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SCP-4003: On Cowboys, Catholicism, and the Cretaceous

Author: Uncle Nicolini, SecretCrow, Papa Sen

Image Attributions:

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fairbank_year_1890.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lynch's_Slave_Market_by_Thomas_Easterly,_c1852.png

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:-Gentleman-_MET_DP218306.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:-Man_in_a_Sheraton_Chair-_MET_39.22.2.jpg

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This article was submitted for 4kcon.

Item #: SCP-4003
Level 4/4003

Object Class: Safe
Classified

Provisional Site-1200 as seen from the entrance to the SCP-4003 dig site.

Special Containment Procedures: A 2km area surrounding SCP-4003 and Provisional Site-1200 has been designated a protected area. Civilians entering the perimeter are to be intercepted and turned away. Only personnel specializing in archeology, paleontology, and geology may be assigned to Provisional Site-1200.

All extracted artifacts and fossils recovered from SCP-4003 are to be stored in Site-11's Intensive Care Item Storage after being cataloged. Excess fossils deemed to be non-anomalous may be donated to the Museum of the Rockies via a Foundation front organization, the Southern Canadian Paleontologists group.

Any mentions of the town of Temperance found in historical documents and period journals are to be expunged.

Description: SCP-4003 is the group designation for the archaeological remains of the town of Temperance and its citizens found in the Hell Creek Formation near Jordan, Montana. Fossils, objects, and remains found within SCP-4003 date to the upper Cretaceous era1.

The town's few buildings included a saloon, sheriff's office, trading post, general store, and domestic buildings along its main street. Temperance primarily served as a rest stop for caravans heading to Helena from the Minnesota territory and had a small permanent population. The calculated population is estimated to have been 40 civilians and 10 horses and other livestock. Though little information on the town is available, it is mentioned in the journals of Gold Rush settlers between 1859 and 1866. Though the exact date of the town's disappearance is currently unknown, it is believed to have vanished in November of 1866.

Temperance's Main Street, circa 1866.

Following its disappearance, Temperance and its population manifested in the late Cretaceous era about 66 million years ago. It is believed most, if not all of the inhabitants and livestock perished from oxygen poisoning due to the increased levels of the chemical compound present in the Earth's atmosphere at the time. Any survivors were then likely to have perished from exposure, disease, famine, and the predatory megafauna.

The town of Temperance reappeared in its exact geographical location in the Upper Cretaceous Period. The lithology of SCP-4003 and the surrounding area indicate the climate of the area was subtropical due to its proximity to the Western Interior Seaway; sharply contrasting the aridity of modern Montana.

Below are brief lists of fossils and artifacts found in SCP-4003.2

+ Open Document 4003-1221-SPECIMENS

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Specimen
Quantity
Notes

Triceratops prorsus
3
Two specimens are believed to be juveniles.

Acheroraptor temertyorum
12
Numerous specimens have been found to have suffered various bone fractures.

Thoracosaurus neocesariensis
5
N/A

Didelphodon vorax
14
Many of the recovered specimens are incomplete.

Struthiomimus sedens
4
N/A

Canis lupus familiaris
1
The recovered specimen is missing most extremities, save for the right hind leg.

Equus ferus caballus
6
Most recovered specimens are incomplete and have been found in scattered concentrations across SCP-4003.

Gallus gallus domesticus
3
All recovered specimens are incomplete.

Tyrannosaurus rex
2
One of the recovered specimen is missing its head and several vertebrae.

Homo sapien
26
Specimens vary in quality. There are 1 infant, 3 youth, and 22 adult specimens recovered.

- Close Document 4003-1221

A restored Tyrannosaurus rex on display at Site-11. Specimen was recovered from SCP-4003.

+ Open Document 4003-1222-OBJECTS

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Object
Quantity
Notes

Glass Shards
Unknown
Though most glass in SCP-4003 has been found to be naturally occuring, a number of instances display unnatural colors and are believed to have been dyed.

Silver Crucifix
1
The object was found to be in exceedingly good condition.

Horseshoe
7
The recovered objects show heavy oxidation.

Colt 1851 Navy Revolver
1
The recovered object was heavily oxidized and in good condition, save for the wooden grip which has decayed away.

Springfield Model 1842
2
The recovered objects were heavily oxidized and in good condition, save for the wooden stocks, which have decayed away.

Metal Safe
1
See Addendum 1.

