SCP-ES-296
rating: +16+x

Item #: SCP-ES-296

Object Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-ES-296 has been acquired by the Foundation and its perimeter has been fenced to avoid undesired intrusions.

Additionally, several joint outposts close to it manage SCP-ES-296's surveillance, research and containment. Said outposts form part of Provisional Site-89. This shall continue until there is enough knowledge regarding SCP-ES-296's nature and exact properties.

Any register related to SCP-ES-296, be it satellital or historical, will be found and deleted by ESTIBEN.iac. This includes any possible mention of SCP-ES-296 in forums or websites of any kind. Posteriorly, all the individuals involved will be located, interrogated, and amnesticized.

theater.png

Inside of SCP-ES-296. The origin of the image is unknown.

Description: SCP-ES-296 is the designation given to the Cresswell Theatre in Arkansas, USA. Said theater was used for leisure purposes from 1940 to 1976, staying for a long period of time as one of the most important entertainment sites of the state due to the large amount of theatre plays that were staged there. However, SCP-ES-296's structure was, before its acquisition by Ron Cresswell, approximately 20 years old, being this shown in its facade, which has an architecture similar to those used in the Art Deco1, frequently used during the date of its construction.

Any individual that enters SCP-ES-296 will find themselves involved in what is currently believed to be a number of visual and acoustic hallucinations of undetermined nature. Due to this, the only available medium of communicating inside SCP-ES-296 is the use of electronic devices.2 Additionally, it is believed that SCP-ES-296 may have extradimensional properties, as its only known functional exit is its own entrance door.

All testimonies, except the initial log, have reported on several occasions the presence of short melodies in the auditorium section, as well as inaudible conversations in the dressing rooms.3

Addendum ES-296/A: Discovery

The Foundation found SCP-ES-296 in early 1977 due to rumors regarding anomalous events behind its doors; however, it wasn't until mid 2002 that SCP-ES-296 was put in containment after several calls were made to local authorities by a 16-year-old teen known as Harrison Roth from the Rison locality, which is 2km away from SCP-ES-296. An excerpt of the call is shown below.


Call Transcription


Subject:

  • Harrison Roth

[BEGIN LOG]


911: Arkansas 911, how may we help you?

Harrison Roth: They've taken my friends. I need a patrol, something, please.

911: It's OK, calm down, we'll be sending a patrol to you soon. What's your name?

Harrison Roth: Roth. Harrison Roth. (Pause) 16 years old, I was with my friends and they took them away, I don't know.

(Silence)

Harrison Roth: (Notably altered) I don't know, I don't know, I'm not even sure what the fuck just happened inside there, they just took my friends, send a patrol now, I beg you.

911: Please, Roth, try to calm down and explain to me what happened the best you can.

Harrison Roth: I-I, I was with my group of friends, Jacob, W-Wade (His breathing begins to accelerate. He is heard whispering away from the telephone for a while) God, Wade, God.

911: Don't worry, continue.

Harrison Roth: Yes, yes. God dammit, Joey was also with us. We went to an abandoned building that was two kilometers away from Rison; we went on Jacob's car because has- (Slight sobs) had a driving license and, w-well, we were just going to check the zone, we're a group of curious people and it wasn't the first time we visited sites like that, so-

(Pause. Harrison Roth begins to cry)

Harrison Roth: I asked my grandmother about the s-site once, and she said no one remembered why was it there. And, and we felt only more attracted to the place.

Harrison Roth: Somewhen we began to hear footsteps, we didn't know exactly from where, but there were many. We tried to follow them to know what they were, c-carefully, very carefully, but they suddenly stopped. When I realized I was alone, I-

(Sobs)

Harrison Roth: I heard them scream, run, and- (Pause) being crawled. T-then I also heard several footsteps towards me, so I opened a door to hide. I stayed hidden in the bathroom and I didn't- didn't come out. I heard a man muttering and knocking on the door.

Harrison Roth: Eventually, the door opened. Some hours had passed, I-I think, and then I ran away when I checked there was nothing. I didn't look back, I just- just…

(Harrison Roth screams and continues crying)

Harrison Roth: I left them alone, on their own. How am I going to look Jacob's mother in the face? How-

(Silence)

911: I see. Could you tell me where are you right now?

