Item #: SCP-XXXX
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures:
SCP-XXXX is to be kept in a standard inanimate object containment locker. Access to SCP-XXXX is provided through biometric conformation of designated personnel. Only authorized staff are to directly interact with SCP-XXXX when testing is not in progress. Gaining access to SCP-XXXX requires level two clearance, and the acquisition of Latin as a second language, and Aramaic as a third. Authorized staff must have an abnormally high logical intelligence, and the ability to rationalize linguistic errors. Any requests to preform exercises depicted in the contents of SCP-XXXX must be denied, except for testing purposes. If designated staff members become belligerent during interactions with SCP-XXXX, guards on duty must administer anesthetics and forcibly remove that individual. After such an event, the individual staff member must be prohibited from accessing SCP-XXXX.
Staff access must be limited to forty-five second intervals in a seventy-two hour period. Two guards must be posted to control the lights during any staff interaction with SCP-XXXX.
During testing, a D-Class Personal is to enter an observation cell containing SCP-XXXX. When testing begins, any image capturing apparatus must be situated in order to obfuscate the observer's view of the contents within SCP-XXXX. SCP-XXXX appears ineffective when audio recordings take place.
Description:
SCP-XXXX is a brown, leather-bound folio having belonged to Professor ████ of ████ University in ████, Mississippi. The folio was found after [DATA EXPUNGED], where foundation personnel collected and transported the document to site [REDACTED] storage facility.
The dimensions of this folio are 30cmx40cm, containing eighty-two pages with hand written notes on either side of each page. The folio contains complete lecture notes for two full length college courses designed for native English speakers: one in Latin, and one in Aramaic. These plans contain reference guides, noun and verb charts, conjugating and declining instructions, extensive vocabulary lists, and translating exercises.
Authorized staff will note an exponentially increasing number of errors as the document progresses. When exposed to SCP-XXXX, those learned in Latin and Aramaic express intense irritation with the poor authorship of the document. Despite the irritation, both learned and unlearned subjects demonstrate a desperation to continue reading. When allowed to continue reading, subjects show an intense desire to follow the lesson plans provided. Subjects often request paper and pencil, or chalkboards, in order to self-facilitate the plans within the folio. When reading proves impossible, the effects SCP-XXXX are mitigated.
After sixty-seconds of exposure, subjects begin to rationalize these errors as accurate alternatives to their knowledge. Subjects begin questioning their own comprehension of native or secondary languages; this is particularly evident in subjects who speak an Aramaic or Latin based language.
After one hour of exposure, subjects display symptoms of acute anxiety disorder, which is significantly worsened if completion of the folio is prohibited. If allowed to complete the folio, subjects claim to understand an alternative set of spacial relations. This typically manifests as decreased depth perception, a lack of basic spacial reasoning skills, and an increased sense of dread.
Interviews following a subject's completion of the folio have revealed various hallucinations inconclusive aberrations and sensations. Universally, subjects speak of "spatio circum," translated from Latin as "space around." Subjects communicate anxiety over their physical movements, and typically become sedentary after exposure. When forced to move, subjects show physiological signs of distress, and communicate a fear of falling. Careful monitoring of subjects after completion of the folio are inconclusive, though the effect appears permanent.
Experiment XXXX 01-A
Date: 10/██/19██
Experiment Administrator: Doctor Ohm ███
Foreward:
Foundation Staff member [REDACTED], to be known from now on as Researcher A, was granted authorization to interact with SCP-XXXX after passing several linguistic exams in both Latin and Aramaic. Doctor Ohm ███ communicated with Researcher A via intercom throughout the experiment. O-3 clearance was obtained to ignore the time limit restriction regarding SCP-XXXX's effects.
After entering an observation cell with SCP-XXXX, Researcher A was prompted to answer a series of questions delivered by Doctor Ohm ███.
<Begin Log>
Doctor ███: Can you summarize what you see on the first page?
Researcher A: Professor [REDACTED], um, department of [REDACTED]. There's a syllabus, but it doesn't seem well thought out. It jumps around a lot. Anyway, the next page seems pretty standard. It's for a Latin 100 course, it's detailing noun declensions…
Doctor ███: Does the information provided appear accurate?
Researcher A: Not at all, most of it's fine but there are big mistakes. The professor apparently has no idea how to use the ablative case! Can I get some paper and a pencil? I want to do these exercises. This is ridiculous! It's says: 'Use the nominative case to write your name,' but that's wrong! It's always ablative.
Doctor ███: Alright, we can provide you with supplies.
[Sound of a door opening, paper dropping, foot steps, and the sound of a door closing]
Researcher A: Hang on…Maybe I'm wrong…come to think of it, I must be wrong.
[Researcher A begins writing on a sheet of paper, begins swearing.]
Researcher A: It all checks out but…it, can't. I mean, it says that [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] ablatives are the same…
[Several minutes go by, as Researcher A studies the folio silently.]
Doctor ███: What can you tell me about the Aramaic?
