SCP-3515

SCP-3515

Item #: SCP-3515

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-3515 is to be stored in a standard art locker at Site-77. Containment and testing locations must be situated no less than 50m from any on-site sleeping quarters or common area.

Description: SCP-3515 is a 40 cm x 60 cm charcoal drawing on paper, currently fitted in a wooden frame. The drawing depicts a barren landscape with a large knotted willow tree in the foreground, at the crest of a hill of bare earth. The artist and date of creation are unknown.

Persons spending more than one hour in close proximity to SCP-3515 (within a range of approximately five meters) will be subject to low-volume auditory hallucinations described as the sound of slow, steady digging. In noise comparison tests, subjects have most commonly matched SCP-3515-induced hallucinations with recordings of manual digging with a metal shovel in heavy clay soil. If an affected individual is no longer in proximity to SCP-3515, these auditory hallucinations cease.

If an individual enters slow-wave sleep (stage 3 of non-REM sleep) while in proximity to SCP-3515, that individual will spontaneously dematerialize. Dematerialization will include clothing and other objects physically attached to the individual. No further evidence is available of the location of civilians presumed to have been affected by this phenomenon. In Foundation experimentation, the most notable test to date has been Experimental Protocol 3515-C-01.

Experimental Protocol 3515-C-01: Selected Logs

Notes: A single test subject (D-6042) was placed in the testing chamber with SCP-3515 and a standard Foundation single bedding set. D-6042 was fitted with a GPS tracking device, a head-mounted camera and microphone, and a transmitter affixed to D-6042's clothing. Relevant extracts from the recording logs are set out below.

The initial phase of the experiment confirmed the presence of auditory hallucinations as anticipated, and showed no unexpected results. After initial observations were complete, the secondary effect of SCP-3515 was tested.

<Elapsed time: 1:46:07> D-6042: So you want me to lie down and go to sleep? Dr. Hallard: That's correct. Please do not remove or disable your equipment. D-6042: Okay. Uh, what are you testing for, please? Dr. Hallard: I'm sorry, I can't tell you that. We will be monitoring you at all times. D-6042: Right, sure. Hey, is there anything you can do about that noise? Dr. Hallard: I'm afraid not. Just try to ignore it. D-6042: I'll try to. It's pretty quiet, anyway. D-6042 lies in a lateral position, with the camera facing the wall of the testing chamber. No sound is recorded other than D-6042's breathing. After approximately 17 minutes, the attached electroencephalograph records D-6042 falling asleep. Approximately 20 minutes later, brain wave patterns indicate that D-6042 has reached slow-wave sleep. D-6042 dematerializes. Clothing and attached electronic devices also dematerialize, with the exception of the leads for the electroencephalograph, which remain on the bed. Signals from the camera, microphone and GPS continue to be received by the monitoring team. The GPS signal updates to a location in [REDACTED]. This location is confirmed by multilateration of the broadcast signal of the recording equipment. The view from the head-mounted camera changes to what appears to be another room: the wall is of a different colour, and the shape of the pillow also appears different. Breathing can be heard through the microphone, suggesting that D-6042 remains asleep. The monitoring team continues to observe while the closest Mobile Task Force is ordered to the location of the GPS signal. The MTF reports a suburban house, showing signs of recent habitation but with the current residents absent. Footage from one of the upstairs bedrooms resembles the interior shown on D-6042's camera. D-6042 is not present in the bedroom. After approximately three hours with no activity observed, the monitoring team agrees to attempt to wake D-6042 up. Dr. Hallard: D-6042. D-6042, can you hear me? D-6042! D-6042: Huh? What? Um, yes, yes I can hear you. Sorry, I was asleep. The camera turns to show the ceiling of the darkened room. Dr. Hallard: That's okay. How do you feel? D-6042: I'm fine. A bit groggy. But I'm fine. Why? Dr. Hallard: Can you describe your surroundings, please? The camera view turns, showing the interior of a typical bedroom including a bookcase and desk. The room's dimensions and paint colour are consistent with those observed by the Mobile Task Force, but the furnishings are different. Members of the MTF are not visible. D-6042: What the - what is this? Dr. Hallard: D-6042, do you recognise your location? D-6042: Uh, yeah. This is my bedroom. Um, in my parents' house, I mean. This is my bedroom from when I was a kid. Wow, those are my books. Dr. Hallard: We have agents in the room with you. They can't see you there. D-6042: There's no one here with me. How did I get here? Dr. Hallard: We're hoping you can help us work that out. You are the first person to document this phenomenon. Could you please have a look around and see if there is anything unusual. D-6042: Uh, I guess. D-6042 exits the bedroom and walks along a hallway. No other persons are observed. D-6042: Hello? Anyone here? No response is heard. D-6042 reaches a landing and proceeds down a flight of stairs. There are framed photographs on the wall of the staircase. D-6042: Wow, even the same pictures. The photographs appear normal and are consistent with known information about D-6042's family. Background checks confirm the GPS location as D-6042's childhood residence. D-6042: Any of you guys here? Mom? The MTF reports the return of the current owners of the property (who are unrelated to D-6042). They are temporarily detained by the Foundation and later amnesticized. D-6042 reaches the base of the stairs, and enters a living area. Electric lights are operational, but curtains are drawn. D-6042: This is so weird. It's just like it was when I was growing up. I fell off that sofa when I was seven, sprained my wrist. Dr. Hallard: So everything is as you remember. D-6042: Yeah, although a lot quieter with no one here. But otherwise - oh, wait a second. Dr. Hallard: What is it? D-6042: That painting, on the far wall. I don't remember that. D-6042 crosses the living area. The picture on the wall resembles SCP-3515. D-6042: That's the painting from the test. I'm sure we didn't have this at home. Dr. Hallard: You haven't seen that picture before the test? Do you recall having a different painting on this wall when you were a child? D-6042: No, I don't remember. But I haven't seen this picture before today. I'm sure. Dr. Hallard: Could you please go a little nearer so we can see it close up? D-6042 approaches SCP-3515. The details of the picture appear unchanged. D-6042: Looks the same to me. Dr. Hallard: Thank you. Same for us. D-6042: Although… I can't say for sure, but maybe the noise is a little bit louder? Dr. Hallard: The digging sound? D-6042: Yes. Dr. Hallard: Okay, we'll make a note of that. Keep an eye out for any other differences. In the meantime, could you please open the curtains? We'd like to look outside. D-6042 pulls open the curtains. The exterior of the window is obscured. D-6042: Weird, it's like it's covered in mud, or like - D-6042 runs to the front door of the house, unlocks it, and attempts to pull it open. The door appears to be stuck in place. D-6042: <grunting> D-6042 pulls on the handle, leaning away from the door. Suddenly the door opens, the camera hitting the ground as D-6042 falls. D-6042: <yelling> Ah! Ow! D-6042 scrambles away from the door. The camera struggles to focus. D-6042: <panting> Shit, shit. Dr. Hallard: D-6042, talk to us. Are you injured? What's going on? D-6042: You can't see it? D-6042 walks back towards the front door. The space behind the open door is filled with dark soil. Dirt has spilled onto the floor of the house, and onto D-6042's jumpsuit. D-6042: What the hell? D-6042 reaches through the doorway, pulling at the dirt. Clumps of earth fall to the ground, and more dirt falls into the gap from above. There is no obvious limit to the volume of soil outside the door. D-6042 moves rapidly through the kitchen and other rooms, pulling aside curtains and opening windows where possible. The entire house appears to be surrounded by packed earth. D-6042: What the fuck? What the fuck! Dr. Hallard: Please try to remain calm, D- D-6042: <shouting> Fuck that! D-6042 runs upstairs and into the house's bedrooms, continuing to curse and ignoring instructions from the monitoring team. All upstairs windows are also blocked with earth. D-6042 appears increasingly agitated. D-6042 returns downstairs to the living area, picks up a wooden chair and throws it at the window. D-6042: <unintelligible yelling> The window breaks. Dark earth spills through the crack. D-6042 falls to a sitting position, breathing heavily. D-6042: <breathing heavily> You bastards. You fucking bastards. You buried me.

