VayenthaMasrani: THE LION'S MOUTH
rating: 0+x

SCP-5839:

SCP-5839 is a Euclid-Class, non-humanoid, sapient, cognitohazard object. SCP-5839 The SCP is three feet wide by three feet long at its widest and longest points, and is 5 feet tall. The object is composed of concrete, formed around a steel cage in the shape of a yard fountain. Since SCP-5839's construction in 1974, at a yard-decorations factory, the concrete has faded into a dark brown color. On the side of SCP-5839's two sloped bowls are four grotesques of lion's heads. These lion's heads are each in possession of their own consciousness, with each personality significantly differing from one another. It is contained at Site 32.

SCP-5839 must be contained in a steel chamber 6 feet X 6 feet X 6 feet, with water pumps and filters
to keep water flowing in and out of the sealed chamber. If the containment chamber is empty of water for 24 hours, SCP-5839 will begin screaming from all four heads for water, juice, soda, coffee, alcohol, or even gasoline or lighter fluid, stating that it 'needs a drink'. However, the chamber must have 1 foot of area not submerged so that SCP-5839 can breathe. If the chamber is completely filled with water, SCP-5839 will drown. There is currently a high-level water filtration system in place just outside of SCP-5839's containment chamber, as small concrete flakes from SCP-5839 will often dislodge and float to the top of the chamber. Every month, these flakes are collected when the water is drained for a 2-hour cleaning period. These flakes are kept as samples in Dr. ██████'s personal laboratory, but have not been deemed SCP-5839-A as they show no abnormal characteristics.

SCP-5839 is a Euclid-Class object due to its unexplained nature. On ████ ██, 2019, the water was completely drained from the containment structure, allowing four agents to enter the containment structure through a removable panel. After guaranteeing that the area was secure, Dr. ██████ and Dr. ██████ were allowed to enter the containment structure. They conducted a 17-hour surgical inspection of SCP-5839. The lion grotesques remained silent until 13 hours into the surgical inspection, when Dr. ██████ used a dental drill to drill a hole one inch in diameter into the forehead of one of the lions. This lion remained silent, but the other three responded. One grumbled, asking for the noise to stop. One laughed uncontrollably, exhibiting sadistic tendencies. The final lion's head begged for the drill to be turned to him. When questioned by the doctors, this lion exhibiting masochistic tendencies. After 4 more hours of surgical investigation, Dr. ██████ and Dr. ██████ were allowed to exit the containment structure and the agents secured the area before replacing the panel. Five minutes later, the water was replaced in the containment structure. The investigative surgery did not seem to affect SCP-5839's overall well-being.

Dr. ██████ and Dr. ██████'s report of the investigative surgery is not currently complete, but during an informal hearing with Directors ██████, ███, and ████████, they revealed that the bottom of the fountain was empty and the results from the surgery inconclusive. Director ██████ pushed for a safe classification due to SCP-5839's containable nature. However, Dr. ██████ and Dr. ██████ were unsettled by the unexplained nature of the SCP and asked for a Euclid classification. When the Euclid classification was denied, and a Safe classification assigned to the SCP, Dr. ██████ exited the hearing and received a citation for insubordination. It became clear that SCP-5839 affected Dr. ██████'s mental state when Dr. ██████ broke into the generator room, threw himself into a 12-foot deep pool of coolant fluid, and drowned.

After the hearing, Director ██████ was informed of Dr. ██████'s possible mental degradation and placed him on a watchlist. After Dr. ██████'s suicide, Director ██████ invoked Director's Override to circumvent a hearing and immediately classify SCP-5839 as an Euclid-Class object. The next week, Dr. ██████, the second doctor involved in the surgical investigation, smeared excrement of the walls of his personal residence before attacking three D-Class personnel, D-Class 1753, D-Class 2628, and D-Class 3262. D-Class 2628's neck was broken by Dr. ██████ and later died of his injuries, while D-Class 1753 and D-Class 3262 each received week-long, "personal-health leaves" before returning to work.

Please note that a second, more formal hearing has been scheduled for ████ ██, 2021 to discuss the mental state of Director ██████, who has been acting erratically since the hearing. After Dr. ██████'s suicide, he has visited SCP-5839's containment structure over 261 times, sometimes three times a day. If he, too shows signs of mental degradation, the board of Overseers has made it clear that they will not hesitate to terminate him.