EXPLORATION LOG

DATE: 21/03/1981

TEAM: D-52189 (D-ALPHA), D-91064 (D-BETA)

[BEGIN LOG.]

[Camera feed displays a wooded path. It is mid-morning. There is a light mist obscuring the distance.]

D-ALPHA: Alright, we clear?

D-BETA: Yeah.

RADIO: You're coming in fine. You're clear to proceed.

D-ALPHA: Alright.

[D-ALPHA proceeds forward, moving along the trail. The camera briefly turns, looking back; D-BETA follows, glancing from side to side. Their tethers extend into the fog behind them.]

D-ALPHA: You good?

D-BETA: Yeah.

[The camera turns back to the path. D-ALPHA continues moving forward for two minutes.]

[There is a thump, followed by a shout of pain. The camera turns, looking back; D-BETA is on the ground, having tripped.]

D-BETA: Fucking hell!

D-ALPHA: You alright?

[D-BETA pulls himself up to his feet; D-ALPHA moves to help, but D-BETA shrugs him away. The camera briefly lingers on what D-BETA tripped on: a partially buried concrete tile, cracked and broken.]

D-BETA: I'm fine.

D-ALPHA: You sure?

[D-BETA dusts himself off and kicks the broken tile he tripped on.]

D-BETA: I said I'm fine.

D-ALPHA: Alright.

[The camera turns. D-ALPHA resumes walking down the path.]

D-ALPHA: So… First timer?

D-BETA: Huh?

D-ALPHA: You look like you got the first-time jitters.

D-BETA: I'm fine. Let's just get this done, alright?

D-ALPHA: Yeah. Just don't want you to be anxious is all. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, these jobs are just boring as fuck.

D-BETA: Okay.

[D-ALPHA continues moving forward for the next five minutes.]

D-BETA: Uh.

[The camera turns to look back at D-BETA.]

D-ALPHA: Something wrong?

D-BETA: You don't hear that?

D-ALPHA: I don't hear anything.

D-BETA: Right. Nothing.

[D-ALPHA stops. For several seconds, they don't move.]

D-ALPHA: Well, fuck.

RADIO: Guys, can we move this along?

D-ALPHA: There a reason this place is quiet as fuck, doc?

RADIO: It's nothing to worry about. The tethers will keep you safe. Just stay on the path and go to the camp-site, alright?

D-ALPHA: Ugh. C'mon.

[D-BETA shakes his head and begins moving forward. The camera turns back to the path. D-ALPHA starts walking.]

[They continue to walk in silence for several minutes.]

D-BETA: So, what about the one time in a hundred?

D-ALPHA: Hm?

D-BETA: You said ninety nine times out of a hundred, this job is —

D-ALPHA: Oh. Right. Yeah, you, uh. You don't want to know about the one time in a hundred.

D-BETA: Great.

D-ALPHA: Just keep your head down and don't do anything stupid.

[They continue to walk for nearly half a minute.]

D-BETA: Wait. Stop.

[The camera turns to face D-BETA. He appears distressed.]

D-BETA: (whispering) You hear that?

D-ALPHA: I don't —

RADIO: Just keep walking, Alpha.

D-BETA: (whispering) Listen.

[D-ALPHA and D-BETA do not move for several seconds.]

D-ALPHA: (whispering) Shit.

D-BETA: (whispering) Someone shouting, way off. It sounds…

D-ALPHA: (whispering) Is it up ahead?

D-BETA: (whispering) Can't tell.

RADIO: Keep moving forward. Don't pay attention to any sounds.

D-ALPHA: (whispering) You gotta be fucking with me. Fuck.

D-BETA: (whispering) Let's just go slow.

[The camera turns to the path. D-ALPHA moves ahead slowly.]

[The collapsed tent can be seen up ahead. As they approach, their pace grows slower. The camera tilts back, showing various articles of clothing and packs up in the branches.]

D-ALPHA: (whispering) Fuck.

D-BETA: (whispering) I'll climb up. Keep an eye out.

[D-BETA moves forward, climbing up the tree. After half a minute, he climbs up to one of the lower branches and pushes a pack to the ground. He then descends as D-ALPHA moves forward to pick it up and examine it.]

D-BETA: (breathing heavy) There's some sort of —

[D-ALPHA sifts through the pack's contents. It includes an empty canteen, an old pocket knife, and several rolled up candy-bar wrappers. One candy-bar remains; he tucks the pack under his shoulder and begins unwrapping it.]

D-BETA: (breathing heavily) — some sort of carving, up there, in the — are you — you aren't seriously going to —

[D-ALPHA finishes unwrapping the bar. He can be heard taking a bite.]

D-BETA: Are you fucking with me?

D-ALPHA: (spitting) Fuck. Tastes stale.

D-BETA: You've got to be fucking with me. That looks like it came from the 1950s.

[D-ALPHA throws the candy-bar into the pack.] What did you see?

D-BETA: Some sort of — somebody carved their initials up there. 'A B'.

D-ALPHA: That's it?

D-BETA: Yeah. It looked like someone might have been hiding up there for a long while.

D-ALPHA: In the tree branches?

D-BETA: Yeah.

