Item #: SCP-XXXX
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: Describe the simple procedures: SCP-XXXX can be kept in a box. Still need something to hint at the nature, though.
Objective of this section: To give a teaser as to what the SCP is.
Description: Here is where we lay out what it actually does. While the sand is falling, the person who flipped it ages as the sand falls. As it's falling, they don't realize they are aging (when it's brought up, they say stuff like "Time flies, huh?"). Then, in the last 10 seconds or so, they see how old they've gotten. This is accompanied by strong feelings of regret ("I could've done so much more!"). The subject doesn't recognize how strange the situation is; to them, they've gotten old and let their days waste away. When the last grain of sand falls, they revert back to their original state (usually accompanied by feelings of relief).
Objective of this section: To lay out in clinical terms what the SCP does. This means that emotions like what is in the brackets should only be briefly mentioned if at all, and really heavy emotional responses should be saved for the test logs.
Testing Logs:
Only one test log is probably going to be the best course of action, so the emotional aspect isn't spread out too much. What's left to decide is whether the test subject will be a D-Class or a researcher. I feel like the researcher would be easier for the reader to empathize with, as the D-Class would be expressing regret that would have some amount of focus on the crime they committed (and I imagine most readers aren't on death row). However, I'll attempt both methods.
If I go with the researcher option, I'll have to make it clear in the description that there was initial D-Class testing, as it wouldn't make sense for a researcher to expose themselves to an SCP right off the bat.
This section should top it all off. Here we'll have someone activate the SCP themselves. We'll watch them attempt to give an objective description of what's happening, but quickly falling under the spell of the SCP. Here's where we really watch someone break down under the effects, I mean full blown sobbing near the end followed by extreme relief after reverting back to normal. Possibly a note at the end about how the researcher for the SCP mentions how they're going to actually start that thing they've been meaning to do for a while: I haven't decided if that's too heavy-handed or not.
Objective for this section: The final gut-punch. Time is going to consume us all; how many regrets will you have when it's your time to go? If even one person gets to this (the end of the article) and closes their browser to go check something off of their bucket list, then I will have succeeded in my writing.
Item #: SCP-XXXX
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is kept in a standard Safe-class containment locker in Site 64. Any Class-D personnel who experience the effects of SCP-XXXX must be administered a class B amnestic following their exposure in order to keep a sense of heightened perspective from altering perceptions of authority.
Description: SCP-XXXX is a glass sand hourglass, contained in brass casing with decorative markings which stands at a height of 15 cm, with a diameter of 10 cm. Time from when SCP-XXXX is activated to when the last grain of sand falls is measured at [WHATEVER TIME IS GOOD FOR THE TEST LOGS] minutes. It is during this time that the anomalous effects of SCP-XXXX manifest.
When SCP-XXXX is activated by flipping it, the anomalous effects are limited to the individual who activiated it (hereafter referred to as the subject). As sand drains into the bottom compartment of SCP-XXXX, the subject will experience time in an accelerated state. This increased rate of time passing is both mental and physical. Soon after activating SCP-XXXX, the subject will visibly age at a rate of approximately [NUMBER OF YEARS UNTIL 80/TIME OF HOURGLASS] years per second. At any point during activation, the subject will speak as if they are the age they appear to be physically. They do not recognize the increased speed of time passing; instead, they will attribute it to their own flawed perception of time.
Past the halfway point of activation, the subject will begin to express concern with their rate of aging, though it is once again attributed to a personal lack of attention to the passing of time. The subject will become increasingly agitated as they approach the endpoint of the activation of SCP-XXXX, beginning with comments about their own lives ending and progressing into extreme emotional outbursts.
The effects of SCP-XXXX are not permanent. Once all of the sand has drained into the bottom compartment, the subject reverts back to the age they were upon activation of SCP-XXXX. At this point the subject is also freed from the mental effects of SCP-XXXX, and will be capable of recognizing the anomalous nature of what they have experienced. Further testing has shown that SCP-XXXX has no residual physical effects, with subjects aging at a normal rate once it is no longer active.
Interviewed: Junior Researcher J█████
Interviewer: Researcher W█████
Foreword: Junior Researcher J█████ was selected on the basis of having no prior knowledge of SCP-XXXX or its effects.
<Begin Log>
Interviewer: [speech]
Person: [speech]
[Repeat as necessary]
<End Log>
Closing Statement: [Small summary and passage on what transpired afterward]
Item #: SCP-XXXX
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is kept in a standard Safe-class containment locker in Site 64. Personnel who experience the effects of SCP-XXXX must be administered a Class-B amnestic following exposure in order to avoid a diminished sense of loyalty to the Foundation resulting from sudden perspective shift.
Description: SCP-XXXX is a sand hourglass, contained in brass casing with decorative markings. When activated, it take five minutes for the sand to drain into the bottom compartment. The anomalous effects of SCP-XXXX manifest for the duration of this time.
The effects of SCP-XXXX are limited to the individual who activated it (hereafter referred to as the subject). As sand drains into the bottom compartment of SCP-XXXX, the subject will experience time at an accelerated rate. While experiencing the effects of SCP-XXXX, the subject will visibly age at a rate of 6-10 years per minute. At no point does the subject recognize the increased rate of aging. When it is brought to their attention, the subject will attribute this to their own inability to keep track of time.
At some point midway through the activation, the subject will begin to express concern with their rate of aging. It is important to note that this concern isn't directed toward the anomalous nature of their aging; rather, the subject simply becomes more concerned about their inability to keep time from slipping away. The subject will become increasingly agitated as they approach the endpoint of the activation of SCP-XXXX, often beginning to comment on the apparent approach of their own death before progressing into extreme emotional outbursts.
The effects of SCP-XXXX are not permanent. Once all of the sand has drained into the bottom compartment, the subject reverts back to the age they were upon activation of SCP-XXXX. At this point the subject is also freed from the mental effects of SCP-XXXX, and is capable of recognizing the anomalous nature of what they have experienced. Further testing has shown that SCP-XXXX has no residual physical effects, with subjects aging at a normal rate once it is no longer active.
(Junior Researcher J█████ was selected having no prior knowledge of SCP-XXXX or its effects.)
Interviewed: Junior Researcher J█████
Interviewer: Researcher W█████
Foreword: [Small passage describing the interview]
<Begin Log, [optional time info]>
Interviewer: [speech]
Person: [speech]
[Repeat as necessary]
<End Log, [optional time info]>
Closing Statement: [Small summary and passage on what transpired afterward]