SCP-4153

Fig 1.1: Signed photograph left by SCP-4153-036 in containment cell. Written on back: From one horror aficionado to another: Always Stay A-Head!

Item #: SCP-4153

Object Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: MTF Iota-10 ("Damn Feds") is to monitor and investigate all reported sightings of SCP-4153 instances (with particular attention paid to sightings near or inside horror attractions). When found, these instances are to be apprehended and taken into Foundation custody.

Description: SCP-4153 is an acting troupe comprised of animated wax figurines portraying monsters and villains from classic horror cinema. Notable examples include the Werewolf, Frankenstein's Monster, Count Dracula, and Professor Henry Jarrod.

SCP-4153 is active throughout North America; its members appear at 'haunted attractions' (such as haunted houses, trails, and cornfield mazes). Common venues include amusement parks, board-walks, traveling carnivals, and strip-malls. During their performance, instances of SCP-4153 use wax to alter their appearance, produce props (including fake blood and gore), and even manipulate wax objects from afar.

Several instances of SCP-4153 were arrested in 1993 after the owner of a haunted attraction notified police of a break-in. The intruders were attempting to operate their own set within the attraction. Foundation operatives were called after officers determined that the instances were not wearing makeup. All instances were transported to Site-09 for initial interviews and processing. Shortly thereafter, all contact with Site-09 was lost during a catastrophic containment breach.

Addendum 4153.1: Recovered Documents

The following files were recovered from Site-09's servers four days after the containment breach ended.

Fig 1.2: SCP-4153-017. INTERVIEW LOG DATE: 1993/10/25

SUBJECT: SCP-4153-017

INTERVIEWER: Agent Timothy West [BEGIN LOG.] WEST: Okay, so — SUBJECT: Look into my eyes. [Silence.] SUBJECT: Look… into my eyes. WEST: I am looking into your eyes. SUBJECT: You are under my control. WEST: No, uh. Not really. SUBJECT: Your will is strong, Agent West. WEST: Right. So, about the haunted hay-ride you broke into — SUBJECT: But I wonder. How will you protect yourself against my infernal strength? WEST: You realize that if you stand up, I'm going to shoot you. Right? SUBJECT: Hm. You are a formidable adversary, indeed. WEST: What were you doing at the haunted hay-ride? SUBJECT: You will know the truth… soon enough. [Silence.] WEST: The police report says you were hiding behind the bushes. [SUBJECT laughs.] SUBJECT: But does it tell you… that we were already here? [Shuffling papers.] WEST: It tells me they found you wearing bed-sheets. SUBJECT: We were all dead… the whole time. WEST: Yeah, I think — I think we're done here. SUBJECT: The log… is coming from inside the house. WEST: Okay. Sure, buddy. Whatever you say. [END LOG.]

Fig 1.3: SCP-4153-015. INTERVIEW LOG DATE: 1993/10/25

SUBJECT: SCP-4153-015

INTERVIEWER: Agent Samantha Henwick [BEGIN LOG.] HENWICK: What were you doing at — SUBJECT: Can I start by saying it's an honor? A real honor. People always ask me, 'Boris, do you regret portraying the Monster? Do you regret being typecasted?' And I always tell them: Good heavens, no! It was the best thing that happened to me. I wouldn't be here with all of you if it wasn't for that. I wouldn't have the chance to work with you wonderful people. HENWICK: That's not — SUBJECT: I can't express how grateful I am for having this opportunity, to contribute to this project. HENWICK: What? What 'opportunity'? What 'project'? SUBJECT: Oh, wait. Oh, goodness. I'm sorry. Are we rolling? HENWICK: Rolling? Are we…? We're recording, if that's what you're asking. Yes. SUBJECT: God, how embarrassing. You must think me a neophyte. I'm just not used to the format, darling. You can cut this part out during post, right? HENWICK: What? SUBJECT: Oh. Staying in character? How delightfully droll. I understand, say no more. [SUBJECT clears throat.] HENWICK: What the hell are you on about? [SUBJECT seizes own head, then twists it free from the neck. The motion is accompanied by a spray of fake blood and viscera.] HENWICK: Christ! [SUBJECT's head commences screaming.] HENWICK: Jesus fucking Christ! [END LOG.]

INTERVIEW LOG DATE: 1993/10/25

SUBJECT: SCP-4153-036

INTERVIEWER: Agent Gerald Penn [BEGIN LOG.] PENN: Why do you keep trying to frighten people? SUBJECT: Why does anyone try to frighten? It's fun to be frightened. Almost as much fun as it is to do the frightening. PENN: Well, none of you are very good at it. [SUBJECT laughs.] SUBJECT: Oh come now, Agent Penn. Have some respect for the classics. PENN: All you do is squirt cheap blood, crack a few jokes, then maybe slap on a spooky tag-line at the end. You really expect that to scare us? SUBJECT: Certainly, our methods may seem a bit tawdry and antiquated, but there's a certain pleasure to be had in a good old-fashioned scare. Wouldn't you agree? PENN: I've faced down a six foot tall chicken man that pukes acid and shits indestructible eggs. Trust me — 'old-fashioned' doesn't cut it. Not anymore. SUBJECT: Yes, yes. You'll call any oaf with a steak-knife hunting gaggles of teens a monster, these days. There's no wit, no humor, no charm. Where's the passion? The artisanship? Where's the sense of theater? PENN: This isn't a drama club, Shakespeare. We're talking about monsters, not some stage production of Titus Andronicus. SUBJECT: Would you like to know something peculiar? I've almost never played a monster. Oh, I've played villains, most certainly! But not monsters. Only men, besieged by fate, driven to revenge. Still — I've always had a fondness for them. Even as a child, I sympathized more with the monster than the hero. PENN: Well, I — (unintelligible) SUBJECT: And why not? Monsters are our kin, after all. They grant our darkest impulses physical form; provide a receptacle for us to project our deepest fears and desires. A monster can do what is forbidden to us — a monster can breach our taboos. I've always found more comfort among them than in the company of men. I — PENN: (unintelligible) SUBJECT: I — Oh. Oh, dear. Your tongue seems to have gotten away from you, there. Here — allow me. [Whimpering.] SUBJECT: Hush, now. I warned you about this — I told you that you mustn't disturb the wax before it hardens. That is a crucial part of the process. It needs to solidify. Otherwise, you risk disturbing the performance. [Muffled sobs.] SUBJECT: Stay still. Let me make an adjustment here, reseal this, and — [Gurgling.] SUBJECT: Ah! There we are. Splendid, splendid. Good as new. Now, let's take it from the top, shall we? [Silence.] SUBJECT: (whispering) And… Action. PENN: Why do you keep trying to frighten people? SUBJECT: Why does anyone try to frighten? It's fun to be frightened. Almost as much fun as it is to do the frightening. PENN: Well, none of you are very good at it. [SUBJECT laughs.] SUBJECT: Oh come now, Agent Penn. Have some respect for the classics. [END LOG.]

During the follow-up investigation into Site-09's containment breach, all on-site personnel were found to have had their skin and vital organs surgically extracted, then replaced with wax. Autopsies determined that although this occurred several weeks prior to the initial recovery of SCP-4153, all personnel remained alive up until the day of the breach.

Notably, one body (that of Agent Gerald Penn) was found without its head.

All instances of SCP-4153 remain at large.