Link to article: SCP-3283.
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[[>]] [[module Rate]] [[/>]] **Item #:** SCP-3283 **Object Class:** Safe **Special Containment Procedures:** Site 874-Beta shall be monitored by at least two security personnel at each entrance. SCP-3283-1 shall be held shut with a wooden dowel 1.5 meters in length. SCP-3283-2 shall have a metal bar bolted across it to hold the switch in the ON position, and a locking cover shall be mounted over the top of the entire switch and switch plate. The supervising researcher shall hold the key. Several personnel shall pose as a family, coming and going from Site 874-Beta on a schedule that reasonably impersonates that of a typical family. Additional research and security personnel shall come and go posing as house guests. **Description:** SCP-3283 is a sliding glass door (SCP-3283-1) and light switch (SCP-3283-2) in the dining room of a house in Boise, Idaho. When SCP-3283-2 is in the ON position, SCP-3283-1 behaves like an ordinary glass door. Entry and exit to the house are unimpeded and bring the user to the expected location. Switching SCP-3283-2 to the OFF position activates SCP-3283's anomalous effect, though this effect is not immediately apparent unless viewed during daylight. When activated, SCP-3283-2 leads to an alternative version of Boise (Boise-3283). Boise-3283 experiences continual darkness. No moon or sun are observable, and the stars appear closer and brighter than in the "standard" Boise (Boise-Prime). The patterns of stars in Boise-3283 do not correspond to those found in Boise-Prime. Boise-3283 is identical to Boise-Prime in every way save that all structures are completely vacant. While the outsides are painted and decorated as in Boise, the interiors have no flooring, paint, wallpaper, or any other adornment applied to the bare construction materials. Although there are no lights or appliances in Boise-3283's structures, electric devices brought by exploration teams do function when plugged into power outlets in these structures. Outside the city limits of Boise-3283 is a dense boreal forest covering all of the planet so far mapped by the Foundation. The Foundation is not aware of any additional anomalous properties of Boise-3283. It has yet to be determined whether the alternate Boise is another dimension, a physical tranformation of our own planet, another planet, or some other anomaly. SCP-3283 was discovered when the Boise Press-Gazette published an article describing a haunted house that had been abandoned repeatedly over the span of 3 years in the early 2000s. The article was forwarded to the Foundation by local sources, at which time the Foundation purchased the house and established the present cover procedures. **Lead Researcher's Personal Notes:** > +++++ Research log, Dr. Arcia writing > I volunteered for this spot hoping to find some fun spiritual phenomena. The Foundation will be glad to know that I am still batting a perfect .000 on discovering ghosts in my career. Right after we came into the house one of the MTF guys, Officer Smith, noticed that somebody had left the light switch by the back door on. When he turned it off the view through the door immediately went dark. I flipped it off and on a couple more times just to confirm what we were seeing. > > We requested a remote camera vehicle and a couple mapping drones and got to work exploring through the door with the light switch off. As far as we can see with these methods, all of Boise is there, but outside that there's just dense forest as far as we could fly the drones and still get them back. The only break was a tiny clearing around the area the Great Salt Lake should be. We didn't see any animals or people. No sun ever rose despite these explorations lasting several days. > > We've designated the anomaly SCP-3283. The door is designated SCP-3283-1 and the switch is SCP-3283-2. We've designated the alternate Boise as Boise-3283. Given the apparent lack of dangers, I'm requesting clearance from O5 to conduct manned surveys. [O5 Approval granted. MTF-2525 ("Bailey Busters") to remain at Site 874-Beta as exploration and response team.] **Exploration logs:** [[collapsible show="+ Exploration 1" hide="- Exploration 1"]] 3 members of MTF-2525 (Commander Villasenor, Officer Tennison, and Officer Smith) outfitted with standard short-range exploration packs, armament, video equipment, and radios. Orders to survey to edge of Boise-3283. Team remotely monitored by Dr. Arcia (hereafter "Base"). > **Base:** Alright, we're clear on roles? > **Villasenor:** Basic survey. Explore city but do not go into the woods. We got it doc. > **Base:** No need to be snippy, you know procedure with this stuff, gotta double-check everything. > **Villasenor:** Yeah , yeah. Alright boys, let's go. > **Tennison:** I'm a woman. So are