SCP-9858 - A Midnight Run

Item #: SCP-9858

Object Class: Keter

Photograph of SCP-9858

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-9858 cannot be contained. When a manifestation of SCP-9858 is reported, the relevant target of SCP-9858 (Hence SCP-9858-1) must be located. If a SCP-9858-1 is a ‘failed’ deceased or living victim of SCP-9858, any traces of abnormality must be purged. If the victim is a ‘successful’ victim of SCP-9858 (see Description for clarification), locate the successful instance of SCP-9858-1 for medical testing. Due to the small sample size of ‘successful’ SCP-9858-1, medical intervention to normalise successful SCP-9858-1 is currently unnecessary. Though any memory of SCP-9858 must be redacted from their memory and personnel record.

Due to the isolating nature of SCP-9858, most reports of SCP-9858 are reported by survivors, or deduced on the part of the Foundation.

Indoor running does not trigger SCP-9858.

Description: SCP-9858 is an entity resembling a human male lacking a head. The entity has the typical build of a middle-distance runner, and wears non-branded sports wear. However an icon resembling wings is embroidered on the quarter of its sneakers

SCP-9858 manifests only to a human (SCP-9858-1) that runs over 3 km alone between 20:30-4:00 after daylight hours. Beyond these circumstances, there is no clear determination for why SCP-9858 appears within this sample. SCP-9858 begins its pursuit 40 metres behind SCP-9858-1 and runs at an equal pace to SCP-9858-1. During its pursuit, SCP-9858-1 will be unable to locate any other civilians regardless of where they search until SCP-9858 concludes its manifestation. SCP-9858 will not decrease its speed, but will accelerate to match any increase in pace by SCP-9858-1. As a result, unless SCP-9858-1 maintains a consistent pace or otherwise continually accelerates, SCP-9858 will eventually reach SCP-9858-1.

There are two known conclusions to a SCP-9858 manifestation, named as a "success" or “failure” as defined by their respective positive and negative outcome.

Success:

SCP-9858 will continue to pursue until SCP-9858-1 runs an additional distance of 10kms in which case it will suddenly accelerate and reach SCP-9858-1 under 30 seconds regardless of any distance gained between SCP-9858 and SCP-9858-1. SCP-9858 will tackle SCP-9858-1 to the ground without failure and insert its fingers into the flesh of SCP-9858-1; its fingers will effortlessly enter into the victim in a process essentially similar to receiving an injection. SCP-9858-1 under these circumstances describe feeling ‘newly energised.’ After approximately thirty seconds, SCP-9858 will remove itself from SCP-9858-1 and vanish.

SCP-9858-1, hence SCP-9858-2, will bear no physical damage from this process save from renewed and expected fatigue from their encounter. However upon returning home instances of SCP-9858-2 report extraordinary exhaustion and claim to fall asleep within moments of returning. The following morning SCP-9858-2 will undergo a metabolic metamorphosis. SCP-9858-2 will find their cardiovascular and anaerobic ability increase at an extraordinary rate reflective of their age. This transformation is paired with an increased and intrusive urge to run well beyond the metamorphosis. A SCP-9858-2’s newly developed athletic capacity is well within nominal standards, though exceptional.

Failure:

If SCP-9858 manages to reach SCP-9858-1, it will tackle them to the ground and similarly inject itself into SCP-9858-1. However under this circumstance, SCP-9858-1’s body will suddenly develop toxic levels of lactic acid. This rapidly induces multi-organ failure and typically death. SCP-9858 will dissipate thereafter.

Under the influence of SCP‑9858, vehicles fail to function. However, mobile assistive devices like a running wheelchair function and are of equal risk to trigger SCP-9858.

Unfortunately, there have been few successful survivors of SCP-9858, likely due to the exhaustive and stressful circumstances under which SCP-9858 manifests. Records of SCP-9858 are scarce, with fewer before 1897.

Ancient Depiction of SCP-9858

It is believed that the oldest known record of SCP-9858 is a scene from a Panathenaic amphora from around 146 BCE depicting long distance runners. The meaning of the image remains ill-defined, and no text accompanying the depiction is known to exist.

The Foundation’s awareness of SCP-9858 only became apparent recently when Researcher Victoria Breezie managed to successfully survive SCP-9858. Further investigations revealed unexplained deaths sharing similar physiological symptoms and GPS running data patterns.

Researcher Breezie’s account of SCP-9858 is detailed here:

Hide Researcher Breezie’s Statment

I began my run at approximately 21:10, ah 9:10 PM. This is a routine habit of mine. I often run after work to decompress. I shouldn't run where I do, but thus far I had little to no issues even with how remote the areas I run seem after dark. Especially in the winter. Normally do not technically run alone. I typically take my dog with me, a big black thing, and I figured that removes any threat of a robber or… whoever. Unfortunately Beetle was unwell, so I regrettably decided to bite the bullet and run alone. I took my usual route along the river, intending to complete a standard 5 km loop. The first three kilometres were uneventful, and I didn’t see anyone except one food courier not long after I left my home.

At roughly the 3 km mark, I became aware of a presence behind me. There was more of a change in the air, before anything obvious. Like when you feel someone's eyes on you before you're fully aware of it. Actually, it reminded me of the time I entered my bedroom late one evening. I hadn’t turned on the light, meaning to just crawl into bed, but almost immediately upon entering the room I just knew I wasn’t alone. It was just Beetle, thank God. She’d crawled into my bed when I wasn’t looking.

