SCP-2601

SCP-2601 was retrieved from this church in █████████, ██, USA during early 2013. At the time of acquisition, the church had been empty and unattended for decades, despite a well-maintained exterior.

Item #: SCP-2601

Object Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: The locus of SCP-2601 is to be secured to a rectangular steel conveyance assembly using bolts. The assembly must be further encircled by a welded steel cage with gaps wide enough to permit physical contact with the locus. The conveyance assembly is to be located at the center of four specially-constructed long term humanoid containment units numbered A through D. Maintenance access to the conveyance interior is possible only via remote-controlled doors inside the containment chamber.

The construction of rooms S176/4/2601/A through S176/4/2601/▒ is largely typical, with the exception of maintenance hatches, a titanium grate aperture to allow voluntary physical contact with SCP-2601, and a circular one-meter aperture in the ceiling for dispensing concrete. Finally, the floors are capable of sliding into the wall and exposing a sheer, concrete-walled pit thirty (30) meters deep.

In the event of a breach or noncompliance event within the conveyance access chamber, procedure 2601-MALCHIAH must be performed in all four chambers simultaneously. If this is insufficient to resolve the noncompliance event, procedure 2601-JULIAN must be implemented except by order of the O5 council within ten (10) minutes of the noncompliance event.

D-class personnel selected for testing must not be eligible for the amnestic recycling policy, unless otherwise required by SCP-2601's conveyance maintenance schedule.

Test logs must not be numbered sequentially, and should convey no information about the order or number of tests performed.

Description: SCP-2601 is an unstable equilibrium of antimemetic and infocaustic phenomena which combine to form an extremely potent, slow-progressing, biologically bound infophage. The phenomenon is transmitted by physical contact with an object catalogued as SCP-2601-Locus. SCP-2601's locus was retrieved from an American church in 2013, presumably by Foundation personnel, but no records of the object's acquisition have survived.

SCP-2601's first-order effect is comprised of two parts: an antimemetic component, which renders information about the subject unrememberable or imperceptible, and an infocaustic component, which physically deletes information from reality. As such, mnestic treatment is only partially effective in persisting knowledge about SCP-2601 and individuals affected by it.

SCP-2601's second-order effect is similar, but affects all individuals perceiving or attempting to perceive SCP-2601's locus. Information about the locus's appearance, creation, discovery, and durability are impossible to observe or confirm by any means, including indirectly through electronic surveillance or recorded data. Although the second-order effect seems to have the same dual antimemetic and infocaustic components, it does not in itself progress to full infection by SCP-2601's first order effect.

At first, highly personal information is erased, such as parental relationships, sibling relationships, and fundamental preferences. This is not purely an amnestic effect: with time the information is erased directly from reality, rather than rendering it imperceptible or impossible to remember. As the infection progresses, it radiates outward into the subject's Errol-Klein boundary, erasing the history of events external to the subject's direct influence but causally connected to their actions. Finally, information about the subject's thoughts, identity, and appearance is erased. At this point, the subject is impossible to perceive by any means, and will have ceased to meaningfully exist.

SCP-2601 is thought to only affect living creatures coming into contact with the Locus of their own volition. Exposed individuals may report mental distress and fatigue as a byproduct of their memories being altered. This is immediate and affects written or digitally encoded information as well as human knowledge. There is no known maximum range for this erasure, with core biographical data erasure occurring in family members up to [DATA REDACTED] kilometers away.

In rare cases, enough data is retained to make useful inferences about an experiment or test subject. Though traditional methods are not effective in tracking research yield, the Wheeler-Ki̴m method estimates approximately █% of experiments remain auditable to some extent.

+ Test Log a0a080f42e6f13b3a2df133f073095dd - Test Log a0a080f42e6f13b3a2df133f073095dd WARNING: File corrupted. CRC32 checksums failed. Predictive Reconstruction: **[ON] | OFF WARNING: Predictive Reconstruction algorithm returned an error code: INSUFFICIENT CONTEXT FOR ANALYSIS: Insufficient contextual data available to infer all values. Please provide additional data, or decrease the certainty threshold configured in PRERECON_AA/config/default.js to accept lower-accuracy results. Test #a0a080f42e6f13b3a2df133f073095dd is designed to establish a maximum range for ▒░░ ░▒om░l▒░░. D-627░░8, convicted in 2002 of mur░ering his long-time girlfriend, [DATA REDACTED], is ░laced into S176/4/2601/A, and prov▒▒▒d the handset for a cordless phone stationed in the staging area. D-627░░8 is further equipped with: • One (1) collapsible cot, and bedding