you, actually. > **Villasenor:** You know what I mean smartass. Alright, proceeding through SCP-3283-1. > **Base:** Alright, start with the first house directly to the north of this one. Enter and report. > **Villasenor:** Proceeding to first house. > **Smith:** Hey, look up! There's no moon! > **Tennison:** Stars are awful bright too. > **Smith:** Kinda creeps me out. > **Villasenor:** Focus, you're a professional! Base, we're at the house. Door's not locked, proceed? > **Base:** Proceed. Aerial surveys didn't show any heat signatures to indicate occupation. > **Villasenor:** Copy. Entering house. > **Smith:** It looks like fresh construction in here! > **Base:** Clarify, the video feed is too dark to make much out. > **Tennison:** I can take care of that. Just let me get my floodlight out of my pack. > **Smith:** What I mean is that outside everything looks just like it did back where you are, but inside everything's all bare concrete and drywall. Not even a switchplate on the power outlets. It's like somebody threw the house up, did the outside, then got the fuck out of dodge. > **Villasenor:** Language, Smith. Base, Tennison is doing a camera sweep with the spotlight. You picking it up? > **Base:** Yeah. I have to agree with Smith on language actually. Save the formality for your reports. Anyway, finish surveying the house and then proceed to the next. > **Villasenor:** Copy. > [NOTE: audio is interpersonal chatter between team for about 5 minutes. Video shows a sweep of the house.] > **Villasenor:** Base, we're done with the first house. Everything is the same as the front room. Totally empty and unfinished. Proceeding to next house. > **Smith:** Hope we see something interesting at some point. > **Tennison:** You don't think this is interesting? > [NOTE: recordings for the next several houses are similar] > **Villasenor:** Base, we're at the corner of the street now. It occurs to me that I should point out we haven't seen any vehicles parked anywhere but all the signage along the road is here and immaculately clean. There's light posts too, but the lights aren't on. > **Base:** Copy. Continue along the same vector until you get to the treeline. No need to report unless you encounter something unusual. > **Smith:** You mean other than the fact that we're in a ghost town? > **Villasenor:** Cute. Remind me why you're on my team again? > **Smith:** Because I shoot guns real good, sir. And because you like me. > [NOTE: Tennison is heard chuckling] > [NOTE: The remainder of the search continues in much the same manner until the treeline is reached] > **Villasenor:** We're at the treeline. I'm not seeing anything anomalous, but the tree cover out there is //thick//. You can't even see a foot in with the starlight and our flashlights only get you about two yards more. I'm not seeing any signs of movement or light, not even a small animal, but all the same I'd like to come back now if you don't mind. Something about it doesn't sit right with me. > **Smith:** I don't know boss, there's something kinda mystical about the woods. It's almost like there's something out there waiting to meet us. > **Villasenor:** If that was a joke it wasn't funny. Base, we're heading back. > **Base:** Copy. When you get back, we're going to have some stuff waiting for you. We want you to test out the light posts, power outlets, and network ports observed in town. When you get here pick up the street light bulb, test lamp, and laptop. You'll test them next door. > **Villasenor:** OK. Back in a jif. > [NOTE: about 20 minutes of idle chatter as team returns.] > **Villasenor:** Alright doc, give us the test equipment. Just FYI, you're buying the Red Lobster for making us stay out here longer. > **Base:** Red Lobster? Really? > **Villasenor:** You're in Boise, you got a better suggestion? And those cheddar biscuits are good. > **Smith:** Oh hell yeah! > **Base:** Fine, cheddar biscuits on me. > [NOTE: team reports that they climbed a lamp post and installed the light bulb. They had to smash the light cover to access the socket. The light is confirmed to have come on] > **Tennison:** Alright, we're heading into the house. > **Tennison:** I'm plugging the lamp into a socket now. > **Smith:** Lamp is on. > **Villasenor:** Wait, what's that sound? > **Tennison:** Ow! > **Base:** Report? > **Tennison:** The light buzzed and got really bright. Then it exploded a second later. It caught me in the hand. > **Base:** Can anyone confirm that? It actually exploded, she didn't hit it on accident or something? > **Smith:** Confirmed, it blew the heck up. > **Base:** Noted. Try the network ports. > **Tennison:** Way ahead of you Doc. We're plugged in and it looks like there's connectivity, but none of the websites I've tried seem to exist. > **Villasenor:** Listen, if you're making a magical dark world are you going to bring Yahoo or