by J Dune

SCP-6373 - Stage Blight

This ain’t your grandpa’s kermit!

Image Credits

Item#: 6373

Containment Class: neutralized

Secondary Class: none

Disruption Class: keneq

Risk Class: danger

SCP-6373 instances, observing

Assigned Site
Site Director
Research Head
Assigned Task Force

Area-179
J. Barrow
J. Dune
N/A

PoI-6373, Timothée Goffard

Special Containment Procedures: The building containing SCP-6373 has been outfitted with a closed-circuit surveillance system and shuttered from public access.

Assigned personnel are to view and transcribe SCP-6373's daily performances. Counseling is available as a part of post-viewing debriefing; personnel are expected to be repulsed.

Description: SCP-6373 is a collection of four papier-mâché puppets, each 1 meter in height. Chemical analysis indicates each puppet's exterior is constructed from non-anomalous material. All attempts to observe the interior of SCP-6373, through either physical or endoscopic means, have failed. All instances are attached to an individual set of strings, bound together by a plastic cross-shaped mechanism intended for control by a puppeteer. SCP-6373 emit a strong rotting odor, causing visceral nausea. This response is entirely non-anomalous.

At 18:00 daily, SCP-6373 will gain anomalous properties, primarily limited sentience, mobility, and intelligence. Attempts to interact with the objects outside of SCP-6373-Events (See Below) have failed. This effect will not occur if SCP-6373 are contained in a location other than the Goffard Theater, located in Reading, Pennsylvania. Instead, they will remain inert objects. SCP-6373 will then begin a rapid deterioration process, involving slowly melting their papier-mâché bodies and emitting a stronger, more intensive odor as a result. This process continues until SCP-6373 are placed within a 12 meter vicinity of the Goffard Theater.

When conditions for animation are sufficient, SCP-6373 proceed to the main stage of the theater to perform an act, classified as an SCP-6373-Event. The details of this performance are fluid and ever-changing, and presently, no repeat performances have been observed. An audience of at least one individual must be present at the theater to observe the performance, otherwise SCP-6373 will undergo decomposition.

SCP-6373-Event Summary and Cast

Overview: An SCP-6373-Event is a largely unorganized and spontaneous performance acted out by SCP-6373, featuring unorthodox attempts at humor, storytelling, and entertainment. Audience attempts to interact with SCP-6373 during a performance have resulted in injury. Performances do not have a set length, ranging from two minutes to three weeks in length. Descriptions of each puppet's physical appearance and typical role in an SCP-6373-Event can be found below.

SCP-6373-1 is an elderly male with a pointed nose and large eyes, clad in a beret, black sweater, and striped shirt. -1 is referred to as "Pierre", and serves as the performance's host, and central character.

SCP-6373-2 is a large, bald, disembodied head with sizable ears and an open-mouthed expression. SCP-6373-2 is referred to as "Glouton", and is incapable of speaking outside of deep, guttural moaning and single-word statements.

SCP-6373-3 is a diminutive disembodied head with closed, sunken eyes, and a solemn expression. It is noticeably smaller than the others, and its “skin” is painted a discolored grey. While the puppet features no limbs, much like Glouton, audiences have observed its strings being pulled during performances as if articulated joints were present. SCP-6373-3 is referred to as "Ame". Though Ame does not typically speak or make noise, it will, on occasion, silently cry. Ame is the most frequent target of Pierre's verbal and physical abuse.

SCP-6373-4 is a long-necked clown, wearing an outfit typical of such with white gloves. SCP-6373-4 is the only puppet with a hinged jaw, intended to be operated through the use of a string connected at the bottom of the mouth. This mechanism has since broken, rendering SCP-6373-4's jaw loose and uncontrollable. SCP-6373-4 is referred to as "Jacque", and serves as the group's comedic relief. Jacque often reiterates the phrase "Isn’t that funny?" to punctuate its antics.

Addendum.6373.1: History and Performance Summaries

The Goffard Theater was opened in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1860 by French immigrant and entrepreneur Timothée Goffard. The theater was host to stage plays, musical performances, and in-house puppet shows that featured SCP-6373. The puppets were personally designed by Goffard, who maintained an intensive interest in puppeteering and often participated in the show’s production. These shows were massively profitable and popular among Reading’s children. It is unknown if SCP-6373 held any anomalous significance during the theater’s operation, but written evidence detailing pay-rolls of puppeteers and printed copies of scripts intended to be performed by SCP-6373 suggests they were ordinary puppets.

