A Jar of Preserves

Item #: SCP-4280

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures:

NOTE: This is iteration 5 of SCP-4280 containment procedures. See “Containment Log SCP-4280” below.

SCP-4280 is to be kept in a Class 9 Euclid storage container, and monitored by direct video surveillance at all times.

Any hazardous items present after a “Restock” event should be removed, logged, and disposed of by trained on-site personnel at the purview of current SCP-4280 research lead.

Addendum ██/██/20██ - SCP-4280 should not be left open for any extended period of time. Four redundant micro-explosives have been placed around SCP-4280, which are to be remotely activated in the event of another [REDACTED] (See Test Log 4280-D-2. Level 4 Clearance Required.)

Description: SCP-4280 is a decagonal mason jar, 20cm x 40cm, composed of cobalt tinted glass and nickel hinges/braces. The lid can be sealed with a simple pressure-fold lock. All component materials are unremarkable and destructible, but will revert any and all damage during a “Restock” event.

SCP-4280’s primary anomalous affects are threefold, hereafter referred to as 4280-A “Food”, 4280-B “Gel”, and 4280-C “Restock”.

SCP-4280-A defines any object discovered inside SCP-4280 (See SCP-4280-A Abridged Content Log below for a partial listing). Objects are limited only by the total volume of SCP-4280, and by the arguable distinction of being “Food” I.E. raw edible materials prepared in some way for consumption.¹²³⁴⁵

SCP-4280-A Abridged Contents Log

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4280-A-13: One halved Granny Smith apple. 80% of volume infested with an undiscovered species of parasitic worm. Four bites taken out, each intersecting and severing several dozen worms.

4280-A-29: 17 french fries, thick cut, fried in sunflower oil. A message, written in minuscule Ukrainian with black ink, was present on one fry. "Her parents know, Olek. Take the car. Flee."

4280-A-40: [DATA EXPUNGED].⁶

4280-A-95: A slice of "Sultan’s Golden Cake". Composed of figs, apricots, quince, and pear marinated in Jamaican rum, topped with French Polynesian vanilla, caramelized black truffles, and a coating of 24-karat edible gold flakes. In addition, a lethal dosage of ethylene glycol was detected.

4280-A-143: One clockwork animatronic, 16cm2, composed of hard candy. Through complex wind-up mechanisms, object resembles two men [DATA EXPUNGED].

4280-A-201: A loose cluster of grilled animal meat, including giraffe, kangaroo, and ape. All meat was found to carry minute amounts of the Ebola virus.

4280-A-233: One piece of black licorice that had been chopped, torn, and partially melted.

4280-A-312: One roasted songbird, feathered and drowned in Armagnac. Identified as the French dish “Ortolan”.

4280-A-320: Half of one frozen Popsicle, composed of an unknown, or home made variety of soda or energy drink. Aspartame and caffeine at near lethal levels for a full grown adult.

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4280-B is a gelatinous, translucent liquid. Anything suspended within 4280-B will enter into a state of selective temporal suspension. While animation is still possible, objects will not age, decay, or degrade in any fundamental fashion. Outside of SCP-4280, the liquid becomes an inert peptide protein mixture, and presents no anomalous properties, even when re-introduced to SCP-4280’s interior.

4280-C is the means by which SCP-4280 becomes repopulated. At an intermittent period⁷ a 4280-C “Restock” event will occur. The contents of SCP-4280 will vanish, and be replaced with an entirely new grouping of food, suspended in a fresh quantity of 4280-B. The effect is instantaneous, or at a speed so fast current high-speed recording technology cannot observe it.

