Mount Rushmore.
Special Containment Procedures: The Foundation has received official approval from the United States government allowing it full and complete oversight of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Site-222 has been conscripted to oversee both the mundane upkeep of the memorial and containment of SCP-69641.
As reaching SCP-6964 requires an individual to fully scale Mount Rushmore, standard anti-trespassing signage consistent with other United States national parks alongside light security measures have proven effective for managing the anomaly. Falsified public reports have been created to perpetuate the claim that internal studies performed by the memorial's staff have proven the mountain is too unstable to have any further interference, such as adding a fifth face, in order to prevent any possible negative reaction from the SCP-6964 anomaly.
Description: SCP-6964 refers to an extradimensional anomaly accessible from the peak of Mount Rushmore currently theorized to be Purgatory (as reported in Dante Alighieri's Purgatorio). Despite this hypothesis, SCP-6964 is noticeably different from the afterlife described within the Divine Comedy.
Mount Rushmore, aerial view.
Upon entrance into the anomaly, an individual perceives SCP-6964 to be an extension of Mount Rushmore itself, with the mountain extending far higher than it does within consensus reality. Physically, this mountain has seven terraces, made up of heads of former United States presidents carved into the mountain, resemblant of baseline Mount Rushmore, with a flat surface at the top of each terrace above the heads to enable passage. All deceased individuals who previously held office as President have a carved head within SCP-69642, short of the four already represented by baseline Mount Rushmore3.
Notably, while the “punishments” given to inhabitants of each terrace are consistent with those described within Purgatorio4, the only inhabitants of the space currently conscripted to suffer through them are all deceased individuals who were formerly United States President; each face carved into a terrace corresponds to which of them are currently present on each. Due to its low and highly specific population, SCP-6964's relationship with Purgatory, and whether or not it is the full extent of the actual biblical Purgatory, remains under continued investigation by the Department of Tactical Theology.
Addendum 6964.1: Initial Exploration
Following the discovery of SCP-6964 and basic exploration protocols having been performed, the Site-222 administration approved a research convoy transported by Mobile Task Force Zeta-5 ("Stars and Stripes") and led by Senior Researcher Dr. Francis Own to further survey the anomaly.
During the exploration, the team encountered a humanoid entity hereafter referred to as SCP-6964-A. A transcript detailing this encounter has been placed below:
«Begin Log»
[Drs. Francis Own and Alan Lock, alongside three agents from MTF Zeta-5, are surveying the area at the entrance of SCP-6964.]
Dr. Own: So, you're telling me that you really prefer your potatoes baked rather than mashed? Are you kidding me?
Dr. Lock: Own, we're on a research mission. We should be focusing on—
Dr. Own: Nah, I'm not letting this go. How could you possibly prefer baked? It's so boring.
Dr. Lock: Well, if you must know, it's a texture thing.
Dr. Own: How much of a texture difference could there possibly be between baked and mashed? It must be miniscule!
Dr. Lock: I think you—
[A flash of red, white, and blue light suddenly appears in front of the team.]
Dr. Own: What the fu—
Z5-1: Get behind us, you two!
[Drs. Own and Lock retreat behind the MTF agents, as the light gradually dematerializes.]
Dr. Lock: What is that?
[In place of the light, a humanoid figure — SCP-6964-A — is visible. SCP-6964-A physically resembles common depictions of Uncle Sam, a popular personification of the United States.]
Dr. Own: Is that Uncle fucking Sam?
SCP-6964-A: That is correct, my friend!
Dr. Own: You're Uncle Sam?
SCP-6964-A: Yes, my friend! It's been a while since I've had some visitors, and so many, too!
Dr. Lock: What is this place, uh, Uncle Sam?
[SCP-6964-A's gaze darkens slightly.]
SCP-6964-A: Ah, well, it's a place I hoped any of our God-fearing American citizens would never have to see. So, while I'm happy to meet you all, I'm sorry it had to be like this. This is Purgatory, my friends.
[Silence on recording.]
Dr. Own: Excuse me? It's—It's what?
