TheLonelySailor

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is to be contained within a standard D-class prison cell. No feeding is required, SCP-XXXX has rejected all food and liquid offered. Only personnel with clearance level 3 or above may interact with SCP-XXXX and cameras equipped with microphones are to be recording SCP-XXXX in its cell at all times. Only personnel with clearance level 4 or above may authorise a request to transport SCP-XXXX to the approximate site specified by SCP-XXXX. On these expeditions, SCP-XXXX is to be supervised by a task force team at all times, and must not leave the vessel under any circumstances, including a potential discovery of its 'son'. In the event of a discovery of SCP-XXXX's 'son', a recovery team is to transport the 'son', dead or 'alive', to Site 12 for further analysis. Only personnel with clearance level 4 or above may authorise SCP-XXXX to interact with its 'son' in the event that its 'son' is discovered. Thus far, there have been 4 authorised expeditions to the site, all of which returned negative results.¹

Description: SCP-XXXX is a sapient humanoid of the species Homo sapiens. SCP-XXXX is a Caucasian male appearing in its mid to late forties, measuring 1.83 metres in height, with a lean-muscular build. SCP-XXXX is missing one eye, and has multiple superficial scars surrounding the empty socket. SCP-XXXX is outfitted in a dim grey trench coat, a charcoal waistcoat, a white cotton shirt, charcoal cotton trousers and black work boots. SCP-XXXX's attire resembles that of a 19th century working-class man in the sailing profession. SCP-XXXX's clothing appears tattered and mud stained, with various signs of prolonged exposure to the elements.

When questioned on its origin, SCP-XXXX attempts to convince researchers that it is a non-anomalous human. When asked to elaborate, SCP-XXXX will enter into a severely agitated state, but remains docile as it explains its objective. SCP-XXXX seeks to locate its 'son', who is supposedly lost somewhere within the Arctic Ocean. SCP-XXXX explains that it has been searching since the year 1843, indicating its first anomalous property. Multiple voluntarily given samples of SCP-XXXX's skin tissue reveal, through carbon dating techniques, to be from a time period consistent with that specified by SCP-XXXX; approximately 150 years ago (as of time of this document's creation on December 12th, 1993). Cells within organic tissue extracted from SCP-XXXX are lifeless, yet SCP-XXXX exhibits all conventional signs of being 'alive' such as respiratory and motor functions and complete sapience. However, SCP-XXXX displays signs of severe amnesia, having no recollection or comprehension of the extensive time it has spent 'searching' for its 'son'. Furthermore, SCP-XXXX claims neither to have eaten nor slept for the duration of its 'search', and exhibits symptoms consistent with prolonged sleep deprivation, including severe anxiety from stress, paranoia and severe disorientation within its present environment at Site 12. SCP-XXXX details that it clawed out its own eye in a particularly acute episode of anxiety attack.

SCP-XXXX resolutely believes that it is still residing in the year 1843 and all attempts to demonstrate otherwise have failed. SCP-XXXX demonstrates increasing frustration and impatience the longer it is kept in captivity, maintaining that its sole aim is to locate its 'son'. SCP-XXXX has gone into great detail about the importance of finding its 'son' and becomes extremely distressed whenever its 'son' is mentioned by either Foundation personnel or itself. SCP-XXXX demonstrates negligible interest for anything other than locating its 'son' and when told by Foundation personnel that its 'son' was likely deceased, SCP-XXXX flew into a state of enraged denial, violently screaming at Foundation personnel and vandalising its cell.² SCP-XXXX has made multiple attempts to bribe Foundation personnel for its release and has assaulted various Foundation personnel once these offers were rejected.

Open: Items in possession.

An initial search for possessions on SCP-XXXX's person produced a rusted iron blade measuring 10cm, two pounds, five shillings and three pence, a navigational compass, a small corked bottle containing a map of a portion of the Arctic Ocean (charted in 1836; confirmed by carbon dating) and a small brass lock box and key containing a mottled photograph of a young boy aged between five and six years old.

