Item #: SCP-2081

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-2081 are to be kept in a standard Safe-class locker, with each instance held securely closed by two strong elastic bands to prevent accidental exposure. Duplication of SCP-2081's contents does not reproduce the anomalous effects, and as such any copies created are not subject to special containment procedures. Copies created for research or other purposes are not to be taken off-site.

Description: SCP-2081 are multiple identical copies of an 82-page hardback volume entitled 'Making Your Dreams Your Reality: Lucidity for Beginners', purporting to be an informal guide to lucid dreaming. The author is cited as Dr. ███████ █████████, a supposed expert in circadian neuroscience; however, investigations have thus far failed to trace anyone of this name and description and it is believed to be a pseudonym. SCP-2081's title is apparently derived from a quotation referenced in the book's introduction, headed 'Why Lucidity?': 'If [the dreamer] has these lucid dreams often, they can even have an effect on his confidence, mood and general well-being in the waking world – lucid dreaming is truly a way to make his dreams become his reality.' The origin of the quotation is not stated.

The contents of SCP-2081 range from simple instructions for achieving lucidity to a section titled 'Prophecies and Alternate Worlds', which discusses differing views of dreams across history and cultures. The tone is predominantly light-hearted, although this is inconsistent throughout the volume. A combination of British and American English terms and spellings are used throughout, apparently arbitrarily, with terms such as 'metastasise' and 'vaporize' appearing within the same paragraph. The possibility that SCP-2081 may have multiple authors has not been ruled out.

Subjects who had been exposed to SCP-2081's contents were assessed by Foundation staff, and those deemed suitable for further study were transferred to isolated rooms in the site's psychiatric wing on ██/██/20██. All describe experiencing vivid auditory and sometimes visual phenomena during sleeping periods, and have been shown via video footage and EEG tracings to be waking fully for anywhere from ██ seconds to ██ minutes each night. Despite the purported nature of SCP-2081, phenomena experienced by the subjects are therefore being classed as waking hallucinations rather than genuine lucid dreaming events. The relation (if any) between these phenomena and real world events is as yet indeterminate and is the subject of ongoing analysis.

All subjects report both total paralysis (with the exception of eye movement) and feelings of extreme terror for the duration of each incident. Once subjects' panic has subsided, usually █ to ██ minutes after hallucinatory effects cease, they return to a normal sleeping state. On awakening subjects are able to recall auditory hallucinations with abnormal accuracy, quoting spoken passages for up to ██ minutes without hesitation. This recall shows no sign of fading over time.

Further investigation has revealed that all subjects believe themselves to be waking in near-total darkness, even when video monitoring clearly shows that the room is fully lit by sunlight or electric bulbs throughout the sleep period. Subjects' pupils have additionally been shown to be dilated in a manner consistent with adaptation to darkness, even under bright lighting. During incidents, researchers remained present in the observation chamber and attempted to communicate with subjects, but no response was made to visual, auditory or tactile stimuli. Once fully awakened, subjects were apparently unaware that researchers had been present at all during the incident. Testing of subjects' sensory perceptions during waking hours produced normal results.

███████ from the start of the observation period, sedatives were administered to all subjects to alleviate their growing distress in the hours before sleep and their resulting uncooperative behaviour; however, no known sedatives were found to prevent waking or hallucinations. Administration of amnestics was successful in removing subjects' knowledge of contact with SCP-2081, but had no effect on waking incidents.

At the present time it should be assumed that SCP-2081's effects are permanent, that subjects do not become accustomed to them over time, and that no countermeasures exist.

Recovery Log: Between ██/██/20██ and ██/██/20██, instances of SCP-2081 appeared in libraries, bookshops, community centres and one church in ████████, ██. How and why items were distributed to these locations remains unclear. The Foundation was alerted to the existence of SCP-2081 following a sharp increase in the number of patients in the area presenting with sleep-related issues. ███ copies have thus far been secured by the Foundation; however, the total number of existing copies is currently unknown, and there is no record of the existence (current or past) of █████████ ██████, the publishing house named in the items' edition pages.

