SCP-3605/034-A, Iteration 001

Item #: SCP-3605
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: Inactive SCP-3605 instances are to be stored in a standard high-value containment locker in Site 73; active SCP-3605 instances are currently being monitored by a rotating containment team. No new photographs are to be exposed to SCP-3605 instances without the approval of the Site Director.
The exact significance of C/1911 O1 to Fifthist ideology is currently being evaluated.
Description: SCP-3605 designates a collection of fifty-five vintage photographs of C/1911 O1 (Brooks), a comet that passed by Earth in the second half of 1911 and was brightly visible to the naked eye. SCP-3605/05 appears to be the original copy that the other facsimiles were based on, despite being labeled "Comet #5" on the reverse side. Research has revealed that the photograph was likely taken somewhere in the midwestern United States.
When any physical photograph depicting a visible celestial dome is brought within a 1.5 meter1 radius of any SCP-3605 instance, the latter's anomalous properties begin to manifest. The sky portion of a 3605-affected photograph will have its contents replaced by the image of C/1911 O1 during the first iteration (see above image), and persons depicted in the photograph will turn their heads toward it in the second iteration. Following this initial transformation, the affected photograph's content will change every five hours, and various anomalous activities are depicted, usually centering around the comet and the nearby stars (see Observational Data). SCP-3605 affected photographs will continue to change at an unpredictable rate until reaching their end form (with final transformations occurring as early as Iteration 005 and as late as Iteration 050). In all iterations after the first, the placement of C/1911 O1 within the photograph will remain unchanged. SCP-3605 instances only affect photographs capturing events in the real world; illustrations of any kind are not affected.
SCP-3605 instances were recovered in 2016 following an investigation into Fifthist members operating out of a vacant building that had been formerly used as a Polaroid development shop. Three persons were found deceased inside; post-mortem analysis indicated subjects had expired approximately three to four days before Foundation discovery. Additionally, subjects' eyes [REDACTED]2 A journal belonging to POI-3605-013 was recovered during the raid, excerpts of which have been reproduced below. Grammar and spelling have been corrected as needed.

January 3
Hey, paper, it's me, [POI-3605-01]. We're finally at that place the comet and the stars told me to go to. Don't know if I was expecting anything more impressive, but all that's left here are a few signs and one or two broken cameras. The materials are sparse, but the energy…yeah, I can feel it. We hit paydirt.
[POI-3605-02] is skeptical, thinks we shouldn't be wasting our time here. But I'm convinced that we can use this place to connect to that comet…C/1911 O1, if I remember the technical name right. When I was smoking it4 outside our church last month, when the vision hit me, right in that field there were three things: that shop, the little glowing friends, and that big, beautiful white comet.
We just brought the photos and the telescope in today. We also took the book with us, but we're not using it exactly how it says we're supposed to. I'm kinda nervous but we might need it and it's a good reminder of why we're here. [POI-3605-2] seemed kinda pissed at me for using the book wrong, like it was the Bible or something. She doesn't get it. The whole reason I want us to do this is to show people what Chapter 2 was talking about, and why it doesn't have to be this way. First we show them pictures, and then they help us make it a reality.
[POI-3605-3] is going to keep watch while we sleep. If either of us spot it, we let the other know right away.

January 7
The photo changed today! [POI-3605-2] was getting ready to give up, but right when she was walking out the door I saw the comet. It was on that picture of her and her mom at Yosemite National Park. It was bright and warm outside when they took that photo, but the sky was black behind them, and it looked all grainy and old. But I guess that's because the comet photos are…
…what was I saying? I'm forgetting stuff. The comet, man. Gotta focus on the comet. Remember what the book says: "Now is our time. Here is our space. We take your comet."

We're getting closer.

January 10
[POI-3605-2] got a little upset today when she saw what happened to the Yosemite photo. [POI-3605-3] managed to calm her down but I guess I can't blame her. An image can only give you an idea of being with the comet is like, and you really have to experience it for yourself. [REDACTED]5 and I hope it works out for them too, but this is gonna be different. We're not creating anything. We're bringing something back.
I know we haven't seen it yet, but this almost feels like we're meeting an old friend. Our hard work will pay off when we can look at it. Look at it riding down the heavens and promising us true unity. We're coming for you, buddy.

[undated]
Holy shit man I just remembered something. Something I can't believe I didn't tell [POI-3605-2] and [POI-3605-3] first.
It was blue. It was fucking blue. I just looked it up on the Wikipedia article. I must've been smoking so much herb I forgot that the past wasn't black and white.
I wish I had Doctor Who's telephone box so I could go back in time to where the guy who took the first photo was. Just imagine what it would've been like to see our friend in all its glory, instead of just having these old pictures. Don't worry, Brooks. We're bringing you back. And we're all gonna be in that beautiful blue paradise.

