Item #: SCP-XX
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: Due to the innate nature and unpredictabililty of SCP-XX itself, it is currently not practical to attempt to permanently contain the phenomenon itself, though potential procedures are still being developed. However, one manifestation of SCP-XX-1 is currently in containment in room 241 at site 191, currently designated SCP-XX-2, and its containment procedures are as follows.
SCP-XX-2 does not require sustenance, but is to be monitored via security cameras at all times by no less than three level 2 or higher personnel. These personnel are to be switched out every eight hours to prevent fatigue, but are to watch the screens constantly when on shift. In the event of attempted escape by SCP-XX-2, Stationary Task Force Beta-2 ("Prison Guards") are to be dispatched immediately to subdue it via nonlethal force. In the event of SCP-XX-2 being released from its cell for testing, no less than 3 Class-A or higher personnel are to constantly trail and monitor the entity at all times.
Description: SCP-XX is a continuous phenomenon occuring globally. Its origins are currently unknown.
The phenomenon only occurs in localized areas under the following conditions:
-A lone child of ages 1 month to 9 years, is located in a bedroom.
-It is currently night. (Footnote: Night in this context consists of the period of time between 8 PM and 6 AM in the current time zone.)
-The child is awake (Typically due to agitation or nightmares).
If all of the above criteria are met, there is a chance (footnote: probability of occurence still being determined) that SCP-XX will trigger. Upon the anomaly triggering, an entity will manifest within the child's room, or just outside the door to the room. The entity is hereafter referred to as SCP-XX-1.
SCP-XX-1 is an exact replication of one parent of the crying child. It has a heavy tendency to take the form of the mother, though it will take the form of the father if a mother is not available. SCP-XX-1 will then attempt to assuage the crying child into a state of calmness. Methods of assuaging include rocking the child in their arms, soothing them verbally, and fetching glasses of milk or water for the child. In all recorded instances, if SCP-XX-1 is not disturbed during this process, there is a 94.1% probability that the child will fall asleep within 10 minutes of SCP-XX-1 first arriving, and a 100% probability that the child will fall asleep within 30 minutes of SCP-XX-1 first arriving. After the child has fallen asleep, the entity will exit via the doorway it entered if still available, close it, and then de-manifest. (Footnote - the method by which instances of SCP-XX-1 manifest and demanifest is currently under research.)
In the event of SCP-XX-1 being interrupted during this process by a person who is not the child's parent entering the room, SCP-XX-1 will attempt to quiet them so that the child is not woken. If the intruder deliberately attempts to keep the child awake, the entity will escort them out of the room, gently at first, then forcefully if necessary. It will then close the door, which will not open again until SCP-XX-1 demanifests.
In the event that the child's parent enters the room during SCP-XX-1's process, [REDACTED] the result being the child and parent being unharmed, but unable to remember any events relating to SCP-XX-1. If questioned, they will claim that they went to help their child back to sleep.
In the event that the child has no parents or immediate guardians, SCP-XX-1 will take a seemingly random form, which the child will regard as their parent/guardian, no matter the form. (Footnote: Document XX-1 Delta lists the currently recorded non-parent forms of SCP-XX-1, and is available upon request. Any confirmed new forms are to be added to the list immediately.)
SCP-XX-1 cannot manifest/demanifest if it is currently being witnessed by a sentient human being. If possible, SCP-XX-1 will exit through the door or other opening in the room such as window or hole in order to escape detection. If detained via human detection for at least 30 minutes, SCP-XX-1 will attempt to demanifest when the subject blinks or otherwise loses visual contact of SCP-XX-1, no matter the period of time out of sight. However, vision of the entity can be maintained via camera or other visual monitoring equipment.
On XX-XX-2016, test #41025 was initiated at site 191 in an attempt to contain at least one specimen of SCP-XX-1. Thirty infant humans ranging from ages 3 months to 1 year were obtained via [REDACTED] and placed in adjacent rooms. Subjects were provided with adequate sustenance daily, and provided with a sufficiently furnished crib. After XX days of monitoring, an instance of SCP-XX-1 manifested next to infant #14, which was agitated at the time. It attempted to comfort the child, and was subsequently contained by STF Beta-2, and kept under heavy monitoring. Due to constant watch from multiple sources, SCP-XX-1 was unable to demanifest, and was detained and redesignated SCP-XX-2. The following is the first conducted interview with SCP-XX-2.