So, that was the sensation. Then I could actually hear footsteps behind me. I hesitated to turn, as often when I’m running alone you can’t hear anything but your own footsteps. How they echo so often gives the impression of someone behind you. Sometimes you pass a street lamp, and the positioning of the light causes you to cast two shadows, as if someone is running directly behind you.

When I finally turned to look, I saw the entity now designated SCP‑X. It was positioned approximately forty metres behind me. It had no head, no visible sensory organs, and yet it was unmistakably looking at me. Its running form was efficient. I don’t recall any branding on their athletic clothing, though I did catch a wing‑shaped emblem on the side of its shoes, briefly visible as we passed a street light.

I understood instinctively that it was pursuing me.

I increased my pace, panicking as calmly as I could. I had my doubts that sprinting would do me any good. SCP-9858 was so effortlessly matching me that I worried about exhausting myself. I have my limits, I know that. I had no idea about SCP-9858. I attempted to call out for help, but the path was deserted. My phone wouldn't go though either. I passed into suburbia and the surrounding houses appeared occupied, lights on, curtains drawn, yet there was no sign of a human presence. Or maybe even animals? I can’t say. I managed to snatch a rock off the ground and threw it through someone's window. I took a few laps around the block to observe the homeowners, SCP-9858 still following me from behind, but nobody came out to investigate. I believed then that SCP‑X’s manifestation isolates the target from outside assistance. Around here I risked a photo and managed to capture something.

I still kept running though. Thank god I was running at a comfortable pace when SCP-9858 first appeared. It was about 4:22 min/km, so I could manage. I knew I could. I’ve done half-marathons at that pace. However now it was a matter of figuring out what to do.

The pursuit continued for another several more kilometres. Then I tripped. Sent flying I scraped my knee and crumpled about painfully for a moment. SCP-9858 was suddenly onto me closing the distance fast and so I scrambled and took off far faster than I should have. It matched pace. My legs began to fail around the 8 km mark, and I couldn't tell you how fast I was pushing it. Maybe 3:20? I could check my app but there's no point. And yet SCP-9858 continued to push forward. By 9 km, I was experiencing tunnel vision and severe muscular fatigue. I was certain I would collapse soon. I’d never maintained that pace for more than two, sometimes three kilometers, let alone with a bloody knee and a creature on your back.

Everything was burning and every time I slowed down SCP-9858 was closer and closer. Its feet were slamming the ground like a hammer, but otherwise it was silent. I don’t know where I scraped the energy together, but I ran like hell and kept the best I could. SCP-9858 kept encroaching with every slip-up and that honestly kept me burning. At the moment my watch registered 13.01 km, SCP-9858 changed behaviour. It accelerated abruptly, closing the two off metres now hanging between us. I thought I’d slowed down. With what we understand now, apparently not. I thought I was going to die. I was too breathless to scream.

SCP-9858 pinned me down and inserted its fingers into my neck. They entered my flesh with ease, as though my body offered no more resistance than butter. They felt like tiny needles, despite their average width.

What followed was a surge of energy that flooded my entire body. It was euphoric, overwhelming, and deeply frightening. I felt powerful and I remember, with shame, wanting the sensation to continue. After approximately thirty seconds, SCP-9858 withdrew its hands, stood, and vanished without any visible transition. Quickly after, I felt horribly weak again. Nothing but plain exhaustion from the run. My phone began buzzing with some notifications, and not long after a car drove by. It seemed whatever had prevented contact with the world had vanished along with SCP-9858.

I returned home in a state of shock. I called a cab to take me back. Upon entering my residence, I immediately collapsed into sleep.

When I awoke the following morning, I experienced significant physiological changes. My cardiovascular capacity had increased dramatically. My resting heart rate was lower than baseline. My breathing was deeper and more efficient. I felt physically stronger, faster, and more alert. These changes were accompanied by a persistent and intrusive urge to run. Even while writing this statement, I’m going stir crazy fighting this tightness in my chest. The moment I woke that morning, I felt this incredible need for…well speed. It's so stupid. I didn’t even call in to flag what had happened to me until after I went on a run that following morning. I just needed to get out and run.

I do not feel physically endangered at this time. However, I am concerned about the long‑term implications of these changes. It's nice to smash my records, but to be frank, it feels like cheating. I do not know whether SCP-9858 will manifest again if I run under similar conditions. I do not want it to. I swear, I’m investing in a treadmill to avoid running outdoors after dark ever again. Not even with Beetle. I pushed through by the skin of my teeth, and I don’t ever want to put my dog in that kind of danger.

I have no real idea why I became a target of SCP-9858 beyond the circumstances we now understand to trigger its manifestation. That is all.

Attempts to replicate the triggering circumstances of SCP-9858 have thus far succeeded once. D-3432 was made to run the necessary distances within Foundation owned parkland. D-3432 failed to elude SCP-9858.

There is continued examination of the mythological similarities of SCP-9858. The entity possesses a winged emblem on its heels, reminiscent of Hermes, an Olympian deity in ancient Greek mythology. Hermes is depicted as able to move speedily, aided by his winged sandals. Hermes was believed to have invented many types of racing and therefore was a patron of athletes. However, the nature of SCP-9858 is otherwise distinct from Hermes and his associations. Likewise, in art the Greek Goddess Nike is typically portrayed as winged and moving at great speed. However, further tangents into mythological parallels may be redundant.

Addendum:

Since 2020 there has been an increase in SCP‑9858 activity, perhaps related to the broader increase in recreational running post-COVID.

Researcher Breezie has reported an increased appetite for 'celery,' calming a growing inability to consume any meal without it. Beyond the historical irony, there are no traceable apparent changes to Researcher Breezie's physiology.

Additional updates as new data emerges.