 Item No. SCP-3143 Object Class Euclid Special Containment Procedures Attempts to contain SCP-3143 are ongoing. A Foundation-operated bot, IO-ISMETA, is to monitor online fiction communities for signs of its emergence. When found, an authorized member of the Pataphysics Department is to be assigned to deconstruct it. MTF IO-10, Damn Fred's, is to investigate any leads regarding possible locations of SCP-3143A. If found, he is to be apprehended and taken into a Foundation custody. Description SCP-3143 is an intrafictional construct. When active, this construct exhibits the ability to temporarily flatten portions of reality into a script-like narrative. This narrative is derivative of the genre established by North American writers of hard-boiled and noir fiction. During this period, SCP-3143 takes on the role of the main character, a 1930s private detective hired to solve a case. All entities flattened by its effect become characters within the narrative surrounding it, exhibiting personalities and attributes typical of the genre style. The narrative will continue until SCP-3143's actions lead to a resolution consistent within the genre. At this point, the narrative will conclude and reality will revert. Events which occurred within the narrative will be projected onto reality. However, entities involved in these events will typically have no recollection of what occurred. SCP-3143 was first noted in 2005 in the aftermath of a containment breach at Site 95. In 2012, the Foundation's Pataphysics Department worked alongside the Department of Analytics to make contact with and apprehend SCP-3143. SCP-3143-A is Murphy Lawdon, SCP-3143's author. Addendum-3143.1 Interview Logs Interview Log Date ██-02-2012 Interview Dr. Thaum Subject SCP-3143 SCP-3143-A Note, Dr. Thaddeus Thaum is part of the Pataphysics Department. He has a degree in English Literature and specializes in the analysis of fiction. Fade In International Murphy Law Detective Agency Night A light-skinned man sits alone in his office. A blade of moonlight cuts across his face. This trademark trill he had is tossed thoughtlessly across his desk. A bent cigarette is nearby, left smoldering in an ashtray. His shirt is stained with blood, some of it might even be his own. He's got a slug of bourbon in his hand, a slug of lead buried in his chest and six more waiting for the next son of a bitch who comes through that door, courtesy of his 44. His name is Murphy Law, and if you think his number is up then you haven't been counting. It's the sort of man you pray for when you need him and the sort you curse when you don't. He is also our narrator, his voice is a husky snarl, as if he's got a throat stuffed full of sandpaper and rusty nails. That there's one thing the Foundation is good at, it's tying up loose ends. I knew it was just a matter of time before the lab coach tried to shove me in a box. The door to the office flies open, an old man in a lab coat enters, he's got a scowl so deep it's been carved down into the bone. This is Dr. Thom, and he's here to get to the bottom of this, no matter what the cost. But if they wanted to contain me, they were going to need a bigger box. Hello SCP-3143, how are you doing today? He wanted answers, I just want it out. Murphy finishes the shot of bourbon and levels his pistol in Dr. Thom's chest. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't be able to let you right now, doc. Dr. Thom raises an eyebrow, folding his arms across his chest. Because you can't. If he thought he didn't have the boxy to plug him full of lead, then he had another thing coming, specifically a whole lot of lead. You do know that I can hear you narrating, right? What the hell was he on about? Something wasn't right. You're an infrafictional construct, a sapient story that can warp reality. Specifically you flatten into a movie script that mimics crime fiction and hard boiled noir. This wasn't... What? And let's be honest, it's not even proper noir. The defining element of the style is the anti-hero. The character with no prospects trapped in a world with no future, but after reviewing your file, I can see that you don't qualify. I don't qualify. Your narrative is heroic and simple, with clear villains and heroes. In the end the day is saved without consequence, that's not hard boiled, it's certainly not noir. You're just fantasy escapism dressed up in a suit, a hat and a drinking habit. Where... Where are we? What's happening? You rely on the tropes of noir, outwardly rejecting the notion of appearances and style while secretly embracing them, engaging in a hyper-masculine narrative based around the midst of the frontier, only projected in an urban environment. Well, what is this? But you fail to faithfully replicate their complex, dense settings where moral action is all but impossible. You fail to connect to the essence of what makes noir what it is. You are, in a sense, merely parodying it, an unintentional satire, if you will. What's going on? And on top of it all, your name is based on an absurdly contri-pun. What are you doing? I'm deconstructing you, SCP-3143. I am CONTAINING you. I don't understand. I'd like to speak with the author, please. Mr. Lawden, are you there? How? Hello, SCP-3143-A? Where am I? Who am I? You are Murphy Lawden, a retired shoe salesman from New Jersey. You live alone, save for your two cats. I am- Oh, God, how did I get here? We believe you accidentally created an intrafictional construct. Do you ever call a screenplay of yours? It always rains? I think so, I don't- Oh, God. I think we've done enough for today, Mr. Lawden. I'll give you a chance to rest and