The Abstract Concept of Perceiving
Item #: SCP-4271
Containment: Safe
Special containment procedures: SCP-4271 is kept in a locked metal bookcase #301 at research and storage Site-73. The door is fitted with a 99-digit keypad display which rearranges its numbers in a non-regular pattern upon entering the passcode successfully. Level 2 personnel may be granted access to SCP-4271 per special request from Head of Research Dr. Brayle.
Description: SCP-4271 is the designation for the combined collection of 20 19 lexica, titled: "The Abstract Concept of Perceiving". SCP-4271 has no indicated authorship, date or publishing company. SCP-4271 is entirely written in Grade 2 English braille in modern in English language.
SCP-4271 instances are ordinary books bound in brown leather with dimensions 40 x 25 cm (height and width), with a varying number of pages in each one. Overall, the collection is in near mint condition, with only a few instances of SCP-4271 showing signs of being read. Each instance of SCP-4271 is numbered one through 20. Each separate instance of SCP-4271 is thus categorized as SCP-4271-'#' corresponding to the specific number represented on each instance.
The content of SCP-4271 serves the purpose of explaining the concept of sight to a blind individual. SCP-4271 is inherently non-anomalous. The anomalous effect of SCP-4271 only manifests itself when read by individuals from English-speaking nations who were born with full blindness. SCP-4271's anomalous properties do not manifest when a subject is partially read, read out of order, or orally transmitted. The extraordinary effect caused by SCP-4271 is believed to be of memetic in nature.
The subjects contained within SCP-4271 are: 14 arbitrary chosen colors including one unidentified color, transparency, translucency, reflection, light, dark, and [REDACTED].
SCP-4271 was discovered by the Foundation in 19██ when former cognitohazard researcher Dr. Julian Charles acquired it through a children's charity auction in ██████, England and added it to his own braille book collection. SCP-4271 anomalous properties were discovered by chance when Dr. Charles casually read SCP-4271-5.
The existence of SCP-4271 did not become known to the Foundation until several years later, when Dr. Charles at a Foundation social gathering approached and fed SCP-2576. Following an interrogation Foundation Agents confiscated SCP-4271, under verbal protest from Dr. Charles, and placed it into secure containment.
Examples of content from SCP-4271:
SCP-4271-1. Transparency. The instance consists of:
- A short story describing the feeling of being a seagull.
- Samples from the book of Job.
- A small Scratch-and-Sniff patch. The smell is described as a combination of "fresh ocean water" and glue.
SCP-4271-5. The Color Green. A 674 page novel detailing the life of a hobbit named Glenn Baker.
SCP-4271-8. The Color Red. The instance consists of:
- 28 poems, all revolving around the unconditioned love of a mother.
- A 501 page list of adjectives and objects usually associated with the color red in western modern society, including several made up words by the author.
- Two chapters from Karl Marx, Das Kapital.
- The lyrics to White Christmas by Bing Crosby.
SCP-4271-19. The Color Dowleu. The instance consists of:
- 436 pages of braille drawings depicting religious objects, abstract motives, and animals indigenous to south east Asia.
- 2 pages of the authors dislike for the color magenta.
- A recipe for mixing Dowleu. The recipe contains trivial household items, except one ingredient, [REDACTED].
SCP-4271-20. [REDACTED]
TEST LOGS:
22/7/19██ and 15/8/19██
Interviewer: Research assistant Dr. Brayle.
SCP-4271-8. The Color Red.
Test subject: Class-D personnel, D-3875, born without functioning eyes.
<Begin log>
Preliminary test 22/7:
Dr. Brayle: So, tell me what do you think of colors. What are they? Do you understand the concept of something having a color?
D-3875: Yes, I mean no.. I have the impression that they are everywhere, and that they mean a lot to some people. But I've never seen them, so it's hard to say.
Dr. Brayle: Alright. Tell me, how would you describe the color red?
D-3875: Like I know red is the color of fire, but then again apples are red too. I don't get how heat and a fruit can look the same. And I have been told that my finances were in red, so I guess red also means bad, yet it's also the color of love. I don't know, I guess I just don't get the concept.
Dr. Brayle: Great answer. It's stated here in your dossier that you are fluent in braille. I would like you to read this book.
<End Log>
<Begin Log>
Test 15/8:
Interview begins when the D-3875 is about to finish the last page of SCP-4271-8: The Color Red.
D-3875: I'm thrilled this is over soon, doc. It is getting really hard focusing after nearly 500 fucking pages of just random words.
Dr. Brayle: I know, but it is important that you keep focusing till the last word.
