SCP-4806

Left: Instance of SCP-4806 in ███████, Washington, USA (Incident 4806-282); Right: Close-up of SCP-4806-A in previous photo, entity circled in red

Item #: SCP-4806

Object Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: Given its nature, SCP-4806 cannot be feasibly contained. Should an instance manifest in a major metropolitan area, local Emergency Broadcast Systems will be utilized to emit auditory — and, where possible, visual — subconscious aversion memetics (SAMs) to deter civilian observation of SCP-4806. Fatalities caused by SCP-4806 are to be officially labeled suicides and published as such in coroner’s reports. Direct witnesses to these deaths are to be administered Class-A amnestics, including any and all first responders. Social media and image sharing activity around manifestations should be monitored and interfered with as necessary to prevent a breach of secrecy.

Description: SCP-4806 are tower cranes that appear spontaneously at construction sites in metropolitan areas. As an instance has never been observed being assembled or transported, it is currently theorized that SCP-4806 manifest instantaneously—typically during the early morning. SCP-4806 also appear to manifest worldwide and at random, with instances recorded across 45 countries. Only one instance of SCP-4806 will manifest at a time, and time gaps between manifestations range from two days to five months. It is unclear if SCP-4806 instances are simply identical or if SCP-4806 is a single object manifesting in different locations, though all instances exhibit consistent —though not completely similar — properties.

In 70% of manifestations, SCP-4806 will remain at their locations for approximately 24 hours before spontaneously demanifesting. Instances carry a strong memetic effect; any individuals working at construction sites, when questioned about SCP-4806’s sudden appearance, appear confused and nonchalant, often stating that the object has been on-site for weeks. Other civilian witnesses also demonstrate apathy toward SCP-4806, even if the materialization occurs under their direct observation. Demanifestation will occur after all construction personnel have left the site or 24 hours have elapsed — whichever occurs last. After demanifestation, individuals will have no recollection of SCP-4806’s prior existence.

In approximately 30% of instances, however, a vaguely humanoid figure — designated SCP-4806-A — manifests at the tip of the crane’s jib during midday, typically around 1:30pm. When observing SCP-4806-A, onlookers will become convinced that the entity is a suicidal individual, and immediately begin displaying signs of distress. Because SCP-4806 appear in highly-populated areas, this effect is highly contagious, spreading through crowds rapidly as more and more people draw attention to SCP-4806-A. This spread has been confirmed to be non-anomalous.

After initial observation, any nearby individuals will inevitably attempt to access SCP-4806 in order to scale it and dissuade SCP-4806-A from suicide. This behavior is often highly aggressive, self-endangering, and frantic, and has included:

An individual assaulting a construction worker in an attempt to hijack another crane adjacent to SCP-4806 (Incident 4806-25).

An individual ramming his car through physical barriers and into an active construction site (Incident 4806-41).

A paraplegic individual exiting his wheelchair and attempting to scale a fence surrounding SCP-4806 (Incident 4806-97)

An infant “grasping” for the entrance to an SCP-4806-occupied site before wrestling out of her mother’s arms (Incident 4806-182)

A news helicopter attempting to land on SCP-4806 to “rescue” SCP-4806-A (Incident 4806-203)

Should an individual succeed in accessing SCP-4806 — either by breaching and ascending the tower ladder or using another object to enter SCP-4806 — they will inevitably position themselves at the end of the crane jib and attempt to make verbal and physical contact with SCP-4806-A. Though the jib can be elevated upwards of 60m in the air, affected individuals display no signs of vertigo, sometimes pacing back and forth or running across the top beams. They will often begin pleading with SCP-4806 in an unusually distressed manner or attempt to physically force it back from the tip.

When contact is made with SCP-4806-A, one of the following will occur:

If the individual stops within five meters of SCP-4806-A, SCP-4806 will instantaneously demanifest, sending any persons currently on SCP-4806 falling, typically resulting in death.

If the individual stops within one meter of SCP-4806-A, SCP-4806-A will extend an armlike appendage to the individual’s shoulder before vanishing. Any individuals currently positioned on SCP-4806 will then cease all vocalization and make their way to SCP-4806’s jib. Once all persons are positioned on the tip of the jib, they will synchroniously jump, at which point SCP-4806 will demanifest.

If the individual makes physical contact with SCP-4806-A, SCP-4806-A will extend an armlike appendage to the individual's shoulder. The individual's figure will begin flickering rapidly before vanishing for 3.5 seconds. During these 3.5 seconds, the individual's corpse will manifest on the ground directly below the tip of the crane jib. The condition of the corpses from past incidents suggest significant trauma consistent with high-velocity impact. Immediately after this span of time, the corpse will re-appear at the top of SCP-4806, slumped over the jib. SCP-4806-A will then vanish and the individual’s corpse will levitate to the entity’s prior position and take its place, at which point SCP-4806 and the corpse will demanifest.

Addendum 4806.1: Survivor Interview