Shortly afterward, D-6042 removed the camera and headset. The GPS tracking signal moved within the area of the house for several hours. Eventually, D-6042 returned to the living area and reattached the camera and headset, resuming contact with the monitoring team.

<Elapsed time: 8:49:06> Dr. Hallard: Thank you for coming back - D-6042: Shut up. You have to get me out of here. I've looked everywhere I can, and it's the same. This whole place is covered in dirt. Doors, windows, I even checked the basement. And behind it there's just more dirt. So you have to get me out. Okay? Dr. Hallard: I can assure you that we're trying every approach we possibly can to - D-6042: No, dammit! You have to get me out! Not "try" - do it! <breathing deeply> Look, okay, I'm sorry. I'm trying to stay calm but I am not all right here. I need you to help. Dr. Hallard: We're going to help you. We will. D-6042: Please. Dr. Hallard: We will. Now, have you eaten? D-6042: <sniffing> Yeah, a little. There's stuff in the kitchen. Dr. Hallard: Something to drink? We thought we could hear the taps running? D-6042: Yeah. Dr. Hallard: Slept? D-6042: No. Dr. Hallard: It's probably a good idea if - D-6042: How long do I have? Dr. Hallard: I'm sorry? D-6042: Until I run out of air. How long until there's no more oxygen? Dr. Hallard: Well, it's more the carbon dioxide that you need to - D-6042: <shouting> How long? Dr. Hallard: Uh. Actually it should be quite a long time. The house is pretty large, so provided we keep the air ventilating, you should have enough for weeks, maybe. D-6042: Oh. Is that true? Dr. Taylor: I mean, yes, it should be. D-6042: So you'll get me out. Dr. Hallard: Yes, we will. But first, I think we should all get some sleep, and we'll come up with a new plan tomorrow. D-6042: I don't know. Dr. Hallard: We've got plenty of time. You have lots of food and water, and - and there's nothing there to interfere with you. Ideally, I'd like to try with you sleeping in the living room. D-6042: No! No. I don't want to sleep here. Dr. Hallard: Is it the picture? I know how you feel, but it's possible that falling asleep with it again will reverse the effect. D-6042: <silence> D-6042: Okay. I'll try.