In 1884, the theater closed due to embezzlement committed by Goffard’s wife, Cynthia Cordier. Cordier’s actions were presumably in retaliation to Goffard's unfaithfulness in their marriage. This resulted in a divorce and subsequent legal battle, which Goffard lost.

In 1886, Goffard wrote a letter to his wife, a portion of which has been transcribed below.

… I write to you in poor health, and all joy sapped from my life. May misfortune follow you until the end of your days. I will not construct again that which I had spent two decades of my life working towards. I can only thank God’s grace that the building has remained vacant, as I could not bear to see it owned by another man. I want to perform again, and see the children smile. My happiness was so linked to theirs.

One week later, Goffard disappeared. No evidence of his whereabouts was found. The letter remains his last known communication with another individual. Records indicate Cynthia Cordier would die of natural causes four months later. In 1887, the ASCI (American Secure Containment Initiative)1 discovered SCP-6373 during an inspection of the building. Anomalous effects were documented thereafter, and containment continued after the ASCI had been assimilated into the SCP Foundation.

A log of notable SCP-6373 performances have been recorded below.

Performance Summary: 1887/10/22

First recorded performance. Lighting fixtures around the theater collectively power on several minutes before the show, and a slight piano accompaniment, originating from an unknown source, is heard throughout the event. Pierre rescues a princess, a costumed Jacque, from a dragon, played by Glouton. Researchers note several moments when an SCP-6373 instance has difficulty maintaining posture and moving, often taking multiple attempts to lift limbs. These moments increase in frequency over time.

Performance Summary: 1895/04/17

Pierre and the other puppets take the roles of criminals recovering after a botched bank robbery attempt. As they attempt to figure out who alerted the police to their activities, they come to the conclusion that it was Ame. The puppets spend the rest of the performance using the spherical Ame as a ball in a game of soccer. It eventually devolves into a contest to see which puppet can kick Ame the hardest. Pierre berates Ame for betraying its trust and breaking the bond they had shared after years of working together. Examination of liquid secreted by Ame puppet indicates chemical similarity to human tears.

Performance Summary: 1916/02/29

The puppets reenact a scene on a farm, while the German-Russian conflict known as the “Battle of Tannenberg” is waged nearby. Glouton and Jacque take the role of a German and Russian soldier, respectively, and act out a slapstick battle in a field. Sounds of war and human suffering are heard throughout. The subsequent scene, inside the farmhouse, features Pierre and Ame as a husband and wife. Pierre laments that its crops have been destroyed due to the war, and calls to Ame for support. The puppet remains silent, even as Pierre’s cries grow louder and more frantic as it shifts the blame of the crop’s destruction from the war to Ame itself. Pierre states that Ame will never be “let out” again, presumably referring to the house.

Performance Summary: 1922/08/21

SCP-6373 perform a similar narrative as the first recorded SCP-6373-Event. Audiences note each puppet sounds discontented in its delivery of dialogue. Movements do not sync up with dialogue, and instances move in frantic bursts, hanging limp when not speaking. The ending where Pierre escapes with Jacque while Glouton flees is altered. Instead Pierre directly attacks Glouton with a plastic sword while berating the puppet for being “useless”. Glouton acts as if it were dead and Pierre comments on its acting, stating “[that] isn’t what being dead feels like”. Future SCP-6373 events are noticeably more dissonant and aggressive in tone.

Performance Summary: 1938/11/04

First direct audience acknowledgement by SCP-6373. Puppets engage in a comedic sketch involving dancing. Instances move in slow, jerking motions while dialogue is quickly paced. Pierre becomes frustrated that the other puppets are unable to synchronize themselves, and suspects they are intentionally being uncooperative. Pierre brandishes a prop hose and sprays water at the puppets. This removes paint from their bodies. High-pitched, feminine screams are heard throughout the theater, with no discernible point of origin. Pierre turns to the audience and states “[It’s] always the same kids out there”. Performance ends with Pierre hurling Ame into the crowd after it attempted to roll offstage. From this point on, Pierre speaks to the audience while performing, usually to seek approval before berating another puppet. All paint was restored by the next event. Future performances frequently feature Pierre accusing other puppets of malfeasance and taking physical action as a result.