Researcher A: This isn't even Aramaic! It's like…Hebrew? Or something between Hebrew and Imperial Aramaic. It's not right, whatever it is. The characters don't even seem right, but I guess they could be. Oh, I see. They're accurate, but they're different.
Doctor ███: Different how?
Researcher A: Um…This has a lot of ambiguity and redundancy. Nothing's definite, but everything's clear…it's…um…
[Researcher A is quiet for several minutes]
Doctor ███: Hello? Ms. [REDACTED]? Perhaps our experiment ought be concluded for today…
[Researcher A is unresponsive]
Doctor ███: [to security guards] Kill the lights, knock her out, and bring her to a holding cell.
<End Log>
Closing Statement:
Researcher A was brought to a holding cell where she refused basic amenities. After a period of seventy-two hours, Researcher A recovered. Researcher A refused interviews, showing hostility toward Doctor Ohm ███.
Experiment XXXX 02-A:
Date: 02/█/20██
D-Class Personnel, furthermore referred to as "Subject A," was exposed to SCP-XXXX at 8:00. Subject A completed lessons within SCP-XXXX in seventeen hours and twenty three minutes after beginning. Subject A refused to leave observation cell, until guards administered anesthetics and transported Subject A to a reinforced observation cell at 1:45. The cell only contained a table, a chair on either side, and a green tennis ball located in the center of the table. Both chair and table were bolted to the ground in order to secure Subject A's containment.
Experiment Administrator: Doctor Ohm ███
Foreword: Subject A recovered from anesthetic within two hours of administration. Subject A appears irritable, showing signs of distress. Profuse sweating, dilated pupils, and defensive posture suggest the subject is experiencing the effects of SCP-XXXX.
<Begin Log>
Doctor Ohm ████: So, you completed the lessons. Can you tell me what you see? For the record.
Subject A: How the hell did you get me here?
Doctor Ohm ████: I'm sorry?
Subject A: I couldn't even move from the chair.
Doctor Ohm ████: Why's that?
Subject A: There was no path, man. You wouldn't understand until you do the lessons.
Doctor Ohm ████: Do you see what others call the "spatio circum?"
Subject A: It's everywhere, man. I have no idea how you got me here without falling inside.
Doctor Ohm ████: Do you see that tennis ball?
Subject A: Yeah.
Doctor Ohm ████: Can you throw it into that place?
Subject A: I mean…
[Subject A picks up the ball, moves it around, then places it back on the table. Subject A picks the ball up with their other hand, and tosses it, catches it, swears and looks at the interviewer.]
Doctor Ohm ████: Is there a problem?
Subject A: Yeah. I guess, it's not like that, man. It's like always every where, but only between the spaces. It's a…it's a thing that I can't just take shit that doesn't…
[Subject A makes strange hand gestures and mouth noises, looking at Doctor Ohm ████ expectantly.]
Doctor Ohm ████: Let's call it an abyss, for now. Why are you afraid of falling into the abyss when you can't even throw a ball into it?
Subject A: It's not an abyss, but if you refuse to do the damned lessons, fine. Abyss. I'm afraid because it's not like a normal thing that's inside…well, that's not outside…well, that's not around…it can just fall inside. It's so hard to talk about it in English, or whatever. Look, that's just not how it works. If you could see it, you'd just know how it works. I know I sound like I'm going crazy, or making it up, whatever, man. Whatever…I don't care. It's there and you should be scared.
Doctor Ohm ████: What would happen if you fell inside? Can you show me that?
[Subject A refuses to comply.]
Doctor Ohm ████: Are you done talking?
Subject A: Yeah, I'm done. Knock me out and bring me back to my bed. I'm not walking.
<End Log>
Closing Statement: Anesthetics were administered via injection into the subject's neck. After becoming unconscious, subject was transported back to their designated facility holding cell, where they have remained entirely still.
Experiment XXXX 02-A: Highly intelligent D-Class Personnel, known from now on as Subject B was exposed to SCP-XXXX, on 11/██/20██ at 7:00. Subject B completed lessons within SCP-XXXX at 20:43.
Results:
After exposure, Subject B remained in SCP-XXXX's observation cell, remaining entirely motionless until 21:15. After being prompted to leave, Subject B refused to comply. He stated that there was a spacial anomaly inhibiting his ability to move. Experiment administrator Doctor Ohm ████ explained to Subject B that the spatio circum was an hallucination, and a temporary illusion caused by the text. Subject B attempted to stand, but lost balance and fell. Subject B turned to the left of his body, after which time Subject B was no longer present within the observation cell. A facility-wide search was unable to locate Subject B within the facility, or the surrounding area. Frame by frame video analysis revealed Subject B's body rotating in such a way that the portion obscured by his front failed to rotate into view, while potions in view continued to rotate until visual confirmation of Subject B was lost.
Addendum XXXX-01
After the events of 11/██/20██, all staff are prohibited to interact with SCP-XXXX, pending authorization of further testing.
Addendum XXXX-02
Anomaly referred to subjects as "spatio circum," will further be known as SCP-XXXX-A.