- The presence of first-person narration, if only to provide greater emotional impact to the reader;
- The presence of aversive, shocking or disgusting content (e.g. blood, violence and murder), with the sole purpose of also causing greater emotional impact to the reader;
- An over-detailed storytelling narrative (i.e. including extraneous details) despite the fact that these details are never readdressed further in the story;
- The absence of a cohesive story, usually as a direct result of the above characteristic;
- The presence of a moral, frequently without a deep connection to the story, often to also provide greater emotional impact to the reader;
- The complete lack of emotional impact, negative or positive, induced on the reader, despite the first two characteristics and the fifth suggesting otherwise. Readers also report that the stories lack meaning and are written to cause distress in those perceiving SCP-9160, although it is apparent that such goal is achieved without much efficacy.
The following is an instance of SCP-9160, SCP-9160-36, subsequently removed by Foundation webcrawlers upon their discoveries.
It has been 10 days since I got diagnosed with Tri-N. My life is much, much worse now that I've been diagnosed, and I don't think I'll recover anytime soon.
Tri-N makes everyone who has it increasingly sadder and sadder. Those with the disease are completely hopeless, because there are no treatments or vaccines for the disease. Ever since I got diagnosed with Tri-N, my life has been going south. Dopamine breaks down and reacts with the sodium, in salt, and without dopamine, my body hasn't felt happy since. It breaks down into sodium hydroxide, a base. My nose also constantly bleeds for no reason.
I live with my roommate (Ben Sanders) and he has grown increasingly concerned with my emotions. He keeps saying I "should open up", but I'm afraid of other people judging me.
In reality, Ben is really good at human psychology. He is also excellent at medicine. He drew my blood for a blood test and said that I have blood type CB. He says, "People who have this blood type are more likely to feel sad than people who don't".
I've decided that my illness is nothing to hide. In short, you shouldn't hide your weaknesses in fear of other people's view of you, and you should just... always be yourself!
Below is instance SCP-9160-3.
"CB, run, LCK has lost his mind."
This chilling letter could've been sent to me, but thankfully I was on vacation. Apparently, from what I've heard, my friend LCK had gotten "brainwashed" and then lost his mind.
In a conversation with me, LCK had shared that he was tired. Tired of being abused, only as a homework helper. Tired of being isolated. Tired of being... truthfully, he told me, tired of being alive. From that moment on, I knew that LCK's head was messed up one way or another, and sooner or later, he would snap.
That day came.
First was my friend Andy. Andy was always a nice guy, to me, but he kept calling LCK names. He was targeted first, with a knife stabbed into one of his veins. Thankfully, we had rescued him in time, and he survived with injuries while staying in the hospital for a while.
Second was my friend Annie. I thought they had always been friends, but not now apparently. LCK chased Annie across the school hallways until Annie was so tired she collapsed. Well, yet another victim down.
Third was the P.E. teacher. Maybe LCK really hated him, but he suffered the most injuries. According to my friends, he bled out a lot, like a lot. Didn't die, unlike what LCK would've wanted.
Fourth, my roommate, Idibiks was lucky enough to find a hiding spot. He hid underneath the bed and thankfully LCK didn't find him.
Now, LCK is sitting behind bars... The moral of the story is, don't... judge others!
Compiled below are two interviews conducted by Dr. Phillips to D-36167, the latter being instructed to read SCP-9160-36 and SCP-9160-3. It is of note that the second interview occurred one day following the first.
<begin transcript>
Dr. Phillips: Good morning. Please read this piece of paper.
Dr. Phillips slides a sheet of paper to D-36167 with the contents of SCP-9160-36 inscribed.
D-36167: What is this?
Dr. Phillips: Test subjects may not speak at any time unless instructed otherwise. It is a short story. Please read it.
D-36167 [under his breath]: Rude.
The recording is silent for the next thirty seconds while D-36167 is reading the paper.
D-36167 looks up at Dr. Phillips, gesturing that he has finished reading.