Reddit with you? Hell no. Try cnn.com or something normal like that. > **Tennison:** Fair. cnn.com is loading, but slowly. Looks like the connection is only about 56kbps. We can see the top of the banner image though. > **Villasenor:** Ok, what the hell Arcia? Is this a prank? > **Base:** Why? What happened? > **Tennison:** Well, the page loaded. apparently "CNN" stands for "Christ News Now". > **Villasenor:** Seriously, are you messing with us? Did one of the techs redirect the laptop to a fake CNN page? > **Base:** Listen, I'm not pranking you, but I'll have a senior tech examine the laptop when you get back. In the mean time, why don't you try foxnews.com? They seem like the sort to want a head start in the dark world. > **Villasenor:** Funny. Tennison, go ahead. > **Tennison:** OK, it's loaded. Fox News looks exactly the same. The banner shows today's date and the side poll is "Is the promise of an afterlife true?". 84% of respondents say yes. Same old Fox. > **Base:** Copy. Alright, I don't really have anything else for you to do. Get back here and turn in the laptop to Tech █████████ for analysis, then we'll get those cheddar biscuits. Technician's Report: [REDACTED] [[/collapsible]] [[collapsible show="+ Exploration 2 Summary" hide="- Exploration 2 Summary"]] A second exploration was mounted with the intention of scouting the woods immediately surrounding Boise-3283. Commander Villasenor and officers Tennison and Smith were outfitted with standard expedition gear, radios, and remote video links. The exploration team scouted the woods to a distance of one kilometer from the perimeter but found nothing worth reporting. Dr. Arcia made the decision to recall the team and mount another expedition equipped for multiple days at a later time. While the team was en route back to SCP-3283, a new research assistant inadvertently switched SCP-3283-2 to ON while Dr. Arcia was out of the room. When he returned he turned SCP-3283-2 back to OFF but the video and radio links could not be re-established. The standby team was dispatched for rescue operations but could not find the missing team anywhere within 10km of their presumed return route. The exploration team was presumed lost. Due to the potential for loss of valuable staff and the lack of useful data resulting from explorations, O5 has ordered an immediate halt to exploration of Boise-3283. Operations for Site 874-Beta have been refocused to containment of SCP-3283. [[/collapsible]] [[collapsible show="+ Please validate your O5-Level clearance to continue" hide="- O5-Level clearance authenticated, access granted"]] ++ Exploration 2 Commander Villasenor and officers Tennison and Smith were equipped with standard expedition gear for an exploration of the woods surrounding Boise-3283. The expedition plan of record was to embark on a route directly north, scout approximately 2km into the woods, then return along the same route. To ensure that any unforeseen anomalous effects didn't affect navigation, Tennison was attached to a steel tether that spooled out as she advanced. The tether allowed Dr. Arcia to determine if the team veered off course and provided the team a marker for the return route. The following radio logs have been abridged where noted. > **Arcia:** Ok, Tennison's all buckled in. Ready to go? > **Villasenor:** Yeah. > **Tennison:** Yep. > **Smith:** Roger. > **Arcia:** Fredo actually. > [NOTE: Villasenor groans audibly] > **Villasenor:** Alright, let's roll. > [NOTE: The team travels for approximately 20 minutes in silence.] > **Arcia:** Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention we have a new research assistant for this one. He's here to monitor the tether equipment. Say hi to Dr. Young everyone. > **Smith:** Hiya. > **Tennison:** Hi. > **Smith:** We can see the woods now and they're as dark and foreboding as ever. The stars are even extra close up and the light isn't making the visibility any better. > **Arcia:** What was that about the stars? They look even closer? Can you stop for a moment and take some high res footage of the sky? > **Villasenor:** Copy. Are you getting it? > **Arcia:** Yep. Hey, do you see Orion anywhere? This time of year Orion should be extremely visible in this part of the world but I'm not seeing it? > **Villasenor:** I'm not seeing it. Smith's shaking his head no. > [NOTE: Radio is silent for about a minute] > **Villasenor:** Hey! Smith, snap out of it! Stop standing there shaking your head. > **Smith:** Huh? Oh, sorry. It's no excuse for the amateur hour act, but you have to admit the number of little differences add up to be pretty distracting. This is nothing like the usual job for us. There's nothing hostile to put my focus on and I think it makes your brain sort of invent more abstract threats to take their place. > **Villasenor:** Ok, I feel that. > **Tennison:** Smith, honestly