 Item number, SCP-272. Object Class. Safe. Special Containment Procedures. SCP-272 is to be contained in a small wooden box in a vault at Sector 25. Apart from this, no further containment is necessary, as the object is completely inert when not in use. Care is to be taken not to drop the item during transit. Description. SCP-272 is an iron nail, approximately 11.5 cm long, resembling ancient designs. Covering every flat surface are engravings of unknown cultural origin. The engravings have been described as captivating, but scary, in a majority of staff interviewed. The nature of the object becomes apparent when it is dropped onto the shadow of an individual. The nail will bury itself exactly two-thirds of its length into the material the shadow is cast on. Following this, two effects should be noted. The person whom the shadow belongs to will not be able to remove the nail by any means, and they are limited to movements that keep their shadow cast on the nail. The nail, however, may be removed by conventional means by anyone else, although those requested to do so reported a mild aversion, citing claims that, quote, it feels fair. The object was discovered during a routine sweep embedded into an exposed rock face near an abandoned air force base in Afghanistan with a human skeleton scattered around it. It was thought to be mundane, until a researcher dropped it at their feet and was subsequently pinned to the spot for 20 minutes before being assisted. Object Log 272A Test Subject 1D Class Personnel D2721 Surface Rock Face at Discovery Site Lighting Midday Sun Directly Overhead Purpose Established Nature of SCP Procedure Subject was handed the nail and told to hammer it into his shadow at his feet. Results Subject complies. Once the nail had reached the two-third mark, subject could not continue. Subject attempts to move away, but is unable to. Subject soon becomes fatigued and succumbs to heat stroke. Object removed. Subject given medical treatment. Conclusions Nature of the Object Established 272B Test Subject 1D Class Personnel D2722 Surface As Above Lighting Night Minimal Purpose Establish Effects at Night Procedure Nail was dropped at subject's feet and embedded itself exactly two-thirds of the way in. Subject then asked to move 10 meters away from the nail. Results Object Embedded Subject complies, showing no adverse effects. Subject then attempts to escape and is terminated. Object Recovered Conclusions Subject is free to move when no shadow is cast. 272C Test Subject 1D Class Personnel D2723 Surface As Above Lighting As Above 2 Hours Before Sunrise Purpose Establish Effects of Lighting Changes Procedure Nail dropped as above Subject told to walk in a straight line away from the nail. Results Object Embedded Subject shows no adverse effects. Sunrise occurs at 606 local time. Subject is data expunged. Three cleanup teams dispatched. Subject's torso recovered 106 meters from object, showing signs of road rash and severe blunt trauma. Object Recovered Testing Move to Sector 25 Conclusions Data Expunged 272D Test Subject 1D Class Personnel D2724 Surface Concrete Floor of Test Facility 25H Lighting 1 Standard 60 Watt Light Bulb Directly Overhead Purpose Establish Lighting Requirements Procedure Nail dropped on the shadow of test subject. Subject told to walk in a straight line away from the object. Results Object Embedded Subject is free to move. Object Recovered Conclusions Insufficient Lighting Will Cause No Effect 272E Test Subject 1D Class Personnel D2724 Surface As Above Lighting 1 Standard 1500 Watt Stadium Light Directly Overhead Purpose As Above Procedure As Above Results Object Embedded Subject Trapped Object Recovered Conclusions Lighting Requirements Established 272F Test Subject 2D Class D2724 and D2725 Surface As Above Lighting 2 Stadium Lights Position 90 Degrees Apart Purpose Determine If Multiple Subjects Can Be Held Procedure Subjects Position So Their Shadows Overlap Object Dropped Onto Both Shadows Subjects Told To Advance Away From The Nail Results Object Embedded Subject D2724 Continues Unhindered But Reports Feeling A Chill D2725 Is Held By The Object Object Recovered Conclusions Object Cannot Hold More Than One Subject Potential Secondary Effect Observed 272G Test Subject 8D Class D2724 Through D27211 Surface As Above Lighting 4 Stadium Lights Positioned In A Ring Around The Subjects Purpose Determine The Selection Mechanism For Which Subject Is Held Procedure Subjects Position So Their Shadows Overlap Nail Dropped Onto All 8 Shadows Results Object Embedded Subject D2729 Is Held 18 Years Of Age Caucasian 1.8m 88kg All Others Free To Move Reports Of A Scream From All Subjects Accept D2729 All Subjects Accept D2729 Seemed To Shiver Object Recovered D2729 Removed From Study Experiment Repeated Subject D2726 Held 24 Years Of Age Hispanic 1.6m 102kg All Others Appear To Shiver And Report A Scream But Remain Free Experiment Repeated Four Additional Times As Per The Above Method Discontinued After D2727 Fell Unconscious Subject Given Treatment For Severe Hypothermia Conclusions Emerging