SCP-2286

If You Build a Better Mousetrap…

Special Containment Procedures

The components of SCP-2286 can be stored in standard Safe-class item storage lockers when not being tested. Due to the range of their anomalous effects, active testing must be conducted off-site; consult Document 2286-9 for a list of approved testing locations.

Description

SCP-2286 consists of a collection of anomalous electrical equipment found in and around the home of Mark P█████ on 05/17/2001. Objects of note are detailed below.

SCP-2286-1: A hand-made electrical device measuring 1.4m long, and superficially resembling a bipolar Tesla coil. The device has wiring consistent with operation at 120V AC, but conforms to no known electrical theory. On the base of the device is a toggle switch labeled "ON/OFF" and a pair of dials of unknown construction labeled "RANGE" and "SPEED". Material analysis of select components reveals the presence of unusual quantities of organic compounds consisting of uniform fragments of DNA. These fragments have been matched to genetic markers unique to mammals of the superfamily Muroidea.

SCP-2286-1 can be activated by providing it with a standard North American 120V AC power supply and flipping the toggle switch to “ON”. When active, anomalous effects can be observed in any viable genetic material belonging to mammals of the superfamily Muroidea that are within range of the object. At close range, this effect consists of a force of indeterminate origin similar to magnetic attraction that will pull the material towards the object until it comes to rest against the surface or other attracted material. At longer range, affected subjects exhibit an attraction to the location of the device similar to homing behavior but with aggressive tendencies that increase with proximity; see Test Log 2286-1-B for details. The “RANGE” dial can adjust the effective range of homing behavior from between 10 to 40 kilometers, while the “SPEED” dial can manipulate the force density of the attraction within the proximate area of effect to between 2,500Gs and 17,000Gs. Note that for nearly all affected subjects, the strength of this force has demonstrated to be lethal. At low force density, severe trauma such as fractures are common, but death can occur from asphyxiation, embolisms, or circulatory collapse. At high force density, dismemberment and pulverization of the skeleton has been observed.

SCP-2286-2: A variety of objects displaying similar anomalous properties to SCP-2286-1. Analysis is ongoing. Examples include a smaller version of SCP-2286-1 containing complete DNA from a single Rattus norvegicus and a variety of loose components containing embedded DNA fragments from multiple species.

SCP-2286-3: A smaller version of SCP-2286-1 designed to run on a single AAA battery. The toggle switch is replaced by a wired remote with a 20 meter long cord. Analysis of embedded organic material shows complete strands of DNA from a single human donor, designated as SCP-2286-3-prime. The donor has been identified as homeowner Mark P█████. Hair samples were used to verify the device is functional, although notably weaker.

SCP-2286-4 and -5: The remains of two devices of similar design to SCP-2286-1. Both were non-functional at the time of recovery, and displayed evidence of assaults from numerous tools and implements as well as having been partially incinerated using gasoline as an accelerant. Embedded organic material shows complete DNA from two different human donors, designated SCP-2286-4-prime and SCP-2286-5-prime. See Addenda 1 and 2 below for more information.

Recovery: SCP-2286 was recovered in and around the home of Mark P█████ of H█████, Indiana on 05/17/2001. A postal delivery worker reported to local authorities that portions of the exterior of the home had collapsed and noted a strong odor of decay, prompting an investigation. The cause of the collapse was determined to be damage due to a severe rodent infestation. Local authorities discovered SCP-2286-1 in the basement of the structure in an active state, and alerted Foundation operatives. SCP-2286-1 was covered in a mass of dead organic material measuring five meters in diameter as well as an estimated 400 affected subjects, mostly Rattus norvegicus, Mus musculus, and Microtus ochrogaster. SCP-2286-2 components and SCP-2286-3 were found scattered around the surrounding basement workshop. SCP-2286-4 and 5 were discovered in the ashes of a fire pit behind the home. The remains of SCP-2286-3-prime were found in the master bedroom. Although most of the body had been consumed by local wildlife, cause of death was identified as a gunshot wound to the cranium, apparently self-inflicted.

+ Excerpt from Interview Log 2286-4-B

- Hide Interview Log 2286-4-B

Interviewer: Agent Carlson
Interviewee: SCP-2286-4-prime, Gloria R████.

Agent Carlson: I'd like you to elaborate on your relationship with Mark P█████.

SCP-2286-4-prime: We were friends in middle school, but we moved in different circles in high school, and we lost touch when I went to college. I returned to town about nine years ago to work for the library, and his father was a regular at that time. Mr. P█████ was retired, and he would spend hours at the library reading anything he could find, especially the daily papers and any new magazines we subscribed to, and often when it was slow we would talk. When Mr. P█████ took ill, Mark began dropping him off and picking him up, and when things got worse towards the end, Mark would bring him in in a wheelchair and fetch books for him, and read to him. After Mr. P█████ passed away, I rarely saw Mark. Sometimes I saw him around town, and when the storms knocked out the phone lines up his way he would come down to the library to use the internet.

