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Item #: SCP-XXXX
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX and approved research notes are to be kept in a secure locker. Extraneous documents will be destroyed upon retrieval.
Description: SCP-XXXX is a 451-page manual with a blue cover entitled Real-Time Programming With DAVE. It contains the specifications for a programming language of unknown origin.
Anomalous effects manifest while reading code blocks quoted within SCP-XXXX. All anomalies involve changes in mental state, usually including auditory, visual, and tactile hallucinations. Nothing contained within SCP-XXXX has proven to be long-lasting or damaging. However, the manual does specify how to create such code blocks, and researchers are advised to remain cautious of them.
SCP-XXXX was discovered sometime between fall 1986 and spring 1987 by a professor at UC Berkeley. Its existence was brought to the Foundation’s attention after he and six of his students were hospitalized with severe seizures. SCP-XXXX was confiscated, related documents were incinerated, and the seven victims were administered amnesiacs. No other copies of SCP-XXXX or materials relating to it have been found thus far.
Interview:
Interviewed: Professor Roderick
Interviewer: Agent Helm
Preface: The professor regained consciousness one week after being admitted to the hospital. This interview was held later that day.
<Begin Log, 16:32; ██/██/87>
Professor: Where do I start?
Agent: Just say what comes to mind and I’ll ask when I need more information.
Professor: I didn’t mean for those kids to get involved. I didn’t mean for anybody to get hurt.
(The professor says something unintelligible.)
Professor: I didn’t know what DAVE was when I found it. I honestly thought it was a joke. Some novelty item someone left in the library. It was a fascinating read, but it wasn’t until I came across the first snippet that things truly became interesting. It was so simple. It was… Can I show you?
(Helm agrees and gives the professor a paper and pencil. The professor writes something down.)
Professor: These (he points to symbols above and below the expression) delimit the program. Is it clearer now? All you see is two funny-looking symbols and (+ 2 2). But it feels like four, like this paper is made of four-ness, like you could reach out and touch it.
Agent: I see.
Professor: And here, even better. (He erases what he has written and writes a new expression.) What you see is (= (+ 2 2) 4). We know already that two and two make four, but now it’s clearer than the anything before… like the earth would crumble before it was false.
(The professor continues like this for some time.)
Agent: Are you ready to talk about the incident?
Professor: S-sure. Let me just… I have to think a minute.
(The interviewer waits in silence.)
Professor: After I read the book, I couldn’t wait to try something, anything. I can’t write this one down—I can’t let it happen again. But it was a simple thing. (pi), surrounded by those delimiters. I wanted to know… I didn’t think…
(The professor tries to continue, but fumbles with his words.)
Agent: Describe it as best you can.
Professor: It still hurts to think about. Pi wasn’t like any of the other numbers. It tore into me. Its vastness nearly smothered me, like it could swallow me whole without leaving anything. I knew how wrong it was, and I knew how ill-equipped I was to handle it. I knew it wasn’t something I could understand. But I saw it, right in front of me. If those kids saw even half of…
(The professor halts and refused to continue.)
Agent: That will be all. We’ll contact you again if we need any more information. Thank you for your cooperation.
<End Log, 17:46; ██/██/87>
Closing Statement: No further information pertaining to SCP-XXXX was obtained from Mr. Roderick or his students. Amnesiacs were administered at the conclusion of the interview.
Item #: SCP-XXXX
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is to be kept in one (1) standard metal confidential document(s) container. The storage atmosphere should be maintained at a temperature of 14°C and a relative humidity of 42%. Before removal from storage for testing, proper procedures for document acclimatization should be followed to prevent damage to the item.
Requests for access to the item for testing should be directed to the office of Dr. Halls.
Description: SCP-XXXX appears to have been a copy of the Book of Common prayer, 1662, printed near the same year. The item has been confirmed to be nearly identical to similar prayer books printed at that time, with the exception that its pages are free of discernible markings.