CODE NAME: Lulu
You have been emailed file [ SCP-001 ] due to your employment at Site-98. Review immediately. SCP-001-1 has received a copy without indicated information. Do not divulge this information to him. Thank you.
Psychiatrist: Dr. Robert Lars ID: 81719
Parapsychiatric Services
Patient Form
Patient Name: James Kirk Reed Disorder: SCP-001 Sex: M Age: 55 Marital Status: Widower
Employment: ☒ Employed (Foundation) ☐ Employed (External) ☐ Unemployed Employed At: Site-98 Class: Keter Notes: For demographic information, please refer to patient's personnel file.
Psychiatric Concern: Anomalous, known ☐ Anomalous, unknown ☒ Nonanomalous ☐ Uncertain ☐
If non-anomalous, refer to Foundation Psychiatric Services.
Anomaly Description:
Senior Res. Reed (SCP-001-1) displays anomalously persistent mental state, SCP-001. Effects include anhedonia, malaise, and psychomotor changes, among others.
Anomaly spreads via unknown means. Minor interactions capable of spread, severity of effects decreases with familiarity, though none comparable to SCP-001-1.
Resistant to all known conventional treatment. Dr. Lars reports:
- Severe decrease of excitatory neurotransmitter production
- Brain shrinkage (hippocampal)
- Severed neural connections
- Thaumaturgically increased limbic system and amygdala activity
Significant risk for recklessness, isolation, self-destructive behavior.
Personnel Notice For Containment:
File is localized to Site-98 servers. Do not distribute without approval.
Parapsychiatry confirms effectiveness of containment is dependent on SCP-001-1's willingness to comply; thus, SCP-001-1 is employed as primary containment personnel.
SCP-001-1's employment is not at risk. SCP-001-1 will receive care and living quarters in Site-98. Regular neuroimagery is to be performed.
If treatment refused, Dr. Lars will determine next steps.
SCP-001-1's work schedule is minimal to assist with adherence, consisting of SCP-001 and one personal project of SCP-001-1. Do not comment on this. Site-98 personnel already express support and engage socially.
Please be kind.
First image test. Old kit, sorry. What do you see?
Distance. Unwillingly.
Parapsychiatric Services
Background Info
Discovery followed SCP-001-1 returning from bereavement leave earlier than recommended. SCP-001-1 began working in incredible excess. Behavior flagged due to daily shifts exceeding sixteen hours.
Now?
Myself, long ago.
NOTICE
Dr. Reed has brought alcohol into work 37 times this month.
Leniency is waning.
Could have been.
Initial Assessments:
ICG Score: 34/40 (moderate complicated grief) Symptoms: Reports of intense regret, self-loathing.
GAD-7 Score: 11/21 (Moderate anxiety) Distracted working. Patient attributes this to “a lot on [his] plate.”
PCL-5 Score: 21/40 (moderate PTSD symptoms) Avoids thinking about events directly. Emotionally detached during conversations.
Dr. Lars requests authority over schedule.
What I wanted. Should've wanted.
So.
I'm back now. Happy, Robert?
Not if you're like this.
Like what?
Grieving, Reed. You're not ready.
You don't get to decide that. I do.
I might have to.
… Don't you dare. 35 years you’ve been my best friend.
You need to stop-
What I need is work. Important work. I’m not your kid, Lars.
What I missed.
NOTICE
Personnel on Project HALFMOON, Dr. Reed's current project, formally notify his treatment specialist, that Reed has caused significant delays due to improper paperwork, disrupting testing, and corrosive attitude in the workplace.
Causes of this issue have not been deemed disruptive enough to justify continuation.
Sailors, adrift.
Don't you care?
Of course. I just… find it hard to do right now.
Reed.
Talking to me like that… I don't need your pity.
Dr. Lars:
Schedule authority approved. If further intervention is required, communicate ASAP.
Can't escape.
Reed.
Off day.
It's on your record.
Fuck them. Fuck HALFMOON. Did too much for 'em.
And that's why you're where you at now? You couldn't have known.
I know that. But I could've been there.
You were, for the important parts.
Not all of it.
What you could.
Not enough. And now what? You gave me more time to think.
I'm sorry.
No, you're not. You think it'll fix it. It won't. Just another battle I can't fucking win.
An old photo. He was so… magnetic.
Ethics Committee:
Treatment resistant.
Requesting temporary, important classification. Compliance impossible without…sufficient anomalous threat.
I understand this is novel. Trust me. Please.
Waste.
Dr. Lars:
Approved, tentatively. If unsuccessful, you may face consequences. Invasive methods must be approved on a trial basis.
Exercise extreme caution.
For me, maybe.
Some results.
Anything new? Same old?
No, actually. Anomalous.
… Is that so?
Yep. EC and O5 gave it a shiny new number. The one we've been gossiping about for years.
No.
Yep. 001.
You're fucking with me.
Got the docs right here.
Just… in my head?
Yep.
… Huh. Start tomorrow?
Trying.
Ugly fucking face.
Can't stop.
Keeps eating me.
Not what he would've wanted.
I can't be me without him.
You've been working hard.
Have I? Doesn't feel like it.
You have. He'd be pleased.
Means… quite a lot, Robert.
A tired face.
Patient has displayed no history of anomalous neuroimagery. Personnel, treat SCP-001-1 as anomalous.
Treatment shows signs of success. Estimated time of treatment is six more months.
Better.
Scars.
With me, still.
You're improving.
Bah.
It's true.
Fine, fine. Who knew?
Knew what?
That I'd be this damn good at containment, dipshit.
You were always good. This slog wasn’t all you were.
Just… forgot about that, along the way.
Easy to, you know.
Guess you'd know. I'm just… so damn tired of blaming myself.
And?
Ugh. Thank you. For helping me.
Some days, the waves are big.
Some days, they’re small.
Yes?
Is it… okay? That I'm getting better?
Fuck you mean, "is it okay?"
Y'know, would he think so?
Forgiveness. All it is.
They always pass.
Proud of you.
Mm.
The Committee is aware SCP-001 does not warrant designation. Understanding is requested during this time. O5 approval was granted, enthusiastically.
Dr. Reed is a resilient, driven, and loved member of Site-98 and Foundation. Avoid rumors.
Current containment efforts show promising results. Unanimous Site and Committee consensus is that SCP-001 reclassification to Neutralized is pending and eagerly awaited.
Well done, Dr. Reed.
Still me.