Harrison Roth: E-eh, I don't know, I'm in the middle of a field.

911: Near the building you mentioned?

Harrison Roth: K-kind of, yeah.

911: Do you think you can surround it to get to the side of the road so the patrol can see you once they arrive?

(Harrison Roth's breathing accelerates notably)

911: Hello?

Harrison Roth: (Hyperventilating) I'll try, but please, don't hang up, I n-need…

Harrison Roth: I need to talk with somebody, please.

911: Don't worry, Harrison. I'll be here.

Harrison Roth: Thank you, really, t-thank you.

911: Try to breathe, don't worry. Did something else happen after what you told me?

(Harrison Roth stays silent for a while, and hyperventilates again)

911: Harrison?

Harrison Roth: Yes, something else happened.

911: If I may ask, what was it?

Harrison Roth: I swear, I truly swear and promise that somebody said "hi" while I was running.


[END LOG]



When the authorities arrived in search of Harrison Roth4, they were victims of SCP-ES-296's anomalous properties. After inspecting the zone, nothing was found; posterior investigations on the building's facade showed that a group of teenagers had been there. All individuals related to the investigation and Harrison Roth, as well as his friends, were amnesticized.
We're all here. Absolutely everybody.
Addendum ES-296/B: Historical Registers.

SCP-ES-296 was originally founded in 1940 by Ron Cresswell, born American, thirty-four years old then. Ron Cresswell was a notable 23rd Generation Student of the Kirk Lonwood High School, in where he'd stay during his teen years. Ron Cresswell was, at the time, adept at both music and theatre, as well as other literary art forms.

ron.png

Ron Cresswell, picture taking in 1930 at the Kirk Lonwood High School

During those years, Ron Cresswell formed a group of intellectuals focused on music and literature. Said group would end up becoming a closed club in the high school that managed both the administration of a part of the orchestra and the impulse of arts in the institution. The exact date on which the group was founded is uncertain, but it is known by Ron Cresswell's declarations that part of the idea of creating SCP-ES-296 would come from that group.

This led to, ten years after graduating, the foundation of the Cresswell Theatre. The objective of this theater was to offer high schools from several nearby states and Arkansas itself the chance to exhibit their best works and collect with them a considerable amount of money for the centers themselves. However, all the works that were presented had an exhaustive analysis both by Cresswell himself and by multiple professionals from the world of theater in order to ensure the works presented were of impeccable quality and further boost the fame of the site.

Prior to the arrival of Ron Cresswell, the building was abandoned and all registers before his acquisition have been lost or destroyed.

The Cresswell Theater had some financial difficulties during its early years; however, it gained moderate notoriety and became one of the most famous theater exhibition centers of its time, especially during the sixties, where a large number of works were exhibited, of which there is currently no record. However, there is also evidence of a large number of cancellations of multiple projects proposed by Ron Cresswell himself.

Despite this, the Cresswell Theatre was abandoned sometime in 1976. The reasons for this remain unknown to this day. The only register related to said date belongs to a publicity booklet.

According to some testimonies given by individuals who knew Cresswell, he had been, in the last years of the theater, estranged from his friends.

Cognitohazard Warning!

The following file may have corrupted images, words, and other content that may actively harm viewers. An HRV of approximately 12.5 is predominantly recommended. In case you still want to access the documentation, please click the option below to accept it at your own risk.

Addendum ES-296/C: Additional Information

REPORT AND ANALYSIS
Date: 01/03/2006 Department: Memetics Dpt. Remitter: Dr. Andrés Mondragón
Nature: Infohazardous, cognitohazardous (?) and memetic
Priority: MEDIUM

On January 2nd, 2006, there was a considerable increase in the magnitude of on-site events related to SCP-ES-296 and its anomaly.5 Whispers began to be audible a total of five meters from the entrance to it. Additionally, the main door and only known entrance to SCP-ES-296 were blocked, making any type of struggle unfeasible. At 1:00 AM, a melody was recorded inside SCP-ES-296 of currently unknown origin. The containment personnel was affected by it, after which the doors of SCP-ES-296 opened and the entire investigation and containment body entered it.