Dr. Phillips: You may now speak.
D-36167: I'm done reading... whatever that was. What now?
Dr. Phillips: Tell me how that story made you feel.
D-36167: Uh... nothing? I remember the details, but they don't constitute a story. If it was a story, there wasn't much meaning to it.
Dr. Phillips: Continue.
D-36167: There was a moral that didn't fit in with the rest of the story very much. There was blood mentioned, but I feel nothing about that part. And, I think I'm supposed to empathize with the narrator, but their misfortunes didn't have much impact on me.
Dr. Phillips: Can you retell the story in your words please?
D-36167: Um... something about Tri-N?
Dr. Phillips: Further than that.
D-36167: ...I have forgotten everything about that story other than the fact that there was no impact from it.
<end transcript>
<begin transcript>
Dr. Phillips: Do you remember what happened yesterday?
D-36167: I think you forced me to read something for one of your tests.
Dr. Phillips: Can you remember exactly what?
D-36167: Uh... no, but it was a really badly written story.
Dr. Phillips: Interesting. Can you read this for me now, please?
Dr. Phillips slides a paper to D-36167 with the contents of SCP-9160-3 inscribed.
Dr. Phillips: You may talk when you finish reading.
D-36167: Didn't say that to me before.
Dr. Phillips: Keep reading.
The recording is silent for twenty seconds when D-36167 finishes reading. He gestures to Dr. Phillips that he is done.
D-36167: I assume you want me to do what I did yesterday. It... certainly was a story! In my honest opinion, it reads like how I imagine an angsty and edgy writer would write to emulate criminal horror.
Dr. Phillips: You may continue.
D-36167: Again, zero emotional impact, moral doesn't really make sense since it feels like putting duct tape over a gaping hole, I don't empathize nor care for anyone involved even though good writing should. Wait, what was that character who snapped called again?
Dr. Phillips: I have not read it.
D-36167: Whatever, what matters is that the killer just feels generic. There is no characterization here.
Dr. Phillips: Now, retell the story in your own words.
D-36167: Uh... killer snaps, kills a bunch of people, narrator survives due to some deus ex machina because why not. That's what I remember.
<end transcript>
Attached below are whois lookups for the websites hosting SCP-9160-36 and SCP-9160-3, currently and indefinitely offline.
SCP-9160-36
Website description: registered with .com domain; host of many other stories, all of which being instances of SCP-9160.
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Registrar Information Registrar: CBD Inc. Referral URL: cbdincorporated.com. |
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Important Dates Created: 01/01/1970 Expires: 04/12/292277026596 Updated: 01/01/2025 |
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Contact Information Organization: CBD Inc. Address: UK Email: contact@cbdincorporated.com |
SCP-9160-3
Website description: registered with .gov domain; unknown how host was able to acquire such domain.
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Registrar Information Registrar: CBD Inc. Referral URL: cbdincorporated.com. |
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Important Dates Created: 01/01/1970 Expires: 04/12/292277026596 Updated: 07/01/2025 |
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Contact Information Organization: CBD Inc. Address: UK Email: contact@cbdincorporated.com |
Further communication to the supposed company closely linked to SCP-9160, CBD Incorporated is to be made. CBD Inc. will be henceforth referred to as GOI-9160.
The following email was sent at nine o-clock in the morning (GMT+0) to maximize the probability of a response, as the company, according to the WHOIS lookups, was stationed in the United Kingdom.
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From: harryrphilips@scip.net |
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To: contact@cbdincorporated.com |
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I hope this email finds you well, I would like to inquire about your company for academic purposes. Please, answer these questions:
Best regards, Harry R. Phillips |
The following automated response was received fifteen seconds after the initial contact attempt was made.
