Special Containment Procedures: To prevent an uncontainable expansion of SCP-5260's area of influence when left isolated, testing is to be conducted at least once every three days.
SCP-5260 is kept in a standard container in Site-33, no less than 50 meters away from any site personnel. Any sleep within 30 meters of SCP-5260's current location is prohibited. Any individual who fall asleep for any period of time within 30 meters of SCP-5260 between testing periods is to be held under observation for 72 hours.
SCP-5260 is removed from storage three to four times per week, and placed by the sleeping quarters of the primary infected subject, D-919454. D-919454 is to then sleep in their quarters for no less than six consecutive hours, with Tranquilizer IX "Dream Wine"1 to be administered if necessary. D-919454 is required to submit reports to the Lead Researcher on all interactions with SCP-5260-1, following the template used in prior containment procedures.
Any deviation of D-919454's personality, or the occurrence of insomnia, must be reported to the Lead Researcher immediately. In this event, prior containment procedures will be reinstated while D-919454 is profiled.
Description: SCP-5260 is a green and black bookmark, approximately 15 cm in length. SCP-5260 is made from common craft materials, with the exception of a string connected to the end. This was made using human hair belonging to Beatrice W████ from northeast Wisconsin, who died in November of 2002.
For each night SCP-5260 is not exposed to a subject, the area of influence doubles. The unconfirmed upper range of its influence is 17.5 kilometers, as demonstrated prior to containment. If SCP-5260's area of influence reaches any number of subjects, this gradually diminishes down to 3 meters multiplied by the number of individuals. Affected subjects will continuously attempt to stay within its area.
Exposed subjects experience the following effects:
Nights 1-3: Subjects report a recurring dream that is unusually memorable, tailored to a situation that the subject has an emotional connection to. This dream is usually innocuous. Documented examples include:
- D-10086: Subject relives an enjoyable evening in their childhood home.
- D-32245: Subject relaxing in a rowboat tied near shore.
Nights 4-7: Subjects report the dream quickly becomes unsettling or upsetting. Documented examples include:
- D-10086: The evening from the subject’s childhood becoming infused with paranoia that the house is under siege from an unidentifiable threat. Subject vividly recounted family members standing back to back in the center of the house’s main room, holding knives for self-defense.
- D-32245: Subject's rowboat drifts steadily from shore with ineffective frantic efforts to return.
Nights 8-10+: Subjects report an entity appears, henceforth known as SCP-5260-1. SCP-5260-1 has been identifiable from subject to subject as it is the sole cause of any sort of beneficial effect within the dream. Notably, some aspect of this benefit is retained by the dreamer on waking.
- D-10086 reported that SCP-5260-1 took the form of a "feisty old woman" who picked up a broom and "chased off some dogs outside," then admonished the family for getting themselves wrapped up in such a "tizzy." D-10086 reported diminished anxiety overall on waking, and later demonstrated unprecedented leadership ability during a severe containment breach.
- D-32245 reported that SCP-5260-1 took the form of an albatross. While D-32245 did not reach shore, he felt he was going in the right direction and making progress. Upon waking, subject reported to have a better metaphorical sense of direction, claiming they were more certain of what to do next and how to achieve it. Subject did not provide further details.
When SCP-5260-1 manifests, the exposed subject is considered "infected." Subjects at this stage universally report sincere gratitude towards SCP-5260-1 for its assistance. Attachment towards SCP-5260 and SCP-5260-1 increases over time, and in many cases reaches obsession, with the subject refusing to or unable to sleep without SCP-5260 present. In 15% of all cases, subjects resort to desperate measures to stay within its area of influence even when detained, with attempts to scratch through a cell wall with their fingernails being documented. This is either a result of the affection for SCP-5260-1, or a desire to avoid the effects after separation.
Upon separation: Separation occurs if an infected subject is not re-exposed to SCP-5260 within 72 hours of last exposure. When separated, subject's dreams return to the pre-SCP-5260-1 status, with a rapid change to increasingly harmful or horrifying circumstances.
- In the case of D-10086, subject reported that, in the dreams of their childhood home, they had hidden themselves in a closet and watched as their family tried and failed to fight off a "monster". Subject refused to provide further details. Since separation from SCP-5260, D-10086 has exhibited severe and worsening hemophobia, to the point where the sight of blood induces hysteria. Subject experienced profound insomnia23.
- In the case of D-32245, subject reported that they were now in a lifeboat, with no sight of land. Subject initially reported experiencing dreams in real time; successive dreams lasted for increasing periods. Furthermore, after waking, the subject’s physical appearance exhibited symptoms of long-term exposure to the elements, including dehydration, heat stroke, and shock. Treatment was unable to fully relieve subject’s symptoms. Subject experienced profound insomnia. Nine days after D-919454 replaced D-32245 as the subject on rotation, D-32245 made a spontaneous recovery.
Repeated testing has been unable to predict the beneficial or detrimental effects.
Discovery: SCP-5260 was discovered in 2011 in the town of ███████, Wisconsin, in a storage unit registered under the W████ family. Anomalous events were brought to the Foundation's attention after a field agent at the local police station reported suspected anomalous activity and an abrupt and unprecedented increase in the number of breaking and entering cases, centering around the storage location. After Foundation personnel were dispatched and anomalous events in the town were mapped out, SCP-5260 was found in the exact center of cases, down to the very corner of the storage unit. A cover story for the anomalous activity was disseminated through the local newspaper, and SCP-5260 was taken into Foundation custody for testing.
The corpse of an unidentified individual was found inhabiting a neighboring storage unit, having passed away within two weeks of discovery. No relation to SCP-5260 has been uncovered. This inhabitant has been deemed a coincidence that prevented the rapid expansion of SCP-5260's influence for a period of time.
The W████ family that the storage unit was registered under had relocated to New Mexico. When located and questioned, none of the family were able to provide physical descriptions of Beatrice W████, details of her last known whereabouts, or any useful information whatsoever about her or her life. After review, this lack of information was conclusively determined to be non-anomalous.
Addendum 5260.1
Team,
I've applied to give D-919454 nightly access to SCP-5260, contingent on exemplary behavior and a requirement for him to continue sleeping in separate quarters. Given how this seems to be a low risk way to simplify containment, I expect it to go through soon.
Also, I've been asked if this can be classified as neutralized. I doubt it. I am keeping prior containment procedures on record, and I recommend you all keep them fresh in your head. Because D-919454 won't be around forever, and since problems stopped when he arrived, problems could return when he's gone. I'd like to think Betty will take his grandad's advice and be content, but we'll see.
For now, when he's on duty, you are not to wake D-919454 for anything but the most pressing emergency situations. Otherwise, let them dream.
Any questions, let me know.
-Dr. Li