- Close Document 4003-1222

SCP-4003 was discovered in 1871 by gold miners from the nearby Everwood Mine. Foundation field operatives were dispatched to the dig site to evaluate the reports of human remains being found deep underground in newly created tunnels. Though originally believed to be Homo neanderthalensis specimens, the anatomy of the found skulls were identical to that of a Homo sapiens. Level II Hypnosuggestive agents3 were administered to all involved civilians and the Foundation purchased ownership of Everwood Mine. Provisional Site-1200 was established near SCP-4003 shortly afterward, and the area of discovery was excavated.

An investigation by the Department of Temporal Anomalies is currently ongoing, as is archeological and paleontological work on SCP-4003.

Addendum 1: Recovered Journals

On 07/26/2008, a metal safe found to be in good condition was recovered from SCP-4003. Its contents are anomalously well-preserved and show no signs of aging. Items found in the safe include musket balls, revolver rounds, a rosary, daguerreotypes, and a journal. The journal is labeled as belonging to one 'Pendleton Tweed'; a sheriff's deputy in Temperance.

A collection of entries following Temperance's disappearance is available below.

Note: The presented entries have been revised and edited to be easily legible by modern standards.

+ Show Journal Logs

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15th of November, anno Domini 1866

Sheriff Boone and I still I can't make sense of what happened.

Everyone remembers a white light and then nothin', me and the Sheriff too. We all got up with our heads poundin' and feelin' like we drank the town dry. Old Pete, Mary, and Annette's kids was all dead, s'well as most of the chickens and one of the horses. The out of towners were alright, said they saw the same thing too.

But what's strangest is the boonies. It ain't how it used to be, it's all green now and with trees too. I ain't never seen nothin' like it before. It's like I was in paradise when I see it. Sheriff Boone says it ain't right though, says something's very wrong.

Sheriff Boone's fixing to hold a town meeting with the outsiders and all the folks at first hour tomorrow. We's buryin' the dead tonight.

16th of November, anno Domini 1866

Everyone's real uneasy 'bout the situation. Folks are grievin' and the out of towners are itchin' to take off. Sheriff Boone says no one can leave 'less they's part of the scouting posse he's gettin' together, says we need to know what's around us.

Somethin' took the chickens too, left some strange tracks. Sure as hell ain't no coyote. Damn thing left tracks lookin' like real big chicken tracks. Must'a come at night cause ain't no one seen it. One of the dogs brought in a varmint too big to be a rat, it looked ugly and had a long face. Ain't ever seen nothin' like it, but he ain't seem to mind. That old boy ate it anyway.

Father Jacob says we's needing to be strong and God will guide us. I pray we figure out what's happenin' soon, and for the posse's safe return.

19th of November, anno Domini 1866

A bunch of the out of towners stabbed up Merle in the middle of the night and stole everything they could from his shop before taking off with some horses. They were in a real damn hurry, I reckon, cause they left behind their caravan. From the looks of things they was prospectors heading to California. A lot of diggin tools and some dynamite.

We's burying Merle later, but we is low on supplies now. Father Jacob and I are workin on rationing what we got, but it won't last too long. Father Jacob keeps sayin he's hearing things at night, but he don't know what. He's asked for me to stay out by the church and keep an eye out tonight. I reckon since we's buryin' Merle I might as well stay a spell.

I pray Merle goes to heaven, he ain't deserve what come to him. S'all my fault for not bein' able to protect him.

"Temperance and her first citizens"- July 5th, anno Domini 1859

20th of November, anno Domini 1866

I swear on God, Father Jacob and I saw a demon last night.

It was big, like a person, and it walked on two feet but it had a neck like a snake and eyes like one too. It was making these sounds from hell and it was digging at Merle's grave. We wasn't able to bury him too deep cause of the mud, and I saw that monster eating at old Merle's body. I fired at it, but it was too dark for me to hit the dang thing.

Father Jacob says we's in hell, bein' punished by God for not believing.

He went and told everyone and now they's in a panic, but he says so long as we keep prayin God will spare us from his wrath. I ain't thunk I was a sinner. No man's perfect, but I reckon I try being as close to God as one can. I reckon I got a lot to think 'bout. But now the whole town's gone to the dogs, everyone's panickin' over what Father Jacob says.

I put my foot down and told 'em to quit it, told 'em to pack it up and take it to the church if he wanted to proselytize. Can't have 'em scarin' everyone like that even if we's surrounded by devils.