Performance Summary: 1952/01/11

Pierre performs a piano duet with Jacque, who is unable to be quiet or still. Though Jacque apologizes, Pierre repeatedly slams the puppet’s head into the piano, denting it. When Pierre is finished, viewers note Jacque’s jaw has detached completely. Jacque’s laughter turns into pained cries as the puppet takes damage. Within minutes, viscous yellow fluid begins to seep from Jacque as it fails to reattach its jaw. Audiences describe the liquid’s odor as repugnant. Pierre retrieves Ame and forces the puppet to sit in a puddle of the fluid. This event marks the beginning of a trend towards increasingly-violent behavior. While puppets sustain heavy damage as a result, they begin each performance fully restored. Notably, Jacque’s jaw is never fixed, and the fluid continues to seep from the puppet.

Performance Summary: 1958/03/30

Shortest performance, 2 minutes in duration. Pierre is teaching an art class, where each puppet is painting on a canvas. Glouton’s canvas displays the words “OPEN INSIDE”. When Pierre sees this, it becomes infuriated and ends the event, leading the puppets offstage. SCP-6373 instances disappear and are unable to be located. For the next 24 hours, an unidentified male voice swears and screams from behind the stage’s curtain, punctuated by bouts of loud banging and clattering. The source is not discerned. Lights remain powered on and centered on the stage. SCP-6373 reemerged at 18:00 the following day for a routine performance.

Performance Summary: 1963/08/21

Pierre takes the stage and berates the audience for attending. Pierre asks if the audience is aware that in death, "a soul can still wither". Pierre’s voice changes to that of a woman’s, and delivers a eulogy in memory of Timothée Goffard. Later investigation revealed that a funeral was not held for Goffard.

Performance Summary: 1971/06/06

Performance is routine, involving a sketch where Pierre teaches Jacque how to play baseball, using Ame as a ball. Jacque is hesitant to hurt Ame, but is pressured into doing so. All dialogue is delivered in a monotonous male voice as opposed to their ordinary intonations. There are frequent pauses and sighs in each puppet’s delivery. This voice persists throughout all remaining SCP-6373-Events. Movements during this performance are notably more loose and fluid than before. When an instance appears to have difficulty moving it will strike itself, restoring fluid motion.

Performance Summary: 1973/01/13

Puppets wear large papier-mâché facsimiles of human bodies and interact with each other in a "sitcom" household environment. Audience members report hearing a faint “laugh track” in the background, though one is not present in recordings of the event. Over time, the suits begin to decompose; layers of papier-mâché slough off to reveal loose viscera. Pierre frequently assaults Ame with various household objects, and at one point causes the puppet to split in two after breaking it open with the corner of a table. Pierre encourages its two “sons”, Glouton and Jacque to belittle or berate Ame throughout. Performance ends with Glouton pushing a cabinet of dinner plates on top of the half-destroyed Ame. Examination of material left onstage following the event revealed it to be bovine in composition. Excess blood, fluid and viscera remained onstage throughout later performances, and began to rot. Removal was deemed impossible.

Performance Summary: 1976/07/02

SCP-6373 do not take the stage. Instead, the event is projected onto the stage’s curtain by shadows. Their source is unknown. All puppets take part in insulting Ame, claiming that it is responsible for their current situation, and it is the sole reason they are unable to “move forward”. Pierre pries Ame’s eyes open with a pair of pliers. Jacque spews fluid onto Ame, causing the puppet to scream. Pierre forces Glouton to consume and regurgitate Ame. Ame is beaten with shovels, drilled holes into with a power tool, and squeezed by a vice to the point of breaking entirely. Event lasts four hours, uninterrupted. During this process, the Pierre puppet emerges from behind the curtain and attempts an ordinary performance of “Jack and the Beanstalk” while the shadows of Jacque and Glouton continue to beat Ame. All researcher's attempts to open the Ame puppet’s eyelids have failed.

Performance Summary: 1979/09/18

Puppets retell and reenact the story of Timothée Goffard’s life, framing him as an individual who was treated unfairly by society and his circumstances. Performance concludes with Pierre stating that Timothée Goffard died alone, miserable, and never experiencing love. There is no mention of Cynthia Cordier throughout the performance. The puppet states that the Goffard Theater remains Timothée’s lasting legacy, and thanks the audience for their continued support. Pierre then flagellates itself to the point of knocking its head off its shoulders and releasing a mass of blow-fly larvae from its neck. A feminine scream emerges from the hole. Larvae are unable to be removed from the stage, except when it is consumed by rats inhabiting the theater.