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From: no-reply@cbdincorporated.com |
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To: harryrphillips@scip.net |
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Dear Harry R. Phillips, Thank you for your inquiry regarding our content production protocol. We specialize in the production of content adhering to ISO 9001:292277026596. Our content optimizes for maximal viewer retention and emotional impact, incorporating modern and contemporary horror, true crime, detective fiction artifacts to provide our readers with a lasting memory. Our writers put their love and soul into each and every story. Note: This email is an automated response. Replies to this email will not be received, instead, use our contact email. Best regards, CBD Inc. |
To date, there have been no further responses from GOI-9160.
From previous WHOIS lookups, it can be seen that GOI-9160 is located in the United Kingdom. For investigative purposes, a geolocation of GOI-9160 is needed.
A report is attached below.
Dr. Phillips — Geolocation of GOI-9160
This report entails the actions taken by the Foundation to geographically locate GOI-9160.
Attached is a geolocation attempt via the IP range of all SCP-9160 instances.
Locations
51.46417153588833, -0.09678032059198242
51.53616551290487, -0.22771526508154233
51.484163645365285, 0.11465159366158706
51.50858654835201, -0.3127975052751474
51.50541548214162, -0.08251503481101868
51.54979032819336, -0.05856973367868667
51.52538951495304, -0.13855722895051908
51.4298789614785, 0.07796943022482326
[omitted for brevity]
Per this analysis, it is likely that GOI-9160 is located in London, United Kingdom as all locations, including omitted ones, are all present within the locus.
Foundation researchers and analysts were able to locate buildings with possible ties to GOI-9160.
The CBD Dispensary
Relevant due to namesake; however, it is a recreational drug store. It is for this reason that this building is not related to GOI-9160.
Storywriters' HQ
Relevant due to the nature of SCP-9160 and GOI-9160's work; however, known works produced and published by the building were high-rated and nonanomalous, two attributes contradicting the theory that the building is related to GOI-9160.
CBII—CBD Corporate Office
Relevant due to the namesake and the purpose of the building; however, the two companies in the name have declared bankruptcy and thus the building should not exist as a corporate office. Per Foundation personnel stationed in London, the building does not exist.
CBD Storywriting Office
Due to the nature of the building's purpose and its namesake, it has been determined that this building is the most likely to be GOI-9160. The relevant building is to be referred to as SCP-9160-B.
An investigative mission to the relevant office is pending.
Dr. Harry R. Phillips has been chosen as the first operative to explore SCP-9160-B due to his knowledge of the anomaly and the proximity of his home to the building (seventy-five meters), however, the exploration is to be limited in its range. Further and more in-depth exploration is to be performed by Mobile Task Force Sigma-9160 ("Anti-Writers").
The following is a transcript of bodycam footage from Dr. Harry R. Phillips.
<begin transcript>
Dr. Phillips: Dr. Phillips reporting here, currently outside of 9160-B. Entering.
The building is in a state of disrepair. He enters through the double cracked glass doors.
Dr. Phillips: I'm sure I'll get a notice for trespassing because of that. Well, hope the bigger guys up there can defend me.
The door leads straight to what seems like a reception area. There is a large marble and circular table. Behind it is where the receptionist would stand.
Dr. Phillips: Looks to be a reception area.
Dr. Phillips drags his finger on the table. Dust sticks onto it. He puts his finger near his eyes and looks at it.
Dr. Phillips: Quite dusty...
There is a singular door to the right, which Dr. Phillips walks through.
An ill-lit hallway appears. On both sides of the hallway are doors, spaced approximately five meters from each other. Dr. Phillips walks slower in the hallway.
Dr. Phillips: This is creeping me out...
Unknown [in a muffled voice]: Is anybody there?
Dr. Phillips: Fuck that, I'm chickening out of here!
He runs back to the front door, exiting the building in a hurry. The recording cuts.
<end transcript>
Following Dr. Phillips' withdrawal from the building, the MTF Sigma-9160 was dispatched one day later; below is the transcript of the mission.
<begin transcript>
Sigma-9160-1: Mobile Task Force Sigma-9160 reporting, present at SCP-9160-B. Roll call. -2?
Sigma-9160-2: Present.
Sigma-9160-1: -3?
Sigma-9160-3: Present.
