SCP-5920 : Work on What Has Been Spoiled

Test Number: 14
Memory Donor: Janet York
Test Subject: D-71354

D-71354 is a well-adjusted individual with few concerning proclivities. Despite spending several years in Foundation custody, she maintains a generally positive attitude, speaks frequently about hopes for the future, and is highly regarded by her peers.

"It's a fine sight. Waves, sun, everything you need. There's sand squishing between my toes. Sand falling through my fingers too. There's even sand in my swimsuit, but that's a small price to pay if there ever was one.

Now I'm laughing. That's not my voice, but I'm laughing anyway. Not my lips, but I'm smiling. It feels nice. The sun's as warm as I remember; maybe even warmer. I'm drinking too. The doctor said I shouldn't anymore, but one won't hurt. The girls say it'll do me good.

There's water between my toes now. My feet are wet, and my legs, and I'm diving under. Not sure if I know how to swim, but I'm managing fine. Reefs below, fish out front, and my friends all around. Everything's going to be fine."

25

Test Number: 15
Memory Donor: D-71354
Test Subject: D-89522

D-89522 expresses the typical pessimistic outlook of D-Class personnel, but otherwise exhibits no concerning tendencies beyond persistent aquaphobia.

"No, wait, yeah, I know them. My friends. My friends are playing in the surf while I sit on a towel and drink. There’s nothing wrong with that. But, like, well, maybe there is something wrong. My breath catches when one of them slips in the water. It’s only ankle deep, but they might fall beneath anyway. They’re going to fall, and sink, and never come up again. I don’t want to be a wet blanket though.

One of them runs back out to talk to me. She’s dripping everywhere, but not on me. Thank god, not on me. She’s so happy though. She’s practically bubbling herself. We’re talking, and talking, and then she grabs my hand. It’s wet, but I can handle that. Wet and warm, at least. Warm and alive, for now.

She tugs me back toward the water. My heart’s racing, but I step in anyway. I try my hardest to laugh with them, even if it feels like I’m going to drown standing. That’s what it takes."

44

Test Number: 16
Memory Donor: D-89522
Test Subject: D-92001

D-92001 exhibits antisocial behaviors and was previously convicted for a series of violent offenses.

"We’re all playing in the water. It’s a city pool, right? One of those big ones. There’re hundreds of us crammed in there. Nah, more like thousands. Heh. We’re ass to elbows, knees to faces. Just one big screaming mess of kids. I don’t even want to think of what’s in the water. Snot, and piss, and worse. Heh. Yeah, lots worse.

It’s a gross stew I keep dunking this one kid in. We’re all in the pot together, so it doesn’t matter much if one goes under for a bit. He’s struggling, but not enough. He’s whining, but it’s just wasting air. He’s blue when he comes up; I push him down again. Heh. Someone’s screaming at me. He’ll be fine though. We've all survived worse. I tell him that, but he just keeps screaming. He won't listen. He just won't fucking listen, so I keep pushing him under. He probably deserves it. Yeah. Definitely."

68

To requisitioned personnel,

Under the authority of O5-3, Project AURUM SILKWORM has been established to examine practical applications of SCP-5920. Based on current analyses, refined memories hold great potential as therapeutic aids and memetic agents. Other applications are expected to arise in the course of research.

Although D-Class personnel were initially used to test involved procedures, MTF Alpha-1 personnel are henceforth to be employed due to their abundance of potent experiences, extant clearances, and relevance to long-term project goals. These goals include:

• Creating new media-based security mechanisms to replace aging memetic agents.
• Creating low-cost treatments to raise Foundation personnel's morale, efficiency, and loyalty.
• Improving the operational capacity of mobile task forces within cognitohazardous environments.

Additional details will be provided within our secure facilities.

Sincerely,
Adrianne Berryman, Project Lead
Maxwell Langford, Project Lead

To all relevant personnel,

At the behest of O5-3, and in light of recent events, new objectives have been added to AURUM SILKWORM guidance documents:

• Assessing resistance to amnestics and memetic agents among test subjects.
• Developing procedures to inhibit these escalating resistances.
• Creating countermeasures to close resultant security gaps.

We are aware that this may prove difficult for many of you, but O5-3 has conveyed the importance of equipping the Overseer Council with tools to manage its closest ring of personnel. Swift progress is expected.

Sincerely,
Adrianne Berryman, Project Lead
Maxwell Langford, Project Lead

Test Number: 854
Input Subjects: Acorn, Newt, Vole, Cradle, Opossum, Squid, Snail
Output Subject: Wren
Output Memory Tag: CZI-913-743

"No, I don't feel anything.

Yeah, Langford, I see it. That doesn't mean I feel anything. There's a lot to take in at once, alright? Maybe people I haven't hurt yet? Or maybe people I'm going to hurt. They're screaming then dying. Screaming while dead. Something like that. I've got my knife, my pistol, and a hundred half-chewed hearts inside. My fingers slide through their eyes. My teeth are around their necks. The blood tastes like bleach, and I'm breathing it deep.

They hate me. Their children died in airstrikes, and their siblings sank into the sea. I'm on trial. I'm in prison. I'm buried ten stories deep. Someone drags me out of the ground anyway. Their hands are on my wrists, along my spine. There's a hotel room. I'm hanging upside down in the bathroom, bruised all over. Sewage drips from the shower. Something is leaking under the door, thick, black, and mewling. The bed is full of bodies; no, wait, there are only two, but I don't know which is mine. A dog is gnawing on my leg. Another is deep in my guts. It's got dad's face and mom's voice. A drill presses right against my forehead. It's spinning up, hot and loud. Breaking the skin. Pushing in. All I can hear are my breaths through her mouth.

No, nothing hurts. Don't you have biometrics? Nothing's wrong.

No, it's just like one of those magic eye things.

No, I feel fine."

Null

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