Note added ██/██/20██: Following an increase in subjects' paranoia and aggressive behaviour towards researchers, in-person interviews have been suspended until further notice. Written records are instead to be collected from subjects, including all events and approximate timings, and entered by researchers into the log.

+ Entry added to log on ██/██/20██:

- Hide entry:

Subject ID: ██

Visual events: Small green light flashing at regular intervals throughout the incident, apparently emanating from an unidentified ceiling-mounted electronic device

Auditory events (including approximate timings):

00:00:00: (Electronic warning sirens begin sounding)

00:00:15: (Sirens continue. Robotic but distinctly female voice begins repeating the words 'Light Colour: Green. Light Colour: Yellow. Light Colour: Red.')

00:01:00: (All sounds cease abruptly)

Note added ██/██/20██: On ██/██/20██ one subject was taken for an emergency ████████ and was reported by the surgeon to have opened her eyes for approximately ██ seconds during the course of the operation. After this point the normal effect of the anaesthetic was immediately re-established. Upon normal awakening, the subject reported having experienced no pain and indeed having been unaware that the operation was taking place at all.

+ Entry added to log on ██/██/20██:

- Hide entry:

Subject ID: ██

Visual events: None

Auditory events (including approximate timings):

00:00:00: (Subject wakes gradually, initially believing herself to be hearing a radio alarm)

00:00:10: […] due to an accident involving multiple vehicles. That's it for the travel, here's Karen Scott with the weather. (Radio jingle plays)

00:00:20: Thank you John. As you can see we're looking at clear blue skies this morning, in fact we're expecting one of the brightest mornings on record, with temperatures at unprecedented highs in the south-east. After the flash there's a strong chance of black rain across much of the coast this afternoon, with visibility severely impaired in places, but don't be alarmed as this effect will almost certainly be temporary. All citizens are instructed to remain indoors away from windows, and if possible away from external walls. More clouds will start to appear in the east later, with most of the region (Speech begins to crack, then breaks up into static)

+ Excerpt from entry added to log on ██/██/20██:

- Hide entry:

00:17:30: charred stumps that are no longer even bodies, that once held close and called lovers. Surface deformities all that remain to suggest an arm thrown up in defence, twisted limbs in flight. Two hundred milligrams, Naphthol Red. Alpha and Omega consumed by white light of Hell with the atomized body and blood. The faceless moon shines down on the eyes of the blind. There will come a number to end all numbers. Zero milligrams, black. Behind will be nothing but barren sky.

+ Entry added to log on ██/██/20██]:

- Hide entry:

Subject ID: ██

Visual events: Undetermined (see note)

(Note: On full awakening, audio was recognised by the subject as an excerpt from page 63 of SCP-2081, headed 'Warnings'. Subject reported being unsure as to whether he had experienced visual hallucinations, stating only that he had seen 'shapes that looked like people in the dark'.)

Auditory events (including approximate timings):

00:00:00: If at any time during a lucid dream you find yourself in a state of apparent paralysis, it is critical that you abide by the following instructions:

00:00:10: Do not close your eyes, and try to blink as little as possible. Make no attempt to speak or to make any other sound.

00:00:20: If someone is sleeping beside you, do not under any circumstances try to wake them, even if their identity is known to you.

00:00:30: Do not look directly at uncovered glass, such as mirrors or windows, or into any electronic light sources.

00:00:40: If possible avoid looking at all timekeeping devices, in particular digital clock faces.

00:00:45: (Silence)

00:00:55: If you hear sounds that appear to originate within the room, do not acknowledge them in any way. This includes whispering, movement, or sounds produced by electronic devices.

00:01:10: If you sense the presence of an unknown entity within the room, do not attempt to locate it. Remain as still and quiet as possible, breathing slowly. If you see any humanoid figure in your vicinity, do not look directly at it: look away if possible, and under no circumstances allow it to make eye contact.

00:01:30: If any visible humanoid entity moves towards or touches you, ensure that you do not look directly at its face. Remain calm and do not acknowledge its presence.

00:01:40: (Silence)

00:02:00: (Message repeats)