The SCP Experience - The Shadow Child | SCP-017

Episode Date: October 13, 2021

SCP Foundation KETER class object, SCP-017: The Shadow Child This story was derived from https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-017, and is released under Creative Commons Sharealike 3.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ DISCLAIMER: This episode contains explicit content. Parental guidance is advised for children under the age of 18. Listen at your own discretion. #drscp #scp #scpfoundation #doctorscp #scpencounters #securecontainprotect #scpstories #scpexplained #whatisscp Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lazang sur-gillet, Puisance-Moyerned 15 minutes. Oh, you'd say that's the Dojo! Prere to play! Vive the pleasure with Leo Jo! The casino in-line

that proposes the most recent machine-a-sou and the games to get-a-bos-grat on Big Bas-Bonanza, without exigance of misgain't. Hey, I've gained!

Woo-hoo! Sentire the pleasure! Play-Ojo! 18-10 and plus, 1-Depos only depots in Ontario. 50 tours on the machine-a-soubys-Begas-Bonanza.

DePos Minimimimum of 10 dollars. Veil to pay They are responsible. The conditions apply. The door opens to the maintenance department of Site 81 as one of the Ketter researchers enters with his clipboard in hand. Steve and I look up from our workbenchers as he approaches. We were in the middle of tweaking the power supplies on the new Faraday cages

that were just fabricated last week. Seems like we won't be finishing this today after all. You too. He calls us out with an attitude like he doesn't have the time or patience to get to know our names. Even though they are cleanly stitched on the front of our youth. uniforms. The chamber for SCP 017 needs maintenance personnel. One of the containment protocols has become inoperable and needs to be fixed. I nodded him and get back to my tools. Sure, just let us wrap up here and put on our equipment. Suddenly I get talked over with even more attitude from the

hot-headed researcher. Did you not hear me? Containment protocols for SCP 017 are out of compliance. This is a stage five priority assignment. Do I need to go to your supervisor? Do you know to your superior instead? No, no, no, not at all. I cower. Admittedly, I'm a pretty tame individual, mainly because I've only been with the foundation for a few months. Steve, on the other hand, has been here 10 years, but he has the habit of just doing what he's told with no pushback. He already started backing up his tools. We'll handle it. Be there in a few minutes. I gave a fake smile back to the researcher. I can now clearly see the security badge on his chest. Due to his high position, it was good I did not challenge him.

We print out the work order from the computer, get our tools, and pick up the parts we need. We start to head down the corridor to iWing. It's on the lower levels and far from the main body of the site itself. We all know that's where all the really bad shit is kept. I have never been in iWing myself, but Steve has. I lean over to him to talk about it. Steve, what's in iWing? He opens his mouth to respond, but closes it while waiting for a foundation security guard to pass by.

I still get the shivers every time I have to share an elevator with one of them. Once he is out of range of earshot, Steve starts to talk. I did this one other time. IWing has Ketter entities in it. Ketter? Like, yeah, the really bad ones. We are going to bring in replacement lamps, so I think we are going to see the kid. Kid?

We arrived at the big bulkhead of I-Wing, a solid eight-inch sliding steel door that keeps all the whores locked away inside in case one ever decided to try and escape. With a whine, the hydraulics start to push it open. Not all the way, but enough for two people to slide through. There is a guard on the other side ready to escort us. He hands us two folded packages.

These are your special containment suits, he explains. Put them on before. before we go further. I open up the package to look at it. It's a full body suit, except it's made of a silvery material, like space mylar or something with a mirror like finish. Steve asks no questions

and has already started to put on the suit before I can even construct a question. I follow his lead and put on the suit as well. It has a bit of weight to it, like it is made of multiple layers of cloth and metal foil. Put these masks on as well. The guard says as he hands us two more items. They are reflective masks that go over our entire face.

Thankfully, they were see-through on the other side and surprisingly comfortable to wear. Good, he continues. Follow me down the rest of the way. I will be your escort. Obviously, being here is way the fuck beyond your clearance levels, so I don't need to remind either of you about classified information and confidentiality, right? He looms over us both. I almost bend at the knees, but Steve just stands stoically unfazed. Sure, whatever.