• One (1) folding table

• One (1) Coleman™ brand camp stove and six (6) weeks worth of bottled fuel

• 180 gallons of water

• One (1) tablet computer loaded with entertainment software and movies

• One (1) composting toilet

• Ten (10) rolls of toilet paper CONTACT EXPERIMENT | INTERVIEW I

10/18/2014 D-627░░8 enters S176/4/2601/A and the door is sealed. D-627░░8's f░░e expresses ▒░░▒ ▒▒░▒░░░. D-627░░8: How long do ▒ have to be in here? Researcher Txai: ▒▒░▒░▒▒░▒░░░░ ░░░░░░░░ Researcher Txai: ▒░░░░░░▒░▒░░░░░░▒░▒░░, we can begin. D-627░░8: Yeah, sure. Whenever you're ready, ▒ guess. Researcher Txai: You will hear a ░▒░▒▒▒ briefly. Please keep ▒▒▒r hands free of the grate. D-627░░8: Okay. SCP-2601's locus is conveyed to the contact area. D-627░▓8: Jesus, what is that thing? Researcher Txai: You're helping us figure that out. Press the green button on your phone's handset and set it on the floor. D-627░░8: Uh, you got it. D-627░░8 complies, and his call is connected to a secure party line with his mother, designated 2601/a0a080f42e/A, who is awaiting his call from a standard nonanomalous interview chamber maintained in Foundation-owned offices in Akron, Ohio. 2601/a0a080f42e/A is unaware of the Foundation, the nature of SCP-2601, or the approved experiment plan. 2601/a0a080f42e/A: Hello? ░▓▒▒▓█▒? D-627░░8: …Mom? What's happening? Are you here? 2601/a0a080f42e/A: They say they need to interview us. About ▒░█̧̧▓░҉͏҉̕͝▒̵̡̛҉█̵̡͝█̷̷̸͘͜█̨̕▓▓█̷̛█͏̸̸́͢█̶̧̨̀█. D-627░░8: What does this have to do with the experiment, Mr. Txai? Researcher Txai: We'll come to that. D-627░░8, an object has been delivered to yo░▒ chamber. Please reach through the bars and touch it. D-627░░8: Touch what? Researcher Txai: Reach through the bars as far as you can and feel around. 2601/a0a080f42e/A: ░░▒▒▒█▒? What's happening? What are they making you do? D-627░░8: Mom, calm down. There's nothing there, there… wait, ▒▒▒░▒░▓▒▒▒░▓▓▒̢░░░̸░̶░▓░͟ there's nothing there. Researcher Txai: Are you ready to begin? Researcher Txai is momentarily disoriented by the acute effects of SCP-2601. Observers in Site-82 record similar results in 2601/a0a080f42e/A. D-627░░8: ▒… don't know. Uh. ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▓▒again 2601/a0a080f42e/A: I'm sorry, what's happening? D-627░▒8: ▒ feel weird. Mom, ▒▒▒ fine. 2601/a0a080f42e/A: Who are you talking to? D-627░░8: You're freaking ▒░ out. Mom, it's me. Is there something wrong with the line? 2601/a0a080f42e/A: I'm sorry, I'm not your mother. I couldn't mistake you for [REDACTED] Researcher Txai: Ma'am, how many children do you have? D-627░░8: I'm not [REDACTED], mom, I'm… uh. 2601/a0a080f42e/A: I have two, [REDACTED], and… oh. Um… Researcher Txai: Are you sure? 2601/a0a080f42e/A: Yes, of course I'm sure. You must not have kids. [REDACTED] is my daughter, she's a pharmacy technician, and… um… 2601/a0a080f42e/A: I can't believe it, I must be having… I must have hit my head. My other… I don't have two daughters, but I don't have a son. I don't know this boy. Researcher Txai: What is your other child? 2601/a0a080f42e/A: An… 2601/a0a080f42e/A shows considerable emotional distress, starting and stopping several times. D-627░░8 gurgles quietly in shock.