SCP-4280 Recovery Log

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SCP-4280 was discovered in the home of Mrs. Victoria Wellman, in Algeirs Point, New Orleans, Louisiana. Mrs. Wellman expired due to unrelated heart failure on 04/17/20██. While sorting through her home, Donald Wellman, Victoria’s son, discovered a small basement alcove obscured by a bookcase. Within, SCP-4280 was situated along with 37 other mason jars of similar construction.⁸

At the time, all 38 jars were labeled with painters tape and felt pen, with writing matching that of Mrs. Wellman. Most jars were labeled “Strawberries” “Pickles” “Rhubarb” etc. SCP-4280 was marked only as “Preserves”.

Donald Wellman kept SCP-4280 hidden in his own home for an additional 11 days, fearful the contents would tarnish the reputation of his late mother, or implicate himself, as he had discovered a cluster of five caramelized human pinkie fingers within. After a “Restock” event, Donald Wellman checked himself into the River Oaks Mental Health Hospital, and recounted the experience to several doctors. Foundation agents embedded within local law enforcement were able to retrieve SCP-4280 shortly after.

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Containment Log SCP-4280

I1

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-4280 will be housed in a Class 1 Safe Class storage container at Site 31 when not undergoing testing, and monitored by video surveillance to be reviewed once per week.

Addendum: On 03/21/20██, Storage Wing D at Site 31 was placed into lockdown due to an unknown radiation spike originating from SCP-4280. Agents in KN Class Hazard Gear were dispatched, transporting SCP-4280 to a radioactive housing chamber to be examined.

One half of a tuna fish sandwich on rye⁹, cut diagonally, was discovered contaminated with nearly 3,500 (r). One corner of the sandwich had been bitten off, with dental spacing implicating a young teenager or under-developed adult.

“Restock” occurs six days later, with a new swathe of objects, all non-hazardous. No radiation detected. Containment protocols updated.

I2

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-4280 will be housed in a Class 3 Safe Class storage container at Site 31 when not undergoing testing, and monitored by video surveillance to be reviewed once per day.

Addendum: On 05/13/20██, .3 seconds following a “Restock” event, SCP-4280 violently combusted, shattering its material components, and damaging six storage containers. After re-containment efforts for SCP-████, SCP-███ and SCP-████, security footage was reviewed, finding the ignition source to be a 3 cm orb of indeterminate origin. Staff reported the area retained a distinct odor of “Cinnamon Apple” for several weeks. Containment protocols updated.

Addendum: ██/██/20██. Based off data from recent [RETRACTED] Ignition source likely confirmed. Possible future materialization of “Dr. Wondertainment FRUIT EXPLOSION! Candies” added to containment protocols.

I3

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-4280 will be housed in a Class 3 Euclid Class storage container at Site 31 when not undergoing testing, and monitored by video surveillance to be reviewed once every twelve hours.**

Addendum: On ██/██/20██, video surveillance and electronic equipment failed within SCP-4280’s containment locker immediately after a “Restock” event. On site seismometer’s recorded a 30 v/m disturbance localized around SCP-4280, along with a 135 Db eruption of sound.

Agents in specialized hazard gear discovered SCP-4280 shattered. The cause was found to be an undocumented snail-like life-form¹⁰, 12x2 cm, translucent skin, and no apparent sensory organs. This creature produced a steady, deafening "wailing" sound at all times. While recorded playback of this sound only revealed a single steady tone, all personnel within a 50m2 radius of the event reported hearing clear vocalizations of “Don’t eat me!” “I want to live!” “This is sick!” and “You fucking monsters!”

SCP-4280-A-290 continued vocalizing for several hours until expiring. Containment protocols updated.

Autopsy Report from Dr. Gillian: “If there’s one constant in this strange life of mine, it’s that death stinks. No matter the subject, there's always been that familiar, stomach-gripping stench. That, or they don’t smell at all. That’s when we back the hell away and lock down. The slug though? The moment I sliced through its underbelly, it was like stepping into a country kitchen. It smelled like… French onion soup, with extra garlic and parmesan… this little row of clustered kidneys smelled exactly like fresh parsley. Very, very strange.”

