Perfect Recall
rating: +3+x

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: Individuals diagnosed with macro-hyperthymesia are to be either recruited for SCP-XXXX research, or treated before they discover SCP-XXXX.

Description: SCP-XXXX is the inability of any human to remember events prior to 2100 A.D. (approximately 1500 years ago at time of writing).

Discovery: SCP-XXXX was discovered during clinical research into macro-hyperthymesia by Dr. Jennifer Song and Dr. Alex Griffin. After her results were flagged by Foundation Webcrawler I/O-MYNE, Dr. Song was recruited, and her research was transferred to Foundation servers to further our understanding of SCP-XXXX. The following is a briefing by Dr. Griffin on macro-hyperthymesia, followed by the transcript of her session discovering SCP-XXXX.

An Overview of Macro-Hyperthymesia

For as long as we can remember, humans have perfect memories. While, there are many documented cases of humans losing memories due to head trauma, or neurological degradation, a healthy human brain is capable of perfect recall.

At least, that is how it is taught in medical schools to pre-meds who do are not planning on specializing in conditions and diseases affecting the hippocampus. Because there are in fact, something the normal human brain cannot remember. Many such things.

About 100 years ago, after the perfection of neurological mapping, research into the hippocampi of the developing fetuses show that the neural pathways that map onto memory are partially pre-connected. Specifically, they are connected in a manner in a way that matches segments of both parents. This implies that each human is implanted with the memories of their parents. And those memories include those of their parents. And so on and so forth.

Most of the population is not able to access these memories because of chemical blockers produced by the human brain called "REM Inhibitors", as they are also important in the transition to REM sleep. These likely developed as a survival mechanism to emphasize focus on the present, and to encourage the brain to enter REM sleep at night. However, for a slim 0.001%, these chemical blockers are not produced in a sufficient quantity. Thus allowing patients to access this vast well of memory. This condition is called macro-hyperthymesia.

As part of Dr. Song's research, she procured funding and volunteers for an experiment to measure the information density of the human brain by measuring the earliest recallable memory of hyperthymesia patients. Below is a transcript of the first session:

Interview Log


Date: 2002/11/16
Interviewer: Dr. Song
Subject: Thomas Duterte

Subject Information: Thomas Duterte is a 25-year-old macro-hyperthymesia patient who had been diagnosed at age 13. His brain is capable of limited REM Inhibitor production.


[BEGIN LOG.]

Song: Hey Thomas, you ready for this?

Duterte: [TODO]

Song: Alright, let's get started. I've looked back through your family history and prepped some events that we can tie nicely to actual dates. You can start out giving high level descriptions of what you remember, and I'll ask if I want additional detail, sound good?

Duterte: Got it.

Song: Let's start with something easy just to warm up — your parent's wedding.

Duterte: It was on Frio, that ice planet off in the Tusk System. They managed to get a wedding dress and a tuxedo specifically outfitted with heating pads so they didn't have to layer up in the cold.

Song: What was the wedding topper?

Duterte: The two of them carved out of ice.

Song: Very good. So that's about 30 years back. Let's try something bigger. Your great grandfather was a victim in the Great Verning Mine Collapse, right?

Duterte: Yes. He was about 10 feet from the rocks that fell. He and four others scraped at the rocks for hours before help came.

Song: What tools did they have in there?

Duterte: Two hydraulic picks, a laser carver, and a digital vaporizer.

Song: What food did they eat while they waited?

Duterte: Their shoes, and Steve's overalls.

Song: Ok, that's good enough. Let's go even farther back.

[TODO, maybe 2 more tests, one where Song gets emotional over duterte being left behind]

Song: Alright, last one for today, and then we'll assess what we're doing for tomorrow. You got one more in you?

Duterte: I should.

Song: One of your ancestors was on earth. He was a soldier in what was called World War 2.

Duterte: World War… real specific.

Song: Yeah I know, which world am I right?

Duterte: Heh, yeah.

Song: But that was what it was called. He participated in the storming of a beach.

Duterte: A beach… on earth?

Song: Yes.

Duterte: I… don't see anything.

Song: You sure? The beach was called Normandy.

Duterte: There's nothing. There's absolutely nothing here.

Song: That seems uh, early.

Duterte: It's so empty… My god it's so empty.

Song: Are you ok?

