Item #: SCP-4185

SCP-4185

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-4185 is to be closed off to the general public. A 50 meter radius for patrolling is to be established around SCP-4185. During a 4185-BHAJJ-2 event, no personnel may remain on the track, apart from 4185-1. Test subjects are not to exit SCP-4185 until the BHAJJ-2 event concludes.

Description: SCP-4185 is a standard high school running track, located at █████ High School, █████, USA.

SCP-4185's anomalous effects manifest once 45 laps have been run continuously around Lane 1 of the track by a single runner, hereafter referred to as 4185-1. If a 4185-1 instance continues running for approximately 1.5 minutes, a 4185-BHAJJ-1 event triggers. Upon triggering a 4185-BHAJJ-1 event, 4185-1 will report feeling increasingly nauseous, cold, and report a darkening of the vision.

Approximately 3 minutes after reporting adverse effects, 4185-1 will disappear. Approximately 5 minutes after reporting adverse effects, 4185-1 will report (over Foundation communication) noticing sights corresponding to temporal displacement, such as views of previously demolished buildings, or of construction of structures not yet built in the present. Temporal displacement correlates to the direction moved.

On rare occasions during BHAJJ-1 events (approximately 1 out of every 80 tests) a BHAJJ-2 event will occur. During a BHAJJ-2 event, 4185-1 will note the presence of a humanoid entity, hereafter referred to as 4185-2. 4185-2 exhibits no open hostility towards subjects, but will reportedly attempt to bump or nudge subjects off of Lane 1, displaying some degree of intelligence or competitiveness. The frequency of these bumps increase if the subject is "beating" 4185-2 during a BHAJJ-2 event. After completing a length associated with the 100-meter dash track event, 4185-2 will dissipate, rendering the event as a standard BHAJJ-1 event.

SCP-4185 was brought to the attention of the Foundation after an adult male in his mid-30s, by the name of Charles Tezh, was reported to be running about SCP-4185 for hours on end, multiple times a day. Reports made to local emergency services and psychiatric wards by relatives concerned about Tezh's health were intercepted by the Foundation.

Foreword: Recorded on the day that Charles Tezh was made aware of the Foundation's participation. Prior to this interview, it was decided to allow Tezh to cooperate with the Foundation's efforts as a paid subject, due to his prior knowledge with the anomaly and knowledge of its workings.

Date: 10/20/200█

Interviewer: Senior Researcher Tait

Interviewee: Charles Tezh

Note: Senior Researcher Tait will be referred to as Tait for the purposes of this transcript.

<Start Log>

Tait: So, how did you come into knowledge of SCP-4185?

(Tezh shifts for a bit, rubbing his right knee, before sitting up straighter.)

Tezh: Well, I've been running on this track for as long as I can remember. Even after the accident. I had to beat him. Passing the torch, you know?

Tait: By him, do you mean SCP-4185-2?

Tezh: That's what you're calling him? Everyone used to call him Smoky. The team always used to run against him, whenever he decided to show.

Tait: Did you notice the temporal displacement? Or, as you might call it, time travel?

Tezh: Of course I did. Did I care? No. When I ran, my mind was focused on my legs. The pulling of my muscles, the working of my tendons, the bending of my joints. Tunnel vision, they call it. All you hear is your breathing, and soon, all you see is the rubber. You feel like a machine, only there to run. And run you would. And run I did. When you ran in Ol' Lane 1, that's all you could focus on. Otherwise, you'd hit the floor like a bag of bricks.

Tait: So you're saying you never noticed you going forward? You didn't see any apparent change? There was no flying cars? No Foundation around?

Tezh: The track looked exactly the same.

Tait: Well, I'm glad you're cooperating at least. The fact you didn't use the track for anything poor really speaks to your character, Mr. Tezh. As far as I know, you're not at all discouraged after that meniscus tear, huh?

(Mr. Tezh does not respond for approximately 10 seconds, looking visibly shaken, before commenting.)

Tezh: I'm quite happy too. When's the first race?

<End Log>

Note from H.R. Tait: Why are we testing if it offers nothing to the Foundation? No Foundation presence?

Foreword: Subject was given standard Foundation audio recording equipment, and kept a journal during tests. Reports of each test were given verbally after each.

Recovered Journal From Charles Tezh: Day 1.

Finally. I can do it. It'll all end, and I'll still be a star. At least in my own eyes. Smoky needs to go down. Long I've been training for this. I'm excited. The student becomes the teacher. It's like every running movie ever made. No, every sports movie ever made. The torch will be passed. How poetic. And all I need to do is become the track. Hell, I'm getting paid for this too. The thing I've been doing since I was born. Guess I'm living the dream, huh?

Test Number
Results

8
Subject is told to run forwards. Subject is a bit winded from previous testing, but was able to perform the required amount of laps. Subject reports a faint outline of 4185-2, whom appears to be crouched on the floor, clutching a limb. Due to being winded, subject wished to cease testing. No Foundation presence noted. Note: Subject will be given adequate nourishment after every 5 tests.

