A typical Phú Quốc Ridgeback dog. This dog breed is native to Phú Quốc Island, Vietnam.
Pieces of SCP-6168. Photo taken by PoI-6168 with her phone.
Item #: SCP-6168
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-6168 is to be kept in a medium-sized standard animal containment cell. It does not need to be provided food or water for survival.
Investigation into Incident 6168/A is to be conducted with the following priorities:
- Determining the relationships among PoI-6168, Incident 6168/A and the creation of SCP-6168.
- Evaluating the possibility of PoI-6168 possessing thaumaturgic abilities, as well as the possibility of further anomalous activities at the locus of the incident.
UPDATE 25/08/2016: In case further changes in SCP-6168's anomalous properties are observed, its containment procedures are to be adjusted accordingly.
Description: SCP-6168 is a life-size, animated, sentient statue resembling a Phú Quốc Ridgeback dog. It is made from ordinary cinnamon wood (Cinnamomum verum) and comprises multiple pieces. Some of its pieces function as joints, allowing it to move in a limited capacity. SCP-6168 does not possess internal organs and cannot vocalize; however, it reacts to external stimuli similarly to common domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris).
Discovery (Incident 6168/A): On 28/06/2016, Foundation radars monitored by the Thaumaturgic Activity Tracking Unit in Northwestern Vietnam detected an abnormal EVE spike from a location in the remote mountainous area of Yên Bái Province. This location had previously been marked for frequent thaumaturgic activities, but had been inactive for several years. Concurrently, the local fire brigade hotline received a call reporting a house fire spreading to the local forest at the energy spike's presumed coordination. Foundation agents embedded in the local fire brigade then arrived at the location despite being delayed by the topography, discovering SCP-6168. It was immediately taken into Foundation custody, and investigation was initiated after the fire had been subdued.
The only civilian present during the incident was Vi Thị Mai, aged 15. Considering her supposed direct relevance to the event and her subsequent mental state, it was decided that she would not be given amnestics; instead, she was designated PoI-6168 and placed under close surveillance.
As in August 2016, PoI-6168 would move to Hanoi and enroll in the Vietnamese National University's High School for Gifted Students in Social Sciences and Humanities,.From now on referred to as HSSH for brevity. Researcher Phan Kiều Trang (a psychologist currently embedded in the University) was added to the Incident 6168/A investigation team to monitor PoI-6168. She would perform her duties under the guise of a therapist participating in the HSSH's Psychological Assistance Initiative, which would be held by the school starting from the school year 2016 - 2017.
On 25/08/2016, PoI-6168 voluntarily came to Researcher Phan's office in the HSSH, requesting help. Some of her conversations with Researcher Phan from this point onwards are attached below. Full original footage with audio in Vietnamese are available per request.
- Close
Date of Recording: 25/08/2016
<Begin Log>
(PoI-6168 enters the office, silently closing the door behind her back.)
Rsr. Phan: Welcome, young lady. Please have a seat; no need to be tense.
PoI-6168: Erm… Good afternoon, Miss. Nice to meet you.
(PoI-6168 sits down at Rsr. Phan's desk. She seems tired, with slightly pale skin and visible eye bags.)
Rsr. Phan: (offers PoI-6168 a glass of water.) Nice to meet you too. My name is Trang, how can I help you?
PoI-6168: Thank you, Ms. Trang. My name is Vi Thị Mai, from Class 10V2. Recently I've had… quite a lot of nightmares. It feels terrible, and I am often exhausted when I wake up the next morning.
Rsr. Phan: I'm sorry to hear that. Are you living at home or are you staying in the school's dormitories?
PoI-6168: I'm staying in the dorm; my roommates have encouraged me to come here and seek help. They thought it was because of the new environment, but my nightmares had started even before I came to Hanoi. My hometown is in Yên Bái, by the way.
Rsr. Phan: So there's something more about it, but you haven't told your roommates yet.
PoI-6168: That's right. I just— I— I can't tell them. There's no way they will believe me on such matters. Definitely no one will. Even you might not believe it, if I tell you.
(Silence.)
PoI-6168: I'm… I'm sorry.
Rsr. Phan: It's alright. I promise, your words will be taken seriously here regardless of what you think others might believe. And I won't disclose them to anyone without your consent, not even your parents or your teachers - we will actually sign an agreement on that in a minute.
[…]
Rsr. Phan: Let's come back to our main topic: your nightmares. Firstly, you've mentioned your belief that no one would trust what you say about them. Is there any reason you think so?
PoI-6168: Erm… Ms. Trang, can I ask you a question?
Rsr. Phan: Of course.
PoI-6168: Do you believe in magic?
Rsr. Phan: Well… I've certainly heard of magic, but have never had a chance to observe. However, nightmares are dreams anyways, and when you dream, of course there can be details that don't conform to our daily lives in one way or another.
PoI-6168: That's not what I mean. Nevermind; maybe I shouldn't have asked you about that so abruptly at all. I mean, I believe everyone won't trust my words since no one thinks magic actually exists. But can we come back to this later, please?
Rsr. Phan: No problem; there are other things I would like to ask you before we get back to that anyways. So, how many times per week do you have those nightmares?
PoI-6168: Let me see… Twice or thrice. Isn't that a lot?
Rsr. Phan: Yes, I'm afraid. Now, can you please describe your nightmares as detailed as possible? If they often have the same plot or common motifs such as images or sounds, please list those out. On the other hand, if each one of your nightmares is unique, please describe a few of them that you remember the most or affect you the most. If it's too hard to recall, just take a deep breath and slow down.
PoI-6168: Well… okay. I guess this falls into the first category, because all my nightmares portrayed the same event. (Breathes in) It's always daytime in my dreams. I'm inside my house,.The house where SCP-6168 was discovered is a traditional-style stilt house of the Tày people, an ethnic minority group in Vietnam. PoI-6168 belongs to the Tày people herself. and it is on fire. Every direction I look at, I see flames catching on and swallowing everything in their way. The floor is trembling too, so I have lots of struggle keeping my balance. Like any pillar supporting the house under my feet can burn down at any moment, collapsing it.
I hear my mother's faint calling outside of the house, and make my way to a window at the front. And then I see her standing among the plants in our garden, yelling, hoping that our neighbors would come and help us. Desperate as she is, no one else is arriving, let alone lending us a hand. Other than her voice, all I hear are the trees rustling in the forest. She runs towards the house as soon as she sees me get to the window, as if she will jump in the fire and pull me away from it if she can.