Agent Carlson: So there was nothing more? Ms. R████, to be frank, we are asking if you were ever… involved with Mark.

SCP-2286-4-prime: …I need your absolute assurance that this will not be made public. I am an elected official, and this is a small town.

Agent Carlson: I can guarantee you that nothing you say will be made public.

SCP-2286-4-prime: …Mark and I… dated briefly last year. It didn't go on for very long, just a few weeks.

Agent Carlson: I need to get a an approximate date. This was in 2000?

SCP-2286-4-prime: Yes. It was April, I think the second and third week in April.

Agent Carlson: Did Mark initiate the relationship, or did you?

SCP-2286-4-prime: I did. Mark was always shy. He didn't really do that sort of thing.

Agent Carlson: Can you describe how the relationship began?

SCP-2286-4-prime: I hadn't really thought of Mark much at all since Mr. P█████ passed, then suddenly I found myself thinking of him, alone in his parents' farm house, and I just felt like I had to see him. I think I just needed to settle some unfinished business. I made a lunch for the two of us and drove out to the house, and asked him out for a picnic. We talked, mostly about Mr. P█████ at first. The two of us never had very much in common.

Agent Carlson: You say the relationship continued for two weeks?

SCP-2286-4-prime: Yes. A few days later I went up to his house again. He was surprised to see me, and suggested we go and see a movie in town. I'm not much for them, I let one of the assistants order tapes for the library, but Mark loved them. He always came to life when he was talking about the movies. We saw ██████████, and afterwards I suggested that he come to a book club meeting the library was hosting the next week, since a film version of the book had been released, and he agreed. We had dinner a few times in between that, and I loaned him my copy of the book, since I'd read it before.

Agent Carlson: Sorry to interrupt. Did you also suggest the dinners?

SCP-2286-4-prime: No, Mark suggested it. The first time we ate at his place, Mark cooked and I brought the wine. The second time we ate at ████ █████ in town. Mark's house had rats, and I'm afraid I got a bit startled when I saw one, so he suggested going out.

Agent Carlson: And after that it was the book club meeting?

SCP-2286-4-prime: The book club meeting… I don't think Mark read the book. He tried to participate, but… well, later I checked out the film, and it was a terrible interpretation. Mark got embarrassed and angry, and decided to leave early, but the library was hosting the event so I had to stay. I called him afterwards, but he was still upset, and we argued. I kind of thought that would be the end of it.

Agent Carlson: And was it? (silence for 5 seconds) Ms. R████?

SCP-2286-4-prime: This is all very embarrassing. I… I don't do things like this.

Agent Carlson: I promise you, nothing you say here will be made public.

SCP-2286-4-prime: After a few days I suddenly felt like I needed to see him, so I… went over, and Mark was waiting for me on the porch. We started talking… well, we tried, but I was very upset. I didn't even realize how upset I'd been, I mean, I don't ever remember feeling like that in my life. Mark didn't invite me in, and I just started screaming at him… (silence for 9 seconds)

Agent Carlson: It's all right. Take your time.

SCP-2286-4-prime: Mark suddenly got this look on his face, he went white as a sheet, and in the middle of our fight he turned and went back into his house and locked the door in my face and yelled at me to stay out, and I… started pounding on the door, and then I picked up an old rocking chair off the porch, and I-I threw it through his front window. (silence for 5 seconds) I can't believe I did that. I just stood there staring at the frame, and it was like all that adrenaline just… drained out of me. Then Mark came running out of the house and grabbed me in a big bear hug and started saying how sorry he was.

Addendum 2" id="">Addendum 1: Following genetic testing of SCP-2286-4 and -5, Foundation operatives began obtaining DNA samples from local residents in an effort to identify SCP-2286-4-prime and -5-prime. SCP-2286-4-prime was identified as Gloria R████, a local librarian and member of the town council. The subject was interviewed in an attempt to determine what effects, if any, SCP-2286-4 may have produced.

+ Excerpt from Interview Log 2286-4-B

- Hide Interview Log 2286-4-B

Interviewer: Agent Carlson
Interviewee: SCP-2286-4-prime, Gloria R████.

Agent Carlson: I'd like you to elaborate on your relationship with Mark P█████.

SCP-2286-4-prime: We were friends in middle school, but we moved in different circles in high school, and we lost touch when I went to college. I returned to town about nine years ago to work for the library, and his father was a regular at that time. Mr. P█████ was retired, and he would spend hours at the library reading anything he could find, especially the daily papers and any new magazines we subscribed to, and often when it was slow we would talk. When Mr. P█████ took ill, Mark began dropping him off and picking him up, and when things got worse towards the end, Mark would bring him in in a wheelchair and fetch books for him, and read to him. After Mr. P█████ passed away, I rarely saw Mark. Sometimes I saw him around town, and when the storms knocked out the phone lines up his way he would come down to the library to use the internet.