2601/a0a080f42e/A: A convict. Before that… I don't know. D-627░░8: Do ░ know that woman? No,░▓ do, you're ░y mom.▓ 2601/a0a080f42e/A: I'm sorry, honey, I don't know who you are.



D-627░░8 emits a gagging, wailing sound. Addendum I:

1/18/2015

Research Associate Brooks: Good morning, Mrs. [REDACTED]. Are you well? 2601/a0a080f42e/A: Oh, I'm getting by. What do you folks want? Is this for the paper? Research Associate Brooks: We wanted to talk to you about your children this time, catch up on how the economy's affecting your family. Are both your children employed? 2601/a0a080f42e/A: Well, I only have one child. My daughter's a pharmacy technician. She makes good money. Research Associate Brooks: I'm sorry to ask, but have you ever had more children? 2601/a0a080f42e/A: What a funny little question. No, I haven't. Research Associate Brooks: You're from [REDACTED], right? Did you know [DATA EXPUNGED]? 2601/a0a080f42e/A: Why, yes I did. She was a wonderful girl. She used to be over at my house all the time, and I don't mind telling you she loved my eclairs. She always to░░░ when she went back home. Research Associate Brooks: Why did she visit you?



2601/a0a080f42e/A: I… our families must have been friends. Research Associate Brooks: Do you know how she died? Were you aware she was murdered? 2601/a0a080f42e/A: Well, bless your heart. No. As far as I can recall, she just died. It was very sudden, poor thing. Research Associate Brooks: Thank you for your time, Mrs. [REDACTED]. You've been very helpful.

//2601/a0a080f42e/A is given a Class A amnestic and returned to her home. Media research confirms that no information pertaining to ▒░▒▒░▒░▒▒▒ ░▒░▒░░░░ ░░░▒▒░▒░▒▒░▒░░░░░░░░urvives. INTERVIEW VI

12/25/2014

Researcher Txai: Good evening, D-627░░8. How are you tonight? //D-627░░8 lies on the cot, listless and unresponsive. Researcher Txai repeats the question. D-627░░8: What am I? Researcher Txai: Why don't you tell me in your own words. D-627░░8: ▒▒▒… here. And ▒▒ ▒҉͝░̴̶͡▒͜͠͡░̢͘͡͡▒́͡▒̷̵ afraid. Researcher Txai: How do you feel? D-627░░8: Empty. Empty. Th-there's no shape to th░▒░░, it ░▒▒░, it's burning. It has never, um, never not been empty, and burning. Security footage inside the chamber ceases to record. In the video feed of the control room, Researcher Txai wavers on his feet. For 38 frames, Researcher Txai is not visible in the image. Researcher Txai: Is there someone in there? Clear the chamber and open the door. D-627░░8: I don't think so. Research Associate Brooks: There's someone inside. Are you sure? Researcher Txai: Oh! Oh, cancel that. D-6… subject, can you hear me? D-627░░8 does not respond. Addendum II: On 3/8/2015, S176/4/2601/A is determined to be empty during a scheduled occupancy audit, and procedure 2601-MALCHIAH is initiated automatically by control software in compliance with special containment procedures.

+ Maintenance Log 8/28/2016 - Maintenance Log 8/28/2016 02/14/2013 S176/4/2601/A CODE 01 [SYSTEM ONLINE] -> 2601-MALCHIAH

02/14/2013 S176/4/2601/B CODE 01 [SYSTEM ONLINE] -> 2601-MALCHIAH

02/14/2013 S176/4/2601/C CODE 01 [SYSTEM ONLINE] -> 2601-MALCHIAH

02/14/2013 S176/4/2601/D CODE 01 [SYSTEM ONLINE] -> 2601-MALCHIAH

02/14/2013 S176/4/2601/▒ CODE 01 [SYSTEM ONLINE] -> 2601-MALCHIAH

02/14/2013 S176/4/2601/A CODE 19 [UNIT OCCUPIED] -> NO ACTION░░░░

{{02/17/2013 S░░░░░░░░░▒▒▒▒▒░░▒░░░ ▒▒▒▒░▒▒▒▒ -> ▒▒▒▒░░▒░▒ ░

▒░░░ ▒▒▒▒░▒▒/2601/D░░▒░░▒▒▒▒▒░░▒░░▒▒▒▒▒░░░▒▒▒▒░▒▒░░look░░▒

03/07/2013 S176/4/2601/C CODE 19 [UNIT OCCUPIED] -> NO ACTION░░░░

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11/22/2013 S176/4/2601/▒ CODE▒28 [NONCOMPLIANCE EVENT] -> STAGE 2601-JULIA░