you acting all weird is freaking me out more than Boise-3283. You've been fidgety the whole way, not just now. Slow your roll and take a breath. > **Smith:** Right, right. Hey, can we maybe put our headlamps on now? I feel kinda naked going in there with no light. > **Villasenor:** Good call, if melodramatic. > **Villasenor:** Arcia, we're moving back out. We'll report when there's something interesting. > [NOTE: The next several minutes are silent] > **Arcia:** Hey, I can hear twigs snapping, are you guys in the woods yet? > **Tennison:** Yeah, nothing interesting though. Just dark woods. > **Villasenor:** No signs of animal life though. We're the only thing other than wind making sound out here. Not so much as a cricket. > [NOTE: Several more minutes with only the sound of footfalls] > **Villasenor:** Alright, by my reckoning we're 1km in and still nothing. > **Smith:** What are you talking about? What the hell is that? > **Villasenor:** What is what? > **Smith:** That! 2 O'Clock, there's a flickering orange light. I'd swear it was a bonfire but it's moving. It's sort of bobbing side to side. > **Tennison:** Oh, I see it too! > **Villasenor:** It's gone now. > **Smith:** No, there's another one over there! 10 O'Clock I mean. > **Arcia:** OK, quiet. All of you hold still and tell me if you hear anything. > [NOTE: The team doesn't speak, but much fainter cracking of branches is heard on the audio feed.] > **Smith:** [whispering] I can see both of the lights now, and they look like they're getting closer. Are they torches maybe? I can hear footsteps. > **Villasenor:** [whispering] Maybe? If they are, 2 of whoever they are to 3 of us with only expedition gear is odds I don't want to play. I'm ordering a retreat. > **Tennsion:** [whispering] Dr. Young, I'm jogging back now. Engage the tether to spool up at my jogging pace. > **Young:** Copy. Done. > **Smith:** [whispering] Hey, are the footsteps getting faster? > **Villasenor:** [whispering] I think so. I just checked our six and the lights seem to be closing faster too. I'd say that if they're torches they're only 500 meters out now. > **Smith:** [whispering] We should run. > **Tennsion:** [whispering] Agree. > [NOTE: A loud snap is heard on the audio feed] > **Villasenor:** RUN! > [NOTE: The next several minutes are silent except the team's breathing and the two distinct groups of footfalls.] > **Smith:** Fuck, whatever it is back there just screeched like a god damned barn owl! > **Tennison:** I heard it too. > [NOTE: A screech is audible on the audio feed] > **Young:** That sounded close to you! How far out are you? > **Villasenor:** House is just at the edge of visual range. We're almost there. Where's Arcia? > **Young:** Don't tell him I told you, but he's in the bathroom. Nervous stomach. I'm going to smack the tether into fast wind mode, You're close enough that you shouldn't get too banged up and it will get you back faster. Grab onto officer Tennison please. > [NOTE: A loud crack is heard] > **Young:** SHIT! Shit! Shit shit shit shit shit shit! > [Arcia's shoes are heard thudding into the room containing SCP-3283] > **Arcia:** What the fuck happened? Why is it light through the door? > **Young:** I switched the tether up to drag them back faster when they started hearing something screeching near them, but the tether snapped and smacked into SCP-3283-2! > **Arcia:** Well flip it back! Shit! > **Arcia:** Team, do you copy? Is anyone there? > **Smith:** I copy but Tennison and Villasenor just vanished. > **Young:** Their audio and video feeds are gone! > **Smith:** Fuck! What's that? I'm almost there, get ready to slam the fucking door behind me and hit the switch. > **Arcia:** Young, get on the door, I'll man the switch. Smith, count it down when you're 10 seconds out. > [NOTE: A screech is heard. Its volume causes crackling on the audio feed.] > **Smith:** 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, HIT IT! > [NOTE: The door is heard slamming shut. Approximately one second later an object audibly impacts the door with a great deal of force. Gunfire, from Smith, is heard.] > **Smith:** FUCK! What the hell? God damn it! > **Arcia:** Smith! Smith! Hold your fire, I got the switch. Nothing else is getting through. > **Smith:** I'm going to make damn well sure. > [NOTE: The sound of Smith peeling duct tape off a roll from his pack is heard.] > **Smith:** OK, this shit stays taped in place. Got it? Arcia, is that your hiking stick over there? Jam it in the door. Make sure it won't open. > **Young:** I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Sorry. > **Smith:** You fucking piece of shit. Get over here. > [NOTE: Dr. Arcia's report shows that at this time officer Smith began beating Dr. Young until another team member could be summoned to restrain him.] As a result of this incident, officer Smith was