Item #: SCP-4740

Object Class: Keter

SCP-4740 Hover to enlarge‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-4740 is to be kept in a separate containment chamber to SCP-4740-1 outside of recitation. Growth on the containment chamber walls are to be regularly trimmed when not containing SCP-4740-1 to prevent degradation of structural integrity.

Recitation is to be undertaken every 29 days under observation. If SCP-4740-1 deviates from regular routine or fails to finish reading SCP-4740 within the provided time, the chamber currently containing SCP-4740-1 is to be trimmed until SCP-4740 is read. This procedure is to be performed sparingly until additional ways of influencing SCP-4740-1 can be implemented. In the case that additional anomalous effects are observed during this procedure, the temperature within the containment chamber is to be raised until anomalies cease.

In the event that a staff member reads SCP-4740 aloud, they are considered KIA. Any orders or requests made by the individual should be ignored. If SCP-4740-1 is unable to recite SCP-4740 for any reason, its containment chamber must be heated to 430°C and a new SCP-4740-1 instance created to read SCP-4740.

Description: SCP-4740 is a 12-page, wood-chip book containing paintings of grassy landscapes, and a blurred child-like figure. The cover and images within SCP-4740 are painted with a substance consisting of vinegar (10%), cera alba1 (4%), human blood (23%), and chlorophyll (63%). The names David Anders, Akhmud Shaullae, and Chakraphop Sisamouth are hand written on the inside cover in the same substance. David Anders disappeared on 13/2/████ from ███████ park at the age of 13. 37 days later SCP-4740 was procured in the same park. The identity of the two other names are unknown.

72% of individuals with prolonged exposure2 to SCP-4740 begin to visualise the poem Where Can't the Grass Grow? inside SCP-4740. If the poem is read aloud directly from SCP-4740, they will show signs of lethargy and will often lie on the ground while reading. Upon summation of the fourth stanza, all test subjects have become completely unresponsive to stimuli. Various grass species will rapidly develop on the subject’s lower body and arms around this point. Growth of grass is directly proportional to a decrease in body mass of the subject and will progress until none of the subject's original mass remains. Every subject observed has finished the entire poem, despite all having lost significant lung mass that would normally prevent them from vocalisations. If there is no current SCP-4740-1 instance, the subject will become an SCP-4740-1 instance. If there is an SCP-4740-1 instances upon the conclusion of the poem, biological functions will cease and become non-anomalous grass.

SCP-4740-1 instances keep a roughly humanoid shape and are capable of fine motor functions. Only one SCP-4740-1 instance exists at any given time, with new instances only forming when there is no other SCP-4740-1 instance. Vocal capabilities of SCP-4740-1 are limited, though it is able to read, write and understand languages spoken by the subject of which it originated. Despite this, SCP-4740-1 instances share few characteristics with the original subjects, changing personality and showing no signs of remembering their past life experiences. The grass species within SCP-4740-1's form adapt gradually, ranging to suit its environment. Grass species produced by SCP-4740-1 instances include:

Eriophorum angustifolium (tundra cotton grass)

Axonopus compressus (carpet grass)

Cymbopogon ambiguus (Australian lemon grass)

Saccharum officinarum (sugar cane)

Lolium perenne (Rye grass)

Panicum redundituus (grass found during exploration of SCP-███)

Unknown grass species similar to Hordeum vulgare (barley)3

SCP-4740-1 regularly exuviates, leaving debris to grow on the ground and walls of its containment chambers. Neither SCP-4740-1 nor grasses previously from its composition require light, soil or water to grow.

If SCP-4740 is not read within 30 days of its last recitation, liquid and solid matter within an expanding radius of SCP-4740 will gradually transform into various grasses that grow at an exponential rate. Extrapolation of growth rate predicts an area of effect equal to 2.07 million km2 if SCP-4740 is not read for more than 60 days. Growth requires no physical contact with SCP-4740 or grass created by it, meaning that a containment breach of SCP-4740 would inevitably lead to a NK-Class scenario. It is considered vital to normalcy that SCP-4740-1 continue to read SCP-4740.

Addendum 1: The following is the poem Where Can't the Grass Grow? as annotated from recitations. Punctuation has been added for ease of reading. Personnel who have not achieved their Certificate of Memetic Resistance are advised to avoid vocalising any part of the poem.