(PoI-6168 stops and sips her water with shaky hands.)
The fire is already very close behind my back, so I am frightened and extremely disoriented. The house is about to collapse, and I can't figure out anything else to do other than jumping down. So I climb up on the window, my heart beating vigorously by my ears. Then, I hold my breath, close my eyes and let my hands go. Falling down, I try in vain not to think of the pain I will experience when my body hits the ground.
But then all fall silent, and I keep falling. I open my eyes, only to realize that I've fallen down a dark, bottomless pit. The house has collapsed and flames have engulfed the pit's opening, which seems to be my only escape. I see my mother hopelessly reaching for me from up there, but she keeps receding further away from me as each second passes. Her call, her once deafening screeching, remains nothing more than utter silence.
As I fall down, the image of my mother keeps shrinking and shrinking until it becomes just a tiny dot and then vanishes. A cold feeling surrounds me, and then I wake up.
(PoI-6168 takes another sip of water.)
When I'm awake, it's usually around 3 in the morning. Everything is still dark and quiet around me, except for the orange-ish streetlight shining through the window shades, and occasionally, a lone motorbike running down the street. I clench my pillow in my arms, bursting into tears as I try to get back to sleep again.
(Silence.)
Rsr. Phan: Alright, thank you. It's great that you can recall the dreams so vividly. Many others have to struggle much more with that.
PoI-6168: I… I need a moment to calm down.
Rsr. Phan: Of course, if you do. Don't push yourself too hard.
(PoI-6168 drinks the rest from her cup. Researcher Phan pours her more water.)
[…]
Rsr. Phan: I've noticed that other than yourself, the only person present in your nightmares was your mother. So, what do you think of her? How important is your mother to you?
(PoI-6168 was startled.)
PoI-6168: So, uhm… My mother used to be the most influential person to me. I've never met anyone both as sweet and strong-minded as her, and I don't think I ever will. She never gave up or refrained from giving me kind words, even when things were difficult for my family, especially for her. Unfortunately, she recently passed away because of Dengue fever. It must have been from a mosquito bite when she was picking medicinal plant leaves in the forest. I always feel like her death was my fault. Had it not been for my wish to study in a high school for gifted students in Hanoi,.In Vietnam, "high schools for gifted students" are specialized schools that have significantly higher education quality compared to common public high schools. Students from these schools have access to various studying resources, which heighten their chance to enter a high-ranked university or to study abroad. To be qualified for studying in these schools, a student has to pass an entrance exam which comprises multiple writing tests, including a school subject of their choice. If they pass the exam, that subject will become their "specialized subject" and will be taught more extensively in their high school programme. Preparation for these tests usually requires considerable personal effort and financial support. she wouldn't have needed to work extra hours. It's hard thinking about her last days. To be honest, I usually avoid doing so.
Rsr. Phan: Oh, I'm really sorry for your loss. Did your mother have any other job besides that? I'm also curious about your father; did he need to work extra to support you with your studies too?
PoI-6168: Actually, my father is working for a resort in Phú Quốc Island. It's weird, right? And when my mother was alive, she used to take care of our garden where she grew traditional medicinal plants. Before my dad went away to Phú Quốc, he was the one mainly taking care of it. He's really well-versed in traditional medicine, and when he was at home, he often provided ailments for our fellow villagers when they were in need. Back then… well…
Rsr. Phan: What's the problem, Mai?
PoI-6168: Ms. Trang, if I continue talking, perhaps you'll think that I'm crazy or somewhat fanatic. Do you still want to hear me out?
Rsr. Phan: I've told you I would take what you say seriously and we've agreed to keep all of this a secret, so don't be afraid.
(Silence.)
PoI-6168: My mother was a shaman. Or magician, or fortune teller, whatever you call these people. And she could wield real, proper magic. (pauses, with teary eyes) Ms. Trang, I know it's insane, and it just gets more nonsensical the more I tell you about it. I can understand if you don't want me to stay here and babble these things anymore.
Rsr. Phan: No, Mai, please stay here. It's totally fine. Your mother was such an important figure for you, so I know it's not that you are afraid or ashamed of saying your mother was a thauma- I mean, shaman. It's just that you fear others will humiliate you because you believe magic exists. I will not question you for proof of what you say, and you should not question yourself too, because if you are confident enough to keep that in mind, you definitely have enough reason for it. You have seen things with your own eyes that others cannot see. They were your own experience, and you did not get to choose whether you would be involved with them or not. These memories have been a part of you since the day you bear them in mind. You can't deny that, and I can't either. I believe you.
PoI-6168: Are you sure, Ms. Trang?
Rsr. Phan: Yes. Totally without doubt.
PoI-6168: (bursts into tears) Thank you so much.
Rsr. Phan: If you don't mind, could you share something further about your mother's magic with me?
PoI-6168: (repeatedly nods, wiping her tears) Yes, yes, of course. My mother mostly wielded her magic through rituals, and her rituals always included those magical songs called "then", which could be used to send us human's wishes to gods. Whenever a family in our village hosted an important life event, my mother was always invited. She came to bless their marriage or their child, to cure diseases with rituals, or to pray for a successful harvest and such things. She was the only shaman in my village, so I was extremely proud of her.
Rsr. Phan: That sounds like some amazing work. But you also told me that your family had once been in difficulties, and your parents had to change their jobs at some point. What happened exactly, and when was that?
PoI-6168: Well, you can pretty much imagine that other villagers held lots of respect for us. But it all changed when I was in 3rd grade. (looks out the window) The harvesting season was coming when a family in our village discovered that all of their crops had suddenly died without any warning signs. They then somehow found some sort of incantation buried beside their house. Being the only person knowing magic in the village, my mother was immediately accused of placing a curse on them. She swore that she didn't even know that sort of magic, let alone trying it, and she had no idea who had done that to the other family, but absolutely no one listened to her side of the story.