The map contains coordinates 83°59'23.4"N 13°57'04.3"E . This is confirmed by SCP-XXXX to be the approximate location of its 'son', to within 5Km² by its estimates. This site is to be designated SCP-XXXX-1, following Expedition 2.³

Open: Note.

SCP-XXXX has been contained at Site 12 for 25 years as of this document's annual update on December 12th, 2018. SCP-XXXX has still not displayed any signs of ageing, nor has it ceased its insatiable desire to locate its 'son'. It is safe to conclude therefore, that SCP-XXXX will persist on this course indefinitely. As such, no further updates are required by Foundation personnel.

Addenda:

See enclosed: Table of Incidents:

Incident XXXX-A

Incident XXXX-A is a recording from within SCP-XXXX's cell on 23rd May, 1998.

Open: Incident XXXX-A

<Begin Log, 09:32>

[Footsteps can be heard within the cell, the camera shows SCP-XXXX pacing back and forth along the furthermost wall from the cell door. A slot in the door is opened, SCP-XXXX quickly turns to face the open slot.]

Dr. Miles: How are we feeling today, Henry?

SCP-XXXX: Have ye found him? Have ye found my son?

Dr. Miles: Now, now, Henry, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I want to know why you believe your son is all the way out there in the freezing northern waters.

SCP-XXXX: I have told ye many times over, sir, as to why he is out there, why d'ye keep me here? Why am I to be locked in this wretched place whilst my boy suffers alone in that icy hell?

Dr. Miles: You say that you are a fisherman, yes?

SCP-XXXX: Aye, sir, that I be. Yet you know this, do ye not? Oft' comes the time where a man wants to teach his young the ways of his trade. That's why we were out there. God strike me for being such a fool a father but I been trying to make my peace e'r since.

Dr. Miles: But why did you venture so far north?

SCP-XXXX: Me lad, he wanted to see them pretty lights in the sky I used to tell him about, had to go far north as we could to see 'em though. His mother died when he was young, see, I tried to give him all the love I could, and now he's out there and ye won't let me find him! What kind of dog won't let a man see his own blood?

Dr. Miles: This happened in 1843, Henry, it is 1998.

SCP-XXXX: No! No you're wrong! He's still out there! He's always been out there! Ye just have to let me find him, I'll show ye! Take the moneys ye found in me pocket, just let me go find me lad!

Dr. Miles: I'm afraid that is incorrect, Henry. Look around you, the bed, the lights, me, none of this is from your time. I'm afraid that any chance your boy had of surviving was lost a very, very long time ago. It takes less than two minutes to die in waters that cold. It has been 155 years!

SCP-XXXX: Why ye lying dog! Ye bastard - ye, ye scum! You and this whole place are going to burn for what ye doing, come here ye murderin' little -

<End Log, 09:34>

[SCP-XXXX is seen running towards the door, the door slot closes. SCP-XXXX pounds on the door for the next 5 days, showing no fatigue, screaming expletives the entire time. The constant pounding on the door resulted in injuries to SCP-XXXX, primarily a severe loss of skin tissue on its knuckles where its bones can be observed protruding from its wounds. However, SCP-XXXX demonstrated no signs of feeling physical pain throughout the ordeal.]

---

See enclosed: Table of Expeditions:

Expedition 1

Expedition authorised by Site Director Orwell.
Expedition date: December 23rd, 1993.
SCP-XXXX present on voyage? Negative.
Details of Expedition: A recovery team voyaged via helicopter to the coordinates specified on the map in the possession of SCP-XXXX. Upon arrival at the site, the ocean bore no differences from the surrounding waters. The recovery team swept the 5km² area, with no traces of the boy found. Thermal imaging detected no hotspots within the freezing waters. Diving teams advised for next expedition, surface sweep failed to ascertain location of the boy.
Target recovered? Negative.