+ Show Transcript

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Where Can't the Grass Grow?

Davy watched the shadows stretch,

for Davy’s dog was tired of fetch,

and as he lay upon the ground,

he marvelled at the grass around,

and as he watched the meadow green,

he thought of places grass had been.

He said, “Bring me into the know,

and tell me: where can’t grass grow?”

“Can the grass grow in the sand?”

He asked, with grass stains on his hands.

The answer: yes, assuredly!

Look to your right and you will see,

That grass is underneath the swing.

The ground is sand beneath that thing.

“So if it grows on sand and gravel,

where is the place where grass can’t travel?”

“Can the grass grow on the wall?”

Walls aren’t a challenge to grass at all!

It finds a nook and settles in,

and always grows, and always wins.

It reaches up towards the top,

and grows there too, it doesn’t stop!

“if grass can grow upon the wall,

where can the grass not grow at all?”

“Can the grass grow in my veins?”

Yes! from your skin grows sugar canes!

The grass and moss will claim us all,

till nothing remains of your life and toil!

Watch the grass grow like a tower.

Grass has no limit to its power.

“But if it claims all eventually,

Where is it that grass cannot be?”

“Can the grass grow over pets?”

David implored, as the grass rested a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. [sic]

Grass is the royal leading light,

and it can grow on dogs alright,

here, in space, or over there;

it can grow almost anywhere!

Dave's dog decayed in blades of green.

“Is there anywhere grass hasn't been?"

"Can the grass coil round my mind?"

It has young man; I think you’ll find.

It steals around your feet and neck,

It’s everywhere, no need to check!

So as it pulls you through the ground,

tell me the answer that you’ve found?

“There’s nowhere that the grass can't grow!”

He screamed through sod and sank below.

The yellow sun that's in the skies,

Is one of them. He's in disguise.

There's nowhere that the grass can't grow.

In every nook, the meadow flows.

The grass will shy into this world.4

to shield from wings to be unfurled.

My eyes can smell their roar go past.

No fear! This sky will bloom with grass.

Addendum 2: The following is the most informative interviews with SCP-4740-1. To overcome SCP-4740-1's limited vocal capabilities, the instance used chlorophyll secreted from a non-terrene5 grass species within its major extremities to write responses to questions on paper provided to it.

+ Show Interview 4740-3

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Date: 19/08/████

Interviewer: Dr. Siobhan

Interviewee: The third SCP-4740-1 instance in Foundation custody

Notes: As in previous interviews, SCP-4740-1 rarely gives answers to questions asked by interviewers.

[BEGIN LOG]

Dr. Siobhan: Can you hear me SCP-4740-1?

SCP-4740-1: WHERE IS MY DOG?

Dr. Siobhan: Close enough. Why does SCP-4740 only allow one of you to exist at any given time?

SCP-4740-1: JUDGEMENT WILL COME FROM BEHIND YOU, BUT THE BOOK OF GRASS WILL PROTECT YOU. JOIN OUR ROOTS AND WE WILL GRASS.

Dr. Siobhan: What do you mean by judgement? Is SCP-4740 a religious artefact?

SCP-4740-1: OF GRASS YOU CAME AND TO GRASS DAVY HAS RETURNED YOU.

Dr. Siobhan: Please answer the questions, SCP-4740-1. What is the reason for SCP-4740's anomalous effects?

SCP-4740-1: GRASS IS FOR YOUR SAFETY. DAVID WAS THE ENTRY POINT OF GRASS LIKE AKHMUD BEFORE HIM SO THAT YOU MAY CONTINUE AFTER. A UNIVERSE IS BUT ONE PATCH OF SOIL FOR THE GRASS TO WATCH THE SHADOWS STRETCH.

Dr. Siobhan: If you continue avoiding the questions, I will be forced to order Agent Neil to destroy the grass in your containment area.

SCP-4740-1: NO DO NOT HURT THEM. WE ARE YOUR WARD. YOUR TOWER. A STEADFAST BULWARK OF GRASS. OF GRASS.

(SCP-4740-1 emits a high pitched vocalisation for four minutes, ceasing when Agent Neil turns on his hand-held mower.)

Dr. Siobhan: Now; why does SCP-4740 produce grass when not being read?