I didn't understand much back then, but I remember very clearly that we used to frequently have guests, either asking for my mother's rituals or my father's ailments. Suddenly, no one came for us anymore; instead, people mocked and swore at us. It frightened me all the time. My friends at school didn't want to talk or play with me anymore. I heard their parents chatting among themselves that I couldn't be a nice child, since my mom was so evil. I couldn't stand their way of thinking, so I tried all I could to remind them that my mom wasn't bad - how could she be evil, when she had helped the villagers so much and she had never hurted anyone? But they laughed at me for having such thoughts. Nonetheless, I swear no one can make me think otherwise, even to this day.
That was why my parents couldn't keep doing their job, and we started to struggle financially. Eventually my father found his current job, but it was a position he would never have taken had my family not been in such dire circumstances. He never wanted to leave our hometown for somewhere so far southward like Phú Quốc, but the island was steadily developing as a tourism spot back then, and many new resorts were being built. Spa and beauty services using herbal medicines of the ethnic minorities were greatly favored, so they needed many specialists for that. The job suited his knowledge and the payload was satisfying, to say the least.
His departure left the garden in my mom's hands. For a woman already coming into her middle-age, manual labor was no joke. But I've never heard her complaining. She just calmly accepted that there was no way to prove her innocence, and her life would never be the same again. She spent the following years teaching me to refrain from swearing back or doing harm to others as a form of retaliation or revenge. She taught me to mind my own business rather than succumb to their filthy words and become the devils they thought we were. My childhood was much less terrible because I had her by my side.
Sometimes I wished to have a younger brother or sister so that I wouldn't be so alone. But if I had a sibling, I couldn't have imagined how busy my mother would be, and whether my sibling can endure such a terrible time or not.
Rsr. Phan: Well, thank you so much for sharing; that was more than enough. You must've taken great effort to overcome such difficulties. Now, how about…
<End Log>
Researcher's Commentary: It is likely that PoI-6168 is suffering from a mental illness, but I cannot draw a fixed conclusion without seeking her own view on the incident. Since there is probably more information we can get out of her, I've recommended that she visit my office weekly. I'll make sure that she adheres to this schedule; first to help with our surveillance, then for her own benefits.
UPDATE 25/08/2016: SCP-6168 was first observed to vocalize. Analysis of vocalization yielded results similar to non-anomalous Phú Quốc Ridgeback dogs. Mechanics of vocalization currently unknown.
- Close
Date of Recording: 01/09/2016
<Begin Log>
Rsr. Phan: Good afternoon, Mai. (gesture for PoI-6168 to sit down) How has this week been?
PoI-6168: You too, Ms. Trang. And it's just like usual.
Rsr. Phan: So, are you feeling more comfortable now, compared to last week?
Mai: Yes, Ms. Trang.
Rsr. Phan: That's great. Still, just tell me whenever you feel stressed or if we're going too fast, okay?
Mai: Okay.
Rsr. Phan: Alright. Last week you told me that your symptoms seemed to start after your house was burned down. I need you to give me a quick summary of that day when the fire occurred.
PoI-6168: (lowers her head) I… To sum it up, I burned down my house. (pauses) The fire spread to the garden, burning all the plants. My father was away, no one came for help, and if I hadn't said on the phone that the fire had been spreading to the forest, I doubt the firefighters would have arrived. Oh dear, if only I had not… why was I always so dumb with my decisions…
(Silence. PoI-6168 sighs sharply.)
Rsr. Phan: I can see it in another way: You were so brave and responsible by trying your best to stop what you thought you did. Let's calm down and just focus on what happened, alright? Now, I need you to go into details about the fire. Just start where it's easiest for you, please.
PoI-6168: Let me think about it for a moment… It was almost two months since my mom passed away. That day, my dad went downtown to do some paperworks concerning our garden, as he had planned to lease it out after I moved to Hanoi. So I was alone in my house. I took that "chance", and started what I would call… my rituals.
Rsr. Phan: What kind of ritual was that? Was it similar to your mother's?
PoI-6168: I'm getting to it. (takes a deep breath) This seems unrelated, but… Have I told you that I once had a dog? He was a Phú Quốc Ridgeback that my dad brought home from the island. Back then I was in 4th grade, and he was just a puppy. I named him "Hẻn'', which means yellow or golden in the Tày language, since his coat is golden colored. He was a lovely pet, and possibly my only friend back then. He was really active, but whenever I had to do my homework, he just lied silently by my side, never asking me to pet him or disturbing me otherwise. He was able to sense it when someone in my family was not feeling well. He was extremely loyal to my family, and if we were not welcoming someone to our home, he never let them in. Really smart and emotional dog, as people always say about those Phú Quốc Ridgebacks. Unfortunately, he couldn't stay with us for long. Someone in the village poisoned him to death out of spite when I was in 7th grade.Rsr. Phan: Oh, that must've been awful for you.
PoI-6168: Yes, I was in despair for many days. My parents were sad, too. I'd even thought that I could never see him again, until… My parents gave me a dog statue as a birthday gift that year. Dad even spent all his Tết.Vietnamese for "Lunar New Year". vacation carving it for me from a nice log of wood he'd found in the forest. And it was in no way similar to those ordinary statues you see in souvenir shops. It had multiple pieces, which was my mother's idea. After putting all those pieces together, you'll get a wooden dog that looks quite like Hẻn. Needless to say, I was overjoyed. I'd never seen any craftwork like that before, anything so creative and beautiful.
Rsr. Phan: That's interesting. Was there a reason why your mother had thought of making it that way?
PoI-6168: My mother's original idea was, she would only give me some pieces on my birthday rather than the entire statue, and I had to earn the rest of them myself. Whenever I did a good deed or I made progress at school, she would let me have a few more pieces as a prize. She promised that once I've got all the pieces and completed building the statue… She would revive Hẻn using it as his new body with her magic.
Rsr. Phan: That's actually a clever idea. It kept you motivated, didn't it?
PoI-6168: Certainly so. And my mom was not someone that would swallow her words. By the end of my 9th grade school year, there were only around a dozen pieces missing. But… That was also when my mom passed away.
(Silence. PoI-6168 lowers her head for a while. After roughly a minute, she holds her head up again.)
PoI-6168: My mother's only regret was that she wasn't able to keep her promise with me. She had planned to give me all the remaining pieces after I finished the entrance exam to our school, whether I passed or not. Because, she said, I'd grown up to be considerate and courageous. I dared to dream big, and had been so determined and persistent with my goal. In our village, there had never been a kid who had the guts to aim at a high school for gifted students, let alone at one in big cities like Hanoi.
