Item #: SCP-5773

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-5773 is to inhabit a blank canvas located in a standard containment chamber. No paper is to be brought into the chamber without authorization. It is to be kept away from physical documents. All contaminated material found are to be incinerated.

Once a week, SCP-5773 is to be fed by providing it with a printed illustration. In the event a print is not available, staff are to draw on a piece of paper with any available writing implement. The subject or quality of the illustration is irrelevant.

Transportation is to be performed by placing the canvas containing SCP-5773 in a fireproof container equipped with a lock, and GPS locater. SCP-5773 is to be removed from the case when it is isolated in a containment chamber.

Description: SCP-5773 is an animate black line that is 0.4 cm thick, and 19.7 cm long. It exists within the confines of paper or canvas media where it subsists on whatever is imprinted on their surface such as ink, crayon, paint, or graphite. Feeding eventually results in no content printed on the surface, and with SCP-5773 budding into multiple instances. They will proceed to search for additional media to consume, but if deprived access they will absorb each other instead until one remains.

The composition of SCP-5773 is unknown as chemical analysis of it only registers the paper that it resides on. When not feeding and unable to travel, it remains dormant on the surface of the paper or canvas. It has been observed that its movements cause the paper to degrade faster, so its dormancy is viewed as a method of survival.

The entity is able to transfer between sheets of paper as long as there is physical contact, or at least within 1 cm for it to jump only a fragment. Said fragment will grow into another instance of a similar length if provided with sufficient sustenance. Without anything to consume for a week, the specimen will slowly shrink in length at a rate of approx. 5 µm per day. An instance shrinks until it completely disappears.

Signs of sapience have been noted during attempts at possible communication, which were performed by writing a message on a sheet of paper. It did not respond to what was written, but it would later start to use its own form to spell out "hungry" or "help" when deprived of sustenance. This confirms that it is partially aware of its environment outside of its 2-dimensional space. Further attempts at communication have resulted in failure.

Addendum 5773-1: Recovery Log

SCP-5773 was discovered in 05/22/2013 at a local library in Gothenburg, Sweden. The librarians found that numerous books were having their contents consumed by multiple instances. Agents were immediately deployed to contain SCP-5773. Over 85% of the books in the library were contaminated, and subsequently destroyed as a result. Twenty books were taken for research while the rest were incinerated. Individuals that had recently checked out a book from the library were tracked down to prevent possible instances from spreading further into the public.

The investigation into SCP-5773 has obtained security footage of the day prior to the incident revealing a possible suspect. They have since been classified as POI-5773, and efforts are currently underway to identify them. Attached to this addendum is the transcript of the footage.

Video Transcript 5773-1

SUMMARY: The following footage was filmed on 05/22/2013 of a suspect believed to be responsible for the existence of SCP-5773.

<BEGIN LOG>

04:10
A young male suspect enters the library with a gray backpack, and a black hoodie. He does not interact with anyone, and travels to the east side of the building where no one is present.

04:14
Suspect sits at a desk near the window. Bookshelves are located to the left side of the camera. An arch attached to the ceiling partial obscures the individual. He proceeds to place the backpack on top of the desk and rummage through it.

04:15
POI-5773 takes out a sheet of paper, and what appears to be a writing utensil. He then writes with it. Due to the position of the camera, analysis of the item cannot be adequately performed.

04:16
Static interference briefly disrupts the camera feed as the suspect appears to briefly perform kinetoglyphs1 with his hands while twiddling the writing utensil. The interference ceases as the item is returned into the backpack. The sheet of paper is then folded.

04:18
POI-5773 rises from the desk and walks toward the bookshelves. Another camera angle shows him taking a book and opening it. The sheet of paper is placed inside it before it is closed and returned to the shelf. POI-5773 walks back to the desk to retrieve the backpack.

04:20
POI-5773 travels towards the exit and leaves the library.

<END LOG>

NOTE: The sheet of paper was recovered by personnel, but it was found to be blank with significant damages.

Addendum 5773-2: Global Occult Coalition

Three libraries throughout Europe were destroyed by the Global Occult Coalition in the weeks following SCP-5773's discovery. Correspondence with the Global Occult Coalition confirmed the locations to have been infested with the same anomaly. At the third site, they had recovered the body of POI-5773 after a violent altercation was reported shortly before the infestation was apparent. POI-5773's cause of death was via gunshot wound to the chest by another individual. A request was submitted to the Coalition to access complete information regarding the incident, which was granted. The following is a video transcript of POI-5773's death.

Video Transcript 5773-2

SUMMARY: The following is a transcript of footage that was filmed on 06/28/2013. The events occurred within a public library located in Lublin, Poland.

<BEGIN LOG>

03:04
POI-5773 enters the library wearing the same black hoodie, and backpack. He travels south to find a secluded desk. The same actions are performed, and the paper is placed in a random book on the shelves.

03:07
POI-5773 proceeds toward the direction of the exit but is stopped by a man in a suit. The face of the individual is significantly distorted in the footage, and is unidentifiable as a result. Witnesses reported no abnormalities but struggle to remember the man's face. A possible antimeme is suspected.

03:08
The two argue with one another. Foundation lip readers note that POI-5773 mouthed the words "Wanderer's Library" twice.

03:11
The argument ends with the unknown individual drawing out a .44 magnum revolver, and firing three shots at POI-5773. He then approaches the deceased body of POI-5773 to pat them down before taking the backpack. Suspect briefly looks through it and takes an object from it, presumably the writing utensil observed in the previous footage. Before leaving, the individual places an envelope on top of the body.

<END LOG>

NOTE: The contents of the envelope was a letter addressed to the Foundation and the GOC. The letter simply read "You don't need to worry about these pests showing up anymore. You're welcome."

Footnotes

1. Also known as kinetohazards. They are phenomena that occur through specific sets of movement.