I4

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-4280 will be housed in a Class 6 Euclid Class storage container at Site 31 when not undergoing testing, and monitored by video surveillance to be reviewed once every hour.

Addendum: (See Test Log 4280-D-2. Level 4 Clearance Required.) Containment Protocols Updated.

Test Log 4280-A “Food”

TL-4280-A-██

[Due to excessive volume, Test Log 4280-A will be maintained separately to the main document]

██/██/20██ Note from Director Imani

//“We’ve tested 398 4280-A Objects to date, and honestly, there’s no great revelation. Each morsel is wholly unique, with no pattern of origin or chemical composition.

Worse, it’s still impossible to determine if SCP-4280 transplants these objects from real world locations, or creates duplicates. In TL-4280-A-19, we surrounded the whole jar with 12lbs of cooked rice specially irradiated with Th-G8 Delta. Not a single grain manifested inside SCP-4280 in five months. So, it doesn’t operate on proximity.

4280-A don’t appear to operate on global volume either. Otherwise, we’d be seeing a lot more plain vegetables and fish. It almost seems to hand pick the most bizarre examples of “food” this world has to offer.

Of course, it could be pulling from extraterrestrial or extra-dimensional sources. Yet, nothing truly alien has manifested inside SCP-4280. A localized effect? Pulling from only adjacent realities within a certain degree of similarity to our own?

Then again, given what we’ve recovered at the banquets held by Marshall, Carter and Dark, it seems there's plenty of “unconventional cuisine" right here in our dimension. Further research is required."//

Test Log 4280-B “Gel”

TL-4280-B-1

D-2658 instructed to consume a small quantity (.25 L) of SCP-4280-B directly from the jar using a spoon.

No effects observed for two months.

TL-4280-B-2

D-2701 instructed to eat a series of SCP-4280-A objects, over the course of three separate “Restock” events. All objects removed from SCP-4280 and given a broad chemical analysis for hazardous contaminants.

D-2701 Observations: “More interesting than the stuff you serve us, I guess. They all tasted kind of… stale. Like, old Halloween candy, when it has that kind of white chalk to it? Or, no, like when you leave something in the fridge too long, and it’s fine, but you don’t want to eat it because it’s gone all wrinkly and gross, right?”

No effects observed for two months.

TL-4280-B-3

One (1) apple slice, granny smith, submerged in SCP-3380-B inside SCP-4280. Within .3 seconds object looses 2% mass, and appears slightly wrinkled. Removed after 30 seconds.

D-2991 instructed to eat the apple slice.
Observations: “Fine, not really, y’know, ‘crisp’. Kind of stale.”

One (1) apple slice, granny smith, submerged in SCP-3380-B inside SCP-4280. Results identical to SCP-4280-B-2. Object removed after 6 days.

D-2991 instructed to eat the apple slice.
Observations: “Exactly like the last one. Same weird gritty kind of taste.”

No effects observed after two months.

TL-4280-B-4

One adult white mouse is introduced into 4280-B. Subject injected with a lethal dose of Chloralose directly before being submerged, measured to cause death within two minutes.

For the first 3 seconds, subject attempts to dislodge, "swimming" up through the viscous gel. A pattern of wrinkled creases form across the subjects entire body. Movement gradually slows to a stop, leaving the mouse floating 8cm from the surface.

Subject remains alive for 4 days, and does not seem to require food, water, or the need to evacuate. EKG reports steady heartbeat, but a lack of respiration. Brain activity near baseline. Subtle movements of the nose and feet seen throughout the 96 hour period. Pupil dilation responsive from light, but slowed.

The mouse is removed on the 4th day to avoid losing the subject in a "Restock" event. Full consciousness and animation resume immediately after leaving SCP-4280. "Wrinkling" effect fades within four seconds. Subject expires within 80 seconds from Chloralose poisoning.

TL-4280-B-5

D-2994 asked to place one finger into SCP-4280-B.