She told me where she hid the remaining pieces, and that the statue would be the last gift she could have had for me. I'd sworn to carefully appreciate it before she closed her eyes forever, but… In the end, I still couldn't keep my promise by making such a big mistake.
Along with the remaining pieces, I found the instructions for the reviving ritual. It was a strange ritual, nothing like my mother's. There were no then songs I had to sing. I wasn't even sure whether it actually belonged to us Tày people or not, but let's brush that aside. My thoughts were simple: if there was any way I could complete her last wish, if she could see me achieve my goal and live happily beside my childhood friend from the sky, she would be able to rest in peace. To me, Hẻn wasn't just a pet and the statue wasn't just a decorative showpiece. They were a significant part of my childhood, and proof of how much my parents love me. So when I finally had a chance, I followed the instructions my mom left behind, and… things happened.
I didn't hope for the ritual to succeed. I just wanted to try it out at least once. But I should have listened to my mother, as always.
When I was younger, I used to ask her why she could do magic, but I couldn't. She said that her magical ability was a gift from the gods, and she was lucky enough to receive it. As her descendant, I had a higher chance than others to receive that "gift", but it was still uncertain. So I asked her, what if the gods didn't bestow that "gift" on me? She told me that the gods had different gifts for everyone. And I would eventually realize what they had for me when I became mature enough.
She was right. I would never be gifted with magic, or probably anything else. By doing something that wasn't meant for me to do, I have angered the gods. I deserve their punishments.
The ritual went smoothly at first. But then everything started to derail - I was in the middle of reciting a chant when a strong gust of wind blew through the altar I set up in our yard, knocking some candles down. The flame catched on the statue, and on everything else. I… I'm sorry, I can't really recall anything other than that. My memory abruptly went fuzzy at that point. It was so remarkable that I should be able to remember more of it, but…
Rsr. Phan: It's fine, it's fine, don't try too hard. Just tell me what you remember.
PoI-6168: The next thing I realized was both the house and our garden were on fire. I was screaming into my phone, probably 114..The emergency fire hotline of Vietnam. I got a few burns, my head hurt, and I didn't know how much time had passed before that. I tried to look out for the statue, but the fire had totally engulfed my altar. It took quite a long time for the fire brigade to reach my house, probably because our village was so remote.
(Silence.)
Rsr. Phan: Alright, thank you for trying; that should be enough. Do you need a moment to calm down?
PoI-6168: Well, actually, no. I feel… kind of relieved finally being able to talk about it. Can we continue right now?
<End Log>
Researcher's Commentary: According to our investigation reports, the incident resulted from uncontrolled thaumaturgic backlash, and the markings left on-scene were proof that the wielder has neither natural thaumaturgic potential nor received any training. Thaumaturgy is not my profession, so I can't say I fully understand what was going on, but to the best of my knowledge, the incident was not and has never been any kind of "punishment". She doesn't "deserve" it.
On the other hand, SCP-6168 is now safely in our custody, totally unbeknownst to her.
As a psychologist, I've had counseling sessions in which I felt like there was not really anything appropriate that I could talk about with my client. Moreover, there is this golden rule in our profession: the client is the one who knows best about their problems. This is the first time in my career that this dilemma has occurred: There are facts about the client's problems that I know but she doesn't, yet it's against my mission that I disclose them to her. Though even if she knew all of this, I doubt it would help her overcome her problems more easily.
With the information I've collected today, I can speculate that the investigation will soon come to an end. However, I personally believe that the surveillance, or I would rather say, the counseling of PoI-6168 should be continued. We must, and we have totally gained her trust for the sake of this investigation, so we are to be responsible for it. It is now too late to leave her by herself, which will only place her in a situation even worse than before.
- Close
Date of Recording: 22/09/2016
Foreword: This counseling session was held after the investigation into Incident 6168/A was concluded. Considering Researcher Phan Kiều Trang's purview on PoI-6168, her surveillance duties were to be continued as a low-priority mission under the management of SCP-6168's containment team. Some counseling logs from this point are attached to SCP-6168's file to clarify on this stage of surveillance, as well as Researcher Phan's approaches to PoI-6168's mental problems.<Begin Log>
(PoI-6168 is sitting on the couch inside Researcher Phan's office, leaning backwards.)
Rsr. Phan: Alright, are you feeling relaxed yet?
PoI-6168: Yes, Ms. Trang.
Rsr. Phan: Good. Let's begin with revising the script that we've agreed on, shall we?
PoI-6168: Okay. First up, I am in the house and I need to find a way to get out. I walk to the window at the front. When my mother arrives, I climb onto the window and jump down. My mother is holding her arms out for me, and then I grasp hers. Then I will try to stand up, and get away with her to somewhere safe.
Rsr. Phan: You got it. Please relax your muscles and close your eyes, okay? Good. Now start imagining you're back inside your house… Concentrate on your thoughts… How does it look around you right now? How are you feeling?
PoI-6168: (tightly shut her eyes) There is fire. Lots of fire, it's scorching hot in here. It's burning.
Rsr. Phan: Can you see anywhere that seems to be less dangerous?
PoI-6168: Which direction, let me see… Okay, over there, at the front. It's faraway, but it seems safest.
Rsr. Phan: Alright. Now you need to walk in that direction. Tell me how many steps you've got.
PoI-6168: Alright… (starts breathing heavily) One step, two steps… Oh I need to get back my balance! Alright, here we go. Three, Four…
Rsr. Phan: Make sure your steps are steady; the faster the better, but don't lose your balance. If there's anything to hold on, hold on it.
PoI-6168: (clenches her fist, grabbing the linen on the couch) Alright, alright. I'm almost there. (pauses) I'm at a window, what's next?
Rsr. Phan: You're doing good. Release your muscles. Is there anyone outside?
PoI-6168: Yes, yes. My mom was there. Mom! I'm here! What? (nods continuously, breathes heavily) O… Okay…
Rsr. Phan: That's right! Climb on there, quick!
PoI-6168: What should I do now? What?… It's dangerous down there!
Rsr. Phan: Don't look if you're afraid. Just jump down!
PoI-6168: (tightly shuts her eyes) Mom, hold onto me when I fall down!