Duterte: Finally. This feels amazi—

Song: Thomas? Thomas!

[END LOG]


TODO: Rules of going under

SCP-XXXX Day 1 Testing Lab Notes

Alright, it's show time. We gave Alex the REM Inhibitor blockers last night. They should've taken effect by the morning. I've given this stuff to macro-hyperthymesia patients before, but I've never done it with a healthy patient. One thing I appreciate about working here though is that I don't exactly need to go through another round of clinical trials.

We're going to be starting about a 1000 years ago, and then work our way backwards from there. It'll be an interesting search because we've lost so many records from before then. We may remember everything, but if we don't write it down then the later generations have no clue what happened. Well… ok we're dealing with the one case where we do know what happened but you get my point.

SCP-XXXX Testing Session 1

[BEGIN LOG]

Song: How're you feeling Alex?

Griffin: A little tired, but I've had worse in the field.

Song: Wonderful. In that case, you ready to initiate recall?

Griffin: Go for launch.

Song: I'm going to count back down from three. After each count I need you to say one word describing how you are feeling right now, in this moment to lock away an emotional anchor. Three.

Griffin: Nervous.

Song: Two.

Griffin: Excited.

Song: One.

Griffin: Ready.

Silence.

Song: We're in. Recall exploration commencing. clears throat Ok, Alex. We're going to start with the most recent event we can pinpoint before the records collapse — one thousand years ago was the initial founding of Silencia. This was the birth of our modern civilization. Do you recall the celebrations?

Griffin: There was a parade.

Song: Did you watch the parade?

Griffin: On the TV in a nearby bar.

Song: Do you remember the floats?

Griffin: Yes. They resembled animals like cows, pigs. Mostly livestock. And clouds.

Song: Are you with anyone?

Griffin: Yes. My wife.

Song: Let's establish more grounding details and then we'll let you roll it forward. What was she wearing?

Griffin: A sundress. Peppered in yellow flowers.

Song: You said you were at a bar, what are you drinking?

Griffin: Water.

Song: Interesting… What is the name of the bar?

Griffin: Forreston's

Song: How old are you?

Griffin: Twenty seven.

Song: Ok. Tell me what you said, heard, and saw.

Griffin: I'm speaking with my wife.

Ancestor: Cheers?

Griffin: I hold up my glass. My wife clinks it.
Wife: Cheers.

Griffin: She smiles, we both drink.

Ancestor: So? How is it?

Wife: It's… amazing. No burn. No after taste. It's almost like there was nothing there.

Ancestor: You think you can get used to it?

Wife: Used to it? I wish I had been drinking this stuff my whole life!

Ancestor: You know, we used to have so much of it. It fell out of the sky!

Wife: I know, I know. You've told me. Back on Earth we had a whole different set of problems.

Ancestor: I just don't understand how we fucked up something so good.

Wife: Well, now we're back on track, right?

Ancestor: Right.

Wife: Another drink. To the good stuff.

Ancestor: To H2O!

Song: Stop.

Silence.

Song: That's good. That's really good. Alright, let's get you back. You're currently conducting a lab test. When we started you were nervous, excited and ready. I will count to three, and after each count you will tell me how you feel now. One.

Griffin: Relaxed.

Song: Two.

Griffin: Accomplished.

Song: Three.

Griffin: Curious.

Song: Aaaand we're out. We're out!

Griffin: How'd it go?

Song: We got it!

Griffin: Yes!
Song: We'll meet back up here for the next session tomorrow. Need to map out where we're going next.

Griffin: Don't you mean when we're going next?

Song: … I'm a little mad I didn't think of that.

[END LOG]

SCP-XXXX Testing Day 2 Lab Notes

I've been up all night digging through old notes. What we heard from Alex roughly lines up with a few old diaries about the founding of Silencia. It was the beginning of a well structured start for us. I think though, based off the talk about water, I can reach back somewhere to a drought maybe? That should be a good next guide point. Hopefully we can get a couple hundred year's jump back, I'd rather not crawl toward the SCP-XXXX barrier.

SCP-XXXX Testing Session 2

[BEGIN LOG]

Song: Morning Alex.

Griffin: Morning… yawns.

Song: Rough night?

Griffin: I got five or six hours.

Song: Oh that's not all that bad.

Griffin: Shall we?

Song: Let's. I'm beginning the count, you know what to do. Three.