settle in. We can continue this interview later, if that's alright with you. I- Yeah, uh, okay, okay, okay. I need to gather my thoughts. Of course. End log. Interview log. Date, February 3rd, 2012. Interviewer, Dr. Thomm. Subject, SCP-3143-A. Begin log. How are you feeling today, Mr. Lawden? Um, a little better, I think. Still confused. Good. I understand this must all be quite bewildering. So I've just been trapped all this time, narrating or writing an ongoing story. My memory of all this is so foggy. Something like that, yes. We've found an unfinished copy of your script. It always rains. That's how we determine who you were. God, I remember that. It was, yeah, I wanted to write, um, write a story or something, I think. Something like what I read as a little kid. Somehow you managed to bring the narrative to life, literally. You became the main character, in a sense. Right, so, if it's alright with you, I'd like to ask you a couple questions. Okay, but, uh, can I ask you something first? Of course. You read the script, right? Yes, it was required as part of my preparation for this assignment. Did you, uh, did you think it was any good? Uh… Do you want a frank assessment, Mr. Lawden? Sure? It was fairly awful. Oh. Now, moving on. Is it okay if we do this later? I think I have a headache. Look, I'm sorry, it's just that I… No, it's alright, Mr. Lawden. You've been through a lot. Take whatever time you need. End log. Interview log. April 16, 2012. Interview Dr. Thomm. Subject. SCP-3143-A. Begin log. Good morning, Mr. Lawden. Ugh. I see from your charge you haven't been eating. Do you want to talk about that? Not really. I've also been informed you've been trying to write more fiction about SCP-3143. Until you took my pencils away. Mr. Lawden, that was for your own safety. Until we understand how the anomaly occurred, we can't allow you to… Oh, screw you. You just think it's crap. I didn't say that. But you were thinking it weren't you. I wouldn't call it crap. Why did you have to stop the story? What was the problem? He was helping people. It was fun. That's not the point. We can't have anomalies running around in. And what? Telling stories you don't like? Stories that aren't yours? Stories that aren't… excuse me? Cut the crap, Doc. We both know what's going on here. I'm not sure what you're insinuating. You use a veneer of objectivity to try and create a sense of distance of detachment to make the incredible seem credible. Wait, what? You cloak yourself in the outward trappings of science, the terms, the titles, the interview logs. All in some desperate contrived attempt to make it sound a little more reasonable, a little more respectable, a little more plausible. Wait, where are you… stop, stop, you can't. Also, you can convince him to buy into your little story, but at the end of the day, what does all amount to, Doc? Just one more gimmick, one more swindle, one more way to play the same con. How? This isn't ID-constructed, you can't… When it comes right down to it, me, them, hell, even you, we're all just characters in that trashy dime store novel called Life. Murphy grabs Dr. Thon by the collar, pulling him close. Sorry to break it to you, Doc, but you're just a spooky ghost story dressed up in a lab coat, glasses, and a funny little accent. Murphy throws him aside. But if you're lucky and play your cards just right, maybe you'll find a way to write your own story. Murphy pauses with a light of cigarette. Not me, though, I'm no author. Murphy walks towards the exit. I'm Murphy Law. Dr. Thon struggles to get up, grasping at the edge of the table. As he does, he sees a copy of the interview log on the desk in front of him. The log contains this complete text with one notable addition at the very bottom. I'm just the guy you call when everything that could go wrong did. The camera zooms in down to the bottom of the interview log. End Log Warning. The following file is level 4-31-43 classified. Any attempt to access this file without level 4-31-43 authorization will be logged and will lead to immediate disciplinary action. Date, March 15, 2012. From Site Director August, to O5 Secretary, Subject, SCP-3143. My thoughts? It might not have worked, but this was nevertheless an excellent test run for Dr. Thon and the Patificates Department. I recommend we keep them on the books. They might come in handy, particularly in regards to developing allegorical and metafictional countermeasures. Besides, it's not like a fictitious department with fictitious employees have a costly upkeep. Otherwise, leave the article as is. It might contain several inconsistencies, the fact that neither Murphy law did nor it always rains actually exists being the most glaring, but further edits could invite unwanted attention from SCP-3143. On that note, let's leave SCP-3143 alone for a while. Yes, we've learned quite a bit about him, but he's also learned quite a bit about us. Until we know precisely how his abilities work, further efforts to contain him could be dangerous. I'm particularly concerned with what he said during the final interview. It sounds like he thanks for all just as fictitious as he is. On a final note, SCP-4233 is currently missing. I'm concerned it might have something to do with a little experiment. I'm having some of my people look into it, I'll keep you updated. Site Director August Dr. Dom, played by Thaddeus Dom. Site Director August, played by Jeremiah August. MTF Iota 10, played by Fred. And Murphy Law, played by himself. With special thanks to the pedophysics department. Look for Thaddeus Dom to return in. Never met a fictional character I didn't like. The End