Rsr. Phan: Yes, that's right!…
PoI-6168: One, two, three… Aaaaaaah!… Mom, no, mom, no no no no no…
(PoI-6168 opens her eyes and sits up, panting. Sweat can be seen on her forehead.)
PoI-6168: Where… I was…
Rsr. Phan: Calm down, calm down, I'm here with you. You're in my office. Deep breath, okay? Relax your muscles. Breathe in… Breathe out…
(PoI-6168 took a few deep breaths.)
Rsr. Phan: You're okay yet? (pauses) What happened?
PoI-6168: I fell down the pit again. I tried to hold my hands out, but I missed hers… Why, Ms. Trang, why?
Rsr. Phan: This is only your first time. That's not unusual; it's actually great that you got so far. You have to believe you can hold onto your mother next time, okay? You'll get there. How do you feel right now?
PoI-6168: I'm tired, and a bit dizzy. Frightened, also. It's good to know I'm safe.
Rsr. Phan: Let's get some rest and then do it again, shall we?
PoI-6168: Wait what, doing it again today?
Rsr. Phan: Yes. Come on, you can do it, I believe in you. The more you're familiar with this exercise, the faster your nightmares will subsidize.
<End Log>
UPDATE 15/10/2016: Starting from the beginning of September 2016, SCP-6168 has been observed to perform movements increasingly more flexible than before. By the time of this update, SCP-6168 has been able to curl up while lying down and has tried to chase its own tail, although much more awkwardly than non-anomalous dogs. However, while performing activities that it had not fully accustomed to beforehand, SCP-6168's vocalizations usually showed signs of severe discomfort.
X-ray screening results indicated the appearance of bones similar to that of a domestic dog with SCP-6168's size inside its wooden structure. It was presumed that SCP-6168's unfamiliarity with the position and functioning of its new bones has caused it much internal pain.
A discussion was raised on whether SCP-6168's bones should be removed for inspection and to ease its discomfort. This motion was later rejected following the discovery that these bones appeared in a predictable pattern, which implied that SCP-6168's skeletal system would complete materializing at an undetermined point in the future.
Extra on-site veterinarian personnel have been appointed to take care of SCP-6168.
- Close
Date of Recording: 20/10/2016
<Begin Log>
(PoI-6168 is sitting on the couch in Researcher Phan's office, leaning back, eyes closed.)
PoI-6168: (mumbles) One, two, three!… (pauses, then screams) Mom, mom! No!…
(PoI-6168 opens her eyes, breathes out and stares blankly into the air for a few seconds. She then buries her head into her hands, weeping.)
Rsr. Phan: Seems like you're still yet to succeed.
PoI-6168: (sighs) Certainly so.
Rsr. Phan: Do you want to take a break?
PoI-6168: I'll appreciate that.
Rsr. Phan: I feel like you're having something else on your mind. Perhaps any problems at school?
PoI-6168: It's still the same thing. Sometimes I can't really focus in class. I know that I should be paying attention to what the teachers say, but I can't force myself to. Their words feel like meaningless noise to me, going into one ear and out from the other.
Rsr. Phan: And some uncontrollable thoughts still pop up in your head when that happens, right?
PoI-6168: Yes. I regularly have thoughts of the past, of my parents and the fire. Though, I've been thinking a lot about my father recently.
Rsr. Phan: Do you have any idea why?
PoI-6168: I'm not sure, but maybe it's because he is sick right now. Nothing serious, just a common cold, but he's gotten it for a couple days without me knowing.
Rsr. Phan: Oh, that's unfortunate. I hope he gets well soon. So how are your intrusive thoughts related to that?
PoI-6168: I've been thinking, like, I should have known about his situation way sooner. I thought of my recent phone calls with him, and I realized I've been calling him much less since I moved to Hanoi. I thought of the days after the fire when I had to stay in the hospital and just wanted to be left alone. On these days, my dad managed to give me some space and let me be by myself when I needed to, but still took care of me as much as he could. It was totally different from when Mom passed away - Dad went back home all the way from Phú Quốc and we were always by each other's side, because we only had each other to rely on. He even accompanied me to Hanoi on my exam days afterwards.
I feel like I'm a bad daughter. Dad always goes out of his way for me, even when he has to suffer from much more stress than I do. Yet I still distance myself from him, and haven't done anything to compensate for him…
Rsr. Phan: After your mother passed away, you and your father were always together. That means you've talked to him a lot about how you truly felt, right?
PoI-6168: Yes.
Rsr. Phan: Have you tried to do so after the fire?
PoI-6168: Well… (shakes her head) No. I'm going to be honest with you - I'm afraid of mentioning the fire in front of him. I've lied to him about how it happened, and I don't want him to know the true reason with a slip of my tongue.
Rsr. Phan: So what did you tell him then? And why did you think lying was necessary?
PoI-6168: I told him that the fire started when I was cooking for lunch and I didn't pay attention. It would be unjust if I didn't admit that it was my fault, but I didn't want to let him know of my ritual. I was afraid that by doing so, I would put even more pressure on him. He was already stressed - to him, Mom passing away was a tremendous loss, and since then he has to take care of me financially all by himself. And… I'm ashamed to say this, but I feared that if I told him the truth, he would come to hate me or would decide to stop supporting my studies. Had he known that I ruined our house and our garden in such a stupid way, he would have been so upset. I know my father loves them much, much more than me; he has lived in that house since the day he was born, and the garden was once his livelihood. They also reminded him of my late mother, too.
Rsr. Phan: I understand. But let's look at it in another way, shall we? Your father loves you unconditionally - you know that much better than I do. Regardless of how upset he might be if he knew, there will be no way he would come to totally despise or disown you. Our ancestors have a proverb, "Losing wealth is nothing compared to losing life." You have safely survived the fire - I believe it's all that matters to him. I want to ask you a question: How much do you need your father?
PoI-6168: He's the only loved one I have left. I've lost my mother; I can't imagine how my life would be without him too.
Rsr. Phan: That's exactly how much he needs you. You're the person that understands him the most; he's the one who's best at empathizing with you. Resolving any hurdle between you and him will be beneficial for both of you. By hiding the truth from him, you're bottling up all of your feelings related to it - and these feelings are what prevents you from making progress with everything else. Your nightmares, your attention span, everything.
PoI-6168: So you mean… I should tell him the truth?
Rsr. Phan: You know the answer, don't you?