ordered to immediate debriefing. Dr. Young was terminated from his position, given amnestics, and reassigned elsewhere in the Foundation. Dr. Arcia received a formal reprimand for leaving a junior researcher unsupervised, but was not removed from duty. He was ordered to perform comprehensive analysis of the video and audio from the expedition to determine the feasibility of rescue operations. ++ Exploration 2 debriefing notes and logs +++ Inventory of officer Smith's pack * One standard field flashlight * One standard field headlamp * Standard backup sidearm * 100 rounds of munitions * Standard ration kit * One personal utility knife. Engraving: "For Scout". * Camera and radio gear. * Duct tape * Leather gloves * Air filtration mask * One personal collapsible baton * Firestarter and tinder * Flare gun and flares * Binoculars. * One copy of the Book of Mormon. Appears old, heavily noted. ||~ By Order of O5|| || Due to anomalous nature of Book of Mormon (was not in pre-expedition inventory of officer's gear), book is designated SCP-3283-A and is to be transferred to forensic literary team for analysis.|| +++ Debriefing of officer Smith. Dr. Carlsbad, M.D. conducting, Director [REDACTED] supervising remotely > **Carlsbad:** To begin with, tell me what happened in your own words. > **Smith:** It was supposed to be a standard recon. At first things were just like the first expedition I went on. Everything quiet, all peaceful. Only sound was the wind rustling in the trees. Honestly? > **Carlsbad:** Please, always be honest. Can you continue? > **Smith:** Honestly, I couldn't wait to get out there again. It's pure serenity. When you're out there, no voices but your closest team mates, it's bliss. You can really let your thoughts spill out and float on them. Back here? Sometimes you drown in them. > **Carlsbad:** So to start this mission, would you say you felt calm? > **Smith:** Absolutely. I had my two favorite ladies with me and we were going for a walk in the woods. That's as good as this job gets. And then the stars were wrong. > **Carlsbad:** What do you mean "wrong"? Can you elaborate? > **Director:** [through Carlsbad's earpiece] That information is need-to-know. Redirect your inquiry. > **Carlsbad:** Smith, sorry to cut you off. The details of the sky aren't relevant to me. Why don't you tell me how it made you feel? > **Smith:** Like the gravity turned off. I'm looking up, and I felt like my body was being lifted from the ground but my stomach was still stuck down there. For a minute, it's like I'd left Cap and Tenny behind and I'd been ascended to my own world. > **Carlsbad:** Like an out of body experience? > **Smith:** Kinda the opposite? Like, my body was leaving me and I was there with my girls. Like I didn't need my body anymore. Then... > **Carlsbad:** Please, officer, continue. > **Smith:** Huh? Oh, sorry. Then I was suddenly back and everyone else seemed a bit concerned. I tried to pull myself together. My team needed me. We carried on and eventually we got to the woods. > **Carlsbad:** Tell me about that. > **Smith:** The woods felt like they were made of darkness. Like if you didn't bear your own light in, you'd be snuffed out by it. I requested that we get our headlamps on before we went in. I didn't want to be in a situation where I lost my flashlight and had to struggle through my pack in the dark for the headlamp. > **Carlsbad:** Did the headlamp make you feel safer? > **Smith:** Safe doesn't feel like the right word... > **Carlsbad:** Take your time. > **Smith:** More like, well... > [There are about 20 seconds of silence in the audio record] > **Smith:** Like protected. Like the desire to illuminate creates a barrier around you. > **Carlsbad:** And then you went in? > **Smith:** Yeah. It was fine at first, but once we got a ways in Cap realized there weren't any sounds. No animals, no bugs, no people. Just us crunching on twigs and branches. We were talking to base about that when I saw the lights. > **Carlsbad:** What did you feel when you saw the lights? > **Smith:** I couldn't tell what they were at first, but my body knew to be scared. When we realized they were moving we switched to whispering through our radios. When we started hearing twigs we got the hell out of there. > **Carlsbad:** Did these lights confer any type of feeling to you? Like your headlamp did? > **Smith:** Yeah, I felt instantly that these were weapons. Like they wanted to break through my light and take me. So we ran. > **Carlsbad:** And they kept closing? > **Smith:** Yeah, and then the screeching started. Like a freaking barn owl. > **Carlsbad:** Tell me about when you lost contact with base. > **Smith:** Lost contact? What are you talking about? We just kept running. > **Carlsbad:** Interesting... > **Director:** [in Carlsbad's earpiece] The audio logs show a gap on the base side but