Item #: SCP-5599
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: All copies of SCP-5599 are held in one of Site-77's medium-capacity vaults. Mobile Task Force Eta-6 ("Presented In Color") have been dispatched to thrift stores and garage sales in the Appalachian region to recover any additional copies of SCP-5599 which exist outside of containment.
Exposure to SCP-5599-related materials is highly restricted, with D-5599 being the designation for the exposed individual being studied. Any other living beings found to have been affected by SCP-5599 are to be euthanized.
Description: SCP-5599 refers to data present on approximately 1,500 cartridges produced for the Atari Video Computer System. They are playable on any computing system with a cartridge slot large enough to accommodate it, even if no actual connection is made.
When inserted into such a slot, SCP-5599 produces scrambled bitmap graphics and assorted sounds. Although reactive to controller inputs, it is difficult to assess what SCP-5599's intended content was — as frequent crashing often leads to corruption of the systems interpreting its data.
The following effects are not known to be universal, but have been observed in testing.
Loading SCP-5599 or analyzing its assets has caused all subjects who have been designated D-5599 to experience permanent hearing loss. First reporting mild tinnitus, D-5599's hearing degraded over a period of six months until only being able to hear sounds which could have been produced by an MOS Technology 6532 sound chip. Neurological pattern recognition degenerates once the deafening is complete.
The semicircular canals, vestibule, cochlea, and other auditory organs are not outwardly damaged but will no longer detect audio as expected. Subjects may also develop visual impairment relating to pattern recognition such as prosopagnosia. The temporal lobe will become desiccated1 in subjects experiencing this effect and may lead to them being totally unable to communicate.
Left alone in their head
SCP-5599 can be perceived normally by affected subjects with some preferring to hear harsh sounds than nothing at all. The reduction in human lifespan among exposed subjects is statistically significant. Further study is required to determine whether this is due to brain damage, profoundsocial isolation, or a combination of other factors. Alone in the mirror on the bathroom floor
D-5599 claims that repeatedly viewing SCP-5599's output moderately stabilizes the graphics. Even after being made to forget, D-5599 has consistently described guiding a small object2 through a crude graphical depiction of a golf course and into a hole. Once the hole has been filled, a large marine animal3will consume the object. On-screen text such as "keep the red army red algae blooms at bay" and "The Ocean's aer(sic) die" appears before the program crashes.
SCP-5599 was discovered in 1983 after the Appalachian region of the United States saw an unusual spike in deafness.
Addendum: Interview 5599-Y.
D-5599 speaks with Dr. Sanitatem about the progression of SCP-5599's effect and its impact on their ability to communicate.