Expedition 2

Expedition authorised by Site Director Orwell.
Expedition date: January 11th, 1994.
SCP-XXXX present on voyage? Negative.
Details of Expedition: Multiple recovery teams voyaged via ship to the coordinates specified on the map in the possession of SCP-XXXX. Upon arrival at the site, four dive teams inside diving expedition pods dove to a depth of 2,340 metres to the arctic seabed. Dive team 3 located a sunken vessel in quadrant 3 of the 5km² area. The vessel was a small Victorian era fishing boat, with two central masts that had broken off. The hull had been completely breached, and the remainder of the vessel was in ruins. Images of the vessel were taken, and all four dive teams investigated. No physical traces of the boy were found, but the vessel itself displayed anomalous properties.

Immediately after coming within approximately ten metres of the vessel, dive teams distinctly recall hearing whispering, though they described it as faint and muffled. After having been near the vessel for approximately five minutes, all dive teams reported feeling a particular sense of uneasiness, as the quiet whisper steadily rose in pitch and volume until it culminated into a deafening scream. The screaming would not stop and all dive teams reported scratching and banging noises on the hulls of their dive pods. Dive team 3 reported a crack in their front visor, at which point all teams were instructed to surface. As each team were surfacing, the scream turned into desperate cries for help. The voice begged and screamed for each individual team member, calling them by name to return to the depths of the vessel to save the boy. The voice faded after dive teams reached the surface of the ocean.

Structural damage reports on each dive pod were conducted. Pods 1 and 4 had scratch marks on their paint work, and broken headlights. Pod 2 had experienced the same and lost its rear dorsal fin. Pod 3 suffered major damage to the integrity of its hull, headlights and front visor, as well as losing a central propulsion rotor. Another twenty seconds and Pod 3 and its crew would have been lost. Crew from Pod 3 are to be transported for psychological evaluation, lasting effects of the cognitohazard seem to have manifested in each of the four crew. They demonstrate signs of acute stress, anxiety and paranoia. Notably, all made deeply empathetic remarks towards SCP-XXXX; its captivity and objective in particular. Dive team 3 is not to be authorised to embark on any further expeditions. Site is to henceforth to be designated SCP-XXXX-1
Target recovered? Negative.

Expedition 3

Expedition authorised by O5-█.
Expedition date: February 2nd, 1994.
SCP-XXXX present on voyage? Positive.
Details of Expedition: SCP-XXXX was permitted to voyage with recovery teams and Task Force Alpha to SCP-XXXX-1 via ship. Commander ███████ oversaw the detention of SCP-XXXX aboard the vessel. SCP-XXXX demanded to leave the vessel upon arrival at the site, but was confined to its quarters.

Recovery teams dove in reinforced dive pods to SCP-XXXX-1. Similar cognitive effects occurred on all recovery teams as per Expedition 2, though teams noted substantial alterations in the severity of their cognitive distress. RT-Charlie-2 likened the screams emanating from SCP-XXXX-1 to those of a child in severe agony, though RTC2 also noted an internal sense of familiarity to the screams which caused a deeply sympathetic feeling of trust towards SCP-XXXX-1. RTC2 found RTC4's particular sympathy towards SCP-XXXX-1 as so exceptional as to warrant suspicion. RTC4 was observed extending his hand out towards SCP-XXXX-1 and begged the other three dive crew to remain submerged once the emerge order was given. When the other three crew complied with the emerge order, RTC4 became severely agitated, spitting and cursing at RTC1 and assaulting RTC3. Crew members restrained RTC4 and he was immediately taken for psychological evaluation upon returning to the main vessel.
Target recovered? Negative.

Expedition 4

To be written (hoping to make this a final expedition where the father somehow escapes, perhaps convinces a dive member who has succumbed to the effects of the child's pleas to help him, causing the dive member to commit suicide in the process of breaking the man out of his boat quarters and jumping into the water with him. I would change the rest of the document somewhat to accommodate this eventuality to ensure continuity).

Footnotes

1. See expedition logs.

2. See Incident XXXX-A.

3. Expedition 2