AndImJavert

SCP-XXXX: The Loneliest Aardvark

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is to be contained in a small soundproof container, within Dr. Horace’s office. Access to the object is forbidden without written approval from Dr. Horace and on-site administration.

All personnel who hear the recording are to be administered a Class-A amnestic, before undergoing a full psych evaluation.

If SCP-XXXX is to be removed from Dr. Horace’s office for transport, a secondary buffer will be added around the soundproof chamber, and it is recommended it be escorted by deaf or hard of hearing personnel.

Description: SCP-XXXX is a blue MP3 player. Headphones are fused into the headphone jack, and all attempts to unhook it have been met with failure (See Test Log 1).

The only file loaded onto the MP3 player is an audio book entitled ‘The Loneliest Aardvark’. The audio book plays at a volume of 53 decibels, and all buttons on the device have no function. It cannot be paused, and once it is completed, it loops, from the beginning.

The audio book tells a narrative of a ‘lonely aardvark’, told by five narrators speaking in unison (See Addendum 1 for summary of narrative).

All those who hear the audio book undergo the following four stages.
Stage 1: Subject reports experiencing severe empathy with the protagonist of the story.
This state of severe empathy continues for approximately two hours.
Stage 2: The subject will begin to express feelings of deep loneliness and isolation. This stage lasts a further two hours.
Stage 3: The subject’s sense of hearing and sight will both cease, despite no outward or inward physical change. If capable of speech before listening to the object, they will retain said capability. The length of this stage varies.
Stage 4: Brain death.

Once the effects appear, the only cure is a targeted amnestic. However, this is ineffective on subjects who have progressed into Stage 3.

SCP-XXXX was located within The [REDACTED] Library, Venice, 20/10/04, surrounded by three individuals, all brain dead. Foundation personnel stationed nearby recieved word of the anomaly, and quickly seized it, administering targeted amnestics to all those currently under its effects. As the personel were hearing, they too were soon affected by the anomaly, causing two brain deaths. It was then placed in containment, and given into the custody of Dr. Horace, currently stationed at Site-77.

+ Addendum 1

An elderly aardvark with no friends or family lives by a watering hole. Throughout the story, they attempt to make contact with the other animals that visit the watering hole. A pond skater, an ibis and a giraffe all come by the watering hole, and all ignore the aardvark, even when they push the giraffe into the water.
This takes a toll on the aardvark, who wishes for the animals to see them. So one night, they lay down in the watering hole, so that those who came by to drink the water in the morning would have to notice them. However, they fall asleep, and drown in the watering hole. In the morning, a hippo comes by, and ignores the corpse. ]

Test 1 - Date

Subject: D-5926, a deaf woman, is to unhook the headphones attached to the object, to ascertain how that affects its volume levels. Decibels are recorded by a monitor within the chamber, and Doctor Horace is overseeing the test, with a Hard of Hearing security guard stationed outside.
Procedure: Dr. Horace and D-5296 communicate via sign language. She is instructed to approach the device, and unhook the headphones. The decibel monitor is prepped, displaying it playing at it's normal volume of 50 decibels.
Results: D-5296 attempts to unhook the device, but as she touches the base of the headphones, she suddenly collapses. The security guard brings her out, and she comes out, whimpering. She reports feeling, quote, terrified and alone, unquote. After Dr. Horace determines she is not under any of the influence of SCP-XXXX, she is moved to another project by site administration.
Analysis: The SCP-XXXX seems to have a barrier against its current state being altered. It is theorised that this barrier will extend to any form of damage, however, in the interest of study, no application for leave to attempt to destroy has been given.

Further attempts to unhook were met with the same results, and as such, superfluous test results have been redacted

Test 5 - Date

Subject:
Procedure:
Results:
Analysis:

D-5926, a deaf man, approaches the MP3 Player. Dr. Horace stands outside, watching through a glass pane.

Dr. Horace signs ‘Can you hear it?’

D-5926 shakes his head.

Dr. Horace signs ‘Unplug it, please,’

D-5926 attempts to unplug it, but before he can, he collapses, and cries out. Security personnel enter the chamber, and drag him out.

Five minutes pass before D-5926 regains consciousness. The following conversation is signed.
Dr. Horace: What happened?
D-5926: I felt alone. Really alone. I didn’t want to unplug it. I wanted to cry.
Dr. Horace: Do you want to try again.
D-5926: No. I can’t, Doctor. I felt so alone.

D-5926 was evaluated. No effects of the story were seen as taking effect. After a psych evaluation, they were re-assigned to another project by Site Administration.

[Subsequent tests to unhook have reproduced the same results, and superfluous test logs have been redacted]