D-6042 slept for several hours in the living room. No change in situation was evident.

The next day, the experimental team guided D-6042 through the house, confirming that all areas outside of the building were filled with soil of various types and consistencies. Samples were collected for testing.

Attempts to use communication devices were unsuccessful. While all equipment was operational, telephone calls were not connected, other than to answering machines. The desktop computer was not able to be connected to the internet. The television could be viewed, but only pre-recorded programs were broadcast, with no live content.

Following these tests, it was determined that D-6042 would attempt to tunnel upwards from the house using a garden shovel from the basement. D-6042 spent the remainder of the day collecting supplies from within the house, including food and battery-powered lighting. The monitoring team provided instruction on setting up a makeshift ventilation system to provide air circulation.

On the next morning, D-6042 returned to a window in the attic to commence digging.

<Elapsed time: 41:12:54> Dr. Hallard: Okay, switch the fans on as you go past. Good. Then start the hole at the top. Just below the top of the window. D-6042: <grunting> Dr. Hallard: Great. May as well just throw it back down the stairs. And then just keep going like that. We'll be here if you want to talk. D-6042: <panting> Jeez, this is going to take forever. Do I have to start from the top? Dr. Hallard: I know the angle is awkward, but it will get easier once you've started the tunnel. Doing it this way means you can keep that arch-shape at the top, which will be more stable. And it will help make sure you're always heading upwards, although we can use the spirit level for that once you've gotten going. D-6042: Okay, James - you know best.

D-6042 made slow but steady progress on the tunnel during the day. D-6042's attitude during this period fluctuated between anger, withdrawal and a strong desire for conversation. When preparing to sleep that night, D-6042 watched television for several hours. Digging resumed on the second day.

<Elapsed time: 69:44:18> D-6042 is at the end of the tunnel, shovelling heavy clay onto a toboggan used to transport it back to the attic. On the next strike, the shovel blade makes a sharp noise. D-6042: I hit something! James! Dr. Hallard: I'm here. What is it? D-6042: I hit something. There's something hard here. D-6042 leans forward and pulls at the tunnel face with both hands. Lumps of clay fall, revealing a white shape. D-6042: Can you see this James? Dr. Hallard: Yes, we see it. Further digging reveals the shape as a long bone. D-6042 pulls away. D-6042: Shit, that's a bone. Shit. Dr. Hallard: That's okay. You'd expect bones underground, wouldn't you. D-6042: No. No no no. That's not right. It's not right James, do you know why? I've been digging and digging, but there's nothing here. No worms, no bugs, nothing that lives underground. No moles, nothing. So if they aren't here, why is there a bone? Dr. Hallard: Let's take a closer look at it, okay - see what we can learn about it. D-6042: <breathing deeply> Right. All right. D-6042 pulls away dirt from around the bone, moving down its length. A large chunk of clay comes loose at the base, revealing the bones of a human foot. D-6042: Oh fuck! I told you. Fuck. D-6042 scrambles back out of the tunnel and into the house. The monitoring team's attempts to discuss the situation are ignored, and the headset is abandoned for some time. After approximately two hours, D-6042 is observed walking past the headset and into the tunnel, carrying the shovel. Forty-five minutes later, D-6042 returns to the attic and reattaches the headset. D-6042: I told you. Are you there? Dr. Hallard: Yes, we're here. What did you tell us? D-6042: I'll show you. This place is - I'll show you. D-6042 returns to the tunnel. Halfway along its length, the side of the tunnel shows signs of recent digging, forming a shallow branch at an angle to the main tunnel. Two bones protrude from the earth at knee height. They appear similar to human radius and ulna. D-6042: See? Do you see that? D-6042 uses the shovel to move the loose dirt on the tunnel floor. A series of smaller bones are observed, presumed to be human carpal, metacarpal and phalanges. D-6042: Tell me what the fuck is going on? Dr. Hallard: I can't. I'm sorry, I don't know what this is. We're doing our best. D-6042: Your best? D-6042 swings the shovel hard into the tunnel face at shoulder height, digging erratically. A sharp scraping sound is heard. D-6042 swings again, and a large clump of earth falls. As it hits the tunnel floor, it breaks open, revealing a second human hand, partially decomposed. There is a sound of dry retching, and D-6042 retreats from the tunnel. Laboured breathing is heard for several minutes. Dr. Hallard: D-6042? Buddy? Are you okay? D-6042: <softly> Please. You need to do more. I can't. Dr. Hallard: We're doing it. We can see your GPS signal - when you're in the tunnel, at the other end, it's coming from in the garden. We have a team coming - they're going to start digging down towards you. We'll get you out. D-6042: Please. You have to. Dr. Hallard: We will. But we need you to keep digging up towards us. We'll see on the camera what you're seeing, and we can use that to see how close we are to finding you. D-6042: No. No more. Not today. Dr. Hallard: Okay, that's okay. We'll start again tomorrow.

D-6042 spent the rest of the day eating and sitting near the television. Early on the following morning, as D-6042 was climbing to the tunnel entrance, the lights in the house lost power.