At 4:56 AM, all individuals left SCP-ES-296 and its surroundings, to later return to their usual positions. However, it is known that a percentage of the staff was affected in a more severe way. All of the subjects who were disturbed during said event stated that they did not remember anything of what happened during those hours. Two days after the incident, Senior Researcher Tristan Poole claimed to have remembered a large part of what happened. A transcription of an interview carried out is shown below.


Camcorder Recording Transcript

In Attendance:

  • Dr. Andrés Mondragón
  • Res. Tristan Poole

[BEGIN LOG]

(Andrés Mondragón enters the room, waving to Tristan Poole in the process, who answers in the same way. Subsequently, Doctor Mondragón sits at the opposite end of the table from Poole.)

Dr. Andrés Mondragón: Is everything OK, Poole?

Res. Tristan Poole: For having been inside a containment breach of a memetic anomaly, I'm doing relatively well, yes.

Dr. Andrés Mondragón: Good to know, when they told me that you were involved as chief researcher in SCP-ES-296 and that happened, I thought that you would have fallen into a trance or something similar.

Res. Tristan Poole: Nothing further from the truth, Andrés.

(Pause)

Dr. Andrés Mondragón: So I guess I can ask you directly what happened, and what you think might have caused such an unusual reaction.

Res. Tristan Poole: Well, you could say that what happened was something similar to when I was about to finish high school when I went to see The Mousetrap, I don't want to take too many unnecessary turns, but that was the feeling I had. I've never been a big fan of the theater, but maybe being with my partner at the time made me feel quite excited.

Res. Tristan Poole: When we all entered, we sat in the main room, I was in the last row, watching intently.

(Silence)

Dr. Andrés Mondragón: And well?

Res. Tristan Poole: Moon and a forest.

Dr. Andrés Mondragón: Elaborate, Tristan.

Res. Tristan Poole: It's the only thing I can say without an infohazard coming out of my mouth.

Dr. Andrés Mondragón: I see, you can say it anyway-

Res. Tristan Poole: [AUTOCENSOR ACTIVATED - HIGH MAGNITUDE COGNITOHAZARD MEMETIC - DATA EXPUNGED]

Dr. Andrés Mondragón: (Slowly) I'll have to take an amnestic when I get out of here, you seem to have a thing for the old days, those mornings that seemed sunnier, right?

Res. Tristan Poole: What are you talking about, if I may know?

Dr. Andrés Mondragón: I mean, for all practical purposes, everyone misses those days when they seemed invincible and ate the world. When the reality is that once they are outside, the world eats them.

Res. Tristan Poole: I don't think you should dramatize the situation so much, Andrés, the best thing to do is simply-

Dr. Andrés Mondragón: Getting down to work and not wondering about things more than is really necessary, yes, I see it that way too. I don't want to know what actually happened in '76.

Res. Tristan Poole: Yeah, that's what I was going to say.

(Silence)

Dr. Andrés Mondragón: So it was looking to spread if I'm not mistaken.

Res. Tristan Poole: Indeed, and it is rare but logical really. What are theaters looking for? In addition to showing works, they must also be recognized so that there is an audience to show them to.

Dr. Andrés Mondragón: I understand, yes, it makes some sense. However, you stopped at the end. Where did it go?

Res. Tristan Poole: In the only place left, Andrés, in the forest.

[END LOG]

After the interview with Researcher Tristan Poole, SCP-ES-296 was inspected. In said inspection, no significant changes were found in its anomalous characteristics or in its structure. However, an envelope could be found in the dressing rooms that had the signature of Ron Cresswell. The state of the documents themselves was partially damaged, however, a large part of the content could be reconstructed, following a transcription.


Addendum ES-296/D: Investigation Report

At the date of writing this document, the activity in SCP-ES-296 has been maintained at common intervals prior to the Sonata Incident. Additional procedures have been established for the containment of SCP-ES-296, as well as all the personnel in charge have been amnesticized to prevent the exit of possible cognitohazardous agents of a memetic nature.

At present, the reason why the Sonata Incident occurred is unknown. Investigations in this regard are still ongoing.




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