SCP-5733 : Knife. Scream. Cut to Black.
Information
Name: Knife. Scream. Cut to Black.
Author: Dysadron
Rating: 541/551
Created at: Sat Nov 07 2020
Special Containment Procedures
Art from the front of SCP-5733's slipcase.
SCP-5733 is currently contained in Tape Vault A, shelf HS, box #1984 in the recorded media section of the Site-73 Archives.1
Efforts to identify the actors and locations depicted in SCP-5733 are currently ongoing. Stills of the cast are compared weekly to new entrants in the Foundation facial recognition database. A manual effort is underway to investigate contemporary film production sets and compare these to SCP-5733's locations.
Testing of SCP-5733 is open to all Foundation employees, pending approval by Lead Researcher, Dr. Carpenter. Details of the proposed testing approach must be submitted for approval in writing at a minimum of 5 working days prior to the desired testing date. Testing will take place in a Site-73 standard multipurpose room, equipped with a videocassette recorder and television. Room location will be confirmed 48 hours prior to scheduled tests. Following Incident 5733-01, all testing has been suspended. See Addendum 2 for further information.
Description
SCP-5733 is a VHS tape cassette containing a recording of the horror movie "Return of the Suburb Slasher" which was, according to the cassette's slipcase, produced by "Crystal Elms Productions" in 1983. No other record of the movie, production company, or cast has been found.
The movie's plot follows protagonist Heather Campbell2 preparing to host a party at her family residence, located in a suburban cul-de-sac3, whilst her parents are away. The date of the party coincides with the 10-year anniversary of a spree killing at the same cul-de-sac - Heather only becomes aware of this later on in the film. The killings were committed by an unknown assailant, dubbed the "Suburb Slasher" by locals and media in the aftermath.
During the party, the "Suburb Slasher" (henceforth SCP-5733-1) returns to the cul-de-sac and, in a manner consistent with contemporary horror movie tropes, proceeds to stalk and murder all 5 of the friends Heather has invited over and a police officer who visits the cul-de-sac on a routine drive-by. SCP-5733-1's identity remains a mystery throughout the film - they wear a black burlap sack over their face, and black, loose-fitted overalls, and do not speak at any point of the movie's duration.
SCP-5733's anomalous properties manifest at the 97th minute of the cassette's runtime. At the 95th minute, Heather discovers her friends' corpses staged in her living room. SCP-5733-1 appears at the other side of the room, and begins to chase Heather. Heather runs into the house basement, and locks the door behind her. Once secure in the basement, Heather turns to the camera and says a variation of the following speech:
"Hey Mister, I don't know you, and I don't know why you've just sat there watching this without doing nothing but please, I'm begging you, help me out here. What can I do to survive this?"4
Following this, the viewer of SCP-5733 can directly converse with Heather, henceforth designated SCP-5733-2, and advise her on how to escape from SCP-5733-1. The course of the movie then depends on the conversations held with SCP-5733-2. SCP-5733-2 will only converse with the viewer on the aforementioned topic. If the viewer ignores SCP-5733-2 or attempts to talk to her concerning topics other than SCP-5733-15, she, in a resigned manner, will walk back up the basement stairs, unlock and open the door. SCP-5733-1 will be waiting directly outside the door. The film will then cut to black and SCP-5733 ejects itself from the machine on which it is being played.
When the tape of SCP-5733 is examined, it has a runtime of 97 minutes, ending with SCP-5733-2 locking herself in the basement, but before she speaks to the viewer.
Viewers of SCP-5733 often develop self-destructive and obsessive behavioural tendencies. This effect is not believed to be anomalous.
Despite extensive testing, SCP-5733-2 has yet to escape from SCP-5733-1. SCP-5733-1 often seems to display advanced knowledge of the viewer's recommendations and advised course of action, and uses this to pre-emptively sabotage escape attempts.
All below testing was overseen and arranged by Lead Researcher Dario A. Carpenter.
Test 002
Subject: D-1944Advice: D-1944 tells SCP-5733-2 to retrieve her father's shotgun, which is shown at the 25 minute mark of SCP-5733, and use this to eliminate SCP-5733-1.
Outcome: SCP-5733-2 sneaks up to her parent's bedroom and retrieves the gun. At that point, the camera reveals SCP-5733-1 stood in the bedroom doorway. SCP-5733-2 aims the gun and pulls the trigger, yet nothing happens as the gun is not loaded. SCP-5733-1 holds up his right hand, and opens his palm - the shotgun's shells fall out. SCP-5733-1 brandishes a kitchen knife and approaches SCP-5733-2. SCP-5733-2 screams. The tape cuts to black.
Test 003
Subject: D-1958Advice: D-1958 tells SCP-5733-2 that resistance against SCP-5733-1 is useless, and that she should use a pair of garden shears in the basement to commit suicide.
Outcome: SCP-5733-2 responds that this is not an option, and begins to sob. After 10 minutes, SCP-5733-2 stands up from the floor, walks up the basement stairs, and opens the door. SCP-5733-1 is stood outside waiting. The tape cuts to black.