none in his radio's local recording unit. Try asking about when he lost his team. > **Carlsbad:** Sir, that feels rather insensitive to do at this time. We need to approach the topic carefully. > **Smith:** What's going on doc? Who are you talking to? > **Director:** [in Carlsbad's earpiece] Use your best sensitivity but this is critical. > **Carlsbad:** Ok. Smith? Can you tell me about when you lost Villasenor and Tennison? > [Approximately 1 minute of silence. Some sobbing is heard at approximately 45 seconds into this period] > **Carlsbad:** Take your time son. > [Sobbing continues for approximately two more minutes.] > **Smith:** There's nothing to say really. We were running, and when we got in sight of the house I suddenly realized they weren't with me. I didn't even have time to slow down before I heard a screech practically on top of me and realized I couldn't stop to look for them or I'd be gone too. > **Carlsbad:** That must have been a difficult choice to make. > **Smith:** It wasn't at all. I'm going back with more guys and big ass guns as soon as we're done with this conversation. I just put everything I had into running and told the docs to be ready.The moment I got through the door I turned and opened fire in case they weren't ready. Young got the door closed in time and the bullets didn't even scratch the fucking thing. No anomalous materials my ass. > **Carlsbad:** You're going back? I don't see orders for that. > **Smith:** Listen, the only reason my feet found the power to get to that door was that they were going to turn around and get my girls back. They're not dead until they're gone. I need you to submit the request, I think. This is a psych eval isn't it? They don't have M.D.'s do the debriefings usually. > **Carlsbad:** We have everything we need. Why don't you go get some bunk time? > **Smith:** Sure, I'll do that. ++++ Debriefing Report, Dr. Carlsbad writing Smith is an intelligent young man with a flair for the dramatic in his speaking. He's emotionally and intellectually quite intelligent and has a gift for oratory. During our session he appeared to be of sound mind in spite of a normal and healthy grieving process. Smith is extremely motivated by his emotions but channels them into surprisingly sound decisions with remarkable conviction. He doesn't seem like the sort who changes his mind easily. He was fiercely loyal to his lost team mates and although he made a proper evaluation of his situation while fleeing, he shows more hope than Director [REDACTED] as to the survival of his team mates. It's not really my position to say who I agree with. Smith has requested permission to mount a rescue. In my opinion he is of sound mind and able to make rational decisions, so I see no reason not to pass along his request. I'll leave it to the wise men upstairs whether they feel the lost officers are worth the risk. Dr. [REDACTED] Carlsbad, M.D. ++ Rescue Expedition ||~ By Order of O5|| || O5 has determined that a rescue attempt is worthwhile. Officer Smith is ordered to take 5 men and heavy armaments into Boise-3283 and attempt to locate officers Villasenor and Tennison along the route of retreat. As a secondary objective, team should attempt to subdue or kill any of the torchbearers (to be designated SCP-3283-B) encountered and bring them back for analysis.|| Officer Smith (designated Lead) was permitted to select five task force members to form an assault team. Officers Marcus, Johnson, Diaz, Seung, and Russel (designated 1 through 5) were selected and were outfitted with assault and retrieval gear. As a precaution, SCP-3283-2 was duct taped in the OFF position and a technican was readied to shut and bar SCP-3283-1 if needed. No tethers were utilized due to the undiagnosed failure on the previous expedition. Dr Arcia (designated Base) supervised. > **Base:** Alright, try to find your people. And remember, kill the hell out of anything else you find and bring that back too. > **Smith:** Damn straight. Let's move out! > [NOTE: a few minutes of silence pass as the team initially heads along the route still marked by the snapped tether] > **3:** Hey boss, it's scary quiet out here. What should we be listening for? > **Smith:** Listen for snapping branches and freaky owl screeches. And watch for those damn torches. > **3:** Copy. > **1:** Hey, Lead, I got a pack over here on the ground. Looks like Foundation-issue. > **Smith:** Any tracks around it? > **1:** No sir, not that I can make out. > **Smith:** OK, so they break twigs but they don't leave tracks? Shit. Ok boys, I want headlamps on and guns ready for the rest of this trip. I do not want to get caught by surprise again. Mouths shut, ears open. > [NOTE: silence for several minutes] > **Smith:** Base, we're at the treeline. We're going to fan out and check for any disturbances in the trees or brush that could