SCP-4016 in containment, manifesting a whip.

Item #: SCP-4016

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedure: SCP-4016 is currently contained in a specialized chamber at Site-32, equipped with furnishings similar to those present in its location of discovery. Access to the entity is restricted to Level-2 personnel and above.

Testing with SCP-4016 must be approved by one Level-3 personnel member. SCP-4016 is not allowed to directly interact with any member from the order Rodentia.1

Researchers assigned to SCP-4016 are to rotate visits to its chamber on a weekly basis, and provide SCP-4016 with a set of simple tasks to accomplish during the time between visits. Tasks that have resulted in a positive response from SCP-4016 include preparing vegetables for Site cafeteria use (e.g., peeling potatoes, removing husks from corn, slicing onions), keeping its chamber clean, and repainting small decorative items with faded colors.

Any interactions of note are to be recorded and submitted to the head researcher for the SCP-4016 project.

Description: SCP-4016 is a sapient humanoid construct made of twine. The entity stands at approximately 15 cm in height and weighs approximately 10 grams. SCP-4016's primary anomalous effect is its ability to manipulate the twine composing its body to create various tools for different uses, including cleaning implements, artistic styluses, and simple weapons.

Despite not possessing any identifiable sensory organs, SCP-4016 is able to respond to both visual and auditory communication. It is able to interact with humans through a combination of pantomime and symbolic representation using its twine.

Addendum-4016-1: Recovery

On June 28th, 2003, local town authorities in Pinetucky, Alabama were alerted to a 'rotting stench' emanating from an old farmhouse. Foundation personnel posing as police officers were sent to investigate. Upon entering the farmhouse, said personnel discovered approximately 50 deceased house mice, 0.25 kilograms of kokedama jute twine, and SCP-4016 within the unstacked hay scattered around the building. The lead investigator, Doctor Everwood, was able to convince SCP-4016 to accompany her to a Foundation safehouse (see transcript of Recovery Log).

+ Transcript of Recovery Log

- Close Transcript of Recovery Log

Recovery Log-4016

Date: 06/28/2003

<Begin Log>

Doctor Everwood: Jesus Christ, this stench!

[After approximately ten seconds, a ball of twine is thrown and hits Doctor Everwood in the leg.]

Doctor Everwood: Who did that? Identify yourself!

[SCP-4016 steps forward from the top of a small pile of hay, with its hands up.]

Doctor Everwood: Who are you? Is there anyone else here?

[SCP-4016 looks around the room before manifesting a long whip-like appendage, and using it to point towards the center of the barn. In this location, there is 15 deceased mice and scattered piles of twine lying on the floor.]

Doctor Everwood: Oh, that's… terrible. Why are you up there?

[SCP-4016 demanifests the appendage. It points at a nearby deceased mouse and moves its hands together before moving the ends up and down in a chopping motion.]

Doctor Everwood: The mice killed your friends?

[SCP-4016 nods before gesturing over to the southern end of the barn. SCP-4016 jumps down from the hay pile and continues pointing before looking up at Doctor Everwood. It then runs toward the southern end, but stops in the center of the barn. It slowly backs up to Doctor Everwood, pointing to a small mouse sniffing at a twine pile.]

Doctor Everwood: [Slowly walks over to the mouse. The mouse, upon noticing her, scurries and hides in a corner.] See, they're afraid of me. We have nothing to fear.

[SCP-4016 remains still and does not respond for several seconds.]

Doctor Everwood: So whatcha want to show me?

[SCP-4016 points at small, damaged tentlike structure on the barn floor before pausing and removing a small metal piece, similar to a dog tag, from its body. It places the tag near Doctor Everwood, who kneels down and picks it up.]

Doctor Everwood: [Reading off the tag] "Joey?"

[SCP-4016 nods its head and points at itself. It proceeds to enter the small tentlike structure and remove other similar metal pieces. SCP-4016 sets down the tags, pointing to each in turn, and then to each pile of twine in the center of the barn. It withholds one dog tag and ties it to its body.]

Doctor Everwood: You all lived in the little houses? How did you all get here?

[SCP-4016 pauses its actions and points to Doctor Everwood, then to a shredded pile of twine. It proceeds to make a knot on its whip and gestures to a small storage area of the barn. It then takes a fighting stance, facing away from the storage area.]

Doctor Everwood: Me… your friends… from the hay storage? Someone made you out of hay? As a guard? [under her breath] You'd wonder why not a cat or dog, to keep the mice out.