Sigma-9160-1: -4?
Sigma-9160-4: Present.
The four enter SCP-9160-B. The description given by Dr. Phillips matches that of the footage.
Sigma-9160-1: Continue ahead to that hallway.
Sigma-9160-3: Jesus, it's really dark in here. Permission to turn on headlights?
Sigma-9160-1: Affirmative.
They turn on their headlights then move forward to the long hallway where Dr. Phillips had terminated the exploration previously.
Unknown [in a muffled voice]: Hello? Is anybody there?
Sigma-9160-1 [yelling]: Please, we don't want to cause any harm.
Sigma-9160-2: Is it from that door?
Sigma-9160-2 points at the door immediately next to him on the left.
Unknown [in a muffled voice]: Come in, please.
The unknown voice opens the door. It is revealed to be a disheveled man wearing ripped clothing, appearing not to have practiced hygiene for an extended period of time.
Sigma-9160-3 [under his breath]: God.
Sigma-9160-4: Shush!
The room that the man was in contains one wooden chair and table. A laptop sits on the table, currently opening Notepad. The room is dark as the agents' headlights and the laptop are the only source of light in the room. There are cobwebs in the corners of the room. Further instances are to be referred to as SCP-9160-B and then an identification number.
SCP-9160-B-1: They trap me in here and all they say is to write stories all day long. My colleague is nextdoors. I don't know how long this hallway even is. Where are we?
Sigma-9160-2: London. CBD Incorporated. Does that ring a bell?
SCP-9160-B-1: ...No. Where is London? God, that makes me sound stupid doesn't it? Forgive me as I'd be surprised if I could remember when the last time they allowed me to go outside was. Or the last time I actually saw someone, instead of writing them in these stupid stories.
Sigma-9160-3 [under his breath]: What a—
Sigma-9160-4: Shush, damn it!
Sigma-9160-2: Do you have anyone here with you?
SCP-9160-B-1: There's my colleague next door. There's my second colleague next door to that. There's my third colleague next door to that. I don't know how many of us are in here, and all I know is that I must write these stories for someone to post.
Sigma-9160-2: Again, CBD Incorporated. Does that ring a bell?
SCP-9160-B-1: I can faintly remember it, but I couldn't tell you who my employer is.
Sigma-9160-2: Uh, should we get you people out of here?
SCP-9160-B-1: Don't bother. KPI is a fucking nightmare, you know?
Sigma-9160-2: We'll see you later. Can we move to the next door over?
Sigma-9160-1: Copy that.
The four move towards the next door over. Sigma-9160-1 knocks on the door.
SCP-9160-B-2: Who's there?
He opens the door. SCP-9160-B-2 appears identical to SCP-9160-B-1. His room is in a state of decay similar to that of SCP-9160-B-1; the layout is also identical.
Sigma-9160-1: Why do you look so similar to your colleague?
SCP-9160-B-2: Which one? I thought that we were a family here, and a family must look identical.
Sigma-9160-3: That's unusual. Do they lock you up here to write stories like that other guy?
SCP-9160-B-2: Nothing here is usual. They would've let us out long ago if they were. Yeah, all of us are.
Sigma-9160-1: How do you feel about your stories?
SCP-9160-B-2: They, to be frank, suck.
Sigma-9160-1: Huh?
SCP-9160-B-2: You know, when you lock all your writers up in this prison, force them to work for twenty-four hours straight with no breaks, who would've thought that the stories they write would suck? Their formula according to some ISO 9001 standard also sucks. They keep maximizing this buzzword that is "emotional impact", so much so that the stories become meaningless. Its meaning is literally reduced to "maximized emotional impact". Who would've guessed that that would suck? No one, obviously.
Sigma-9160-1: Can I call you by something?
SCP-9160-B-2: They assigned us all identification numbers if that's what you want. My name does not matter here, only the ones in the story do.
Sigma-9160-1: Interesting. I'll call you... 9160-2 and your colleague over there 9160-1. Let us head back to the door across from 9160-1's room, everyone.