Steve neutrally croaks as he pulls on the drostring of his hood to close it. The guard shoots Steve a warning look and then starts to head down the hall. Follow, he orders. As we approach the containment chamber, he swipes a badge across the reader. There is a hiss and the door slides open. We are bathed in a bright, artificial light as we walk in. and have to pause a little so our eyes could adjust. We make our way into the chamber.

Well, it's at least the outer chamber. It looked to be about three stories high and as wide as a high school gymnasium. In the middle of the space suspended by black steel cables was a clear acrylic box. The box itself is as roomy as a master bedroom. Several spotlights were shining into the box from all six sides, and there were lights on the inside of the box as well. Steve and I could both tell that the overhead light inside the box is the one that is out. That's where we will be working, it seems. There was also something else inside that acrylic room,

something like a black smudge resting in the corner. It was really hard to make out from down here and doubly hard to see it through the mask. Several researchers approach as the guard is quickly dismissed outside. All of them are wearing the exact same suits as us. This will be hard to tell us apart. Good morning, the left researcher says. Already I can tell he has a much friendlier tone than the other one that fetched us. So you can probably see the light in the inner chamber has gone out. It's an eight-foot reach from the floor, so it'll be difficult to get at, especially since

you can only use approved tools to bring into the chamber. I raised my hand. What is an approved tool? A valid question. Approved tools will be provided, as they are all able to reflect light. Typically, they will be tools with a chrome polish and not made of light-absorbing materials. Unfortunately, you are not privileged to know the nature of SCP-017. Just be aware that you must not, I repeat, must not, cast a shadow in its vicinity.

This is very important and can be the difference between life and death. Is that understood? I gulp and nod. Good. Please use the scissor lift to access the chamber. Your task is changing out the arc lamp and nothing else. A polished scissor lift is moved under the acrylic chamber. It is highly mirrored, and the parts that are not metal are wrapped in a reflective foil.

Steve and I both hop on the lift and start our ascent up into the inner chamber. The clear door is a little hard to locate, but we are able to enter with a gentle push. You think something this dangerous would have locks on it. The first step is a little hairy, as the whole thing wobbles from our hands. added weight. Being suspended with nothing but cables makes it a tad unstable. I try my best to ignore the smudged figure in the corner. It's the size of a child and appears to be huddled in the corner with its back turned. I can make out its outline, but its body seems to be made of a depthless black. Its edges are not clear either, but rather blurred between void and reality. I kind of lose

my concentration, just glancing at it. And then eventually, I find myself staring at it. I can feel my heartbeat increase as I try to make out what it is. I can see its head turned to look over its shoulder, but I am brought back to reality by a tapping on my back. I jolt up onto the balls of my feet and turn. I am more than a little jumpy. Hey, Steve whispers, you all right? Let's get this done and leave. Everyone is waiting. I look down and see all the researchers looking back up at us with their arms crossed. No pressure. Right, right, sorry. I get the lamp ready as Steve puts down a mirrored box to stand on. He works on trying to get the burnt out bulb from the socket. I stand patiently in front of him as the lights illuminate us. It's like living in the heart of a star,

and I can start to feel the heat already. A minute passes as Steve works out the screen. bruise holding the burnt bulb in place. As I look at my feet, I can see another pair of smaller feet next to mine. My eyes dart up to see the shadowy child standing right next to me within arm's reach. When did it sneak up on me? I yelp and wobble back from it. It's just standing there, copying what I was doing and holding out its small arms as if it were holding something like I was. Even Steve pauses as he looks down at the thing. There are a few seconds when nobody knows what to do. Suddenly, the intercom turns on with a rush of static. Do not be alarmed. As long as there are no shadows, SCP 017 is harmless. Please continue.

It blares out. Fuck? Steve mumbles as the small child continues to stand breathlessly. Eventually, it puts its arms down and starts to circle about the inner chamber. I snap out of my frozen state and hurry over to Steve. I can't see his face. but I can tell he's more than a little scared. Let's hurry up, man. I nod in agreement and take the burnt-out bulb from him.