23
Subject is told to run forwards. Second BHAJJ-2 event. 4185-2 appears to be excited. Subject reports that 4185-2 noticed his presence, and gestured him to the starting line. In the resulting 100 meter dash, 4185-2 won. Subject complains that 4185-2 attempted to nudge him off the track, but notes that he'd never seen another runner quite like 4185-2 in all his years of running. Foundation buildings appeared to be shutting down.

Recovered Journal of Charles Tezh: Day 41 of Testing

I'm getting closer. So much closer. Every day, every minute, I get a foot, an inch, a meter closer. Smoky's waiting. I can tell. So close. But he's wearing thin. Not much he can do now. Sometimes Smoky's having a good day, sometimes he's not. Occasionally, he doesn't show up at all. The track will swallow him soon. I pray I won't have to go to his level soon. I may be desperate, but I'm not damn dirty. The injury may have been freak, but I'm not. I still recall the lights of the ambulance. The close grip of the EMTs. The twists and turns of my stomach. Dear god, I'm not letting that happen again.

Test Number
Results

73
Subject is told to run backwards. Subject reports that 4185-2 ran quicker than it had before, but that 4185-2 didn't look like himself. Subject claims that 4185-2 appeared younger. No Foundation presence. Subject claims High School appears how it did when he was younger. Subject reports the presence of other shadowy figures about the track.

96
Subject is told to run forwards. 4185-2 "plays fair" during this test, according to Subject. Subject claims that it was the cleanest race he's had with 4185-2 to this date. No Foundation presence.

136
Subject is told to run forwards. 4185-2 plays fair again, but subject notices that 4185-2 appears to have a limp. 4185-2 wins again, despite its apparent limitation. No Foundation presence. Note from H.R. Tait: Perhaps we should postpone testing. 4185-2 appears to be overexerting itself.

181
Subject is told to run forwards. Subject claims he is forced to coax 4185-2 over. 4185-2 appears timid, Subject reports. Subject beats 4185-2 for the first time, but appears downcast upon returning to current year. Foundation presence appears analogous to today's.

Recovered Journal of Charles Tezh: Day 128 of Testing

I did it! I beat Ol' Smoky. I had to sink to his level, though. What a shame. He seemed to start to play fair, and was, hell, accepting of my sheer power as a runner, even with my injury. Out of all the tests, quite frankly, I'm getting sick of it. The specific ways I have to run, the limitations, the constant reports. The track calls for me. It yearns for my soles to stick to its grooves. It begs for my sweat to hit its rubber. It wants my legs to kick its rocks. It wishes for me to return to how I was. And this damn Foundation won't let me. The track always gets what it wants, one way or another. I will run the way I want, like it or not.

Foreword: BHAJJ-2 event frequencies appeared to increase threefold with resulting testing.

Test Number
Results

234
Subject is told to run backwards. Subject loses to 4185-2 due to immense pain in the right meniscus. Subject reports he spent most of his time clutching his right knee in pain. Foundation presence similar to today's, save for the presence of a few fired employees. Note from H.R. Tait: Testing is to be paused for one week while subject recovers. Frequency of tests are to be lowered to 2 per day.

250
Subject is told to run backwards. Subject reports 4185-2 is racing faster than it has before, until 4185-2 is nudged off the track by the subject. 4185-2 falls down, before shadowy tendrils lift up 4185-2, at which point 4185-2 dissipates. No Foundation presence.

272
Subject is told to run forwards. Subject begins running backwards upon completing the initial 200 laps. Subject does not return from testing. Approximately 30 minutes after last contact, a heavily rusted piece of Foundation communication equipment is found buried in nearby dirt. Transcription of audio attached below.

Final Audio Recording-INPUT SECURITY CREDENTIALS

LEVEL ACCEPTED: DISPLAYING AUDIO LOG

Foreword: The recording was heavily corrupted with audio glitches analogous to those with aging. Frequent cracks and clicks are heard.

<Start Log>

Tezh: I can't——

(Tezh can be heard panting.)

Tezh: Well, I've been running on this track- but he- all eternity.

Tezh: It's like that old Maxwell song. How did it go again? Estoy alcan- Muy prof- adent-

Tezh: Playing all 3 cards you sneaky bast- Riddle of the Sph- my ass. It's got to stop. All of it, paradoxes be fucked.

(A loud slap can be heard in the back. Near silent muttering can be heard, sounding similar to Head Researcher Tait's name being repeated, for approximately 45 seconds.)

Tezh: If I'm going to play all 3, then I am going to become me.

(The audio then quiets, as if Tezh steps away from the mic.)

Tezh: Ironic how meniscus has me in it, huh?

<End Log>

Note: Testing with D-Classes is indefinitely postponed until Head Researcher Tait returns from upper knee surgery.