SCP-XXXX: Annus Mirabilis

Item №: SCP-XXXX

Anomaly Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: Mobile Task Force Chi-9 ("Page Turners") has successfully removed all known copies of SCP-XXXX from general circulation, and is monitoring bookstores and libraries for references to the narrative as part of its standard duties. Since the book itself possesses no anomalous properties, copies are freely available to Foundation staff for both academic and recreational purposes; in particular those studying metafiction are strongly encouraged to read it.

Special Task Force Lorem-Iota ("Destabilisers") is currently tasked with preventing Domini Events from reaching their conclusion, and should do so before July of each year in accordance with Directive-XXXX (see Addendum.1). A full report on the event should then be submitted to the SCP-XXXX research team for analysis.

In the event that a Domini Event reaches its conclusion, the Foundation is to prepare for an IK-Class Societal Collapse scenario, including the storage of all applicable anomalies in unmanned containment systems, and the establishment of the Foundation as a major power on the global stage. This will be deemed a complete containment failure, and will reclassify SCP-XXXX as Neutralised.

Description: SCP-XXXX is an unpublished novel by Olivier Marchand, titled "The Best Year of Our Lives". The plot of SCP-XXXX focuses primarily on the writing, publishing, and distribution of a novel written by a fictional incarnation of Marchand; this metafictional book, titled "Annus Mirabilis" and classified SCP-XXXX′, seemingly follows much the same structure as the original, even containing its own meta-metafictional novel (SCP-XXXX″) which is referred to but never mentioned by title. It is suspected that SCP-XXXX″ also contains another layer of self-reference, but this is never confirmed in the original book.

Within the plot of SCP-XXXX, SCP-XXXX′ describes (abstractly, given the recursive nature of the narrative) an ideal year for humanity. The details of this year range from vague ("Two warring states make amends") to highly specific ("The development of co-trimoxazole solutions suitable for the treatment of advanced ocular toxoplasmosis"), but the general outcome is that the year is the best possible for the largest number of people. Once the writing of SCP-XXXX′ is completed, the events detailed begin to occur in reality, and the world enters a brief 'golden age'. Once the year ends, however, humanity becomes collectively despondent, once again faced with the negative aspects of life that they are no longer accustomed to. The book ends with a note apparently penned by the (fictional) Olivier Marchand from inside a nuclear bunker, bemoaning his part in the downfall of civilisation.

SCP-XXXX possesses a similar anomalous property to the fictional SCP-XXXX′. Each year, beginning on the 1st of January at 00:00 GMT, events will unfold as described in SCP-XXXX (and by extension SCP-XXXX′ and SCP-XXXX″).

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