disinformation teams are to ensure all inhabitants do not retain memory of SCP-3540.

Description: SCP-3540 is an annual phenomenon affecting abandoned properties in suburban neighborhoods throughout the continental United States that lasts for the entirety of October. A number of factors appear to correlate with where the phenomenon occurs, mostly pertaining to the demographics and location of the neighborhood, such as a low rate of crime, an above average population of children below the age of ten, and a close proximity to both cemeteries and trendy or popular dining establishments. The majority of properties involved in SCP-3540 events were previously owned by individuals who have recently died.

A house affected by SCP-3540 will begin to undergo a number of changes to both its internal and external appearance. Externally, a large number of Halloween decorations will appear in the yard and on the outward walls of the structure. Although the decorations mimic common store-bought materials, they are actually authentic, non-synthetic articles. The house will also appear to undergo a full renovation and restoration throughout the SCP-3540 event, despite no actual work or construction observed. Internally, the house will manifest furniture in the rooms, dark curtains on the windows, and appropriate appliances for general living and welfare.

During an SCP-3540 event, the house will appear to be occupied by a pair of humanoid entities, designated SCP-3540-1 and SCP-3540-2. SCP-3540-1 refers to itself as Maurice, and SCP-3540-2 refers to itself as Lance. These entities are generally seen wearing long, black robes with large hoods that obscure their heads and faces. The entities cannot be physically seen during the day, but after sunset, they will manifest in various parts of the house and will engage in typical household chores and common activities, including cleaning, preparing and consuming meals, folding laundry, and [DATA EXPUNGED]. SCP-3540-1 and SCP-3540-2 are amiable with staff and will often invite them in for dinner. The entities will often make claim to frequent local restaurants or shops; however, no evidence has been found to corroborate these statements.

Addendum: On 21/10/2017, Agent Kay Gittings contacted SCP-3540-1 and SCP-3540-2 due to their decorations violating several minor zoning laws. The two entities recognized Gittings from previous SCP-3540 events, and invited her inside the house. The conversation has been recorded below.

<Begin Log>

Agent Gittings knocks on the front door of the house, and is answered by SCP-3540-1.

SCP-3540-1: Hello? Oh, Kay! It's so great to see you again. I thought you lived over in Montana, what are you doing in our neck of the woods?

Gittings: Oh, um, my partner had to move, so I moved with her. But I'm working with the city and I just wanted to let you know that-

SCP-3540-1: Lance! You'll never guess who's here. Come say hi.

SCP-3540-2 enters from the kitchen doorway and waves at Agent Gittings.

Gittings: No, no, it's fine. I just have to let you know that some of your decorations-

SCP-3540-1: Oh, don't worry about it, Kay. Come in. We found this really great tea shop, and you have to try this Jin Jun Mei we got. According to the guy who runs the place it's from the 'Wu Yi Mountain area'. It's just fantastic.

Gittings: I, uh, need to ask my boss first.

SCP-3540-2: That's fine. I'm gonna go start boiling water anyways, cause damn I forgot we had that stuff.

After conferring with her superior, Agent Gittings was given permission to enter the premises and interact with the entities. SCP-3540-1 leads the agent into the house and gestures towards a couch before entering the kitchen.

SCP-3540-1: I'll be back in a jiffy. Do you want sugar or cream or anything?

Gittings: Uh, no. No, thank you.

Agent Gittings begins to observe the room and move her body camera to record it. Decorations and souvenirs have been placed throughout the room, typically from cities in Southern US states. Multiple pictures can be seen hung on the walls; however, there do not appear to be visible subjects in the pictures. Beside the door, two harvesting tools are hanging off hooks. After several minutes, the two entities return carrying three mugs. SCP-3540-1 places one in front of Agent Gittings.

SCP-3540-1: Sorry that took so long, Kay. Someone forgot to wash the dishes last night.

SCP-3540-2: Hey, don't blame this on me. I was putting up the decorations, you know, like you asked me to.

Gittings: Actually, uh, speaking of the decorations. I came over here to tell you that you need to remove some of them. One of your inflatables and a bunch of your cobwebs are in your neighbors' properties.

Both entities appear to look at each other for several seconds.

SCP-3540-2: I told you that wasn't our tree.

SCP-3540-1: No, I told you not to put stuff in that tree, Lance.

SCP-3540-2: No, no, no. I very explicitly remember you telling me to, and I quote, "Cover that shit in web". And I said that it wasn't our tree, then you yelled at me for ruining your aesthetic.

SCP-3540-1: I meant the house and the bushes. Why would I have meant the tree?

SCP-3540-2: Cause I thought that was where you were pointing. God, this is going to be a pain in the ass to clean out. I am so sorry, Kay. I'll get on that tomorrow.

Gittings: Thank you. I really don't want you guys to get in trouble.

SCP-3540-1: Actually, that reminds me. Kay, how long have you been in town?

Gittings: Just since September.

SCP-3540-1: Oh, wow. We've only been here since the first. But have you had the chance to try that Barrio Steakhouse place off the highway? Their steaks are way better than they have a right to be. I actually knew the owner's grandfather. And he was such a nice man. Super understanding when we had to take him.

Gittings: No, that place is pretty expensive, I'd have to eat like a college student for a week to afford there.

SCP-3540-2: Man, you are missing out. Usually me and Maury try not to go to the same place each year for vacation, but I am very tempted to convince him to come back here next year.

SCP-3540-1: You will convince me of nothing.

SCP-3540-2: Just like how I never convinced you to try that seafood joint in Charleston?

SCP-3540-1: That's different.

Gittings: If you pardon me asking, this is your vacation? You guys do this every year?

SCP-3540-2: Yep. Our jobs can be "emotionally taxing", so we're forced to take two weeks off. But we just save our vacation from the rest of the year and take a whole month. It's great, super relaxing.

SCP-3540-1: We always take the same month off too, cause we actually met in October, at that funeral. And you know what we do, Kay. Halloween is like the holiday made for us. I just love seeing all the little kids in their costumes. It's just so adorable. Makes it worth doing my job. They just delight me. I would love to adopt if we could, but the agencies never seem to like our paperwork.

Gittings: Well, this tea was lovely, but I have to head out. I still have some paperwork to file at the office.

SCP-3540-1: Oh, that's fine. Thanks for stopping by. Tell your partner that we said hello. And feel free to come by anytime for dinner, Lance can make Chicken Parmesan that's to die for.

<End Log>