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Content note: This article contains reference to gaslighting, depression and (briefly) alcohol. If you notice anything tag-worthy that's not in here, please mention it in a comment.

SCP-5394-1 at time of discovery

Item #: SCP-5394

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: Locating SCP-5394 victims is logistically difficult due to their isolated nature. Social media and other web accounts that have apparently gone unused for extended periods of time are to have their IP addresses traced. Local Foundation investigators must then follow up using appropriate cover stories, and question the potential victim regarding SCP-5394. Victims will be offered a course of psychological counselling prior to amnestic treatment.

Any SCP-5394 instances obtained must be kept in Faraday cages at Site 135.

Description: SCP-5394 refers to 2031 smartphones collected from around the world, categorised as SCP-5394-1 to -203. No patterns have been identified regarding brand, location, or year of production. Instances are physically identical to their non-anomalous counterparts.

SCP-5394 instances are most commonly found in the possession of people who:

live alone

have a small social group;2

engage in much of their human interaction online;

suffer from depression or anxiety (particularly social);

are isolated;

consider themselves lonely;

are generally distant from society in some fashion.

SCP-5394's effects manifest around two months after the victim inserts their SIM card, and occur in several stages; firstly, a small number of text messages sent from or to SCP-5394 will not be received, despite having been confirmed as sent. These are typically attempts to initiate conversation between the victim and contacts already programmed into the device. This effect soon spreads to the victim's online accounts, including social media, emails, fora and/or any other communal sites they frequent. Gradually, more and more messages go unreceived.

After several months, the victim will be completely unable to communicate with anyone outside of face-to-face contact. Attempts to contact official organisations, such as their place of work, general practitioner, etc., will be unaffected. Beyond that, they cannot receive any messages, nor will any messages they send be received.

Rarely do SCP-5394 victims suspect any anomalous influence.

Addendum 3: Example of interaction influenced by SCP-5394

The below texts were recovered from SCP-5394-1, belonging to Harry Ramsdan. Messages are collated from his communications with Junior Researcher Claire Halloway at Site 135. Texts blocked by SCP-5394 are marked in italics, and have been determined through cross-referencing the two phones. Spelling and grammar has been left unaltered.

Unaffected communication prior to SCP-5394's anomalous effects manifesting, for comparison (02/07/19)

Click to close

Claire

hey! have u still got that book i lent u?

the becky chambers one

No sorry. I thought I gave it back to you?

shit maybe u did

sorry, works been hell lately, been awful frazzled

Do you wanna talk about it?

I know you're not allowed to go into detail. just thought you might wanna have a moan

nah it's fine lol. just farnsworth being a prick again, he's not even in my department, needs to mind his own damn business

it always seems to be me whining here, u know if u need to i'm here for u too :)

Thanks but I'm fine

well if ur ever not

I know. appreciate that

tell you what you can do. If you could lend us the next book that'd be nice

Sample communication 1 (18/07/19)

Click to close

Claire

Sorry can't make it tonight. Got called in for a shift so late night for me

Really sorry for the short notice

no worries! u need a better job, seriously, call centres are the worst

and thats coming from me lol

quiz nights still every friday, so we might be going then, lmk if your interested

soooo

do you fancy it or not

you know what its fine, theres always next week

Sample communication 2 (25/09/19)

Click to close

Claire

hey, so i know its kinda late but ive had a glass of two of prosecco and its awful boring here so who do i wanna talk to bur me best mate haha

ok so i may also be missing Martha a bit

but its fine lol

Harry please i need to talk and like fuck am o drunk texting her again

you promised

Hi. I don't mean to be a bother, but I… do need to talk about something. You busy?

are you fucking serious

?

fucking dickhead

I'm sorry

I'm really sorry

I really don't get what I did wrong though?

just… not noow

going to bed

Seriously Claire I'm sorry. Do you need to talk?

Sorry. I'll let you go

Sample communication 3 (22/11/19)

Click to close

Claire

hey! its been a while, just wanted to see if u were ok

i mean its fine, i get youre busy, be nice to hear from u once ina while though lol

Hi, sorry to bother you, know it's been a while, just wanted to see how you were doing. Still doing those quiz nights?

ugh

i wish you wouldnt do this

you know i worry about you mate

Shit i'm so sorry

I didn't mean to bother you

sometimes i go so long without seeing you i worry you'll forget how goodlooking i am haha jk

I won't bother you any more promise

but seriously, please get in touch when u see this, i miss you :p

Footnotes

1. At time of writing.

2. Multiple instances of SCP-5394 have never been discovered amongst the same social circle.