The Laughing Man

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is to be held within a locked 10 m x 10 m x 10 m containment cell at all times at Site-███. The containment cell is fully soundproof inside and out. The only people allowed to interact with SCP-XXXX are the deaf. Their inability to hear the laughter allows them to survive to be around SCP-XXXX. Three (3) personnel are needed. Two (2) at the door and one (1) watching a muted monitor of the room. SCP-XXXX is allowed anything it wants as long as it does not cause its laughter to become louder than it already is.

Description: SCP-XXXX is a humanoid entity which measures approximately 2.12 meters in height. SCP-XXXX is extremely skinny and malnourished with sunken in eyes and an unusually large smile. SCP-XXXX is a 26-year-old male that has the inability to stop laughing. Whenever it sees another being, it tries to run away to stop them from hearing its laugh.

There are two (2) beings in SCP-XXXX’s body. SCP-XXXX-1 and SCP-XXXX-2. SCP-XXXX-1 prefers to be known as "John". Refer to Interview XXXX-A for information. SCP-XXXX-1 has control over the body most of the time and is safe to contain due to SCP-XXXX-1's nonviolent behavior. On the other hand, whenever SCP-XXXX-2 has control over the body, personnel are alerted until SCP-XXXX-2 loses control over the body. From this point on, SCP-XXXX-1 and SCP-XXXX-2 shall both be called SCP-XXXX.

The laughter of SCP-XXXX is unknown as anyone who hears it eventually dies through [REDACTED].
After hearing the laughter of SCP-XXXXX, the hearer will start to laugh maniacally and lose total control of their body. The hearer is unable to stop their own laughter from this point forward. For further information about victims of SCP-XXXX, continue to Incident XXXX-A.

SCP-XXXX spends most of its time in the corner of its room crying or at least trying to cry. SCP-XXXX has become friendlier as it learned sign language. SCP-XXXX was taught sign language by on-site personnel.

Upon hearing the laughter, victims start laughing uncontrollably until their vocal cords break. Once they break, SCP-XXXX either finds them and murders them. It is unknown how but the body goes missing if he gets to them first. If SCP-XXXX is unable to get to the victim, then the victim commits suicide.

+ Open Incident XXXX-A

Incident XXXX-A: After the capture of SCP-XXXX, Dr. West wanted to do an experiment on victims of SCP-XXXX, which is transcribed below.

<Begin Log>

Dr. West: SCP-XXXX, are you willing to help participate in experiments regarding your anomalous properties towards humans and how it affects them?

After the question is asked, SCP-XXXX is shown becoming aggressive and caused a raucous in his containment cell. SCP-XXXX eventually gained composure and began to use sign language to respond.

SCP-XXXX: I'm not a weapon. Please don't make me do it. I don’t want to cause people my pain.

//Unknown to SCP-XXXX, a recording of SCP-XXXX's laughter has been saved and is used in place of him. //

Dr. West: Play the tape.

Through a muted monitor it can be seen that D-31544 is tied to a chair while the tape is played in the same room as D-31544. It is seen that D-31544 starts to laugh uncontrollably. D-31544 is heard struggling to speak through his laughter.

D-31544: What is going on? Make it stop. Please stop me.

Dr. West: Stop the tape and send in the other D-Class.

Tape ends and D-54634 is sent into the room that contains the affected D-31544.

D-31544: Thank god! Please help. (A short pause) Why are you looking at me like that?

D-54634 is unaffected and is issued to leave the room. D-54634 hurries out of the room and D-31544 begins to yell through his laughter.

D-31544: No, no please don't leave me.

D-54634 leaves the room. Minutes after, D-31544 dies of a heart attack.

<End Log>

Closing Statement: It is confirmed that only the laughs of SCP-XXXX are infectious and full sentience is held during infection.

+ Open Interview XXXX-B

Interview XXXX-B: Dr. ████████ has ordered a questioning with SCP-XXXX, which is transcribed below. The following interview can be seen through a muted monitor.

Interviewed: SCP-XXXX

Interviewer: Dr. ████████, a deaf scientist that works at the Foundation.

Foreword: All questions and answers were told in sign language.

<Begin Log, [optional time info]>

Dr. ████████: Good afternoon SCP-XXXX, how are you doing today?

SCP-XXXX: I've been doing the same as yesterday, and all days before that.

Dr. ████████: We're going to ask you a few questions today.

SCP-XXXX: Shoot.

Dr. ████████: We've seen before that you choose not to eat. Would you like to expand on that and tell us as of why?

SCP-XXXX: It makes me weaker. As a result, I hope it makes him weaker.

Dr. ████████: Would you mind explaining who 'him' is?

SCP-XXXX: It's who you should be calling SCP-XXXX. Not me.

Dr. ████████: Well, what would you like us to call you then?

SCP-XXXX: John would be preferred.

Dr. ████████: Noted.

Dr. ████████ is shown writing notes on his clipboard. SCP-XXXX will now be referred to as John for the rest of the interview.

Dr. ████████: What can you tell us about SCP-XXXX, John?

John: As you can notice, it only has control over my facial movements for most of the time.

Dr. ████████: What about the other times? Does he have full control over you the other times?

There is a pause and John is seen to tense up.

John: I don't want to talk about those times. Please.

Dr. ████████: You agreed to this interview. We need you to answer the question.

John: Fine. Fine, I'll tell you.

A short pause

John: Yes, when he isn't just controlling my facial movements, he has full control over my body. Now, imagine having sleep paralysis, but your body is moving by itself. You have no control in where you move or where you look. Every time this happens I am forced to watch the murders. My murders.

Dr. ████████: If you consider SCP-XXXX to be separate from yourself, why do you believe you're the cause of the murders?

John is shown becoming aggressive.

John: It's my laugh. They're my hands. I'm just a tool. Without me, no one would be hurt. Ever. It's all my fault.

Dr. ████████: How do those murders play out? As we can see, all bodies go missing afterward. This leaves autopsies impossible.

John is shown to be refusing to answer the question.

Dr. ████████: You know you have to answer the question, John.

John: Fine. I guess I'm forced to.

A short pause. John hesitates.

John: [DATA EXPUNGED]

As John speaks, there is a smile that is shown on his face. The longer John speaks, the wider his smile seems to widen and his bigger his eyes get. Dr. ████████ is shown to be visibly upset by what John is saying. Dr. ████████’s eyes can be seen glancing between John's hands and face. John stops mid-sentence and stares at Dr. ████████. Dr. ████████ meets John’s eyes. Dr. ████████ lets out a screech and is shown to be frightened. Dr. ████████ proceeds to exit the room in a dash. Eventually, John's eyes return to their original state along with its smile. John is left there crying, or at least trying to.

<End Log>

Closing Statement: After the interview, Dr. ████████ is found dead in their room with an empty bottle of painkillers. It is determined that John or SCP-XXXX had nothing to do with the death and that Dr. ████████ committed suicide after learning about the murders and what happens to the bodies afterward. The section of the tape containing the information of this is only to be seen by select personnel members that are given access.¹

Footnotes

1. Access is to be given by either Dr. West or an O5 Council member.