SCP-XXXX's interior is coated in a layer of dust indicating multiple months of disuse. Multiple handwritten notes with similar layers of dust have been found within SCP-XXXX. One note, which was found near the front door, reads as follows:
Dear Sarah,
You're not going to read this until you come back from your trip, but I decided to take a few days off and use that toolbox you gave me to fix up the basement. I know you're going to like it.
A small pile of notes atop a wooden chair was found outside the entrance to SCP-XXXX's basement. The chair rests directly below the exit of an exposed copper pipe, which attaches to the handrail of the basement stairs and extends down into the basement. The notes in the pile read as follows:
Dear Sarah,
I know that I have a fever and that I should be staying in bed reading a book, but just listen to the front door! No more squeaky hinges. I've also tightened the screws on the pantry door so it doesn't wobble and replaced the light that burnt out in the living room. If I still feel sick tomorrow morning, I promise I'll be sure to stay in bed the whole day.
I also started working on another project in the basement, so be sure you don't trip on the toolbox or any of the wooden boards down there. Again, I know that I'm sick, but I couldn't have spent more than a half-hour working on it.
Your little handyman,
Hugo
Dear Sarah,
I know you weren't super happy with how the basement turned out, so I decided to make some improvements. Some substantial improvements, not just making a bookshelf and rearranging the furniture. No spoilers, but think romantic dinner. Yes, the dinner would be in the basement, but I made it look nice. Trust me on this.
Dearest Sarah,
I'm sorry for ignoring your calls. I was just really wrapped up in my work down here in the basement and… you know how I am when I really get into something. I was hoping that I'd run into you when I came up to get another glass of water, but you always seem to be gone. Bathroom, perhaps?
Love,
Hugo
P.S. I switched the batteries out in the clocks since they must have broken last night. There's no way I was down there for more than a couple hours.
Sarah,
You're going to LOVE THIS. I know how much you've been wanting me to talk to you, so I set up this pipe system that can shuttle messages back and forth between us! Now I can send you messages from all the way down here and you can send messages back! Just roll up some paper with a note inside it and put it in the pipe. You wouldn't believe the kind of wizardry I had to do to make it work both ways and keep the whole system from sounding like a jet engine, but the work I've been doing over the past week few days has turned me into a bit of a handyman.
Always yours,
Hugo
P.S. I sent you a half-dozen blank notes so that you can try sending some notes yourself!
Dearest,
I read all of your messages and I remember why you were once the statewide debate champion (haha). My point is, your arguments convinced me to leave my workstation for a bit and come up to visit you. Unfortunately, it must have been around midnight, since you were sound asleep in the bedroom. I didn't want to wake you up, but I felt like I had to do something for you before I left. So I said: "hey, what if I fixed up the rest of the house?" It should feel a bit roomier now. I promise the basement project will be done soon. Two weeks at most.
My Sweet,
I understand that you've been having trouble finding your way around to leave for work in the morning, but I'm sure you'll get used to the house extensions in due time. They might be confusing now, but I just know that you're going to learn to love them.
I know that I told you I would leave the basement soon, but your words inspired me. Why leave the house at all? To hell with the romantic dinner idea! I have the tools, and we paid damn good money for this roof over our heads, so I'm going to turn this house into something so beautiful we'll never want to leave. All I need is a little bit of time to do it.
Light of My Life,
I haven't started working on the thing yet. The beautiful thing. I know that it's been a few days, but I didn't start working on it because I need it to be perfect for you. I'm writing this because a few minutes ago I just realized what I'm going to make. I want to make something beautiful, so I'm going to base it off of you.
My Darling,
Remember that road trip across the country we went on for our honeymoon? Remember those seas of corn and dirty motels and days where we would just drive and drive and feel the wind on our faces? I brought them all down here. I brought the starry night skies and the blooming flowers. I brought the night that the roof of our convertible broke in the pouring rain and all we could do was laugh about it because we had each other. I brought Oregon and Ohio and everything in between. I made all of it, bit by bit, with my own two hands. But I can't enjoy it alone.
Please. For me us. It's so lonely down here without you.
Addendum XXXX.1: Following the copper pipe into the basement, agents from MTF Zeta-9 ("Mole Rats") discovered an alternate version of the United States originating from an alternate version of SCP-XXXX's basement. This space displays the following notable differences from the baseline United States:
- The copper pipe from the baseline SCP-XXXX travels along the ground to Interstate 84, where it disappears beneath the pavement.
- Complete absence of multi-cellular life with the exception of corn, which has become overgrown and caused significant damage to infrastructure.
- Despite the absence of humans, the skeleton of a woman was found within the alternate version of SCP-XXXX's kitchen.
- Almost all buildings (except for the alternate version of SCP-XXXX) are completely empty. Empty buildings have been locked, welded, or nailed shut. Buildings that are not locked appear to have been forcibly entered.
- Several walls and patches of corn appear to have been deliberately damaged with a knife, hammer, or other tools.
- All vehicles present are identical red 1972 Jensen-Healey convertibles, all of which have a broken hood mechanism.
- The sounds of whistling and hammering emanate from an unknown source.
Further exploration of SCP-XXXX's basement was cancelled after MTF agents reached the end of their tether.
Addendum XXXX.2: Upon closer inspection of the copper pipe, a single note was found on the inside of the pipe approximately 4cm from the pipe's opening. The note reads as follows:
My love,
I saw your letters. The ones where you said you were looking for me— that you can hear me in the walls and in the corn. I'm sorry for frightening you. I just got so excited about my gift to you that I forgot to tell you how to find me. Go to where we got married and walk under the wedding arches there. That's how you get to me. Again, I'm sorry about this little scare, but I'm sure it'll all be remedied when we're finally reunited.