Test 011
Subject: Assistant Researcher Felissa Baker6Advice: After a conversation with SCP-5733-2 on her state of mind and skills, Dr. Baker believed her best course of action will be to obtain assistance from others. Dr. Baker recommended SCP-5733-2 go from house to house in the cul-de-sac in an attempt to find neighbours who could aid her.
Outcome: SCP-5733-2 left the basement and house without incident, and went to the residence of Mr. Loomis, her next door neighbour. Upon arrival, she found the door ajar and lights off. Creeping through the house, SCP-5733-2 discovers Mr. Loomis and a figure she believes to be his wife apparently sleeping in bed. On attempting to wake him, SCP-5733-2 discovers that he is dead, with his throat slit. The figure in bed next to him gets up, and upon pulling back the covers is revealed to be SCP-5733-1. SCP-5733-2 screams. The tape cuts to black.
Test 015
Subject: Assistant Researcher Nick Englund-DaskewiszAdvice: Dr. Englund-Daskewisz explains to SCP-5733-2 that he works for an organisation which may be able to help her, and that she should try to call for help from the house phone. He gives SCP-5733-2 a covert Foundation phone number in operation in the year 1983.
Outcome: SCP-5733-2 emerges from the basement, and makes her way to the kitchen, where the landline telephone is located. Upon reaching it, SCP-5733-2 finds that the phone has been destroyed, and a note, written in what appears to be blood, has been impaled into the wreckage with a kitchen knife. SCP-5733-2 reads the note aloud and shows it to the camera, asking Dr. Englund-Daskewisz what it means. It reads, "The only Foundation here is FEAR". Before he can answer, he alerts SCP-5733-2 to the presence of SCP-5733-1, who has appeared behind her. SCP-5733-1 brandishes another kitchen knife. SCP-5733-2 screams. The tape cuts to black.
Test 017
Subject: Field Agents Malcolm Pleasance and Donald McDowellAdvice: The field agents were selected for the test due to their knowledge of hand-to-hand combat techniques. They advise SCP-5733-2 to search the basement for supplies, to see how long she can remain there. Once it has been established that a small amount of food and water are available, the agents begin to teach SCP-5733-2 fighting techniques.
Outcome: SCP-5733-2 is able to remain in the basement for a period of 112 hours before running out of supplies.7 During this time, Pleasance and McDowell have delivered content equivalent to a basic introductory combat course. The agents have delivered this training in shifts, and when SCP-5733-2 has slept, one agent has stayed awake to keep watch for SCP-5733-1.
SCP-5733-2 emerges from the basement, and makes her way to the house's front door, where she is confronted by SCP-5733-1. The two engage in hand-to-hand combat over a period of 23 minutes, as they fight throughout the house. SCP-5733-2 is able to deploy the techniques taught to her by both agents, and, at the conclusion of the fight, knocks SCP-5733-1 to the floor.
SCP-5733-2 picks up a candlestick from the dining room table, and prepares to attack SCP-5733-1 - both her and the agents celebrate. As she raises the candlestick above her head, the camera pans to reveal a second SCP-5733-1 instance creeping up from behind her. The instance leaps at her, and the tape cuts to black momentarily before contact is made.8
Test 028
Subject: Field Agent Tilda-Joan BennettAdvice: Agent Bennett was chosen for testing due to her advanced knowledge of thaumaturgy. Agent Bennett instructs SCP-5733-2 on how to use rudimentary thaumaturgy for offensive and defensive purposes. After several hours, SCP-5733-2 is able to sign basic protective glyphs and perform low-level phonological elemental spells.
Outcome: SCP-5733-2 makes it to their front lawn before encountering SCP-5733-1, who brandishes a kitchen knife and walks towards her. On Agent Bennett's advice, SCP-5733-2 signs a protective glyph. SCP-5733-1 attacks SCP-5733-2 but the knife bounces off her, and away from SCP-5733-1, due to the thaumaturgical protection. SCP-5733-2 counters with a wind spell which pushes SCP-5733-1 away from her.
SCP-5733-2 takes advantage of this opportunity, and begins to run down her driveway. SCP-5733-1 gives chase, and displays previously unseen thaumaturgical skills by casting a freeze spell on SCP-5733-2, locking her in place. SCP-5733-1 casts a summoning spell, drawing the kitchen knife back into his hand. SCP-5733-2 tries to scream but cannot. The tape cuts to black.
Foreword
Following a review of all previous testing, SCP-5733's Lead Researcher, Dr. Carpenter, devised the following test, with himself as the subject.
In preparation of the test, Dr. Carpenter had his team prepare possible options through which SCP-5733-2 may be able to escape from SCP-5733-1. Options were divided into the following categories:
- What to take from the basement.
- Where to go upon emerging from the basement.
- How to exit the house.
- How to exit the cul-de-sac.
Each of the above categories was to contain at least 20 options, and, under no circumstances, was Dr. Carpenter to be consulted on, or informed of, what these options would be. On the day of the test, these options were printed out and placed into plastic bowls correlating to the above categories. In addition to this, 3 cards reading "FACE", "BODY", and "LEGS" were created.