Sigma-9160-2: Copy that.
The four move back to the mentioned door. They knock, but no voice calls out this time.
Sigma-9160-1 grabs the handle. It falls off. He then pushes the door, and it falls off the hinges. It gives way to a staircase. There is a partially see-through door. Beyond it is a large clutter of chairs. The area within this door is much more well-lit than the remaining hallways for no apparent reason.
A still from the bodycam footage.
Sigma-9160-1: Hello?
Sigma-9160-1 [in a louder voice]: Hello?
SCP-9160-B-3: [unintelligible]
Sigma-9160-1: What?
SCP-9160-B-3 [stuttering, in distress]: Wh... who?
Sigma-9160-1: We don't mean to cause any harm.
SCP-9160-B-3 [stuttering, in distress]: C... come down, pl... please.
The four walk down the staircase. Sigma-9160-4 hesitates, but eventually also walks with the rest of the group. Sigma-9160-1 leans on the door to rest while waiting for Sigma-9160-4 to come down, expecting it to stand. The door breaks cleanly off of its hinges. Sigma-9160-1 tumbles down the rest of the staircase.
Sigma-9160-1 [in pain]: Fuck, ow!
Sigma-9160-2: Well, at least you opened the door without a key.
Sigma-9160-1: You shut it. Now, how do I walk through these chairs? And why are there chairs?
SCP-9160-B-3 walks towards the operatives. He looks identical to the previous instances.
SCP-9160-B-3: Someone relocated me here, previously it was a storage room for whatever they never needed anymore.
Sigma-9160-1: Huh. And I thought this hallway was infinite?
SCP-9160-B-3: There isn't. I think there's... eight kilometers of hallways in here?
Sigma-9160-1: Eight kilometers?!
SCP-9160-B-3: I'm sure they're using some sort of dark magic here. They mass produce like ten thousand stories a second, so I wouldn't be surprised if they did.
Sigma-9160-1: Ten thousand?!
SCP-9160-B-3: Well, their selection criteria is really strict.
Sigma-9160-1: That and the stories are still terrible.
SCP-9160-B-3: It's technically against their policy, but I must agree with you.
Sigma-9160-2: Who are "they"?
SCP-9160-B-3: I don't remember. I've always thought of them as some corporate mega-entity.
Sigma-9160-2: Hmm... CBD Incorporated, does that ring a bell?
SCP-9160-B-3: It does, but it also doesn't.
Sigma-9160-2 [gesturing at SCP-9160-B-3's laptop]: Can I please see that for a moment?
SCP-9160-B-3: Yes.
[...]
The bullies did not, obviously, have a chance against me because of my anger issues. Before they could say anything, I had punched one of them and caused a nosebleed right there. My friend handed me a baseball bat and caused a second nosebleed to that other bully.
In short, you should not listen to anyone who hates or scolds you for being yourself.
Sigma-9160-2: Just as terrible as I had remembered.
SCP-9160-B-3: Touché.
Sigma-9160-1: Let's move on, people.
The group walks up the staircase while SCP-9160-B-3 gestures to them.
Sigma-9160-1: Opposite of SCP-9160-B-2's cell. Come on, folks.
Sigma-9160-2: Copy that.
They walk through the hallway to the cell on the left side of the hallway and on the second door. When they are in the immediate vicinity of the door, the floor gives way and opens a large chasm in the ground. All four members of the group fall in, albeit without major injuries.
Sigma-9160-3: Shit!
It reveals a previously concealed server room. Per ultrasound technology, the Foundation was able to estimate the area of this server room to be 5.5km2. The servers are placed in neat blocks, whereas the wiring is vine-like and spreads through the room in a convoluted way.
Sigma-9160-1: Where are we?!
Sigma-9160-4: A server room, it looks to be.
Sigma-9160-1: I think that's the first time in the entire mission you've talked. You must be very concerned then.
Sigma-9160-4: What, did you miss me or something? I'm still here, sir.