<End Log>
UPDATE 24/10/2016: SCP-6168's agility has been improving continuously. By the end of October 2016, it has been able to perform complex activities such as doing high jumps and scratching its ears with its hind leg, although its signs of discomfort still persisted.
SCP-6168's skeletal system completed materializing on 20/10/2016.On this day, PoI-6168's 9th counseling session with Researcher Phan was organized. and has been fully functional since. SCP-6168's stress began to lessen on the evening of the next day. Based on the correlation between these events and PoI-6168's activities, as well as prior observations, the relationship between SCP-6168's physical state and PoI-6168's mental wellbeing was established. Researcher Phan's surveillance duty was reassigned from low-priority to high-priority in maintaining the long-term containment of SCP-6168.
Following its recovery, SCP-6168 has started showing affection to personnel who had taken care of it, as well as a significantly higher level of activity. On-site staff are now allowed to visit SCP-6168 and play with it during their off-duty hours.
- Close
Date of Recording: 27/10/2016
<Begin Log>
Rsr. Phan: Mai, you look quite cheerful today. How's it going?
PoI-6168: Very well, Ms. Trang. Maybe it's because I've been able to sleep quite soundly for a couple days. You were right that I should tell my dad the truth about the fire. I really shouldn't have been so afraid of it.
Rsr. Phan: That sounds great. Can you please tell me how it went?
PoI-6168: Of course. I tried calling him on that evening right after our last session. I felt like I shouldn't wait for too long because, you know, if I procrastinated, maybe I would postpone it forever and never actually get to call my dad. But even then, it took all my courage to just dial his number, and waiting for his answer felt like eternity.
I wanted it to be done as quickly as possible. After making sure that he was fine, I jumped right into it. I don't exactly remember my phrasings, but I tried to get through the core details as fast as I could, hoping that he would be less upset.
He was dumbfounded, I could tell. It took a while for him to put two and two together, and the first thing he said afterwards was I should get some rest and go to sleep early.
I couldn't sleep that night.
Rsr. Phan: Well, what…
PoI-6168: No, wait, Ms. Trang, it's not over yet. I called him again the next evening. His reaction in that first call baffled me, and I'd rather hear him scolding me than not knowing whether he was actually angry or not. Dad still picked up my call, but he wanted to do a video call instead of only talking to me about it. I was in utter shock.
Rsr. Phan: If I were you, I would very likely feel the same. Did he have something serious that he wanted to tell you?
PoI-6168: Indeed. He was upset about it, of course, but not because of me. Regardless of me having made it clear to him that I started the fire on purpose, he still thought that the fire was something no one could expect. But the main thing was - he had already prepared himself mentally for not being able to keep the house and the garden exactly how they were. All without my knowledge.
Rsr. Phan: Did he tell you why?
PoI-6168: I presume you would wonder, and yes, I was surprised too. Had it not been for my mother's death, he actually would renovate our house after I finished my exams. To brighten our lives, he said. Leasing the garden out was a decision he made with a heavy heart, but since we still need income from it, it was the right thing for him to do. Once he has leased it out, he would no longer have control over what the tenant did with our old plants. Even if the fire hadn't burned all of them, the tenant would probably replace them anyways. Either way, he must come to accept that the garden would never appear as it was before.
We talked with each other until late at night, and he gave me a lot of advice. Since he came to Phú Quốc for work, Dad said, he had come to be much more open to changes. He'd learned that changes, whether great or small, were a crucial part of our lives that we couldn't avoid. And the only way to move past life-changing events was to learn how to accept them.
Rsr. Phan: I think he was right; you need to take that advice to heart.
PoI-6168: I'll see what I can do.
<End Log>
UPDATE 18/12/2016: After the complete manifestation of SCP-6168's skeletal structure, skin slowly started to appear on different parts of its body, with golden-colored fur growing unevenly. SCP-6168's wooden component pieces under its skin were also being converted into flesh and muscles. This flesh was connected to its skeletal structure, its skin, as well as other unconverted wooden parts with connective tissues.
This converting process seemed to itch SCP-6168 extremely, as it was observed to frequently scratch on its newly-formed skin to the point of slightly rupturing it. This itchy sensation also seriously disrupted SCP-6168's sleep pattern, resulting in a much lower level of activity and responsive behavior. SCP-6168 were often seen to curl up in a corner of its containment chamber, quietly vocalizing its distress.
Testing yielded results that this converting process is thaumaturgic in nature. DNA test results were consistent with the genome of domestic dogs. Extra veterinarian personnel were appointed to take care of SCP-6168, with focus on antiseptic. Despite currently comprising living parts, SCP-6168 still does not need to be provided with nourishment. Researcher Phan Kiều Trang have been notified to pay close attention to PoI-6168's recovery.
- Close
Date of Recording: 29/12/2016
<Begin Log>
Rsr. Phan: Let's go through your nightmare tracking calendar, as usual. (pauses) You're making great progress, Mai. In the last month, your nightmare frequency has reduced to a maximum of only once per week. This week you've already experienced a nightmare, but last week you didn't; that's still alright. It's better to be slow but steady anyways.
PoI-6168: I guess so.
Rsr. Phan: Seems like you aren't in a good mood today. What's the problem?
PoI-6168: I've just received my school transcripts for this semester.
Rsr. Phan: Oh, I see. You're not satisfied with it, aren't you?
PoI-6168: That's right. (sighs) To be honest, my grades are among our class' lowests. Both my homeroom teacher and my dad have shown their concern, since my entrance exam results were not bad. They understand that it's because of my mental problems and not that I neglected studying, but I can still see how disappointed they are. Their comparison makes me wonder whether I actually belong to this place, and whether coming here to study was the right decision. I've been to therapy for an entire semester; I could have done so much better than that.
(PoI-6168 takes a deep breath.)
PoI-6168: If my mom were still here, I guess she would advise me to ignore other people's judgements and try harder in the next semester. She would tell me that I still have many chances to redeem myself. But Hanoi is so much different from home. It's such a competitive environment here; everyone is studying day and night, wanting to be the best. My classmates are no longer children from the villages around where I lived; they come from provinces all over the country, and a large number of them have been living in Hanoi since they were born. Before they joined our school, and even now, they have been taking extra classes taught by the most famous teachers where they lived. The lessons are much more complex than when I was studying secondary school in my hometown, but somehow everyone seems to be able to digest all that extra knowledge. And then there I am, having no access to books or extra classes that would help me boost myself. How could I compete with them?