Patterns Suggest That The Youngest Possible Subject To Be Held Will Be Additionally, Secondary Effect On Larger Groups Observed Further Research Pending Acquisition Of A Larger Sample Group Addendum Subjects Of Equal Gender Distribution Age Is Ranging From 18-59 Numerous Physical Traits Represented 272H Test Subject 1D Class D2725 Surface One Outdoor Field Grassy Lighting Early Morning Sun Approximately 9am Purpose To Determine If Subject Can Escape By Digging Procedure Object Dropped Onto Subject Shadow Subject Then Given A Shovel And Told To Dig Out The Object Results Subject Digs For 90 Seconds Then Falls Over Screaming Subject Expires Before Medical Intervention Could Be Administered Autopsy Reveals Subject Died Of A Cerebral Hemorrhage Cause And Determinant Object Recovered Field Repaired Repeated With D2727 and 8 Results Identical Conclusions Subjects Held By SCP-272 Cannot Dig The Nail Out Attempting To Do So Is Invariably Fatal 272I Test Subject None Surface NA Lighting NA Purpose To Determine The Object's Destructibility Procedure One D-Class Personnel D2729 Is Given The Object And A Selection Of Tools And Told To Go To Town In An Attempt To Destroy The Object Test Area Evacuated Results Subjects Selected An Angle Grinder Set The Object In A Vice And Proceeded To Bring The Grinder Upon The Object An Instant Later Subject Is Seen Rithing On The Ground Clutching His Temples Audio Recordings From Inside The Room Record Subjects Speaking In 30 Seconds Later Subject Expires Autopsy Reveals The Cause To Be A Cerebral Hemorrhage Examination Of The Object Reveals Some Minor Damage From The Grinder Conclusions Object Appears To Be Fully Destructible But Will Resist Actions Against It With Lethal Force By An Unknown Method Object Tested To Maintain Its Original Functionality 272J Test Subject One D-Class Personnel D27210 Surface Concrete Floor Of Test Facility 25H Lighting One Stadium Light Positioned On A Computer Controlled Track Purpose A Determine The Effects Of Rapid Lighting Shifts And B Determine If Subject Can Be Withheld From The Object Via Restraints, Barriers, etc. Procedure Test One Light Positioned To Cast A Long Shadow Nail Dropped Into The Head Of The Subject Shadow Light Slowly Raised Results Test One Subject Dragged At A Proportional Rate Towards The Object Subject Has Difficulty Standing Procedure Test Two As Above Light Raised Very Rapidly Results Test Two As Above But At A More Rapid Rate Noted That Subject Was Unable To Remain Standing And Accelerated Upon Falling Attributed To The Decreasing Shadow Size Relative To Standing Subject Acquired Minor Road Rash Procedure Test Three As Above Subject Restraint With Chains Attached To Their Feet Chicken Wire Screen Placed Between Subject And Object Results Test Three Data Expunged Subject Expires Object Recovered Further Testing With Restraint Subjects Prohibited Conclusions Subject Seem To Be Dragged By Their Shadow At A Rate Required To Keep It Cast Upon The Object Intervening Obstacles Appear Not To Impede This Function Although Will Damage The Subject Or In The Case Of Barriers Like The Chicken Wire Data Expunged Two Seven Two H Test Subject One D-Class Personnel D Two Seven Two Four Surface As Above Lighting One Stadium Light In A Fixed Position Roughly 45 Degrees From Horizontal Purpose Establish The Effects Of Long Term Containment Procedure D Two Seven Two Four Positions Central To The Room Object Is Dropped Onto The Subject's Shadow Results Subject Held After The Third Day Subject Becomes Unresponsive To Attempts To Provide Nourishment After The First Week Subject Heard To Only Speak By The Eleventh Day The Subject Have Not Eatn Or Drank In Eight Days Seen To Become Agitated Rapidly Shifting Between Mania And A Komatose State At The Fourteen Day Mark The Test Is Terminated Object Recovered Subject Noted To Be Severely Malnourished But Resumed Speaking English Once The Object Is Removed And Proceeded To Recover Rapidly Before Monthly Termination Conclusions Extended Containment Has Yielded That The Subject Will Survive For Prolonged Periods Without Nourishment But Will Enter A Degraded Mental State Addendum Partial Transcript Of Subject D-2724's Manic Speaking From Day 14 Translated Sections And Curly Brackets Begin Transcript Dr. Kimiro For The Record State Your Name D-2724 Ashes Burn At My Tongue I Cannot Taste The Water Boils At My Site Dr. Kimiro Can You Repeat That D-2724 I Cannot Sleep To Screams Or Heard I Am Not The Warm The Shadow Steals Dr. Kimiro Right How Do You Feel D-2724 The Chains They Bind I Cannot Move The People Data Expunged Dr. Kimiro What Is He Saying What Is He Speaking Someone Get Me A Translator D-2724 Growing Louder Cut My Flesh To Ribbons That I Might Be Free Subject Begins Clawing At His Skin Data Expunged I Am The Prisoner Of My Own Foolishness Let The Crows Come And Data Expunged Let My Flesh Crumble Like The Apple Whose Ashes Burn At My Tongue And Transcript Lesson Complete If You Miss The Previous Orientation Go Watch SCP-271 Inscribed Disk Right Now Or For The Complete Course Watch This Playlist