D-2994 Observations: // “Oh ew. Ew! It’s all numb now! Oh god it’s gone wrinkly! Sick! It’s like, like after you go swimming! Ew!” //

A 5 inch needle is inserted into SCP-4280-B, then penetrated into D-2994’s submerged finger. Subject reports no pain or discomfort at all, even when blood is extracted, or additional incisions are created.

Upon removing finger from SCP-4280-B, wrinkling fades, incision marks begin to bleed, and subject claims the feeling has returned near instantly. No other effects observed as of ██/██/20██

Note from Director Imani: // “These check-ins may seem like overkill, but we’re just being cautious about dormancy periods. We don’t want another mirror situation, after all.” //

Test Log SCP-4280-C “Restock”

TL-4280-C-1

Interior of SCP-4280 emptied. A lime-epoxy synthetic cement, graded for Keter-Class containment cell construction, introduced into the interior of SCP-4280, and allowed to harden. 10 Days later, “Restock” event occurs. No sign of cement, or any lingering damage noted. New host of SCP-4280-A objects, and a fresh quantity of SCP-4280-B present.

TL-4280-C-2

SCP-4280’s lid is to be left open for an extended period, through multiple “Restock” events to confirm if the “lid” actually serves to prevent manifestation of 4280-A and/or 4280-B outside the jar.

[TESTING CANCELED BY PROJECT DIRECTOR]

Director Imani’s Note: “I know we’re all curious, but I’ve seen this exact sort of experiment go south before. Best case scenario, the lid does nothing, and 4280-C only occurs inside the jar. Worst case, after x number of “Restocks” it starts pouring out, and we have no way to stop it. High risk, no real gain. Just keep it sealed.”

UPDATE ██/██/20██: [REDACTED] [See Test log SCP-4280-C, Level 4 clearance required]

Director Rutherford’s Note: “That override is now a zero-argument directive. KEEP. IT. SEALED.”

TL-4280-C-3

D-2996 is instructed to place his left hand into SCP-4280, so that it is completely covered in SCP-4280-B. Identical numbness and loss of total feeling reported from TL-SCP-4280-B-5.

With the aid of a brace, D-2996 continues to keep his hand submerged for several days. Subject describes minimal discomfort throughout the process, though often complains about numbness, and the inconvenience of being unable to use his left hand.

At 06:13 on ██//██/20██, restock event occurs. A normal array of SCP-4280-A appear, and D-2996’s hand vanishes. D-2996 continues to sleep through the process, and for an additional 25 minutes until researchers enter the testing chamber. Subject describes no pain or discomfort. D-2996 voices extreme distress upon noticing his missing limb, and is sedated.

D-2996 is brought into a surgical theater, conscious, where SCP-4280 is removed. Instantly after subject loses contact with SCP-4280-B, the open contact point begins hemorrhaging large quantities of blood. D-2996 voices distress, stating that he has regained all feeling, and is in extreme pain. Wrist shows perfect separation, with all observable skin, muscle, and bone cleanly severed just above the point of contact with SCP-4280-B.

Director Imani’s Note: “Well, damn. Looks like 4280-B won’t make a good anesthetic, even in the short term. At least the Ethics Committee will get a good “I told you so” out of this.”

Test Log SCP-4280-D “Exploration”

SCP-4280-D-1

Contents of SCP-4280 are left undisturbed. One standard remotely operated camera (R.O.C.) probe, outfitted with atmospheric sensors and GPS, is inserted into SCP-4280. "Restock" event occurs within sixteen hours.

.3 seconds later, R.O.C probe re-appears in South-Eastern Malaysia, all functionality intact. However, camera visibility is obstructed. Liaison agents are able to retrieve the R.O.C., confirming its location buried beneath 3ft of debris at a local garbage dump.

Experiment 4280-D-1 repeated five more times. Each time, R.O.C. probe appears in a different global location, always partially buried in a disposal site of some kind, be it organic, industrial, public or private.