Agent Carlson: So there was nothing more? Ms. R████, to be frank, we are asking if you were ever… involved with Mark.

SCP-2286-4-prime: …I need your absolute assurance that this will not be made public. I am an elected official, and this is a small town.

Agent Carlson: I can guarantee you that nothing you say will be made public.

SCP-2286-4-prime: …Mark and I… dated briefly last year. It didn't go on for very long, just a few weeks.

Agent Carlson: I need to get a an approximate date. This was in 2000?

SCP-2286-4-prime: Yes. It was April, I think the second and third week in April.

Agent Carlson: Did Mark initiate the relationship, or did you?

SCP-2286-4-prime: I did. Mark was always shy. He didn't really do that sort of thing.

Agent Carlson: Can you describe how the relationship began?

SCP-2286-4-prime: I hadn't really thought of Mark much at all since Mr. P█████ passed, then suddenly I found myself thinking of him, alone in his parents' farm house, and I just felt like I had to see him. I think I just needed to settle some unfinished business. I made a lunch for the two of us and drove out to the house, and asked him out for a picnic. We talked, mostly about Mr. P█████ at first. The two of us never had very much in common.

Agent Carlson: You say the relationship continued for two weeks?

SCP-2286-4-prime: Yes. A few days later I went up to his house again. He was surprised to see me, and suggested we go and see a movie in town. I'm not much for them, I let one of the assistants order tapes for the library, but Mark loved them. He always came to life when he was talking about the movies. We saw ██████████, and afterwards I suggested that he come to a book club meeting the library was hosting the next week, since a film version of the book had been released, and he agreed. We had dinner a few times in between that, and I loaned him my copy of the book, since I'd read it before.

Agent Carlson: Sorry to interrupt. Did you also suggest the dinners?

SCP-2286-4-prime: No, Mark suggested it. The first time we ate at his place, Mark cooked and I brought the wine. The second time we ate at ████ █████ in town. Mark's house had rats, and I'm afraid I got a bit startled when I saw one, so he suggested going out.

Agent Carlson: And after that it was the book club meeting?

SCP-2286-4-prime: The book club meeting… I don't think Mark read the book. He tried to participate, but… well, later I checked out the film, and it was a terrible interpretation. Mark got embarrassed and angry, and decided to leave early, but the library was hosting the event so I had to stay. I called him afterwards, but he was still upset, and we argued. I kind of thought that would be the end of it.

Agent Carlson: And was it? (silence for 5 seconds) Ms. R████?

SCP-2286-4-prime: This is all very embarrassing. I… I don't do things like this.

Agent Carlson: I promise you, nothing you say here will be made public.

SCP-2286-4-prime: After a few days I suddenly felt like I needed to see him, so I… went over, and Mark was waiting for me on the porch. We started talking… well, we tried, but I was very upset. I didn't even realize how upset I'd been, I mean, I don't ever remember feeling like that in my life. Mark didn't invite me in, and I just started screaming at him… (silence for 9 seconds)

Agent Carlson: It's all right. Take your time.

SCP-2286-4-prime: Mark suddenly got this look on his face, he went white as a sheet, and in the middle of our fight he turned and went back into his house and locked the door in my face and yelled at me to stay out, and I… started pounding on the door, and then I picked up an old rocking chair off the porch, and I-I threw it through his front window. (silence for 5 seconds) I can't believe I did that. I just stood there staring at the frame, and it was like all that adrenaline just… drained out of me. Then Mark came running out of the house and grabbed me in a big bear hug and started saying how sorry he was.

Addendum 2 During experiments involving SCP-2286-4, researchers noted that applying a weak electric current to small samples taken from the device would produce a torque effect that would cause the samples to align in a common direction, similar to the behavior of a compass needle in a magnetic field. Testing demonstrated that the fragments aligned to indicate the direction of nearby genetic samples taken from SCP-2286-4-prime and functioned out to a distance of 3 km. An instrument using this principle was constructed using fragments of SCP-2286-5 for the purpose of locating SCP-2286-5-prime. Field agents used the instrument to conduct a grid search of the county and located the subject's remains in an unmarked grave on the edge of town. Dental records were used to identify her as Trudy D██████, a local real estate agent who had been reported missing on 07/22/2000. An autopsy determined that she had been dead for a period of ██ months, consistent with the time of her reported disappearance. Numerous fractures were identified throughout the skeletal structure which appear to have occurred simultaneously and immediately prior to death. Although many of these fractures were similar to those that might occur during a serious fall, several were inconsistent with that diagnosis and cannot be explained. Cause of death remains unknown.