| SCP-6539 |
|---|
| By |
| Published on 05 Feb 2025 23:52 |
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-6539 is to be kept in a humanoid containment chamber, light levels between 50-100 lux, locked behind two sets of doors, of which only one set may be opened at one time. Should light levels drop to 10 lux or lower, Internet scrapers are to search for reports of phenomena matching its description. Should light levels rise to 300 lux or higher, nearby areas of low light levels are to be swept for its presence in the facility. Upon rediscovery, SCP-6539 is to be placed in a standard portable containment chamber with the designated light levels and returned to permanent containment.
As of Incident I-6539-2, no personnel are to engage in solitary interaction.
Description: SCP-6539 is a humanoid, intangible entity that resides in areas of partial darkness (10-300 lux). In areas below its minimum light levels, SCP-6539 will demanifest and remanifest in a seemingly random location that fits its standards. In areas above maximum levels, SCP-6539 will phase through any barriers in a straight line towards the closest area with its standard requirements.
SCP-6539 primarily appears as a three-dimensional shadow, constantly shifting slightly in form. When approached by a sapient individual, SCP-6539 will stabilize into a form resembling that of a deceased individual the subject considers to be important to themself. If multiple individuals are observing SCP-6539 at the same time, they will each see a different person simultaneously.
On rare occasions, SCP-6539 will actively communicate with an individual, though bystanders and recording devices are incapable of listening. The criteria for this event are unknown.
Addendum 1: Incident I-6539-1
Date: 02-5-2025
Location: Site-63
Involved Personnel: Security Officer David Hale
Involved Items: SCP-6539
Incident Severity: Low
Summary: On 02-5-2025, a facility-wide electrical surge was caused by a chance lightning strike to Site-63's power plant, causing the lights in SCP-6539's containment chamber to momentarily rise above maximum light levels. Site-63's emergency lights activated before facility light levels could drop to below minimum. SCP-6539 had moved to the hallway outside of its chamber, coming into contact with Security Officer David Hale. Officer Hale approached SCP-6539 and began to communicate with it, though no audio was recorded to originate from SCP-6539. Of note, physical interaction was successful, abnormal for SCP-6539. SCP-6539 was recontained upon restoration of Site-63's power, though Officer Hale was detained upon physically assaulting a member of the containment team during an extended argument.
Addendum 2: Interview I-63-428-3
Date: 02-6-2025
Interviewer: Dr. Praveena Romeijn, Site-63, Clearance Level 3 (Confidential)
Interviewee: Security Officer David Hale, Site-63, Clearance Level 2 (Restricted)
Interview Location: Site-63
Foreword: Interview was conducted to address Security Officer David Hale's unusual behavior during Incident I-6539-1.
[BEGIN LOG]
Romeijn: Hello, Officer Hale.
Hale nods in acknowledgment.
Romeijn: I'm going to have to ask you to be verbal for this, Officer.
Hale: Yes, ma'am.
Romeijn: Your profile says that you're usually a very "outgoing" and "friendly" individual, Officer. I'm curious as to the discrepancy between that file and what I'm seeing here.
Hale: Disrespectfully, don't give me that shit, doctor. You know exactly why.
Romeijn: For the record?
Hale: No.
Romeijn: I'm afraid that you'll have to, David. We have the recording of the incident and what you were saying to the item-
Hale: SHE'S NOT-
Hale takes a deep breath and sits back in his chair.
Hale: Go on.
Romeijn: We know what you were saying to it. We need to know why. I'm trying to be reasonable here. Between punching Officer Sobol and your current behavior with me, I have more than enough to get you demoted, at minimum. Now, for the record.
Hale: My-my daughter. She was killed during [REDACTED] 8 months ago. Cause I'm a stupid bastard who thought that I could make life behind the Veil a family tradition. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong sense of heroism.
Romeijn: And your interaction with SCP-6539?
Hale: She- it turned into her, like it's supposed to. But… it began talking to me. Sounded exactly like her, knew things only she could know, ACTED like only she did.
Romeijn: Care to tell us the full conversation-
Hale: Fuck you.
Romeijn: David! Enough!
Both are silent for several seconds.
Romeijn: David.
Hale: It told me that it missed me. That it was dark and cold and scared. It told me that it's waiting for me, that it wants to play hide-and-seek like we used to so often when she was little, that she has a new idea for that novel I gave up on writing with her, that she doesn't…
Hale falls silent and begins crying. Romeijn remains silent for several minutes.
Romeijn: David. She's gone. It's not her.
Hale: Then what is it?! 6539 has never done that before!
Romeijn: David. It's a skip that impersonates dead people. I don't know why its behavior changed, but I find it highly unlikely that it's doing anything other than an extension of what it already does.
Hale: You don't know that!
Romeijn: Neither do you!
Hale: …Has it repeated this "behavior" with anyone else?
Romeijn: I had a few D-Class do a quick test. Turned into their dead relatives and friends, but nothing else. Seems you're unique.