On the day of the test, Dr. Carpenter began watching SCP-5733. At the 95th minute, 2 minutes before anomalous properties manifest, research assistants placed the 4 bowls in front of him, and the 3 cards, face down.
The Final Test
Subject: Dario CarpenterAdvice: Dr. Carpenter informed SCP-5733-2 that he would be selecting instructions for her at random, and that it was imperative she followed them to the letter.
Advice - What to take from the basement: With eyes diverted, Dr. Carpenter placed his hand into the first bowl and selected an option. He informed SCP-5733-2 to arm herself with the pair of garden shears present in the basement and begin climbing the stairs to the exit.
Outcome: With no objections, SCP-5733-2 armed herself and began to climb.
Advice - Where to go upon emerging from the basement: Dr. Carpenter selected an option from the second bowl, and informed SCP-5733-2 she was to go to her upstairs bedroom, then come back down to the dining room.
Outcome: SCP-5733-2 followed the instructions given. There is no sight of SCP-5733-1 at this point of the test.
Advice - How to exit the house: Dr. Carpenter selected an option from the third bowl. He told SCP-5733-2 to sprint back upstairs and into her parents' bedroom, where she was to climb out the window, onto the roof, and then drop down into the garden.
Outcome: SCP-5733-2 followed the instructions given. There is still no sight of SCP-5733-1 at this point of the test.
Advice - How to exit the cul-de-sac: Dr. Carpenter selected an option from the fourth bowl. He informs SCP-5733-2 that she is to jump over the fence into her neighbour's garden, make her way to the front of the property, and run down the street until she finds help.
Outcome: SCP-5733-2 follows the instructions given, and makes it to the road out of the cul-de-sac, which she proceeds to run down. The camera pans, and SCP-5733-1 can be seen bursting out of the door of SCP-5733-2's residence. SCP-5733-2 continues to flee, and SCP-5733-1 does not give chase.
SCP-5733-2 begins to celebrate, and is asked by Dr. Carpenter how far away the nearest police station is. SCP-5733-2 responds that she does not know, but that, together, they'll find it. The road out of the cul-de-sac is uninhabited. The roads are lined by trees and the occasional streetlight.
SCP-5733-2 continues running for a period of 20 minutes, before she slows down to catch her breath. By this point, the trees have begun to grow scarce, yet only darkness can be seen beyond them.
SCP-5733-2 walks for another 5 minutes. The trees once lining the road have disappeared. Either side of the road is flanked by a pitch-black darkness. Dr. Carpenter asks SCP-5733-2 if she can see anything on the roadside. She responds in the negative. Dr. Carpenter goes on to instruct SCP-5733-2 to take off a bracelet she is wearing, and throw it off the road. As soon as the bracelet passes over the boundary between the road and darkness, it vanishes and cannot be seen.
SCP-5733-2 asks Dr. Carpenter what she should do next. Dr. Carpenter responds that she should keep walking.
An hour passes, with the road remaining straight, there have been no other signs of life. Trees once again begin to populate the boundary of the road, growing in density the more time goes by. SCP-5733-2 comments that she can see lights and houses up ahead, and begins to speed up.
As she approaches the houses, SCP-5733-2 begins to run and shout for help. When she arrives, she recognises the location. She has arrived back at the cul-de-sac where she lives.
Panicked, SCP-5733-2 asks Dr. Carpenter what is happening. Before he has a chance to respond, SCP-5733-1 begins to approach SCP-5733-2, brandishing a kitchen knife. Dr. Carpenter moves to the three cards set face down, and picks one at random - "FACE". He yells at SCP-5733-2 to use the shears to attack SCP-5733-1 in the facial region. She dodges its first swing of the knife, and successfully counter-attacks. The burlap sack covering SCP-5733-1's face rips.
Dr. Carpenter turns over a second card, and shouts instructions to attack SCP-5733-1's legs. SCP-5733-2 does so successfully, crippling SCP-5733-1's movement. Dr. Carpenter goes to reach for the last card. As his fingers touch it, he realises he already knows what it says as the last remaining card - "BODY". He yells at SCP-5733-2 to attack SCP-5733-1's torso, and to attempt to land a critical blow to his heart or other vital organs. SCP-5733-2 does so, but SCP-5733-1 dodges the attack, grabs the shears from her, and pushes her to the ground.
The camera tilts up, from SCP-5733-2 on the ground, to SCP-5733-1's face, only partially covered by the now damaged burlap sack. Dr. Carpenter approaches the television screen, staring at SCP-5733-1. With the sack damaged, SCP-5733-1's face can be seen, staring straight at the camera - SCP-5733-1 is a visually identical match to Dr. Carpenter. SCP-5733-2 screams. The tape cuts to black.
All testing has been suspended whilst investigations are underway into whether use of SCP-5733 by Foundation staff constitutes a data leak. A review of past test subjects' current and historic assignments is underway.
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