However, my shaky grip doesn't quite grasp the bulb, and it slips out of my gloved hand. It was the worst possible thing I could have done. The metal part of the bulb clatters to the floor and lands right onto the other light on the floor, breaking it as well. Oh shit! Oh, fuck! I cry out as the chamber is now out of two lights. There is a hurried rush of people below,

as they retreat from the outer chamber and into the observation room. For a brief moment, there is a small amount of shade between Steve and I in the room. It happened so quickly that I had a hard time seeing it between blinks. The nebulous shadow grows quickly, taking up the shade, the child, and Steve. As I regained my senses, I noticed Steve was gone. So Steve? Steve! He's gone.

Oh shit! Did it eat him? Did it fucking eat him? I scramble back into a corner to take cover in the light beams that are still active. I assume the fetal position to keep myself safe. I stay so still and so quiet, hoping to just wake up in my bunk. Eventually, I open an eye to look around, and I see the kid crouched down looking right at me. I scream and try to back into the corner.

The kid also seems rather alarmed at my reaction. The intercom turns back on. Do not panic. I repeat. Do not panic. It seems like the light. The light has been knocked out in the center of the room. You have to walk around the outside of the chamber to exit.

I spin my head to look at the observation chamber. I can see the crowded researchers looking back at me, slack-jawed, and in disbelief that I'm still alive. I can't mourn for Steve right now. I can't sob over how this was all my fault. I have to get up and get over to the exit. I have to survive. The kid, that fucking thing.

It sits on the floor in the same position I am. It's copying my movements. It's almost deceiving how innocent it looks. I shakily stand up with my back sliding up the smooth acrylic wall. I just have to hug the outside and make it to the door. To my horror, I see the thing do exactly the same action. It puts its back against the wall and starts to shuffle closer, like it's a game. We shuffle together in small increments of distance, never more than a few feet from one another. It almost feels like it is. chasing me out. But when I stop and pause, it stops and pauses. What the hell? I mumble. It makes a garbled sound that's too alien to recognize. Is it having fun? What is going to happen when I make it to the exit? After a few minutes of slow shuffles, I make it to the corner of the room. Just another 15 feet to the door, and then I can hop on the scissor lift and make a break for it. I look at the center of the room. It is noticeably dimmer than the surrounding edges, like the light in here.

struggles to cut through the air. As long as I stay in the brighter areas, I'm safe. I keep repeating this in my head like a mantra. My head touches the inner rim of the door. I can reach for the clear handle now. I look as I push it down to crack it open. Just a foot of clearance is all I need to escape. I look over towards the other side to see if it is copying me. But it's not there. Where did it go? My head pans to all four corners of the room. It's gone. I get half of my leg, out of the exit and place a foot onto the scissor lift. I'm nearly home free. I look at the center of the room one last time. The dim little center suddenly grows and explodes in size, filling the ceiling to the floor. There is a gust of wind as air is suddenly displaced, or is it being sucked in?

I can't tell, but I lose my grip on the railing. My torso teeters off the edge and my legs flip off the platform and follow me down. I'm falling and the landing is going to really suck. It hurts. I can feel my bones break on the hard floor. Blood and saliva dribble from my mouth and nose as I lay on the cold slab below. I'm face down, and I can feel my suit has ripped. My body is not in a natural position, and my scalp feels warm and wet. The last thing I hear over the ringing in my ears is an alarm and the intercom going off. Breach, breach, breach!

Everything starts to go dark. I can't tell where it's coming from, but I know what it is. SCP 017 is a humanoid figure approximately 80 centimeters in height, anatomically similar to a small child, but with no discernible identifying features. SEP 017 seems to be composed of a shadowy, smoke-like shroud. No attempt to find any object beneath the shroud has been successful, but the possibility has not been ruled out. SCP-017's reaction to shadows cast upon it is immediate and swift. SCP-117 leaps at the object casting the shadow and completely encloses it in its shroud,

whereupon it returns to its normal size, leaving no trace of the object behind. SCP-017 is contained in an acrylic glass cage, centrally-scenturally suspended in a concrete room. Attached to the walls, ceiling, and floor of the room are high-intensity arc-lamp spotlights pointed directly at the acrylic cage to ensure that SCP-017 is constantly exposed to light from every angle. The only circumstance under which personnel are allowed entrance is to replace lamps. Personnel entering the room are required to wear the designated full-body reflective suits and must be cautioned not to step in front of functional spotlights.