SCP-6964-A: Yes, Purgatory. Though, probably not in the way you imagined. As much as the good book tries to describe it, it never really got it right. You see, this is where the big man upstairs sends those who have a debt to pay to him, and everyone here has a very, very special debt to pay. You can sort of consider me the prison warden.
Dr. Own: Who's here, exactly?
SCP-6964-A: By the feathers of the great bald eagle, this place is specially reserved for those who had the glory of running our great country. Yes, those who were elected President in the most democratic country in the world!
Dr. Lock: So… you're saying this is where dead presidents go?
SCP-6964-A: Absolutely, my friend! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to. Feel free to take a look around and say "hi" to some of our great American heroes!
[SCP-6964-A disappears in a flash of light.]
[Silence on recording.]
Dr. Own: Hey, Lock?
Dr. Lock: Yeah?
Dr. Own: I'm not letting it go. We're resuming the potato conversation when this is all over.
«End Log»
Addendum 6964.2: Assorted Interview Excerpts
After being given free reign of the anomaly, Dr. Own proceeded to conduct interviews with various former presidents within it. Notable excerpts have been placed below:
Interviewed: Grover Cleveland
Terrace: 3 ("Wrath")5
«Begin Log»
Dr. Own: So, how are you finding it here?
Cleveland: Fucking awful. I have the worst of it.
Dr. Own: How so?
Cleveland: Well, let me learn you a thing or two, son. I don't know how this goddamn place works, but basically, I think it punishes you for having been president of our United States.
Dr. Own: That seems apt.
[A particularly thick cloud of the blinding, noxious smoke found throughout the third terrace spontaneously forms around Cleveland, causing him to erupt into a coughing fit.]
Cleveland: God, fuck, ugh. Well, I've technically been president twice, so now I get twice the goddamn punishment as everyone else.
Dr. Own: Jeez.
Cleveland: Yeah, and that fucker FDR gets away with having four terms just because they were all connected! It's bullshit. Besides, history should remember me better anyway after what he did.
Dr. Own: Internment?
Cleveland: Marrying his cousin.
«End Log»
Interviewed: Theodore Roosevelt
Terrace: 3 ("Wrath")
«Begin Log»
[Dr. Own approaches a wooden sign labelled "TR ESCAPE COUNT: 346."]
Dr. Own: That tracks.
«End Log»
Interviewed: Andrew Jackson
Terrace: 3 ("Wrath")
«Begin Log»
Dr. Own: Damn, there are a lot of you guys on the Wrath level.
Jackson: You're telling me.
Dr. Own: Any idea why that is?
Jackson: I can't tell you. All I did was exercise my God-given right to drive no-good mongrels out of land that was better used in our hands! Can't tell you why I'm here.
[Silence on recording.]
Dr. Own: Why on Earth did I think it was a good idea to ask you of all people?
«End Log»
Interviewed: Lyndon B. Johnson
Terrace: 4 ("Sloth")7
«Begin Log»
[As he sees Dr. Own approaching, Johnson lowers his pants, pointing his phallus at the doctor and smiling widely, trying to contain laughter.]
Dr. Own: We're done here.
«End Log»
Interviewed: George Washington
Terrace: 6 ("Gluttony")8
«Begin Log»
Dr. Own: Oh, hello, Washington!
Washington: Greetings. Do I… know you?
Dr. Own: Oh, uh, no, you don't. I met a version of you, though. Well, he was a robot.
Washington: What is a "robot?"
Dr. Own: So, it's basically like a cybernetic being.
Washington: What does "cybernetic" mean?
Dr. Own: Uh, it means it has to do with like computers.
Washington: You mean people who do math?
[Dr. Own sighs heavily.]
Dr. Own: Fuck this, you basically have a metal puppet that looks like you and hates the British.
Washington: Sounds like we'd get along well, then!
Dr. Own: Yeah, sure. So, this is the gluttony level, right?
Washington: That is correct.
Dr. Own: How'd you end up here? I would've expected any but this one.
Washington: Well, when I got here, I was told by that one fellow in the unusual attire something similar to what you said: it was apparently very difficult to find just one level to confine me to, so a single sin managed to tip the scales and put me here.
Dr. Own: I see.