be an entry point. > **Arcia:** Copy. Be careful Joe. > **Smith:** Wish you would have said that last time. > [NOTE: about 20 seconds of silence] > **Arcia:** Well... please be careful anyway. > **Smith:** Copy. Boys, you see anything? > **Smith:** Everyone reports negative, Base. Ok guys, come back to my position and we'll enter from here. > **1:** Copy. > **2:** Copy. > **4:** Copy. > **5:** Copy. > **Smith:** Diaz, do you copy? Diaz! Anyone got Diaz? > **1:** I'm the furthest out to this side, I can see you and he's nowhere between. > **5:** Same. > **Smith:** Shit. I knew they weren't right. > **Arcia:** Who? > **Smith:** Cap and Tenny. > **2:** Wait, you saw them? Why didn't you signal? > **Smith:** Huh? No, didn't see 'em. I just, you know, kinda //felt// them when we came through. Like they were telling me "it'll be ok, they don't need any more of you." > **1:** Ok boss, you're sure you're ok? > **Arcia:** This isn't really the time for psychology, but that's a pretty normal grief reaction. Smith, you sure you're OK to proceed? > **Smith:** Yeah, sorry. I'll get over it. Ok guys, let's go into the woods about 20 yards, then two of you will split to each side of me and go until my light is just at the edge of your vision. Then one more guy will break off and do the same thing. Then we'll go forward and try to drag up our people, or at least find some monsters to kill. > **Smith:** OK, Base, we're proceeding. Everyone, switch your radios to broadcast and report directly to the doc if you see something. Everyone else, if someone reports a sighting, converge on his position. Now move! > [NOTE: 2 minutes of silence] > **Smith:** I see lights! I'm not waiting for them to hunt us down this time. I'm going to them! > **2:** Hey, hold up! Shit, doc? He just took off without waiting for us to converge. > **Arcia:** Smith? Smith, respond! > **Smith:** The torches, Cap and Tenny are carrying torches now. They're not monsters at all, they want to show me their light! My light! I couldn't understand their speech before but it's so clear now. > **2:** Fuck. Guys, I'm taking the lead. Everyone run slant routes to close on Lead. That shrink was fucked himself if he thought Joe was ready for this. Don't worry doc, we'll bring him back too! > **4:** Hey, I'm pretty close to him and I'm not seeing any torches. > **Smith:** They're not for you. They're my light, they're my girls. My family. I have to take my place with them. You're dirtying this place! > [NOTE: Gunfire is heard and 4 is heard screaming] > **4:** I'm hit! He fired at me. Guys, he's lost it. Treat him as hostile. He might have done in the other two himself for all we know. > [NOTE: One more shot is heard] > **Smith:** I can see where they gather. They're so beautiful. They've left everything behind. They wear light now. This is our kingdom. My kingdom. They're waiting for me, around the heart fire. > **2:** His light just disappeared. Either he lost me or he turned it off. I'll keep closing on the last trajectory I spotted him on. > **5:** I just got to Seung. He's dead. Smith shot him right in the head while he laid there. > **2:** Cold, but we don't have time to worry about confirmed corpses. Keep trying to track down Smith. > [NOTE: Gunshots] > **2:** Russel? > **2:** Shit! Ok, Marcus, let's get the fuck out of here. Can't rescue anyone if we're dead. Start running and don't stop til you get to the door. > **1:** Copy. I'm running. > [NOTE: Approximately 2 minutes of heavy breathing] > **2:** Whoah! He just ran right by me! He's freaking naked! He's wearing like a crown made out of sticks or something like that. There's horns made out of sticks on it too. What the hell? > **1:** I see him, he's closing on me. > [NOTE: Many gunshots] > **1:** I fired at him but either I missed or they went right through him. He returned fire and I'm hit on the shoulder. Still running. > **1** I'm down, he got me in the leg. I'll try to hold him off, get the hell out of here Johnson! > **Smith:** [faintly heard through 1's radio] I am resurrected. I have dominion. I am the light and the bringer of light and the light is in me and mine. I protect mine and my domain. > [NOTE: A long exchange of gunfire] > **2:** I think I'm the only one left doc. Get the duct tape off that fucking switch and try not to flip it. Get ready. I'm in sight of the house. > **Arcia:** Copy. Do I hear gunfire? > **2:** Confirmed. He's a ways to my side but he's taking potshots. I can hear him shouting some kooky chant too. Something about light. He's closing on me way too fast. I should be in visual range of you in 10 seconds. > **Arcia:** Confirmed, we've got visual on you. Look out, he's right behind you! > **2:** Damn, I'm hit. My arm's dead, I don't think I can shoot back. Doc, I'm to the door in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5. > **Arcia:** Johnson? Shit, he's