Rsr. Phan: I understand that lacking resources can be a disadvantage, but at this stage, your mental state still matters the most. Extra lessons and extra books probably won't help when you're still bothered by thoughts that you can't control while you're studying.
PoI-6168: …Actually, you're right. When I read a question in an exam paper, I could identify which topic it belonged to totally fine, and I did know that the teachers had taught us about them. I thought my attention span would get better after I resolved the problem with my dad, but since then, nothing has changed. I was often so embarrassed, desperate and guilty that I couldn't dedicate myself to studying anymore. That happened when I wrote my exams too, so I've lost so much time that I should have utilized more effectively. Especially when I had to write essays and my thoughts needed to be kept streamlined, you know?
(Silence. PoI-6168 bursts into tears.)
I don't want my life to be like this anymore. Do you understand what it's like to be the only person coming from an ethnic minority group in my class? At the beginning of the school year, when everyone was curious about each other, I was noticed by my classmates - and even students from other classes - in quite a peculiar way. Their words always meant things like "Oh, you belong to the Tày ethnicity, you come from the remote mountainous area, so you must've tried so hard to get here, you must be so talented." Like, isn't that obvious? To pass the entrance exam, everyone must try their best, aren't they? And then a few months later, when my grades weren't that great, they turned to be like "Oh, I thought this Tày girl is somewhat extraordinary, but it turns out she's actually nothing special. If I can't even beat her, I'm gotta be such a fool." Why must I always be special, why do I always need to surpass others in order to be recognized and appreciated? Is it because I am different from everyone?
I had thought that by coming to Hanoi for high school, people wouldn't see me as the black sheep anymore. I had thought that by doing so, I can help pull my mom and my dad out of their misery. Maybe I was wrong after all. My mom passed away because she tried to gather more money to support my dream of coming to Hanoi. My dad's garden, our livelihood, was burnt to ashes. Hẻn was gone forever too. What's the point of trying my best now when the ones I love either still have to suffer, or are no longer by my side?
Rsr. Phan: (hugs PoI-6168, and pats on her back) It's fine, dear. I'm here for you, don't be afraid to cry.
(Researcher Phan pauses recording. An unknown amount of time passes before the footage continues.)
(Silence. PoI-6168's weeping dies down.)
Rsr. Phan: Mai, can you help me out a bit? I've been trying to recall your mother's last words; there's something she said that would be suitable for you right now, but I can't remember exactly.
PoI-6168: My mother's last words… That day, I was in the hospital, sitting beside her bed, tears in my eyes exactly like right now. She was lying limp, her eyes glassy, but still holding my hands. And she said… I must start living for my future, not for my past. I should not expect that one day I can rebuild the past exactly as it once was; instead, I need to aim for things still ahead of me. Everything that has happened to us, including her upcoming death, should not be the pain holding me back but the wings for me to ascend. She had lived a life with barely any regrets, and she hoped that when I looked back into my past, I too wouldn't regret anything.
Wait, do you mean…
Rsr. Phan: Mai, you're definitely an intelligent girl. What's your idea?
PoI-6168: My mother wanted me to always put myself first. Only when I truly care about myself will I no longer need to worry about my old life back in our village and what others think of me. She hoped that I would have a career that I love, just like my parents when I was a kid. When I've accomplished that, I'll no longer have to worry about finding a way to support my beloved ones.
Rsr. Phan: That's right. You can still find your own peace and happiness, and you still deserve them after so much loss. Your mother will live forever in your heart, your father is only a phone call away from you, and you won't need any physical reminders of your loved ones as long as you keep them in your mind.
(Silence. PoI-6168 sniffs and wipes her tears.)
PoI-6168: (quietly) I— I got it. (pauses, looks up at Rsr. Phan) Thank you. Thank you so much.
Rsr. Phan: You're welcome. It's my job to help you after all.
PoI-6168: (holds her head up with a smile) Now, can we get back to our usual business?
Rsr. Phan: Oh, alright, you surprised me. Let's continue then. Since our current treatment for your concentration problems is not working, I suggest a change; however, other approaches will involve more stress before they actually work. Before we continue, do you feel like you can put up with more stress in the following days?
PoI-6168: If they are able to help with my healing, then there's no reason I should refuse. Just… Ms. Trang, please don't make it too stressful for me, alright?
Rsr. Phan: Well, let's see. Now, I am going to explain to you more thoroughly about some of the other approaches, and then we'll make a decision, okay?
<End Log>
Researcher's Commentary: There is one point I can wholeheartedly relate to her: When I was appointed to this mission, I used to frequently have doubts that I might not be suitable for the job. At that point, I was simply a scientific researcher and therapist, with no prior experience in surveying a PoI. However, after working with her, I can confidently assert that a psychologist like me would be the best fit for this position. After all, what's the point of surveillance if you have no intention to try your best at understanding the mentality of your subject?
I've also visited SCP-6168 every time I went back on-site. Seeing its condition motivates me even more, although SCP-6168 and PoI-6168 will probably never see each other again. Despite its current state, SCP-6168 is truly a good boy. I hope it gets well soon.
UPDATE 03/01/2017: On 30/12/2016, the last exterior wood segment on SCP-6168's body was converted to skin and flesh. It has been scratching itself significantly less since then, although its level of distress has not alleviated. Instead, SCP-6168's vocalizations started showing signs of slight but constant, prolonged internal pain.
CT scan results indicated the novel appearance of two flesh masses in SCP-6168's chest cavity and cranium. These masses were respectively presumed to be its heart and brain.
On 01/01/2017, SCP-6168 first expressed its need for nourishment; filtered water and dog food with suitable amounts for its size were provided. This diet is to be supplied for SCP-6168 from this point onwards.
SCP-6168's remaining internal wooden segments are expected to convert into corresponding internal organs in an undefined amount of time, depending on PoI-6168's recovery progress.
- Close
The following documents are some of the journal entries written by PoI-6168 during her course of recovery in the aforementioned timeframe. Starting from January 2017, PoI-6168 was instructed by Researcher Phan to keep a journal and cross out negative thoughts that she has written down when she identifies them in her writing. Researcher Phan has taken photos of these entries with her hidden body camera during her counseling sessions with PoI-6168.