Hale: I-I'd like to volunteer for testing.
Romeijn: Hale. She. Is not-
Hale: Just let me make sure! Please! Just give me this. I'm unique. We both need to know why I am and what 6539 actually does.
Romeijn: I can't-
Hale: For once in your damn life, LET ME BE HER FATHER! You were right, okay?! I know she's dead because of me! You told me no, I didn't listen! Let me try and make this right. I've begged on my knees for your forgiveness. I know I won't get it. Let me try with her. If it is her.
Romeijn doesn't respond for several seconds. She sighs.
Romeijn: Fine.
Romeijn reaches for the camera.
Hale: I don't understand. How did you move on so quickly?
Romeijn: I haven't.
[END LOG]
Addendum 2: Testing Log T-6539-3
Date: 02-7-2025
Location: Site-63
Foreword: Test conducted by Security Officer David Hale. Conversation transcribed according to Officer Hale's accounts, as SCP-6539 does not emit audio detectable to bystanders or recording devices.
[BEGIN TRANSCRIPT]
Hale approaches SCP-6539.
Hale: Emily?
SCP-6539 takes the form of Hale's deceased daughter, Emily Romeijn.
SCP-6539: Dad? You're back!
Hale embraces SCP-6539.
Hale: Emily! I'm so sorry for leaving you again.
SCP-6539: That's alright, Dad. Foundation bitchyness and all.
Hale: Heh, language.
SCP-6539 looks around the containment chamber.
SCP-6539: Is this an experiment? Am I… a skip now?
Hale: Yes. At least they think so.
SCP-6539 raises an arm and looks at it.
SCP-6539: They think? I'm very clearly anomalous now, Dad.
Hale: They think that you aren't real. Have you ever heard of SCP-6539?
SCP-6539: Mom talked about it once. Takes the form of dead people?
Hale: Uh, yeah. Yeah.
SCP-6539: I know what happened to me, Dad. You don't have to tip-toe around it.
Hale: Right.
SCP-6539: Something wrong, Dad?
Hale: I don't know how I'm going to convince them you're real. I… I don't even know if you're real. None of them can see or hear you. Just me. The word of a single grieving father against the Foundation's crushing bureaucracy.
SCP-6539: Does it matter what they think? I'm real to you. I'm real to me. I think therefore I am, not they think.
Hale: That's not enough. Even if they do believe me, what's stopping them from just taking us away from each other anyway to make things simpler? You can't be here unless I'm around 6539.
SCP-6539 embraces Hale.
SCP-6539: You'll figure something out, Dad. Maybe you can go to Mom?
Hale: Uh… your mom doesn't want anything to do with me.
SCP-6539: Is that supposed to be different?
Hale: Ha ha.
Both remain silent for several seconds.
Hale: What's it like?
SCP-6539: Dying? Or death?
Hale: Both. If you feel comfortable talking about it.
SCP-6539: Dying is… hot. Not sexy hot, don't look at me like that. It's like a fire was radiating from where I [REDACTED]. Then it became warm and cold. At the same time. Have you ever fallen asleep no matter how hard you tried to fight it? No matter what, your eyes kept sliding shut? Sort of like that, but more, uh, existential, I guess. All while it felt like plunging into an icy lake that didn't jolt me awake however cold it was.
Hale: And death?
SCP-6539: …I can't explain it. A part of me wants to go back but I don't want to at the same time. Peaceful is the closest word, but it's too peaceful. At least it is when I'm awake here. I don't feel anything when I'm not, don't think anything. There's no time because there's no me and no time to experience, but when I wake up, it feels like an eternity that passes in a millisecond.
The PA activates.
Romeijn: Hale, time's up.
SCP-6539 grabs Hale by the shoulders.
SCP-6539: Dad, whatever you do, don't let me stay there forever. Keep coming back! Promise me!
Hale: I won't leave you, Em. Not for anything. Not a third time.
Hale slowly removes himself from SCP-6539's presence, waving as it returns to its normal state.
[END TRANSCRIPT]
Closing Statement(s): Security Officer David Hale returned for 3 more tests before Dr. Praveena Romeijn suspended further experimentation, citing a lack of new information and Officer Hale's growing attachment to the item.
Addendum 3: Interview I-63-428-4
Date: 02-11-2025
Interviewer: Dr. Praveena Romeijn, Site-63, Clearance Level 3 (Confidential)
Interviewee: Security Officer David Hale, Site-63, Clearance Level 2 (Restricted)
Interview Location: Site-63
Foreword: Interview was requested by Security Officer David Hale regarding the suspension of experimentation on SCP-6539.
[BEGIN LOG]
Romeijn: David-
Hale: What the fuck, doctor?
Romeijn: David-
Hale: Shut up! How could you do that to me? To your own goddamn daughter?!
Romeijn: DAVID! She. Isn't. REAL!
Hale: You. Don't. KNOW THAT! You've read my transcripts-
Romeijn: I have! I told you, all 4 times, to gather usable information and all you did was play catch-up!