Interviewer: "Hello."
SCP-XX-2: "What… what's going on? Where' s my child?"
Interviewer: "That is not your child. What do you-"
SCP-XX-2: "Stop it! Where is my child! Let me see him! He's in pain!"
Interviewer: "Please, calm down. Is there anything-"
SCP-XX-2: "Fuck you! (Note: subject is heavily agitated, screaming at this point.) Where is my child? What did you do with my child?!"
[UNECCESSARY DATA EXPUNGED]
(end log)
Note: SCP-XX-2 continued constantly requesting Infant #14 for 7 minutes and 43 seconds, before adapting a calmer tone, reassuring the child even though it wasn't there. It should be noted that at almost the exact time SCP-XX-2 began "comforting" the child, Infant #14 immediately stopped crying and fell asleep soon after. SCP-XX-2 then stopped talking and refused to answer any more questions.
Closing Statement: "Subsequent research has revealed that the SCP-XX phenomenon has continued occurring globally, despite SCP-XX-2 being in containment. This goes to show two important things - that SCP-XX is not a single individual teleporting to children's rooms at night, and that SCP-XX-2 is just one instance of a potentially infinite number of variables."
(box this)
Addendum SCP-XX-Beta (LEVEL 4 OR HIGHER CLEARANCE REQUIRED): (Link) on XX-XX-2017, SCP-XX-02 began speaking during a routine interview attempt. The following records relevant data of the interaction between the entity and the interviewer, J████ M██████.
[UNNECESSARY DATA EXPUNGED]
Interviewer: "Interview attempt #57 is a failure. End-"
SCP-XX-2: "Where are your parents?"
Interviewer: "…I… They're at home."
SCP-XX-2: "Where is your home?"
Interviewer: (brief pause) "What is-"
SCP-XX-2: "You haven't called them in a while, have you?"
Interviewer: "I don't think that's relevant."
SCP-XX-2: "That's very rude, you know. They raised you for years, and this is how you repay them?"
Interviewer: "I-"SCP-XX-2: "after all those toys they got you for christmas… after all the meals they fed you, all the times they washed your clothes, yet you haven't even tried to speak to them in at least a decade. For shame, J████. For shame."
Interviewer: "How do you-"
SCP-XX-2: "Quiet!" (stands up) "Young man, I am very dissapointed in you. Now you're going to give me the key to this room, and you're going to march right on out and call your parents immediately, do you understand?"
Interviewer: "…yes, mother."
(Interviewer M██████ proceeds to give XX-2 the keycard to the room. The entity then unlocks the door and attempts to exit, but is quickly subdued and recontained by the three guards stationed just outside the room.)
(end log)
Closing Note: "Interviewer M██████ was kept under observation for one month after the interview, as is standard for researchers with possible memetic instabilities. Upon being deemed safe, he immediately went to his quarters and called his parents, speaking with them for over an hour before ending the call. No foundation information was divulged in the call, and a week later, M██████ resumed work as normal. Testing with SCP-XX-2 has been suspended indefinitely."
(box this)
Nothing here either!
A fool's tale
Once upon a time, there was a little boy who stumbled across a magical land. This land held all sorts of wondrous creatures and kind people. Furthermore, the wise ones of this land were artists - capable of painting unfathomably vivid landscapes, the likes of which the boy could not hope to match. Nevertheless, the boy went forward to play with with these artists, but he did not realize something very important - these elders were very serious about their craft, and only the most elite of artists could ever hope to compete.
When the child offered up his first drawing, for example, the elders shook their heads and politely told him how he could improve. However, the young boy had a massive flaw - he did not understand the concept of criticism. Where others only wanted to help him, he only saw mocking and laughing. Enraged, he lashed out, being rude and generally spitting on Will Wheaton's law. The elders sighed - they had seen far too many children like him before - and banished the child, never to return.
Five long years passed.
A man came to the valley. He recognized everyone there, and recalled a brief period of his life where he'd learned about the valley. It had been long since then, and the man had grown quite a deal wiser. And so, the man once more entered the valley, wondering if he was now ready to accept their criticism, and become a great artist himself.