Note from Director Imani:“Debate still rages if SCP-4280 is sentient, or at least intelligent. It's at least selective with the choices of SCP-4280-A, and where it relocates the objects introduced to it. At least, inedible objects. I wonder…”

SCP-4280-D-2

[REDACTED] (Level 4 Clearance Required)

LEVEL-4 CLEARANCE REQUIRED

PLEASE INPUT CREDENTIALS

SCP-4280-D-2

Utilizing SCP-████ and SCP-███, a limited organic approximate of the R.O.C. probe is created. Atmospheric sensors and GPS cannot be replicated. Recording technology is replaced with edible proxy, including electro-conductive protein fibers, reflective hard candy, and sugar glass lenses. Probe dubbed “Big Bait”.

“Big Bait” introduced into SCP-4280. After 8 days and 15 hours, “Restock” event occurs.

Recording feed transcribed below:

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Total darkness within a 360 degree field of view.

Visual sighting confirmed. Object approaching probe.

Object identified as a human-like arm. Flesh is chalky and uniformly colored. Fingers are four-jointed and elongated, with fifteen fingers connected to a single ‘palm’. Wrist joint attaches to a 15 meter section of arm, before segmenting at an elbow, to another 43 meter length of arm. Several hundred arm-and-joint sections extend past the furthest observable distance.

“Big Bait” has been seized by this hand. Arm has begun retracting, accelerating towards it's source.

Many more hands and arms are now visible. Acceleration increases.

Several hundred arms now visible. Acceleration increases.

Several thousand arms now visible. Acceleration increases.

Hundreds of thousands of arms now visible, appearing to extend from a white "ring". Acceleration decreases.

After a 360 swivel, probe now observes a jagged grey mountain range wrapped around halo of floating horizon, equally distanced from the probe in all horizontal directions. Directly below, a vast, ocean-like volume of clear liquid similar to 4280-B is constantly bubbling and churning.

Above, over the mountainous protrusions, countless thousands of arms, hundreds of meters long extend. Enumerable fistfuls of food are dropped past the probe, sinking into the collosal basin below.

No matter what direction the probe angles its lens, a pure white solar body can be seen rising over the mountain range. Within it's boundaries, millions of unevenly sized red-and-black spheres move rapidly, often from one side of the white void to the next.

Acceleration increases.

Probe is moved closer to the horizon edge. Closer inspection reveals “mountains” are some form of calcium growths, similar to clustered shark teeth on a colossal scale. Many “peaks” are chipped and rotting, with exposed nerve endings and untold quantities of browning plaque growth. Near the base, large white stalks grow upwards, gradually branching off into the countless, jointed arms above.

Acceleration halted.

Probe held directly in front of the white aperture, which is slightly curved and glass-like. One of the larger “dots” moves into place directly ahead of the probe. Closer inspection reveals it iris like, constantly trembling in its stationary position.

Probe records a .2 second eruption of sound before feed is forcibly terminated.

Addendum ██/██/20██:

Fifteen seconds after broadcast terminates, SCP-4280, which had been closed but not locked following probe launch, begins to shake violently. Seven incredibly narrow arm segments similar to those observed by “Big Bait” extend out of SCP-4280.

These arms breach the containment chamber within .6 seconds, tearing through plated steel and concrete. One arm shatters the polycarbonate barrier dividing the Observation Bay.

This arm flails rapidly, injuring 2 security officers and 4 research personnel. Researcher Dylan Welts is fatally wounded when one of the arms “elbows” pins him against the western most wall, crushing his ribcage. At this time, sector lockdown goes into full effect.

The “hand” portion of this arm was able to seize Director Imani’s calf, dragging her towards SCP-4280’s containment chamber. Small arms fire showed totally ineffective against the arms, and SCP-4280 itself. How the material components, I.E. the glass and hinges of SCP-4280 increased in durability during this event is unknown.

