SCP-2157
The Human Forest
Special Containment Procedures
Site-49 has been constructed around SCP-2157 for the purposes of containing and studying it under the public pretense of an agriculture research outpost. Guards armed with light weapons are to patrol the exterior of the site and deter civilian approach. Persons actively attempting to breach the site are to be detained and questioned.
Site-49 is a circular one-story building consisting of a central chamber containing SCP-2157, research laboratories, examination rooms and storerooms in the inner ring, and barracks, offices and interrogation rooms in the outer ring. The central chamber has no floor so that SCP-2157 has access to the natural ground, and it is equipped with a retractable roof to be opened at the discretion of the Site Director or Senior Medical Researcher.
Description
SCP-2157 consists of 43 humans (21 males, 22 females) 41 humans (20 males, 21 females) of Asian ethnicity but varying heights, weights and builds, located in an approximate 20m2 area within the ██████████ forest in Japan.
Although standing in a seemingly random arrangement, each member of SCP-2157 faces a western direction and, while they have never displayed any autonomous movement, they are capable of involuntary actions, such as blinking and flinching from stimulus. They show no adverse reaction to extreme cold beyond a reduction in metabolic activity, similar to hibernation in some mammals. Sunlight and occasional rainwater seem to be the only sustenance they require.
Biological analysis on SCP-2157 has found that its members are genetically siblings and are approximately thirty years old.
Each member of SCP-2157 has its feet covered in soil, but there is no physical connection to the earth. Despite this, removal from the soil is fatal to SCP-2157 members (see Addenda 1A and 1B). Analysis of the soil has found nothing anomalous.
SCP-2157 was discovered on 04/13/20██ when Foundation agents embedded in local law enforcement were made aware of its existence following an indecent exposure report from two hikers who reported encountering a “group of nudists” in the ██████████ forest. It is unknown how SCP-2157 went undiscovered before this, given its public location. The hikers, and all affected police officers, were administered Class-A amnestics.
Addendum 1A: 04/05/20██ — A male member of SCP-2157 (SCP-2157-01) was scheduled to be removed for further testing. Medical Technicians S████ and C████████ lifted SCP-2157-01 onto a gurney for transport, at which point every member of SCP-2157 screamed loudly upon its removal from the soil. SCP-2157-01 immediately expired.
Each member of SCP-2157 then turned their heads to look at Med-Techs S████ and C████████, maintaining eye contact where possible until the technicians left the containment chamber, at which point SCP-2157 resumed facing west.
Autopsy on SCP-2157-01 found cause of death to be heart failure and its stomach to be full of soil similar in composition to that at the base of SCP-2157. The full autopsy results can be found in Medical Report 2157-01.
"We have no idea how that soil gets into their bodies, or, for that matter, how it gets out, if it does at all." – Dr. Masuda, Senior Medical Researcher, Site-49
Note: All subsequent times Med-Techs S████ and C████████ have entered SCP-2157’s containment chamber, its members have turned to face them as much as their necks will allow.
Addendum 1B: 05/05/20██ — A female member of SCP-2157 (SCP-2157-02) was removed to compare results with the SCP-2157-01 incident. Medical Technicians K███████ and O█████ were tasked with lifting SCP-2157-02 onto a gurney. Outcome was identical, with exception that observers noted that SCP-2157’s screams were louder. Autopsy results can be found in Medical Report 2157-02.
"Further testing that requires removing SCP-2157 members from the soil has been suspended indefinitely." — F. Ishimoto, Site Director, Site-49
Addendum 2A 05/20/20██ — Med-Tech O█████ was found deceased in his barracks bunk. Autopsy found that his stomach and esophagus were filled with soil of similar composition to that at the base of SCP-2157, and he had died via asphyxiation. Trace amounts of the soil were also found in O█████'s blood. Other personnel sharing the barracks reported hearing no disturbance through the night. Given the nature of O█████'s death, locating Med-Techs K███████, S████ and C████████ was made a level 3 priority.
Med-Tech K███████ was discovered in Storeroom C shortly after this, deceased via the same means. He was positioned as if sleeping, and there were no indications on his body or surroundings of a fall.
Med-Tech C████████ was off-duty and a team of agents was sent to her residence. After forcing entry, the agents found C████████ on her bedroom floor, deceased via the same means, in a similar position to Med-Tech K███████.
Med-Tech S████ was also off-duty, but has yet to be located.
Throughout these events, SCP-2157 showed no change in activity.
UPDATE: As of 11/20/20██ Medical Technician S████'s whereabouts are still unknown. Although he is presumed deceased, investigation is still ongoing but has been downgraded to a level 4 priority.