January 15
It happened. Today was the day.
I woke up and I didn't know if I was really awake or just dreaming. But [POI-3605-2] and [POI-3605-3] were both standing outside, staring up at the sky. I knew this was it.
It was up there. Brooks. Big, BLUE, wonderful Brooks. It wasn't moving. It was just…shooting in place. All the wavy things on the side of it were moving, but it wasn't. It was like a gif.
And the stars…the stars were like in the photos. The grainy parts looked like someone redid the sky with MS Paint. And we stared.
God we just stared for so fucking long.
And [REDACTED]6. I think it was the same sort of thing the other guys were looking for. They were talking to us, like we were their friends, but they said we're not ready yet.
Then we were back here. Wait how did we get back here? Where is Brooks?

January 18
Ok ok calm down. Three days now and everything still looks normal outside. We brought it back for a moment and now it's gone again. All of our photos have made ascendancy. [POI-3605-2] ripped Yosemite apart because she got united in it, but not here. Me neither.
Me neither. Can't calm down, can't think of anything else. Where are you after all we did for you why not come back blue[sic]

[undated]
Please come back.

[undated]
We are ready

[undated]
I love you Brooks

[undated]
The blue is so beautiful

[END EXCERPTS - CONSULT SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENT 3605/B FOR FULL ACCESS]
Observational Data
Below is an example of SCP-3605's main effect, recorded during the exposure of instance 3605/034 to a non-anomalous photograph. For full access to Observational Data logs, consult Supplementary Document 3605/A.
SCP-3605 Affected Photograph: Black and white contemporary photograph of Sixth Avenue in New York City, 1922.

Iteration
Description

001
Sky above New York is replaced with a replica of SCP-3605. Based on perspective, C/1911 O1 appears to be extremely close to making impact with the island of Manhattan.

002
All persons present in the photograph immediately turn their attention towards the comet. The latter's position within the atmosphere remains unchanged.

003-006
Stars within the sky gradually move from their original position to the ground level of the photograph without changing in size, appearing as glowing white orbs floating above the street. Effects of photographic decomposition due to aging are reversed and elements of the image become more detailed, with people now having visible identifiable facial expressions. Persons in the photograph (including background figures barely or partially visible in the first iteration that are now in the foreground) all display expressions of happiness or relief while staring at the orbs.

006-009
Star-orbs make their way to individual persons in the photograph and integrate themselves into their bodies, appearing as a glowing white hole in the middle of their abdomens. [REDACTED]7Subjects depicted do not show any signs of discomfort, and instead spread their arms in a welcoming gesture as the orbs enter their bodies.

009-015
Subjects begin to levitate approximately one meter off of the ground while their legs and arms go limp. Levitating people gradually move to the center of the photograph next to the lampost and form a circle from their bodies. After the circle is formed, the star-orbs begin to project from the subjects' abdomens to the center of it until the circle encloses a large, glowing light.

016-020
Subjects "fly" from the center of the photograph to C/1911 O1 while surrounding the light, their visibility reducing in each iteration until they vanish into the center of the comet. Final Iteration: 020

+ Addendum 3605.A [SITE DIRECTOR CLEARANCE REQUIRED]

- [CLEARANCE ACCEPTED]

Following the discovery and classification of SCP-3255, SCP-3605's documentation was partially censored for security reasons as connections between the two anomalous phenomena became apparent. Specifically:

Identities of the subjects have been confirmed to be prominent Fifthist members (names were expunged by special order of O5 Command) who were aware of the activities at the Indrid Arto Mental Wellness Center and disagreed with their methods. Several diary entries directly reference them, with one saying "Those guys are trying to reinvent the wheel, when all we have to do is tune it to the energy and we can find what was already there."
Upon initial discovery, the cadavers of POI-3605-01, 02, and 03 each had two bright blue orbs located within their eye sockets. The orbs resembled smaller versions of the miniaturized stars discovered within SCP-3255 and could not be moved by any means, even after significant decomposition. The cadavers were classified as SCP-3605-A, SCP-3605-B and SCP-3605-C and were moved to Site-11.
Long-term exposure to SCP-3605 instances causes the viewer to begin to conform to Fifthist beliefs and repeatedly profess a love for comets, especially C/1911 O1. Accordingly, containment procedures have been updated to ensure weekly rotation of SCP-3605 containment staff. Class D Amnestics are issued after each rotation which remove specific memories of SCP-3605 instances while still leaving subjects aware they worked with them.
In approximately 13% of SCP-3605 affected photographs, persons depicted will have their eyes removed and replaced with blue orbs similar to the ones seen in the aforementioned cadavers. After persons have disappeared into the comet, the orbs will stay behind and remain in the circle the subjects were previously in. Eventually, these will be integrated into the C/1911 O1 background, taking the place of the stars that were removed in previous iterations. Final iteration resembles the first, except without any people present in it.

Footnotes
1. Measured as five feet in the United States.
2. Site Director clearance required. See Addendum 3605.A.
3. Names have been removed and substituted with POI-3605-XX designations.
4. The substance referred to here is likely cannabis, as the shop contained trace amounts of it upon discovery. However, symptoms described in withheld entries are consistent with an anomalous substance.
5. See Addendum 3605.A
6. See Addendum 3605.A
7. See Addendum 3605.A

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