Do you hear that?
Item #: SCP-8323
Object Class: Keter
Special Containment Procedures:
Foundation personnel experiencing SCP-8323 are to report to their Site's medical department for treatment, which consists of prescribed stimulants1 when appropriate, supplemental work assignments,2 and weekly assessments with a Foundation counselor.
Due to the difficulty in identifying SCP-8323 manifestations in the civilian population, no broader containment procedures are yet in place.
Description:
SCP-8323 is a presence that manifests within dreams as the sound of footsteps. Triggers for a manifestation event are unknown, but following an initial appearance, SCP-8323 will appear in all subsequent dreams. Attempts to suppress these dreams through pharmaceutical and anomalous methods have been unsuccessful.
All dreams in which SCP-8323 appears possess the following characteristics:
- The setting is familiar to the subject, often corresponding with a positive memory.
- Apart from the subject, no other living beings appear in the dream.
- The subject is unable to move from their initial location.
- SCP-8323 will manifest a variable distance away from the subject.
- SCP-8323 will approach the subject over the duration of the dream at a continuous pace.
Affected subjects appear to be able to influence the proximity of SCP-8323's initial location, reporting that longer periods of wakefulness create a greater distance during the next manifestation. Additionally, the amount of cognitively engaging tasks performed within the wakefulness period further increases said distance.
SCP-8323's progress towards the subject appears to be cumulative, as when not adequately offset by the aforementioned conditions, SCP-8323's initial position will be closer in each ensuing dream.
Subjects affected by SCP-8323 report increased levels of anxiety, although it is unclear if this is anomalous.
Due to the first-hand nature of information related to the anomaly, the consequences of SCP-8323 closing the distance is unknown.
The above information is outdated. See Addendum 2.
Addendum 1:
The Foundation was first alerted to the anomaly when researcher Dr. David Monroe began reporting unusual recurring dreams to his Site's psychologist. The anomalous characteristics of these dreams were flagged, and categorized as SCP-8323 after further cases were discovered.3
The following is an account of an SCP-8323 manifestation.
TRANSCRIPT
Video recovered from Dr. Monroe's office security camera.
Date: 01/07/20██
Subject: Telehealth Appointment
Extraneous footage has been removed for brevity.
[BEGIN TRANSCRIPT]
(Dr. Monroe sits at his desk, a mobile phone held to his ear. His foot taps erratically as his leg bounces.)
I know the session is nearly over, and you wanted to check in about my coping strategies, but, uh. Can we talk about the dream instead? Last night’s was… I just, really need to talk about it.
(He runs a hand through his hair.)
Ok, good. Thanks. I’m standing on the tracks in this one. (A pause.) Huh? I'm in a train station, sorry, should have clarified. I, ah, even recognized the station. Used to take that train to college every day. I think in the dream I was back in college, actually, had my graduation cap sticking halfway out of my bag —
Sorry. I’m getting sidetracked. How long do we have left? (A pause.) Ok, good. I, uh, got rid of my clock a few days ago. Can’t stand the ticking anymore.
(He takes a deep breath, readjusting his glasses and rubbing his eyes.)
Anyway. I'm on the tracks. No commuters, but that’s… well, not normal, but expected. No loudspeaker announcements, either. Even the digital board for the train times is blank.
There's a breeze from the tunnel, but there's no roar. That’s how I know the train’s not coming, you always hear it before you see it. It's… it's not silent though.
(He pauses. His leg has stopped bouncing.)
They always start so quietly, but I know to listen for them now. The first time I heard them, I thought it was my heartbeat. They used to be that quiet. They used to stay that quiet. I mean, I know the volume hasn’t actually changed. Just the distance.
(His voice wavers slightly, and he coughs, clearing his throat. His eyes are glassy.)
Most of it is the same as it always is. Just waiting, and footsteps. Y’know how time usually doesn’t work the same in dreams? In these ones, I swear it does. I have to stand there for hours. My dreams used to move so fast. Felt like I was always running.
(He shakes his head. His leg resumes bouncing.)
Right, sorry. The time. I’ll focus. I need to talk about the end. It… it’s getting bad. It sounds like it's right in front of me, but the tunnel, the echoes… It could be a hundred feet away. It could be ten. I can't tell.
(He closes his eyes, taking a few measured breaths before continuing.)
But I saw something for the first time. Just a hint, but I saw it, and I wasn't supposed to. It was like headlights.
(A pause.)
(His voice is quieter.) It could have been headlights.
(He wipes his face. His lip is trembling. When he next speaks, his voice is more measured.)
Thanks for letting me talk for so long. I needed to tell you, in… in case I don’t see you next week. This was the third day in a row I slept through my alarm.
I just… hope it doesn’t hurt.
[END TRANSCRIPT]
Addendum 2:
On 06/07/20██, a Foundation wellness check was performed on Dr. Monroe after several days of unexplained absence from work without further communication.
A search of his residence did not uncover signs of forced entry or other evidence of foul play. The only items of note were a bottle of sleeping pills4 on the nightstand, and a handwritten note, reading:
I'm sorry. I'm just tired.
Dr. Monroe was found in his bed with all vital signs ceased, except for constant, flickering eye movements.