There is a five-second period of silence on the recording; nothing is heard except for the humming of the server room.
Sigma-9160-1: It sure is hot in here.
Sigma-9160-1 places his hand on one of the servers. He instinctively takes it off immediately due to the high temperature of the machinery.
Sigma-9160-1: Ow!
Sigma-9160-2: That was stupid to do.
Sigma-9160-1: Astute observation, sir.
The four then wander around in the server room, being cautious not to physically contact any of the servers.
Sigma-9160-3: How... big is this?!
Sigma-9160-1: The hallway is nine kilometers long for comparison. Who knows?
Sigma-9160-2 trips and falls due to the unevenness of the heavily wired ground.
He stands up.
Sigma-9160-4: There's a server block here that's exposed, come look!
Sigma-9160-4 gestures to the rest of the group about a server block with cracked glass casing. The group moves to Sigma-9160-4's position.
Sigma-9160-1: That can't be good.
The four observe it closely. The humming of the server room continues as the four are in silence.
Sigma-9160-2: What sort of company builds this kind of tech? For terrible stories?!
Sigma-9160-1: That sounds like the Foundation.
Sigma-9160-1 reaches his hand to touch one of the wires. Sigma-9160-2, in reaction to the action, slaps the former's hand. The commotion causes the wire to break.
Loud screaming is heard from all nine kilometers of the hallway above. It ceases after five seconds.
Sigma-9160-1: ...What the fuck did you just do?
Sigma-9160-2: What the fuck did we just do?
Sigma-9160-1: Should we check the hallway rooms or what? Climb back out, people.
The four in succession each climb back on the panel of wood which detached from the hallway. They walk towards the closest room, that being the room directly opposite from where they were standing. It is SCP-9160-B-2's room.
The door is still open.
The four stand in silence as they peer into the room, without SCP-9160-B-2 in sight.
Sigma-9160-1: I—I'm sure that the other rooms aren't like this.
They walk, also in silence, towards SCP-9160-B-1's room. The door to it is still open. No one is present in the room.
Sigma-9160-1 runs towards the room directly across from where he was originally standing. He descends the stairwell in a hurry.
There is no voice.
Sigma-9160-1: Command, command, we request to exit the anomaly since we just fuc— did something to the anomaly.
Command: Request granted. You may now leave.
The four leave swiftly after Sigma-9160-1's request was granted.
<end transcript>
MTF members Sigma-9160-1 and Sigma-9160-2 were promptly penalized due to destruction of an anomaly.
Dr. Phillips has continued his investigation into GOI-9160. The following is his compilation of facts gathered per his research.
- The company had declared bankruptcy in 2003.
- There were, at its peak, twenty employees dedicated to writing at the time the company was not bankrupt.
- According to official schematics, the supposed hallway has a length of ten meters, significantly shorter than what was seen in the video. The server room was also on the ground floor and not beneath it. There was also no receptionist desk; the reasons for why the building must be retrofitted with it is unknown.
- There were no SCP-9160 instances found before 2003.
- There were no SCP-9160-B instances documented before 2003.
- The building was turned to ruin after the company declared bankruptcy.
- SCP-9160-B subinstances are believed to be manifestations of past writers for GOI-9160 existing only by the technology existing in the server room; as such, they were killed following Incident 9160.1.
A third mission to assess the state of SCP-9160 following Incident 9160.1 was executed; the specific details of the mission were considered extraneous and thus removed for the brevity of the document.
SCP-9160-B STATUS
Considered nonanomalous since termination of subanomalies. No unusual occurrences happened during the mission.
SCP-9160-B SUBINSTANCES STATUS
Terminated, as per Incident 9160.1. Considered nonanomalous.
SCP-9160-A STATUS
Found to be GOI-9160; no longer of interest as the anomaly has been neutralized. The designation for GOI-9160 has been freed for use.
SCP-9160 STATUS
No further manifestations were detected past Incident 9160.1. Considered nonanomalous. Pending reclassification to Neutralized.