D-ALPHA: Okay. Hey, doc? Are we —

RADIO: Yes. You're done here, for now. Just come back the way you came. Bring the backpack, and as much of the tent as you can with you.

D-ALPHA: Okay. Let's —

[A distant yelling is heard.]

D-BETA: (whispering) Shit. Shit.

D-ALPHA: (whispering) Fuck. Doc, did you —

RADIO: Yes. I heard that. Get b — (static) will (static) back t — (static)

D-BETA: Fuck!

[The camera swings to D-BETA, who is grasping his tether in one hand and the tree with the other. His tether is currently taut, extending down and into the fog.]

D-ALPHA: Shit! Doc, is that —

RADIO: (static)

[D-BETA loses his grip on the tree. He is reeled in by the tether, stumbling to the ground. His body is dragged into the fog behind them.]

D-BETA: (distant screaming)

D-ALPHA: Shit! Shit!

[D-ALPHA drops the backpack and frantically works to disengage his tether. Shortly after he does, the tether snaps out of his hands and vanishes back into the fog.]

D-ALPHA: Shit!

[D-ALPHA climbs up the tree, ascending to one of the thicker branches. The camera turns to look down; the surroundings are obscured by fog.]

D-ALPHA: Shit. Uh. Hello? Can anyone hear me?

[D-ALPHA remains still, watching the fog.]

D-ALPHA: Shit.

[Several minutes pass. It begins to grow significantly darker.]

D-ALPHA: (whispering) Hello?

RADIO: (static) — heard — (static)

D-ALPHA: Oh thank God. Thank God. Doc, come back. Can you hear me? Thank God.

RADIO: (static)

D-ALPHA: Doc? Come back. Doc?

RADIO: (static) — back the way you came — (static)

D-ALPHA: Okay. Okay. Back the way I came?

[D-ALPHA slowly climbs down the tree. He begins making his way down the path he came along.]

D-ALPHA: Doc? You there?

RADIO: (static) — coming in fine. You're clear to proceed.

D-ALPHA: What happened to Beta? I saw him get reeled in by the tether. Is he —

RADIO: Just come back the way you came.

D-ALPHA: What happened? At least tell me if you reeled him in or not.

RADIO: Keep moving forward.

D-ALPHA: Fucking hell.

[D-ALPHA continues to walk down the path for several more minutes. It is now growing significantly darker. Vision is obscured.]

D-ALPHA: Am I getting close?

RADIO: You're done here, for now.

D-ALPHA: Just tell me if I'm getting close, doc.

RADIO: Keep moving forward.

D-ALPHA: Am I close?

RADIO: Keep moving forward.

D-ALPHA: You already said that.

RADIO: You're done here, for now.

D-ALPHA: You already said — oh.

[D-ALPHA stops walking.]

D-ALPHA: (whispering) Oh. Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck.

RADIO: You're done here, for now. Just come back the way you came.

D-ALPHA: (whispering) Who — who is —

RADIO: Yes. You're done here, for now. Just come back the way you came. Bring the backpack, and as much of the tent as you can with you.

D-ALPHA: (whispering) Shit shit shit —

RADIO: You're done here, for now. Just come back —

[There is a muffled popping sound as D-ALPHA pulls the radio's audio line out of the camera. He throws his ear-piece to the ground, then runs off the path and into the woods.]

D-ALPHA: (breathing heavily) Fuck. Fuck.

[D-ALPHA continues to run through the trees and fog for approximately two minutes. Ahead, there is a large shape looming.]

D-ALPHA: (breathing heavily) Oh please, please —

[D-ALPHA approaches the shape. It is a large two-story residence; a light can be seen from an attic window.]

D-ALPHA: (breathing heavily) The fuck is — fucking —

[Distant screaming.]

D-ALPHA: (breathing heavily) Fuck. Fuck.

[D-ALPHA moves to the front door. After several tries, he discovers it is locked. He begins banging on it.]

D-ALPHA: Hey! Hey, is someone in there? Hey! Someone help me! Hey!

[D-ALPHA continues banging on the door for another half-minute.]

[A distant yelling is heard.]

D-ALPHA: Somebody! Let me in! Let me —

[The yelling grows louder.]

[D-ALPHA leaves the door, circling the house frantically. He comes across the entrance of a storm cellar.]

[The yelling grows louder.]

[D-ALPHA grabs the double-doors and pulls. The doors open; a set of stairs lead down. A very faint yellow glow is visible from below.]

[The yelling grows louder.]

Recovered footage from D-52189's camera.

[D-ALPHA stumbles down the steps and into a hallway. The walls are caked in what appears to be tar; on the left wall, there is an electric lantern. A closed door is directly ahead.]

D-ALPHA: (whispering, breathing heavily) Fuck fuck fuck fuck —

[D-ALPHA moves quickly but cautiously down the tunnel. As he approaches, the yelling stops.]

[D-ALPHA pauses.]

[Scratching sounds are heard.]

D-ALPHA: (whispering) What is — oh, oh fuck —

[The scratching sounds stop. The door begins to open.]

[END LOG.]

NOTE: Both D-52189 and D-91064's tethers were recovered with no one attached. D-52189's partially damaged camera was recovered on 25/03/1981 along the edge of SCP-3219. As of this date, both personnel remain missing.