Hale: That is my-
Romeijn: Even if it was Emily, if you wanted to help her, you would've done what I asked. Believe it or not, David, I did want to at least try. I needed something - anything - from her that could've pointed me in the right direction. Know what you gave me?
She removes paper copies of the transcripts from a nearby file.
Romeijn: I asked- no, instructed you to inquire into what SCP-6539 is. Not likely to get us a helpful answer, granted, but-
Hale: I-
Romeijn: But that's what I said to do. I also instructed you to ask it questions about yourself that Emily wouldn't know, to ascertain whether or not it's taking information from your mind and reconstructing Emily's personality. I told you to do these things and more several times and did you do it?
Hale: I just-
Romeijn: Did. You. Do. It?
Hale: No-
Romeijn: No. You asked it "Do you still love me?" and "What does dying feel like?"
Hale: Then why didn't you do it yourself, if you're so damn smart.
Romeijn: I'm not risking my life and career and potentially those around me to mess with an anomaly showcasing new behaviors, David.
Hale: So you looked at a potentially dangerous, in your eyes, anomaly and decided to throw me into it?
Romeijn: You insisted! I tried, on and off record, to get you to reconsider! I tried to get my co-workers to talk you down, but they wouldn't even bother, even without the scientific incentive! But you didn't listen! You never listen to me, David! Not when you told Emily about the Veil, not when you kissed the Site Director's ass enough to recruit her, not when I wanted to go and get her from that cheap-ass bunker during [REDACTED] before it [REDACTED], and not about this! The only reason we let you in there was because you were the only one it was exhibiting its new effects with! This isn't about you, David.
Hale doesn't respond.
Romeijn: If that is Emily, you will do something right with her for once and let her rest. For all three of our sakes. You fucked up, Hale. Three times, you fucked up bad. Don't make it a fourth. Please, David. If not for me, or yourself, do it for her.
Hale stands up.
Hale: You're a cold-hearted piece of shit.
Romeijn: Not cruel.
Hale grabs a cup of pencils and throws it at a wall and leaves the room. Romeijn sits in silence for several minutes before reaching for the camera.
[END LOG]
Closing Statement(s): Security Officer David Hale was demoted to Clearance Level 1 for his misconduct at the end of the interview and selectively amnestized of sensitive information.
Addendum 4: Incident I-6539-2
Date: 02-20-2025
Location: Site-63
Involved Personnel: Security Officer David Hale
Involved Items: SCP-6539
Incident Severity: Moderate
Summary: On 02-20-2025, Security Officer David Hale was working an overnight shift as part of disciplinary measures issued to him after Interview 63-428-4. At 23:39 local time, Officer Hale entered Dr. Praveena Romeijn's office, which she had neglected to lock before ending her shift on that day. Officer Hale stole a spare Clearance Level 3 keycard and exited the room, proceeding towards SCP-6539 containment chamber. Officer Hale incapacitated the guard assigned to its hallway before she could raise an alarm and entered SCP-6539's containment chamber.
Officer Hale attempted to converse with SCP-6539 for several minutes, transcribed below.
Hale: Emily, I'm back. Sorry it's been so long, I got caught up in that usual bureaucracy shit, you know?
Hale: Emily? Can you hear me? Come on, we need to leave.
Hale attempts to embrace SCP-6539 and phases through its form.
Hale: Em? Emily. Emily!
Hale: Emily, talk to me! Is it because I was gone so long?! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! I know I promised you! I-I…
Hale: FUCK!
Hale unsuccessfully attempts several times to strike SCP-6539 with his baton.
Hale: Is this your idea of a joke, skip? All I wanted was my fucking daughter back!
Hale ceases his aggression and sits down in front of SCP-6539.
Hale: It's not my fault. If your brainwashed bitch of a mother had a shred of empathy, I could've saved you. You wanted to be a security guard like me, but she made you become a fucking paper-pusher in the wing where [REDACTED] because she couldn't stand to see me happy with my child. You didn't have to listen to her. I didn't have to. This is HER FAULT!
Hale is silent for several minutes.
Hale: I guess this is the part I commit a murder-suicide?
Hale scoffs.
Hale: No. I'm not a petty bitch like her.
Hale exits the chamber, dragging the unconscious guard into the cell and locking it. Hale is observed exiting the facility as normal at 00:00 local time, per his schedule.
Officer Hale failed to report in after being summoned by the Site Director for his unlawful conduct during the incident and a manhunt was launched. At 12:12, David Hale's body was discovered in his car, having crashed into a tree. A blood alcohol concentration of 0.38% was discovered during the autopsy. Cause of death ruled to be accidental.
Addendum 5: Update, 03-1-2025
On 03-1-2025, Dr. Praveena Romeijn discovered an entity identical in appearance and behavior to SCP-6539 in Site-63's mortuary, where Security Officer David Hale's body had been cremated following his death in Incident I-6539-2. Revisions to SCP-6539's document are currently pending as of 03-1-2025.