About midway through the walk, they report seeing a black figure in their periphery. Turning around fails to reveal its location.
| SCP-4190 |
|---|
| By: |
| Published on 15 Mar 2019 04:59 |
| ITEM: SCP-4190 | LEVEL 2/4190 |
| CLASS: safe | restricted |
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-4190 is kept in a standard SAFE-Class containment locker in the Anomalous Objects Wing of Site-82.
Personnel experiencing recurring nightmares involving being watched or pursued by shadowy figures are advised to record their experiences in a standard dream report. These reports are then to be relayed to the Site-82 Psychiatry Office.
Description: SCP-4190 is a 48-page magazine measuring 18 cm by 26 cm, printed on lightweight-coated (LWC) paper.
(Hover to enlarge.)
The magazine's contents feature detailed descriptions of peculiar deep-sea phenomena as observed by divers, submersibles, submarines, autonomous surveillance drones, and fish-based optics.
Persons who read SCP-4190's cover or contents report experiencing vivid hypnagogic hallucinations,1 followed by nightmares within three to seven days. Reported events vary among persons; most report the recurring sensation of not being alone in the dream.
Notable tests with SCP-4190 are as follows.
STANDARD DREAM LOG
NOTE: Each participant was requested to read SCP-4190 for ~30 min in a controlled setting. Participants were to relay any nightmares experienced within a week of reading to an on-site psychiatric specialist. All relayed nightmares were recorded via an audio device.
Only willing participants were selected for this test.
PARTICIPANT: D-3467
ESTIMATED DEGREE OF RECALL: LOW
NIGHTMARE SUMMARY: Participant reports walking through a damp, dark, and narrow hallway. Neither the ceiling nor the end of the hall is visible at any point during the dream. About midway through the walk, they report seeing a black figure in their periphery. Turning around fails to reveal its location.
PARTICIPANT: D-3852
ESTIMATED DEGREE OF RECALL: MEDIUM
NIGHTMARE SUMMARY: Participant reports arriving at the base of a towering hill on the edge of a dense forest. They report no illumination — natural or artificial — although they claim it is twilight. They scale the hill. At one point, they stumble, losing a third of their progress, after which they report the sensation of being watched. They spend the rest of the dream searching for potential predators, but cannot locate any.
PARTICIPANT: Psionics Specialist Samara Maclear
ESTIMATED DEGREE OF RECALL: HIGH
NIGHTMARE SUMMARY: Participant reports finding themselves out of breath in front of a large, black gate surrounded by dead trees and heavy mist. No fences or connective material are located. After failing to unlatch the gate, they pivot 180 degrees and walk away from the barrier; the gate appears in front of them, halting further movement. They repeat this action 49 times, to no avail.
Near the end of the dream, they sight an indeterminate figure ambling toward them from the other side of the gate. Direct visual contact with the entity is maintained until the mist becomes too dense for sight.
PARTICIPANT: On-Site Researcher Jessie Quattrociocchi
ESTIMATED DEGREE OF RECALL: MEDIUM
NIGHTMARE SUMMARY: Participant experiences a false awakening and believes they are traversing the site. They attempt to travel to their designated parascience research station, noting that the halls have become circuitous, wrapping back into themselves. They are lost for most of the dream before travelling backward, and returning at their quarters; a torn scrap of paper with their handwriting is found on their pillow.
The note is as follows.
YOU ARE DOING EXCELLENT WORK
PLEASE KEEP IT UP
WE ARE HAVING SO MUCH FUN
WE HARBOUR NO GRUDGE
IT DOES NOT CARE EITHER WAY
THE JOKE CAN NOT DIE
FOR OUR SAKE
Testing of SCP-4190 has been suspended indefinitely. Personnel are informed to continue dreaming.