11/22/2013 S176/4/2601/░ CODE▒29 [ONGOING NONCOMPLIANCE EVENT] -> WARNING 1░

11/22/2013 S176/4/2601/░ CODE░29 [ONGOING NONCOMPLIANCE EVENT] -> WARNING 2

11/22/2013 S176/4/2601/░ CODE░29 [ONGOING NONCOMPLIANCE EVENT] -> FINAL WARNI░▒

11/22/2013 S176/4/2601/▒ CODE░24 [COMPLIANCE DETECTED] -> ABORT 2601-JULIA░

[DATA EXPUNGED]

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10/18/2014 S176/4/2601/A CODE 19 [UNIT OCCUPIED] -> NO ACTION

10/18/2014 S176/4/2601/A░▒▒DE 08 [CONTAINMENT DOOR OPERATED] -> 2601-MALCHIAH

10/18/2014 S176/4/2601/A CODE 19 [UNIT OCCUPIED] -> NO ACTION

03/08/2015 S176/4/2601/A CODE 22 [NO LONGER OCCUPIED] -> 2601-MALCHIAH

[DATA EXPUNGED]

+ Addendum 03/20/2018 | 8/292 Clearance Required - Access Granted To: SCP Foundation Ethics Inquiry Inbox <gro.noitadnuof-pcs.scihte|su_ksa#gro.noitadnuof-pcs.scihte|su_ksa>

BCC: Dr. Sergei Petropoulos, Ethics Committee <gro.noitadnuof-pcs.scihte|soluoporteps#gro.noitadnuof-pcs.scihte|soluoporteps>

From: Dr. Txa▒░Petropoul▒▒ <gro.noitadnuof-pcs.scitememitna.hcraeser|soluoportept#gro.noitadnuof-pcs.scitememitna.hcraeser|soluoportept>

Subject: Request review of testing protocol/needs

Message Body: To whom it may concern I'm writing on the subject of SCP-2601's testing requirements. Is there an sufficient rationale to continue human testing? ▒ can barely remember what we do to them, but I can't do it anymore. If you review the file, you'll see we have no idea how many D-Class we're exposing to this thing. And it takes months to kill them. Months. We can't even tell if it does kill them, for all we know they're alive when we void the chamber. What about this is not fucking inhumane. If you wont listen to morals. Listen to this. We've had this thing for almost five years and we have no idea why we're infecting people with it. We have a procedure to lock the whole thing down permanently so lets just use it. If my login could trigger it Id have done it by now. Bottom line is what do we hope to achieve? Please consider my suggestion To: Dr. ░▒a▒░Petr░▒░░l▒▒ <tpetr▒░ou▒▒gro.noitadnuof-pcs.scitememitna.hcraeser|s#gro.noitadnuof-pcs.scitememitna.hcraeser|s>

From: SCP Foundation Ethics Committee <gro.noitadnuof-pcs.scihte|ylper-on#gro.noitadnuof-pcs.scihte|ylper-on>

Subject: Re: Request review of testing protocol/needs

Message Body: Researcher Petropoulos,

We have reviewed your request and have declined to investigate further. While you may not agree with this decision, please remember that it is not your job to decide what is and what is not justifiable in our mission to Secure, Contain, Protect. A mission which we all share. I hope you appreciate that sometimes, the reason for continuing testing of a contained SCP may be unclear to an individual researcher, but this does not in any way mean that there is no reason, nor is there any obligation on the part of the Foundation to explain these reasons. Often, there exist reasons which cannot be shared – this may be one of those times. We have reviewed your notes and evaluation records, and have determined that you require reassignment to an anomaly less challenging to your personal ethics. Please await the arrival of the security team, who will escort you to the Sector 8 amnestic wing for treatment. You won't remember your time with SCP-2601, but I can promise your next assignment will be more to your liking. Remember that we have a job to do, and while we must remain penitent for the lives and minds we spend to retain our security, it is only our work that allows the world to survive. – Milo Halvorson, Site-176 Ethics Director, SCP Foundation Ethics Committee