SCP-6181: The Opposite of Progress
They're salamanders, get it? Or maybe it's the collective noun for ravens. But I digress.

▸ More by this Author ◂

{$comments2}

F.A.Q.

{$doesthisfixthebug}

Item #: SCP-6181
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: Given the remoteness of SCP-6181's location, only minimal containment is deemed necessary. A fence has been constructed along a 1 km perimeter, with motion sensors rigged to alert command at Site-802 in Juneau in case of unauthorized access.
Update 30/08/2013: Subsequent to Incident 6181-06, razor wire and inward-angled pales have been installed atop the fence.
Description: SCP-6181 is a freshwater pond located in the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness of the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, approximately 5 km from the US-Canada border. It is roughly circular, 145 meters across at its widest point, and 12 meters deep in the center.
The water in SCP-6181 is chemically equivalent to that of other freshwater pools in the area. However, the surface visibly bubbles at all times, obscuring the view beneath.
SCP-6181 is host to two previously unknown species.
SCP-6181-1 superficially resemble Bathynomus giganteus1. Due to their anomalous durability, sample testing has not been possible. There are currently 144 145 instances of SCP-6181-1 within SCP-6181. Each instance of SCP-6181-1 is attempting to make egress from SCP-6181, but this process is impeded by SCP-6181-2.
SCP-6181-2 superficially resemble Cryptobranchus alleganiensis2. The primary physical divergences include an averaging length of 120 cm, two to three times the length of non-anomalous specimens, and a large mass of black tentacles in place of a tongue. These appendages are capable of extending indefinitely, well past the length of the creature's own body, and are extremely strong and dextrous. There are currently 50 instances of SCP-6181-2 within SCP-6181.
SCP-6181-2 reside on the bottom of SCP-6181, partially buried in the substrate of the pond's floor. Each instance holds one to three instances of SCP-6181-1 within its tentacles, the ends of which are embedded between plates of the SCP-6181-1 instances' carapaces. This is believed to be a feeding behavior, though no instance of SCP-6181-1 has been damaged, destroyed or otherwise harmed by this behavior since containment started.
On rare occasions, an SCP-6181-1 instance will free itself from SCP-6181-2 and begin to scale the incline toward the water's surface. This invariably results in the associated SCP-6181-2 instance using its tentacles to latch on to the SCP-6181-1 instance and drag it back before reinserting its tentacles into the carapace and resuming its position in the substrate.
Addendum 6181.01: Incident 6181-06
On 28/08/2013, an experiment was authorized in which an instance of SCP-6181-1 would be assisted in leaving SCP-6181 in order to discover its intentions once freed. Dr. Harvey Hollenbach, Lead Researcher, oversaw a dive team in selecting an instance of SCP-6181-2 with a single SCP-6181-1 in its tentacles. The dive team removed the tentacles from the carapace and prevented the SCP-6181-2 instance from regaining its hold on the instance of SCP-6181-1, now designated SCP-6181-3, as it made the 12-minute ascent up the side of SCP-6181.
(Notably, SCP-6181-3 did not attempt to swim, despite the silt interfering with its mobility, behavior inconsistent with non-anomalous Bathynomus giganteus.)
Upon emerging from SCP-6181, SCP-6181-3's form changed to that of a tan-skinned, hairless humanoid with no genitalia, a process that took 2 minutes to complete. Dr. Hollenbach took the opportunity to conduct an interview with the instance, transcript below.

SCP-6181-3: The legends are true! The surface is real! I've made it!
Dr. Hollenbach: Hello?
[SCP-6181-3 turns onto its back to view Dr. Hollenbach and smiles.]
SCP-6181-3: And I'm not alone! I am joyful to unite with you in enlightenment, my brother or sister!
Dr. Hollenbach: I, ah… Charmed, I'm sure. Would you mind answering a question for me?
SCP-6181-3: Of course not! Here, all are one and pain is but a memory.
Dr. Hollenbach: I see. Could you tell me why the, ah, the other creatures in the water have attempted to keep you from, um, reaching enlightenment?
[SCP-6181-3 frowns and is silent for a minute.]
SCP-6181-3: I do not wish to cast aspersions on another being, not even they. But I believe they are jealous. They want to hold us back, to keep us from becoming our highest selves, because they hate who they are. They want all to suffer as they do. It pains me to dwell on this, but I believe it is the answer to your question. I pray they one day find peace.

At this point, the dive team lost control of their instance of SCP-6181-2, which vertically breached the water and began attacking personnel with its tentacles. SCP-6181-3 attempted to flee, but Dr. Hollenbach tackled it, and amidst SCP-6181-3's struggles and protestations, both fell into SCP-6181. The SCP-6181-2 instance attached its tentacles to Dr. Hollenbach and SCP-6181-3 before returning to its place in SCP-6181.
No other casualties resulted from this event.
Addendum 6181.02
Investigation into the nature of the bubbles within SCP-6181 revealed they were emitted by SCP-6181-2. A hydrophone was lowered into the center of SCP-6181, where it picked up speech from multiple sources. Interpretation was difficult due to the myriad overlapping voices, but a few clear examples are listed below.

You'll never make it, stop trying.

Stay down here.

You couldn't do anything even if you made it out.

You think you're better than us? You're nothing

If the surface was real, we'd be there already.

Footnotes
1. Giant isopods.
2. Hellbender salamanders.

« SCP-6180 | SCP-6181 | SCP-6182 »