Tonight I will pray for forgiveness, and for protection.

21st of November, anno Domini 1866

Sheriff Boone, Red, and Jeremiah came back, but they was missing a horse. Sheriff Boone says a giant devil with a head as big as a man snuck up on them when they was sleeping and picked up a horse in its mouth, then tossed it like it was a toy. They hid and watched it eat up until the devil went away. 'Twas big as a building and longer than two, they says. The others said they seen more, smaller, bigger, and of all colors.

Food is scarce and these rat varmints ain't big enough to feed one person, let alone 30.

Safety and food will be in my prayers tonight.

23rd of November, anno Domini 1866

I reckon Father Jacob was right sayin we's in hell after seein' what happened yesterday.

We was attacked by dozens of little demons, all of them with long necks, teeth like knives, and claws like vultures. They came from nowhere and killed a bunch of folk before we was able to drive them off.

Sheriff Boone and Father Jacob got into it real nasty after. Sheriff Boone wanted to try and eat from the remains of these things. Father Jacob accused him of being a blasphemer, tryin' to tempt us to sin by eating the flesh of a demon. Says God is watching us, he sees Him at night; but that ain't stop Sheriff Boone.

I reckon I am a sinner after all.

I will pray to God for forgiveness tonight; I know not what I done, but I beg you, my Lord, to wash away my sin.

The subject of the image is currently unknown. The rear reads: "Let this be a reminder not to let m'self talked into paying a god damn dollar for a photograph."

25th of November, anno Domini 1866

The night those demons attacked us, Father Jacob lead the townsfolk to destroy all the alcohol in the town. They smashed it all up in the church, then locked themselves in there till just today. They says they was prayin' for our town, says me and Sheriff Boone is sinners and the reason we's been cursed to be in hell.

I still dunno what I done to make everyone deserve this. Sheriff Boone says I ain't at fault, but the townsfolk won't even look me in the eye no more. I got half a mind to go over and put lead between Father Jacob's eyes for makin' a bad situation worse, but then I'd be the same as he.

Tonight I will pray for forgiveness again, as well as for this rain to stop. The damn frogs won't let me sleep.

A daguerreotype photograph found folded within the journal. It is believed to depict the author. The back of the photograph is dated March 9th, 1860.

28th of November 1st of December anno Domini 1866

Lots of folks are dead. Sheriff Boone is dead. The rain won't stop. I ain't sleep in what feels like forever.

A giant monster like I never seen before came in, makin' the whole town shake with its footsteps. It was bigger than any building I seen before, and it walked right up to the pile of demons and started eatin' 'em. Father Jacob and a few others came scramblin' out of the church tryin' to excorcise it, but it ate him. Was the scariest thing; one second he was there shoutin' 'bout Christ and then all we was hearin' was the rain.

Then it roared the worst sound I ever heard; somethin' fittin the demon it was. The townsfolk tried shootin' at it but the damn thing didn't even care. Just made it angrier. All I could do was sit there an watch while Sheriff Boone ran out and grab some dynamite. The monster was fixin' to kill the townsfolk but Sheriff Boone caught its attention. Blew the damn thing's head clean off, and himself too. The rain got worse before we could even try and move the demon away.

I made everyone go home after that. Ain't no sense in bein' outside near all them bodies if it's gonna make more of 'em come.

I don't reckon I know what to pray for no more.

I saw God last night.

I saw His light in the sky, shinin' so bright next to the moon. It was beautiful. I begged Him for forgiveness, I begged Him to learn what I did wrong. But God ain't answerin' me.

I been begging God for the rain to stop, for forgiveness, and clarity. I see Him in the sky in the day now too. He's so bright behind these clouds, I can feel His touch.

But God ain't happy with me. I know my punishment is comin', and God almighty himself is deliverin' it.

One last time I will pray for forgiveness tonight.

- Hide Journal Logs

Footnotes

1. Due to the roughly similar location of discovery and dated time of origin, investigation of a connection between SCP-4003 and SCP-3834 is underway.

2. No recovered Dinosauria fossils have been noted to be feathered.

3. Prior to the discovery and widespread use of amnestics, the Foundation utilized Hypnosuggestive agents to induce amnesia and maintain secrecy. Though very powerful, the drug often had nearly fatal side effects. Use of Hypnosuggestive agents was discontinued in 1958.

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