The caterpillar

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Item #:SCP-XXXX

Object class:Euclid

Special containment procedures:SCP-XXXX-10 is to be held in a modified animal containment chamber at Area 12. The door of the chamber is to be hermetically sealed. It is to be fed arsenic via putting the material into its food. The entity is to be provided with toys and books designed for children. In exchange for good behavior, SCP-XXXX may also be provided with a model airplane, ship, or building. This privilege can be revoked if discipline is necessary. In the event of a containment breach, MTF Beta-7 (Maz Hatters) is to be contacted immediately, even if the toxin is not present. The bodies of SCP-XXXX-1 through SCP-XXXX-9 are to be kept in the Area 12 biohazard storage freezer wrapped in plastic when not being studied.

Description:SCP-XXXX are ten larva- like organisms. They are designated SCP-XXXX-1 through SCP-XXXX-10. Only SCP-XXXX-10 is alive. Each (besides the only survivor) is about 1 m in length and 10 kg in weight. SCP-XXXX-10 is about 1/2 a meter long and 4 kg. All of them look relatively the same, but genetic testing has shown that each is very different genetically, each verging towards a different species. These all veer towards brown rats (Rattus norvegicus). The DNA of SCP-XXXX-10 is made up of human, feline, mustelid, and canid DNA. All of the individuals have 16 body segments with two insect-like legs beneath it. The legs are about 6 cm in length and end in pads that allow it to adhere to vertical surfaces and invert itself. SCP-XXXX have eyes comparable in appearance and structure to an member of the family cephalopoda. The organism appears to have no internal organs. Analysis has shown that they are all composed entirely of pluripotent cells. Even more strangely the entity consumes toxins for nutrition. No known toxin has yet had any effect on the entity. This, however seems to be the only way it can derive nutrition. In order to improve morale, a request was granted that allowed for the poisoning of the entities food to allow it to get nutrition but “feel normal” in its own words. It stated that none of the other instances had this ability. It has a rapid rate of cell division, which leads to extremely quick healing.

SCP-XXXX-10 emits a green vapor when threatened. This vapor is highly toxic. What the substance is composed of is unknown due to a lack of safe samples to work with. Efforts to duplicate the toxin or create an antidote for the effects have failed. The characteristics of the vapor do not change with diet. The fatal dose of the vapor is unknown, but is suspected to be very small. The gas has proven very difficult to contain due its ability to diffuse across any obstacle (including solid objects). It has also ejected a gel-like substance apparently made of the same chemical. It has showed telekinetic control of it in this form. It uses this for defense and to grab or hold things in a manner similar to tentacles.

All victims of the toxin have died from [REDACTED]. Toxicology reports show no strange substances in the body. Cell phone, security cameras, and other electronics have been rendered inoperable by the vapor despite having no visible damage. All data on these devices is also destroyed unless it is sent somewhere out of range. Even other anomalous objects that attempt to damage the organism can be rendered nonfunctional. During a containment breach, a new Keter class object was accidentally exposed to the vapor. At the time of writing, the object has not displayed an affect since. Most concerning, SCP-XXXX-10 has shown the ability to eject this gas at such a high rate and in such concentrated amounts, it has killed a grown man on impact. Despite testing with over 800 different species (including plants and fungus) nothing with any immunity has been found, besides the entity itself.

SCP-XXXX-10 has shown sapience and intelligence consistent with that of a 7 year old child. It can communicate verbally in English fluently and can write in that language. It has been compliant with staff, but has escape apparently to wander around the facility. It shows particular interest in area where staff tend to congregate. Through interviews, the entity has stated this is done to alleviate boredom and loneliness. Further psychological interrogation has revealed that it is clinically depressed.

It is unknown what caused the death of the other nine instances. When asked, SCP-XXXX-10 simply says that “I was born different, but they weren’t. I’m alive, they aren’t.”

Addendum 1:On recommendation from Dr. Hamson, SCP-XXXX-10 is currently being given regular school lessons and copious amounts of homework, which it seems to enjoy. In exchange for providing this, the entity has agreed to make no further escape attempts. In addition to this, plants have placed inside of the entity’s containment chamber. It is allowed to care for with a provided watering can. This greatly improved morale. All staff have been directed not to speak to the entity or acknowledge it in any way to further discourage escapes.