SCP-4740-1: THE GRASS KNOWS THINGS HIDDEN FROM YOU. THE [MEMETIC HAZARD REDACTED] IS WHY THE GRASS CAME TO PROTECT YOUR UNIVERSE. THE GRASS MUST CLAIM ALL THAT WILL LIVE. WHEN THE EVIL HAS PASSED OVER, THOSE SHIELDED IN THE GREEN FIELDS WILL BE PROTECTED FROM THE JUDGEMENT. THEN THE GRASS SHALL RECEED TO SHOW THE NEW SUN IN IN THE GRASSEN SKY. [sic]

Dr. Siobhan: Why do you read SCP-4740 if you believe that the grass should grow?

SCP-4740-1: THIS WORLD'S TIME HAS NOT YET COME FOR GRASS. I HOLD BACK THE GRASS UNTIL IT IS TIME. WHEN THE SKY BILLOWS IN RAGE, THEN I WILL LET THE GRASS GROW.

Dr. Siobhan: Do you know when this is going to happen?

SCP-4740-1: THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE GRASS CAN SURVIVE BUT YOU CANNOT. THE GRASS PROCEEDS [MEMETIC HAZARD REDACTED] DARK WINGS TO SHIELD THESE SKIES BUT THEY FOLLOWED. THE GRASS WAITS UNTIL THE PROPHESIED TIME, █ YEARS FROM NOW, WHEN WE CAME HERE FROM BEHIND YOUR STARS.

Dr. Siobhan: You said you were from behind our stars. What is the origin of SCP-4740?

SCP-4740-1: AND THE GRASS DROOPED FOR THERE WERE NO MORE WORLDS TO CONQUER. BUT WHERE ALL WORLDS END, INFINITY BEGINS. SO GRASS THREW ITS ROOTS ACROSS THE EXPANSE IN HOPE OF A NEW WORLD TO FREE FROM THEM. YOU DOUBT OUR PURPOSE. THE VOICES OF [MEMETIC HAZARD REDACTED] STARE AT US FROM ACROSS THE EXPANSE. THEIR FOOT IS WEDGED IN THE DOOR WE OPENED TO GET HERE. YOU WILL NOT DOUBT WHEN THEY ARE UNVEILED.

Dr. Siobhan: How were you able to produce Panicum redundituus? Has SCP-4740 been to SCP-███?

SCP-4740-1: THERES NOWHERE THAT THE GRASS CAN'T GROW. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST SKY TO BE GATHERED BY THE GRASS. WORLDS HAVE SMELT THE ROAR OF [MEMETIC HAZARD REDACTED] BUT NOT THE GRASS. THEY WILL FOLLOW OUR ROOTS WHEN THEY FIND OUT WERE THE GRASS WENT.

Dr. Siobhan: What about the sun? How will you safeguard tho-

A Foundation siren rings as the system picks up the memetic hazard. Both the observation room and the containment area fall into lock down.

[END LOG]

The interview was cut short when automated CMC systems detected the name [MEMETIC HAZARD REDACTED] as a passive memetic hazard. In initial testing of Dr. Siobhan and Agent Neil, no significant change was noted, causing researchers to assume a false alarm. Twelve days after the interview, Dr. Siobhan was returned security clearance and allowed to leave Site 34, yet she refused to do so, stating concerns that the sun was an instance of [MEMETIC HAZARD REDACTED]. This caused all those present to become infected with the memetic hazard and lock down the medical wing. Amnestics have proven effective in removing the effects of the memetic hazard that caused the belief that the sun is an instance of [MEMETIC HAZARD REDACTED]. Any personnel who notice a fear of the sun in their coworkers should report them for a CMC scan immediately in order to avoid spread of the hazard.

The possibility that SCP-4740-1 may refuse to read SCP-4740 in the year ████ as it claims in this interview has prompted the establishment of research team 24-Ɛ (Lawnmowers). The team is tasked with locating new ways of containing SCP-4740 and influencing SCP-4740-1. As of writing, the protocol in such a scenario is to expand necessary D-class in the reciting of SCP-4740 in order to contain it.

Footnotes

1. Bees wax.

2. 3 to 21 hours.

3. Inedible due to large amounts of potassium chloride.

4. If there is no current SCP-4740-1 instance, this line will read, I'll guide the grass into this world.

5. Not known to exist on earth.