[rating module here later]
Item #: SCP-1242
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: All copies of SCP-1242 are to be kept in a SCP containment locker at Site 19. Personnel of Clearance Level 2 or higher may perform experiments using SCP-1242 at their discretion. SCP-1242 is deemed safe for use on said personnel, provided it isn't used for longer than one hour, thus negating the need of using D-Class staff for most purposes.
Description: SCP-1242 is a wallet chain about 59 cm in length, composed of stainless steel. At the present time, the Foundation possesses 223 objects classified as SCP-1242 due to identical properties, all of which match the aforementioned physical description.
Activating the anomalous properties of the object requires two conditions to be fulfilled. First, the object has to make contact with a human - either direct skin contact, or remote contact by means of the object being attached to an article of clothing making skin contact with a human. The second condition requires the human - henceforth referred to as the subject - to operate anything perceived as a keyboard controlling a larger device. Use of a mobile phone, most modern computers, or a vending machine has proven to be sufficient for activation of SCP-1242. Use of a disconnected computer keyboard did not cause any results.
From that point, the object can be considered active. In this state, the person wearing the object undergoes a phenomenon causing their actual physical form to be detached from the perceived physical form. That process takes one half of a second to complete and causes the subject to appear to be motionless for the duration.
For the duration of the effect, the subject executes actions 'ahead of time'. Slow-motion footage indicates there is a half-second period between the action's results occurring and the subject's body moving to cause the result. The actions taken by the subject are always congruent with the subject's intentions, and completely voluntary. For purposes of physical interaction, the visible body of the subject is considered as nonexistent, as the interaction seems to be carried out by an invisible entity the size and shape of the subject's body. All worn clothing and other held objects act as if they were parts of said body. Half a second of immobility causes the physical and perceived bodies of the subject to fully overlap, so no anomalous effects of the object are apparent.
Should any object other than SCP-1242 be detached from the subject's body, it will exhibit the anomalous properties either for one minute or until the effects cease to be apparent, whichever occurs sooner. If such an object is kept in constant motion for one minute, the event of anomalous effects ending can be witnessed as the perceived form of the object disappearing and immediately reappearing in a location matching the physical form of the object, thus ending the effect.
The 'main' effect of SCP-1242 can be broken in three distinct ways. Firstly, the subject can become aware of the anomaly's results, which causes the symptoms to stop for a time. This effect can be compared to the human ability to take voluntary control of his or her breath. Ceasing to focus on the anomaly causes its effects to resume over 10 seconds, with the physical effects gradually leaving the perceived form of the subject behind.
Destruction and detachment of SCP-1242 from a subject are the other two known ways of stopping the anomaly. Detachment has been found to not pose any problems, with the effects ending as soon as the subject let go of the object, breaking physical contact. A copy of SCP-1242 is considered destroyed when at least one of the chain links is open to a degree allowing the chain to be split, or when the hooks are missing or disfigured beyond use. The objects have been proven repairable by replacing the missing elements by similar, stainless steel ones. The size of an object can be changed by addition or removal of chain links - length limits of 30 and 120 cm were found, beyond which the objects lost anomalous properties. Returning the objects to former dimensions restored the properties. Constructing a wallet chain solely of elements removed from various copies of SCP-1242 failed to yield a functional copy.
Once the anomalous effects of SCP-1242 on a subject are broken indefinitely (whether by removal or destruction of the object), negative after-effects might occur. The only observed condition for their onset is the length of time spent continuously under the object's anomalous effects. The after-effects are a reverse effect of SCP-1242 - the perceived body of the victim moves in accordance with its intents and reaction times, but the physical entity experiences a delay. Testing indicated the time spent continuously under effect (for this purpose, time during which the effect is halted by awareness does not break continuity of use) defines the delay's length - each full hour of use extends the delay by one second. Therefore, contact with SCP-1242 for a duration of less than an hour poses no risk. The duration is broken by even a moment of physical separation of the object and the subject.
The after-effect lasts for 24 hours. Becoming aware of its results causes them to cease for a time, analogically to the 'main' effect of the object. Re-application of the object to the victim causes the after-effect to be suspended for the duration of the 'main' effect, but its subsequent removal will cause the negative effect to reset to its initial duration of 24 hours.
The cause of invisibility of the physical body is a lack of reaction of light to the 'timeshift', thus causing it to reflect off the 'chronologically correct' form. As a consequence, the subject's sense of sight remains connected to the perceived form. This is especially dangerous during the period of severe after-effects.
Addendum 1: All copies of SCP-1242 currently in Foundation possession have been retrieved from ███████, ███████, after an unusually large number of reported accidents, caused mostly by what could be classified as extreme clumsiness and abnormally long reaction times (car accidents being the most common occurrence). Following removal of objects and, in several cases, interrogation, class-B amnesiacs have been administered to all (now former) owners of the objects. The victims' relations indicated the source of the objects to be a ████████ brand store. No evidence of the objects ever being stored nor sold at the store was found. No copies of SCP-1242 were found in the residences of the deceased casualties of the accidents, either.
Experiment Log:
Test A - 05-██-2012
Subject: D-35636
Procedure: Subject commanded to pick up a copy of SCP-1242, then describe any abnormalities, if present. Reports of SCP-1242-related incidents indicated a possibility of increased reaction times in affected, so a simple reaction time test was performed.
Results: No apparent results. Result of reaction time test average and within norm.
Conclusion: None. Further testing required.
Test C - 06-██-2012
Subject: D-42258
Procedure: Subject introduced to a room containing powered household appliances, of function identical to ones found in most buildings in which copies of SCP-1242 were found. Subject provided with SCP-1242 prior to entry, held in left hand, then instructed to interact with the objects without letting go of SCP-1242 and report anything unusual. Should there be an effect, a reaction time test is to be performed.
Results: Dialing a random number on a phone caused visual discrepancies in further activity. Subject commanded to leave the room. Door opened before the subject reached for it, the motions visible apparently clipped through the door without collision. Motions recorded were that of opening the door, lagging behind the recorded action. Reaction time test results are anomalous - the subject, instructed to sound the buzzer upon receiving a signal, caused the buzzer to sound before the signal was given. Buzzer sounded before subject's arm came down on it, but after the button was pressed. The visible motion of the subject's arm occurred after a delay matching a normal reaction time, and matched the motion required to press a button.
Conclusion: Activation method of SCP-1242 found. Effects not yet fully understood.
Test D - 06-██-2012
Subject: D-42258
Procedure: Subject instructed to activate SCP-1242 by holding it and dialing '12345' on a cellphone, then instructed to punch a block of modelling clay upon hearing a signal.
Results: SCP-1242 activated. Slow-motion footage indicates impression in the block of clay appeared about
Conclusion: Activation method of SCP-1242 found. Effects not yet fully understood.