KnobelKnight

REPLACE WITH ACTUAL LETTER

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is currently uncontained. MTF-SOMETHING has been mobilized to retrieve SCP-XXXX from its current location. Upon retrieval, SCP-XXXX is to be placed into a standard object containment cell. Once per week, any contained SCP-XXXX-1 instances are to be recorded and discarded.

Description: SCP-XXXX is the mailbox of Paul Johnson, an 87 year old male living in rural Manitoba, Canada. This phenomenon consists of the manifestation of handwritten, unstamped letters (SCP-XXXX-1) of varying appearance and content addressed to Johnson as well as the disappearance of letters addressed to the location listed as SCP-XXXX-1 instances' return address¹. While the manifestation of SCP-XXXX-1 instances is tied to the residence's regular mail schedule, instances are not delivered by postal services and instead spontaneously appear among other letters received, if any.

SCP-XXXX-2 is the tentative designation for the author of the SCP-XXXX-1 instances. No physical evidence for SCP-XXXX-2's existence has been discovered.

SCP-XXXX's anomalous effects have been active for 20 years at the time of writing. In that time, Johnson has frequently corresponded with SCP-XXXX-2 on a variety of topics, including world news, hobbies², and the personal life of the recipient. All instances are written in an amicable tone and signed by "A Friend".

The following is a retrieved instance of SCP-XXXX-1, believed to be one of the first sent:

+ Show SCP-XXXX-1 Transcript

Hey again, Paul!

I'm glad you decided to accept my offer of pen pal-ship! I'm really looking forward to getting to know you.

Now, I'm sure you're wondering who I actually am and why I'm only calling myself a friend. The answer is- it's the truth! I firmly believe that friendship requires trust on both sides. You've already shown me trust by accepting my invitation- what's a little more?

In return, I'll trust you with some things about me! I'm a huge fan of boxing, both watching it and doing it myself. It's great exercise, and really gets the blood pumping! We boxing fans- we like to call ourselves "boxists³"- love to talk technique and practice against each other.

And there you go. Your turn now! Hope to hear from you soon!

-A Friend

Surveillance of Johnson's communications confirms that he is a non-anomalous human who is unaware of SCP-XXXX's nature and believes he has been corresponding with a non-anomalous pen pal for the last 20 years.

Addendum 1: Discovery
SCP-XXXX was discovered after a local news website published an article on Johnson, SCP-XXXX-2 (referred to only as "the pen pal" or "the friend"), and their 20th anniversary as pen pals. The article included an image of an SCP-XXXX-1 instance with its return address shown. Following publication, readers discovered that the location listed did not appear to exist and spread this information through the article's comment section. At this point Foundation web crawlers were alerted and, following a short disinformation campaign and a retraction from the article's author, the image was removed from the site.

Addendum 2: Containment
SCP-XXXX's existence outside Foundation custody has been determined to be an unacceptable and unnecessary security risk. MTF-SOMETHING has been assigned to the retrieval of SCP-XXXX at the earliest possible opportunity. Retrieval is to occur under cover of vandalism; due to Johnson's advanced age and relative social isolation, it is believed that this will require no additional cover-up.

ON TO NEXT SECTION

Footnotes

1. The location listed is an undeveloped plot of land within Alberta.

2. While instances occasionally claim to be interested in certain hobbies, these claims are inconsistent and of very little substance.

3. No known boxing sub-communities refer to its members as "boxists".