[SCP-4016 pauses before nodding and then makes a sneezing motion.]

Doctor Everwood: Huh?

[SCP-4016 manifests long "hair" from its head and repeats the sneezing movement and looks up at Doctor Everwood.]

Doctor Everwood: A girl? She asked you? She was allergic to animals? Is that why she needed you to keep them out?

[SCP-4016 nods and put its hands by its face. The entity mimics a sobbing motion before looking back up at her. SCP-4016 then creates a heart shape and mimics it breaking in half. SCP-4016 then points to itself. It creates the broken heart and simulates it being put back together.]

Doctor Everwood: She was sad about the hay?

[SCP-4016 shakes its head and repeats the broken heart display again.]

Doctor Everwood: Hmm.. could you show me the-

[SCP-4016 shakes its head no and moves into one of the small tentlike buildings on the barn floor.]

Doctor Everwood: What exactly happened here?

[SCP-4016 pokes its head out of the building before moving outside. The entity points to the center of the barn floor and makes several slashing motions before looking up at Doctor Everwood.]

Doctor Everwood: A fight?

[SCP-4016 nods and motions for Doctor Everwood to follow, walking across the barn floor again. It stops and points to a deceased mouse, then to itself, and manifests a long strand of twine with a looped end.]

Doctor Everwood: You killed it?

[SCP-4016 nods and wraps the looped twine around the mouse's neck. It drags the mouse over and motions for Doctor Everwood to take it.]

Doctor Everwood: Oh, I'm fine. You don't need to do that.

[SCP-4016 sets down the mouse and stares at Doctor Everwood. SCP-4016 turns and slowly walks over to an area where the dirt is up-turned and marked with a small cross. SCP-4016 stops and points to the cross and then to the mouse.]

Doctor Everwood: A grave?

[SCP-4016 nods its head before beginning to dig up the grave. It unearths a small pile of twine and hands it to Doctor Everwood.]

Doctor Everwood: What should I do with this?

[SCP-4016 motions with its hands, mimicking tying the twine into knots, and points to the pile.]

Doctor Everwood: Oh, I can't… I can't bring them back.

[SCP-4016 once repeats the motion, pointing to the pile of twine and then itself.]

Doctor Everwood: I really can't. I'm sorry. But I can bring you to people who can help. [Doctor Everwood sets down the twine and extends a hand to SCP-4016.]

[SCP-4016 stares at Doctor Everwood before pushing the twine toward her. It repeats the knot-tying motion once again. Doctor Everwood shakes her head, picks up the twine and sets it in the grave while keeping her other hand extended. SCP-4016 stares at the twine before looking up at Doctor Everwood, and climbing onto her outstretched hand.]

<End Log>

Investigation into the identity of SCP-4016's creator, as well as any other existing instances, is underway. Foundation personnel remain stationed at the barn in case of any returning homeowners; the dog tags and twine piles recovered from the barn were moved to Site-32.

Addendum-4016-2: Testing and Behavioral Observations

Upon SCP-4016's initial transfer to Site-32, entity was observed to be frequently agitated, and would compulsively pantomime requests for some form of work to carry out (cleaning, guarding, etc.). After researchers observed the twine composing the entity beginning to deteriorate, it was proposed that SCP-4016 be given its former task of exterminating mice.

SCP-4016 was presented with a domestic house mouse in its containment chamber. Upon noticing and identifying the mouse, SCP-4016 manifested a twine whip and restrained the rodent. However, SCP-4016 then paused in its actions and retreated from the mouse. SCP-4016 then returned to stand next to the researcher present. When asked if it wanted to continue, SCP-4016 repeatedly shook its head, placed the twine whip on the floor of the cell, and held both of its hands out towards the researcher.

The mouse was removed from the containment chamber, and researchers assured SCP-4016 that they would find new tasks for it to perform. Various items were later brought to SCP-4016's containment, taken from the farmhouse adjacent to the barn SCP-4016 was first discovered in. SCP-4016 seemed most interested in the foodstuffs and small decorative keepsakes, and manifested various tools to indicate its intent to assist with the objects.

As of early 2004, most of the deterioration damage SCP-4016 suffered upon initial site transfer has been repaired. A small portion of twine over its chest remains slightly frayed, but appears to be recovering at a steady, if slow, pace.

Footnotes

1. rodents, including mice and rats