Performance Summary: 1979/09/18

SCP-6373 perform a retelling of "Hansel and Gretel". All instances deteriorate considerably, seemingly without reason. Puppets have mobility issues throughout, sometimes repeating actions several times or falling to the ground. The performance is entirely silent until the final scene, when Pierre and Jacque toss a costumed Glouton into a mock-oven. As the puppet burns, it states it "cannot stay together anymore". All puppets collapse. Observation of the Goffard Theater later reveals that the structural integrity of the building is in jeopardy due to previously undiscovered infestations of termites and wood-decaying fungi in key construction areas.

Performance Summary: 1983/08/02

SCP-6373 instances hold a mock-funeral for Ame, and spend the rest of the performance exploring various afterlifes that the puppet may be delivered to, complete with props and costumes. Puppets are notably culturally insensitive when discussing non-western afterlifes. Event concludes with Jacque commenting on the excess of punitive afterlifes, and that it’s impossible to truly know which a person should believe in to achieve salvation. Pierre then states “[It] knows the answer! We're all dead! This is the only afterlife there is!”. Puppets then go limp and remain in this state for a week, missing seven performances. All future performances lack props and costumes, marking a decline in performance effort by SCP-6373.

Performance Summary: 1984/03/18

Pierre tells nonsensical jokes, which Jacque and Glouton laugh excessively at. Pierre then goes on a tirade about wanting to injure members of the audience while performing, and then asks the crowd if they feel similar. Glouton admits that it fantasizes about wanting to break a child’s arms “almost every second [it’s] alive”. Pierre then asks the audience for a volunteer to demonstrate breaking an arm. The performance is silent for 46 minutes before Researcher Lang volunteers herself. Pierre snaps Lang’s arm at the elbow, fracturing her ulna. The puppet cites her resemblance to “that cunt” as greatly increasing its enjoyment of the act. The performance ends. Lang is reassigned to a different anomaly following treatment. Future performances infrequently include SCP-6373 committing acts of violence towards a member of the audience.

Performance Summary: 1984/09/18

Last performance with discernible dialogue. Event is composed entirely of Pierre stating the full name, birth, and expiration date of every patron of the Goffard theater from its opening to present. Members of the audience are included in this routine. Throughout the act, Pierre’s movements are awkward, and its speech is slow and slurred. Event concludes with Pierre looking to the ceiling, stating “You carry on so well,” before violently throwing itself across the stage multiple times.

Performance Summary: 1985/02/12

Performances have degraded to frenzies of self-harm carried out by each puppet. Stage lighting is absent or flickers. Musical accompaniment is discordant and cacophonous. Instances self-mutilate, flagellate, and flay themselves through the use of the stage floor’s friction, each other, or blunt force trauma. Screams range from high pitched feminine voices to deep male ones. Occasional laughter is heard during male screams.

Performance Summary: 1985/04/25

All puppets sit on the stage motionless, occasionally turning their heads to monologue to the audience in a nonsensical, indecipherable fashion. Several researchers claimed the puppets were directly gazing at them. All future dialogue in performances consists solely of moaning, grunting, screaming, and weeping, with extended periods of inactivity. Physical actions are often limited to standing or sitting.

Performance Summary: 1985/05/13

Performance is entirely indecipherable.

Performance Summary: 1985/06/09

Final performance. SCP-6373 instances stand side-by-side for 18 minutes. No dialogue is heard. They collectively bow, and fall to the ground. Stage lights and music cease. No further events occur. See Addenda for details.

Following the 1985/06/09 performance, all SCP-6373 instances began the deterioration process observed prior, shedding their papier-mâché exteriors. When this was complete, each instance was discovered to contain preserved human remains and organs, which had been segmented cleanly at several termination points. All remains are presumably sourced from a single individual. Their contents have been listed below.

“Pierre” contained a brain. “Jacque” contained a heart. “Glouton” contained a conglomerate mass of excess organs, an unbroken layer of epidermal skin tissue, fecal matter, and hair. “Ame” was empty.

Examination of unfolded skin tissue found within Glouton revealed a resemblance to PoI-6373-2, Cynthia Cordier. Object has been reclassified as neutralized.

Footnotes

1. A precursor organization to the Foundation, responsible for investigation of anomalous affairs in the United States