Washington: Never should've cut down that cherry tree.
«End Log»
Interviewed: John F. Kennedy
Terrace: 7 ("Lust")9
«Begin Log»
Dr. Own: So, dying in office, huh?
Kennedy: Ah, yep. Was a darn shame. I had a lot of stuff left to do down there.
Dr. Own: Really?
Kennedy: Well, truth be told, when I say "stuff", you know what I mean.
Dr. Own: …ah.
Kennedy: Now, don't get me wrong, I loved my Jackie far more than any of those other broads, but… you're a man, you know what it's like, right? We have to sample everything that's on our plate, you know?
[Silence on recording.]
Dr. Own: Uh, anyway, you know, I have a question about your death to ask you.
Kennedy: For the first good conversation I've had in decades? I'm all ears.
Dr. Own: So, your assassination has generated a lot of conspiracy theories since it happened. Like, I'm not gonna lie to you, it's pretty much what you're known for these days. Do you know anything about how you died?
Kennedy: Assassination?
Dr. Own: Yeah, you were killed.
[Kennedy laughs.]
Kennedy: Is that what everyone back home thinks? No, friend. My head just did that.
«End Log»
All full interview logs can be found on Documents 6964-1 through -7.
Addendum 6964.3: Further Investigation
After interviewing all former presidents present within SCP-6964, Dr. Own reached the peak of the mountain, where he rediscovered SCP-6964-A.
«Begin Log»
[Dr. Own is pointing his face to the ground and breathing heavily from exhaustion.]
Dr. Own: Fuck me… they… they don't… pay me enough for… this shit.
SCP-6964-A: You're telling me.
[Dr. Own looks up to see SCP-6964-A approaching him.]
SCP-6964-A: I've been doing this job for nearly 250 years and not a single paycheck from the big man upstairs. Not even a "thank you" for my service. I'm happy to be of service to our Almighty Father, but a guy can use a little appreciation now and then, you know?
Dr. Own: I hear you.
[Silence on recording.]
Dr. Own: You know, I have a question if you don't mind.
SCP-6964-A: Ask away, my friend!
Dr. Own: You mentioned before at the entrance to this place that the people here, the presidents, are here to pay off a debt. I mean, I understand a lot of them did horrible things, but shouldn't they be, well, downstairs because of all that?
SCP-6964-A: Well, I'm not permitted to talk about a lot of the details myself, but I'll do my best to paint you a picture. A long time ago, there was a man who your country celebrated so much that they put him on the $100 bill. He was the one who set everything in motion.
Dr. Own: $100 bill, huh?
SCP-6964-A: Yep, but I'm afraid that's all I'm allowed to tell you, friend.
Dr. Own: That's fine. I think that should hopefully be enough. Another question, though, you can teleport, right?
SCP-6964-A: As sure as the sun shines upon the bright blue American sky.
Dr. Own: Can you take me back down?
SCP-6964-A: Afraid not. It only works for me.
[Dr. Own sighs.]
Dr. Own: Fuck me.
«End Log»
Following the above interview, a Foundation agent embedded into the Federal Bureau of Investigations' Unusual Incidents Unit was alerted to search for any information of interest within the group's historical archives. Several days later, they sent a copy of the following document written by Benjamin Franklin and addressed to fellow Founding Father Alexander Hamilton:
Alex,
I know your ambitions are high, but do be warned; as a diplomat, I considered my job to go far beyond our allied countries. Yes, the matters of the spiritual — I believe — are just as important. To put it simply, I had to make a particularly important covenant five years ago, and the cost was high. I promise you, though, the resulting prosperity will be worth it. Our great nation — our haven of liberty and freedom — will become the greatest in the world, so long as we hold up our end of the bargain. Or, well, more accurately, the brave men who we elect hold up their end.
I will tell you more after our next meeting if you truly wish to run; I've already told anyone else who informed me of similar plans to ascend to the presidency so they know what they're getting into. Do inform me if you have heard of anyone else with the same idea. While I would rather keep things hushed, my guilty conscience prefers they know the price they'll pay.
Thank you, my friend,
Ben
The implications of this communication remain under review by the Department of Tactical Theology.
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