The arm assaulting Dr. Imani attempts to force her body into the jar, which due to its 12cm aperture, causes extreme damage to Dr. Imani’s leg, calf, and pelvis. All resulting blood, sinew, and broken bone matter are collected by hundreds of hair-thin arms extending from the rim of SCP-4280.

Six other personnel are dragged towards SCP-4280 at this time. Dr. Imani, despite extreme blood loss and bodily trauma, manages to give the order to terminate the experiment at any cost.

Security employ automatic weaponry and explosives. The entirety of Dr. Imani’s body is forced into SCP-4280 several seconds before the jar finally shatters from this incoming barrage.

All arms extended from SCP-4280 vanish upon its destruction, leaving personnel with severe bruising, and crushing trauma where they had been “grabbed”.

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Note from Director Rutherford:

//"I won’t entertain any more suggestions of suspending this thing in molten tungsten, or putting it on the moon, or anything.

Even some of the most dangerous SCP’s we house have predictable behaviors; patterns we can exploit. SCP-4280 hasn’t even manifested the same kind of sandwich twice. Who knows what might appear in there tomorrow.

We need to study it. Observe it. If we don’t know what it’s doing, it’s not ‘Secure’.

I join all of you in mourning Director Joelle "Imani" Nasrallah. She was my mentor, and my friend.”//

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Addendum ██/██/20██ Six days following Incident 4280-D-2, another “Resock” event occurred. At this time, SCP-4280 was under observation in a Keter-graded containment chamber, with updated micro-explosive charges in place.

Proceeding the “Restock” event, a shaking motion was observed throughout the jar, similar to that seen in incident TL-4280-D-2.

This time, however, SCP-4280 was closed, and sealed using its nickel hinges. A flurry of motion was observed within SCP-4280, recorded as indeterminate grey shapes rapidly forming and disappearing. This phenomena lasted .5 seconds before “Restock” concluded normally, with a new set of 4280-A items present.

This visual disturbance was observed three additional times during subsequent “Restocks” before resuming typical patterned behavior.

Addendum: As of ██/██/20██, 34 “Restocks” later, there has been no disturbances, hands, arms, or grey shapes within SCP-4280. SCP-4280 has been returned to it's Euclid Class storage container, with amended containment protocols.

Addendum ██/██/20██: Thorough dissection of audio and video logs transmitted from “Big Bait” are still underway.

Final analysis was possible through the AFS (Anomalous Frequency Study) Department, and their work with SCP-███ and SCP-████. The noise was identified a single vocalized word, composed of countless terrestrial, and unidentified languages. This word was not overlapping, but expelled simultaneously, occupying the same auditory wavelength (See SCP-IR7 Dimensional Sound-Wave Reverberation Theory)

In all translatable languages, this word was:

“More”

Footnotes

1. Dr. Fields: Request to reclassify 4280-A “Food” to “Objects”. While an average 82% of all SCP-4280-A are technically safe for consumption, the outlying 18% range from severely miasmic to lethal.

2. Dr. Wansley: But you CAN eat them.

3. Dr. Fields: Yes, and then you’d rupture your intestinal tract, or get cancer, or you’d just drop dead. Plutonium is technically “edible”.

4. Dr. Wansley: All 4280-A objects possess the INTENTION of edibility. They’re foodstuffs. They just vary in terms of palatability and recourse. Your same argument can be applied to the destructive aftermath of Cliffs 5-Alarm Chili.

5. Director Imani: Enough. Request denied. Also, let’s leave the Site-23 potluck out of this.

6. Addendum ██/██/20██: Mandatory counseling of research staff underway. Petition to exempt mothers/maternally biased individuals from observation detail on SCP-4280 denied.

7. Between 12 – 384 hours

8. All other mason jars are currently in ow-hazard storage at Site-31, and have thus far presented no anomalous properties. Chemical analysis of their wax seals place the preserves within these jars at 8-23 years of age.

9. (4280-A-166)

10. (4280-A-290)