Addendum 2:Staff have been reporting sounds of sobbing from the SCP-XXXX-10 containment chamber. When asked why it was crying, the entity responded it was out of loneliness. It later requested that it be allowed to speak with staff. This was denied. After the interview, a DNA sample was taken and analyzed as part of a normal check up. It was shown that the entity had obtained more human DNA, as well as incorporated DNA from one of its plants.

Recovery log:SCP-XXXX were all found in a makeshift lab near [REDACTED]. The warehouse was being investigated by the Foundation due to reports of odd noises and sightings of “a grub monster” by local children. Hazmat teams were also called in when an unidentified green vapor was found leaking from the building. This is the same gas emitted by SCP-XXXX-10. The team sent in had extremely low survival rate. After waiting for it to dissipate, two agents entered the property and found SCP-XXXX-10 curled into a ball and making sobbing noises. When they found it, the entity was lying at the feet of the corpse of a male of about 30 years of age. Due to the lack of decomposition, the body appeared to have died recently.

A medical review showed that the individual had been deceased for over 8 weeks. Research into his origins has not yielded any results. His fingerprints were apparently erased with acid. There was an apparent bite mark on the left shin. This matched SCP-XXXX-10 dentition. The compound in his blood is theorized to be the same as the entity’s defensive vapor, though no analysis has been possible at the time of writing. In an adjacent room the bodies of all other instances of the organism were found along with a desk. The door was compromised by a hole apparently chewed through it. The contents are as follows. Unimportant or sensitive data has been removed.

Day 1-I will finally begin my great work. The others are all so stupid. They can’t see that by detaching ourselves from the world and just trying to show the world the anomalous exist does more harm than good. We need to put our knowledge to good use. All of them said that my expertise in two apparently opposing fields would be nothing but a waste of time. But soon, I will have something that they will all learn to love. I stole eleven eggs from our latest project and destroyed the rest.

They were never going to be accepted any way. Those types of things never are. They are better off as dogs and cats than ever trying to copy people.

Day 2-The eggs I stole from the lab have hatched well. I’ll start reconfiguring them soon. I chose very simple animals for each. They should be able to copy DNA normally for each. I will finally have used one of my inventions for good. I was always so guilty about just bringing so much terror into people’s lives. That’s all that damn lab ever did. Those little blobs of cells actually looked kind of cute. I picked one up with a gloved hand. I don’t how they were ever supposed to be terrifying. Things that copy you aren’t scary. I exposed each one to, I think, rat DNA.

Day 8-One of the eleven has already cocooned itself. When it finally hatches it will be a normal rat. All of the others are progressing on track except for the runt. His growth rate is stunted for some reason and I can’t find out why. It might be because of the rat poison he ate while I wasn’t watching them, but he never appeared sick. In fact, when I genetically tested it the results came back with sequences that only occur in humans! The body chemistry also included some substance I can’t find in any of the others. Its like his structure is made out of it.

Even if he could get to my skin cells it wouldn’t have enough to copy human DNA, and there is certainly no reason it would stunt his growth. Whatever is wrong with him I’d better find out quickly or the little runt could die.

Day 36-The first to cocoon itself has just hatched. Its brain size and intelligence were as I suspected: equal to that of a juvenile pig. For intents and purposes it is one. My theory that they would also have stores of their original cells is also true. To date, no others have formed a chrysalis.

The little runt is occupying most of my time. He escaped the lab the other day and got all the way outside. He was sniffing a dog when I found him. When I picked him up I swear to God it called me dad. How does it even know that word? I’m starting to get suspicious that they did something to his egg only. I looked through his eggshell fragments and found a tiny hole in it, like a syringe. Before I left the lab, I can remember one of the techs saying something about the boss making one of the eggs “extra special” and “even more trouble”.

Day 78-I do not know why I spend so much time with that thing. The others died a few weeks ago and when I was sulking the runt came up and said in plain English “Are you okay?”. I don’t know what happened or what it is it is too dangerous. I have to kill that damn thing. I didn’t realize that allowing them to copy DNA would also give them time to copy other substances. He literally has made a new genetic code, from a dozen different things. I shouldn’t speak like it’s all of them, only that thing acts like that. Today I tried burning him, but he healed too quickly for it to affect him. Tomorrow I’ll try the gas. I swore I would never use it and here I am using to kill the very thing I set out to achieve. It won’t be able to adapt or copy this. Nothing can. That’s what the Serpent whatever bastard that gave it to me said.