D-3875: What ever you say.
Upon finishing the last word, D-3875 suddenly jumps in his seat and shivers.
D-3875: Holy fuck! …I get it Doc! I mean it so obvious isn't it? You know that feeling when something finally clicks? Right? Got goosebumps straight down my back! Of course apples are fucking red!
<End log>
30/12/19██
Interviewer: Research assistant Dr. Brayle.
SCP-4271-19. The Color Dowleu.
Test subject: Class-D personnel, D-3875, born without functioning eyes. Subject had previous exposure to all the other colors explained in SCP-4271.
<Begin log>
Interview begins when the D-3875 is about to finish the last page of SCP-4271-19: The Color Dowleu
Dr. Brayle: Alright, finish the last few sentences and we will begin the interview.
D-3875: Aha, yes, I see. Hmm… I did not expect this. Green was much more straight forward.
Dr. Brayle: What was the book like? Can you describe the color "Dowleu" to me?
D-3875: The book was a bore for sure. As to Dowleu. Yeah..I… Well I don't know any objects this color. Damn this hard…Know that feeling of excitement just before the drop in like a…roller coaster? Yeah, like that, but more like in a sad way. It's really hard to describe.
Dr. Brayle: I guess it makes sense you can't describe any physical objects, as this color does not actually exist, atleast in the classical sense. Tell me, what other color does it resemble the most?
D-3875: It nothing like brown or yellow for sure. Definitely not blue and red either. I think… it feels like the opposite of magenta, but not like what green is… more like how something can be both sad and happy at the same time. Like bittersweet.
<End log>
23/6/20██
Interviewer: Head of Research Dr. Brayle.
SCP-4271-20. [REDACTED]
Test subject: Dr. Julian Charles, born without an optical nerve. Dr. Charles has read every other instance of SCP-4271 in the collection.
Test note: Dr. Charles has requested to read SCP-4271-20. Level 3 Clearance was granted by Dr. ██████
<Begin log>
Interview begins when the Dr. Charles is about to finish the last page of SCP-4271-20: [REDACTED]
Dr. Brayle: Julian, what exactly do you think is going to happen? You saw what happened to last guy who we had read [REDACTED]!
Dr. Charles: I don't care. They are my books, and I can do with them damn well what pleases me. You know very well I only handed them over, because the Foundation doesn't take no for an answer. They were perfectly secure, contained and protected in my own bookshelf.
Dr. Brayle: This is a bad idea Julian, but very well. I know you too rarely take no for answer. I will oversee the process of testing.
How was the subject? As uninspiring as the previous chapters?
Dr. Charles: A mixture of [REDACTED] and endless [REDACTED] that went on for what feels like an eternity. No wonder that previous poor sod lost his mind, it was mind numbingly boring. If you don't mind, I'll read the last few pages now, so we can get on with this interview.
Upon finishing Dr. Charles describes an intense pain in the temples followed by neck stiffness. Interview continues 10 minutes afterwards, when Dr. Charles regained his bearings.
Dr. Brayle: Describe to me what you feel Julian? What exactly is going on? Did it work as intended?
Dr. Charles: God dammit, this is uncomfortable! I see alright, but its not like what the books described at all! Everything feels like static noise! Its too much, too loud…
Dr. Brayle: Julian?!…Hey!…Okay, cut it! Someone get a medic in here!…
Interview is ended when Dr. Charles vomits and passes out.
<End log>
26/6/20██
They have tested me day in and day out. My eyes does not function, and never has. Yet still I see them, standing right there. Is this really what sight is? I have wondered my entire life what it would be like to see to perceive the world through sight, but this is definitely not what I had imagined. I can barely start to focus without feeling sick to my stomach. I miss the absence of sight.
30/7/20██
I still write in braille, still try to use my hands. While I thought being able to see would be the most intuitive feeling in the world, this is not true sight. My "sight" has sharpened, but it still hurts my mind. It does not matter, I'm sure to be losing that soon anyway.
No one was ever meant to view the world this way. It is utterly unbearable.
15/8/20██
I am seeing the source, it must be. What else can it possible be? The purest form of the universe. If this is true enlightenment, it is not worth living. I'm burning that book the next time I see it. It might be selfish, but that book is nothing but trouble. And despite what the foundation believes, it is still my collection! And if I think it needs burning, I am in my every right to do so.
16/8/20██
I did it. The book is gone. They will come for me now, those ungrateful bastards. A life time of service, in exchange for what? Not even a book collection.
If only I could describe what I see and feel to you born with sight. Don't worry, the irony is not lost upon me.
Per 