Griffin: Prepared.

Song: Two.

Griffin: Confident.

Song: One.

Griffin: Heady.

Song: We're in. Before the celebration of Silencia, you were tired. You were hungry. You were thirsty. Do you recall this feeling?

Griffin: I am in the hold.

Song: Hold of what?

Griffin: The Grindwall. A transport ship. We just left Sturgeon for an unnamed planetoid.
Song: How long have you been onboard?

Griffin: 14 days.

Song: How long since you've had food?

Griffin: 12 hours.

Song: How long since you've had a drink?

Griffin: Two hours.

Song: Only two— ok. What did you have to drink?

Griffin: Some kind of alcohol. They didn't tell me what but it burnt going down.

Song: Is there anyone with you.

Griffin: Many people. There are so many people here. They're strewn across the ground, sitting, laying, conserving energy. I'm always rubbing up against someone. And we're so dirty. And sweaty. And —

Song: Hey, hey. Slow your horses. It's just a memory. Is there anyone specific you're with?

Griffin: My brother.

Song: How is he doing?

Griffin: Bad. He's weak, and tired.

Song: How long has he been like this?

Griffin: Too long.

Song: Alex, I need a number.

Griffin: A week.

Song: Ok. Let's roll forward.

Ancestor: C'mon Yuri. You need to drink something.

Griffin: I offer him a flask.

Brother: No! Get that shit away from me.

Ancestor: You're killing yourself!

Brother: And so are you!

Griffin: He's wheezing.

Brother: You're drinking yourself to death!

Ancestor: Not as fast as you! You know, thousands of years ago this was most of what we drank.

Brother: But it wasn't only what we drank.

Griffin: He's trying so hard, but he's so weak.

Song: Stop editorializing. Focus.

Ancestor: The Condensator is contaminated! I keep telling you, this is the only safe drink we have.

Brother: And I keep telling you, they're lying! I've seen them, carrying around gallon jugs of the stuff.

Ancestor: Maybe they're testing it? Trying to fix it.

Brother: Then they need to fix it— [cough] faster.

Ancestor: Come on now. Get some rest. You need to conserve your energy.

Brother: Easy for you… to say.

Ancestor: Just close your eyes.

Brother: Won't help. I can't fall asleep.

Ancestor: That's because you need to drink something!

Brother: [croaking] Then. Get. Me. Water.

Song: Stop. [sniffles] Do you try to get him water?

Griffin: Yes. In three days. Drastic measures. I need to save him.

Song: [swallows] Don't get too attached to that notion.

Griffin: He's family.

Song: [shouts] I heard you the first time! Now jump ahead to the water retrieval.

Griffin: The smell has only gotten worse. I don't think anyone has moved in days. Just laying in their filth.

Song: But you get up, right?

Griffin: I do. My head is pounding. I'm so dizzy.

Song: Last time you ate?

Griffin: Yesterday. They've had us on low rations.

Song: Last time you drank?

Griffin: An hour ago.

Song: Alright… roll it forward.

Griffin: My brother is twitching. His eyes are closed and he can barely move but he is still twitching there. I see another white coated scientist pass by the entrance to the main hold. The light is piercing out there, as the fluorescent lights have not been dimmed as they have been for the main hold. I start to crawl over the body covered floor, as if I am exiting to use the toilet. But instead of turning left, I make a right and continue after the scientist.

Song: Does he see you?

Griffin: I don't believe so.

Song: How big is the ship?

Griffin: Massive. Built to carry hundreds of thousands. However most of the rooms I pass are powered down and empty.

Song: Why?

Griffin: There are no long hundreds of thousands aboard the ship. We must conserve energy.

Song: I see… Where does the scientist lead you?

Griffin: To a testing facility. There six others in there, each studying water specimens or mixing chemicals together. I stand in the door way, catching my breath. They are so transfixed on their work they don't notice.

Song: What do you hear? Roll it forward.

Scientist-1: I've got the new batch.

Scientist-2: [rubs his eyes, yawns] Is it even worth checking?

Scientist-3: Of course it is. Maybe this one worked.

Scientist-2: We've been at this for months, and we haven't found even a trace of Y compound.

Scientist-3: We can't just give up! What we're doing right now is not sustainable.

Scientist-2: And we can't keep banging our heads against the wall or else we will fucking die out here!

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