24/1/17
Tết is coming. My roommates and classmates are already bagging their stuff, preparing for their trip back to their hometown. Some of those living in Hanoi are doing so too.
I don't really want to come back home, but the dorm will close during the Tết holiday, so I basically have nowhere else to go. Other villagers probably won't welcome me back. This is my first Tết without mom Nevermind. Dad will also come home, and we also have to prepare our Tết meals as offerings for Mom. I should probably get my stuff packed before I go to sleep.
I miss Dad and Mom so much. If Mom were still at home, we would have so much fun together this year.
29/1/17
These Tết homework assignments are so difficult. I'll probably get a bad grade on these Math problems. At least I got my Literature essay finished today. For the Math ones, I should check our class' Messenger group. I've already seen some of my classmates asking for help over there. Or maybe not; just copying others' works won't make me any better. What if they don't want me to
Not many things to do these days. 3 days left until I finally come back to Hanoi. Maybe I should spend some time taking a look at Linh's notes of all the lessons last semester. She's really nice for sending me photos of her notebook. Does she think that I'm pitiful? I hope next semester I won't need her notes anymore.
19/2/17
Linh gave me a dog plushie for my birthday earlier today. I'm surprised she still remembers that I like dogs. The plushie is cute, but it reminds me of Mom and Hẻn. It reminds me of that year when I got the statue for my birthday.
[Unintelligible text; presumed to be crossed over multiple times with ballpoint pen.]
I shouldn't be thinking this
I didn't intend to start the fire. I couldn't control that gust of wind. Before it happened, I had no idea that my ritual could result in such an incident.
My mom didn't pass away because of me. Aiming for HSSH was my goal, working in the forest was her decision. Her death was not a consequence of my ambition.
I don't need a physical reminder of my loved ones to feel their presence in my mind.
Don't know if writing these sentences down helps or not. Just wrote these because Ms. Trang made me learn them by heart and write them down whenever I think otherwise. I can't really see their effect yet, but she said it would work. Nevermind. Even if they don't work, they won't harm me anyways.
1/3/17
My grade point average is saved!!
I got my first 9 on the mid-term Literature essay, no less. A 10 in Literature is obviously impossible, but a 9 for my class is still pretty rare - our specialized subject is Literature, so it's not easy to get away with writing something sub-par. I did expect a better grade than before since I was able to concentrate throughout that 90 minutes to write, but I had no idea it would turn out so amazing. My teacher even commented that I have "deeper thoughts" than teenagers my age - it really made my day. I've called Dad and now he's also on cloud nine with me. I can already imagine how joyful Ms. Trang will be when I tell her about this tomorrow.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we were allowed to choose between multiple topics and had so much time to prepare beforehand. But what's the whole point, if it was not for us to gain a better result? My classmates were taken aback because of my grade on this essay, and probably some of them were thinking that I'd cheated. I don't really mind them. I imagine Mom would be so disappointed if I took their words seriously.
23/3/17
[…]
Ms. Trang said my recent progress was impressive. It's been almost a month since my last nightmare - and I don't even remember on which day it was. My journal entries are now longer, and these days I don't have to cross out as much as I did when I started writing them.
I hope my nightmares won't ever come back to haunt me. I've had enough of them already. I'm gonna miss having Mom in my dreams, though.
At this point it's not necessary for me to visit Ms. Trang's office weekly anymore; she said once per two weeks is fine. That means more time for my studying - which is great, since we're having so many exams.
16/4/17
Today our homeroom teacher informed us that she will open extensive studying sessions for those who want to participate in our school's next Literature Olympiad. This news has taken the whole class by storm. Student olympiads weren't really a big thing in my secondary school, but considering the coveted rewards our school offers, I can comprehend why everyone wants to join them. The top competitors of my school will each get a slot to study in the National University and enter the National Literature Olympiad for students. And if you win an award there afterwards, you can directly apply to many other universities without your university entrance exam results.
I haven't considered participating in the Olympiad because of my terrible grades last semester, and because I haven't really thought of which university I will aim for. But I've been much more confident with my writings recently, and others have also looked at me differently since that mid-term essay. Perhaps I might stand a chance?
Probably someone in the class will laugh at my idea I don't care. I'll check back with my homeroom teacher tomorrow.
- Close
Date of Recording: 18/05/2017
<Begin Log>
Rsr. Phan: Oh, you're still here, Mai? I thought you'd come back home already.
PoI-6168: I'll be on my way this afternoon. Before I go, I just want to pay you a visit and bring you a present. (handles Rsr. Phan a bag) These are some Phú Quốc peppercorns that my dad sent from the island. He wants to thank you for having helped me throughout the school year.
Rsr. Phan: That's so generous of him; please send him my gratitude.
PoI-6168: Of course I will.
Rsr. Phan: The school year has finally come to an end, right?
PoI-6168: That's right. You know, I almost cried at the year-end ceremony yesterday. The principal mentioned in his speech that this year's Psychological Assistance Initiative had been a resounding success, citing my story as an example. The "student" in his speech was kept anonymous, but anyone who's a bit close to me knew in an instance that it was me.
Rsr. Phan: Something to be proud of, isn't it? Next year you won't need to come here on a schedule anymore, but don't be afraid to pass by whenever you have time. You'll always be welcome here.
PoI-6168: Of course I will. Anyways Ms. Trang, do you remember this thing my mother once told me? That the gods have different presents for everyone, and when I'm mature enough I'll realize what my present is. I think… Now I've understood what they have for me.
Rsr. Phan: I'm really glad you do. When you arrive at home, make sure to light a stick of incense for your mother and tell her about it, okay?
PoI-6168: Do you want to know what it is?
Rsr. Phan: Well, sure.
PoI-6168: It's…
<End Log>
Updated on: 25/05/2017
Item #: SCP-6168
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-6168 is to be kept in a medium-sized standard animal containment cell. It should be provided with food and water rations suitable for domestic dogs of its size. On-site personnel are permitted to visit and play with SCP-6168 during their off-duty hours.
Description: SCP-6168 is a domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) of Phú Quốc Ridgeback breed with golden-colored coating. Although it currently possesses no anomalous properties, the method by which it was created is anomalous in nature.
Further information on SCP-6168 can be retrieved from other documents attached to this file.