here! > [NOTE: The slamming of SCP-3283-1 is heard] > **Arcia:** Shhhhhiiiiiiiiit. Let the...let the record show I flipped the switch just as what we presume to be Smith reached his arm through. Tech has shut and secured SCP-3283-1. Smith's arm appears to be adorned with geometric drawings in mud. There's a ring made of woven grass on his finger. > **Tech:** Whoah! > **Arcia:** OK, the arm just sorted of turned into a black chalk and sunk through the floor. It's totally gone. ||~ By Order of O5|| || SCP-3283 is to be permanently transitioned to containment-only. SCP-3283-2 shall be bolted permanently off and covered with a locking security box. Perform the necessary tests to ensure SCP-3283-2 cannot be broken through by physical assault or gunfire, and determine the most direct way to bar the door permanently|| +++ Literary research memo regarding SCP-3283-A Object is a Book of Mormon, dating to approximately the same time frame as the estimated age of the house containing SCP-3283. It appears of ordinary make and wear for a book of its age, though no publication information can be found inside. It is extensively underlined and annotated in the margins. The notes are mostly interpretations common at the time, though the note taker does seem to take the conception of the afterlife rather more literally than his or her contemporaries. The book is largely unremarkable in the standard sections aside from a few rather morbid sketch interpretations of passages found stuck into the book on folded loose paper. The most notable (and possibly anomalous) feature of the book is a new final section, titled "A New New Testament". It contains a single book, "The Book of Hezekiah", which tells the story of a man's journey into the afterlife, and a history of the events he experiences in the afterlife. Here's a brief rundown: Hezekiah is an old man who has dutifully lived his life according to the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but in the classic polygamist fashion. One day, while in prayer with his wives and children, he receives a testimony from God telling him he has earned his afterlife and laying out instructions on how he and his family will make the transition[[footnote]][In the Mormon tradition, a faithful man is rewarded in the afterlife with his own planet to rule over where he will be joined by his family. This makes remarriage after the death of a spouse rather controversial in the Mormon community, as the doctrine doesn't clearly explain how the afterlife accounts for this situation.][[/footnote]]. Hezekiah passes with his family through a portal and arrives in their afterlife. The text is unclear on whether they actually die first or simply get to go straight there. The book states that the afterlife is pastoral and "untainted by Mankind's depredations" save for a few familiar sights for the comfort of Hezekiah's family. At God's command, they seal the portal behind them. According to the text, they make their home in the woods of their new world, where "they are never blind for they bear their inner light to illuminate all." For a while Hezekiah and his family are at peace, but eventually they begin to feel lonely and wish for more people to join them in their afterlife. They want to hear new stories, have new friends, and grow their eternal family. Hezekiah feels that this afterlife is his dominion[[footnote]][This is a pretty justified position, actually. Mormon doctrine describes the faithful man as a god of his afterlife.][[/footnote]] and he makes the decision to unseal the portal. God's wrath is immediate and painful. He turns them into "creatures as twisted up outside as within" and curses them so that "their light shall not illuminate but pervert all." The book comes to a rather abrupt close noting only that they flee into the woods to hide from God's wrathful eye and that they never again knew peace. My conclusion is that this is not dissimilar from other apocalyptic texts in the Christian tradition. Similarly to books such as Revelation, it was written well after the rest of the work it accompanies and pays little mind to the language and formalisms of the rest of the work. If not for the rather strange way this came into our possession I'd categorize this as religious fiction or possibly outsider art. I'll leave it to the folks up top to draw the appropriate larger conclusions. ||~ By Order of O5|| || This order is a requisition by O5 Administrator █████████ for SCP-3283-A. Given recent events, the Administrator feels the book warrants closer inspection. Perhaps Dr. Arcia got what he wanted after all. || [[/collapsible]] [[footnoteblock]] [[div class="footer-wikiwalk-nav"]] [[=]] << [[[SCP-3282]]] | SCP-3283 | [[[SCP-3284]]] >> [[/=]] [[/div]] [[include :scp-wiki:component:license-box]] [[include :scp-wiki:component:license-box-end]]