The Swarm

The Swarm

An enlarged picture of an SCP-XXXX subject.

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures:SCP-XXXX is to be kept in at Site-XXXX-A in the city of █████ in Peru. Personnel are to enter and leave the cell through a scanning chamber, and must be checked with a thermal-imaging device before leaving. All ventilation systems must be covered with a thick layer of wire mesh, with gaps no bigger than 5 mm x 5 mm. All personnel working with SCP-XXXX must be outfitted with a standard beekeeping suit and gloves.

Description:SCP-XXXX is a swarm of roughly 50-100 flying, asexually-reproducing insects. Each insect is parasitic beetle approximately 10 mm x 15 mm x 5 mm in size that has chromatophores¹ in their exoskeleton that allows them to blend in with their surroundings. They can connect organisms with a cardiovascular or a central nervous system to the swarm by latching onto them. The swarm moves as a group, occasionally sending out a member to scout for possible feeding sites.

SCP-XXXX is incapable of flying over long distances, and will attach to an organism for extended travel and to feed off the host's blood. SCP-XXXX must have direct skin contact, and cannot attach through shells or clothing. When attached, SCP-XXXX can supply an organism with recognized hormones and chemicals into the bloodstream. SCP-XXXX can also send electrical impulses along the nervous system, allowing to put the host into a mildly suggestive state to prevent discovery.

The insects can attach anywhere on the body, but appear to prefer areas next to a large artery. Once one of SCP-XXXX lands on a host, it will release kininases² that prevent the host from detecting it. Once attached, it is difficult to differentiate a host from a non-host with only the human eye, but the insects will show up on thermal-imaging devices.

SCP-XXXX chooses only hosts with debilitating diseases or genetic disorders. Once attached, the conditions of the host greatly improve until full recovery or lessened symptoms. SCP-XXXX will only stay with a host until it is cured, or until the swarm moves to a different location. After SCP-XXXX detaches, the host will retain its health and will not relapse into its previous conditions. It's motives for its choice of hosts is currently unknown. (Addendum 3)

Due the the suggestive state SCP-XXXX creates, tested D-Class members have to be constantly encouraged to relate any information they can determine about SCP-XXXX. Several have reported being able to sense with the swarm in their thoughts. If a the host focuses hard enough, they can sometimes relate information they sense. (See interview 4-B and 4-D).

Addendum: __Test 1-H - 6/15/████

Subject:SCP-XXXX
Procedure: In response to Agent ██████'s suggestion, the Foundation allowed SCP-XXXX to attach to a host. The host was then scanned with a thermal imaging camera.
Results: SCP-XXXX and the area within a radius of 50 mm appeared noticeably cooler than the surrounding area. The reason behind this effect is unknown.
Analysis: Thermal imaging is a viable option to detect SCP-XXXX's hosts. A scanning chamber will be constructed next to the containment area.

Addendum 2: SCP-XXXX is only capable of releasing hormones it knows. Dr. █████ was experimenting with SCP-XXXX's abilities to release chemicals into the bloodstream on D-3584, who is diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. SCP-XXXX did not respond at all during the experiment. In a later experiment, SCP-XXXX reorganized the glands in its jaw, and began to secrete insulin into D-3584's bloodstream. Dr. █████ theorized that perhaps SCP-XXXX learned to release insulin after encountering it in another subject.

Test 2-Q - 6/25/████

Subject:SCP-XXXX
Procedure: SCP-XXXX was allowed to attach to ██████ ██████, an aplastic anemia patient awaiting stem cell transplants. SCP-XXXX did not release red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. After testing with another subject, SCP-XXXX was allowed to reattach to ██████.
Results: SCP-XXXX began to release red and white blood cells as well as platelets into the subjects bloodstream.
Analysis: SCP-XXXX learns how to create hormones and nutrients from hosts. It is unclear if SCP-XXXX is capable of remembering how to recreate these secretions (See Test 3-A), but this could prove useful in the medical field to help treat diseases and genetic disorders. Further testing to see how SCP-XXXX recreates hormones and nutrients is under way. (See Addendum 4) SCP-XXXX only learns hormones that it needs in order to keep a host alive. This explains why it did not previously know how to recreate substances like blood cells, something it should have encountered much earlier than our tests. It's previous hosts did not need blood cells to stay healthy and remain a viable host. Yet patient ██████ ██████ needed them to stay healthy. So when exposed to a new subject, SCP-XXXX saved this information for future reference.

Test 3-A - 6/12/████

Subject:SCP-XXXX
Procedure: Three years after Test 2-Q, SCP-XXXX, having been kept in complete isolation, was allowed to attach to another aplastic anemia patient.
Results: SCP-XXXX was still capable of releasing blood cells and platelets into the bloodstream.
Analysis: SCP-XXXX is capable of remembering previously encountered chemicals.

Addendum 3 - Interview 4-B - 6/23/████

Subject: D-3956 (hosting SCP-XXXX)
Dr.████: Okay, let's do this. Can you seem to sense SCP-XXXX at all?
D-3956: Ummm, I think so-…. ugh, I dunno. If I think about it my brain just feels all fuzzy. What was the question again?
Dr.████: I asked if you could sense SCP-XXXX.
D-3956: Oh, yah… Umm, I dunno. It feels like something's there, but I just can't tell what it is… sorry, I keep spacing.
Dr.████: D-3956, could you please focus. Try to tell me anything you can about SCP-XXXX's presence.
D-3956: Uhhh, okay. I dunno. It feels like…. like there's something…. and…. ugh..(D-3956 begins to sweat mildly)… I just… I don't know..
Dr.████: What does you feel?
D-3956: Umm… it feels like it doesn't want to be discovered. It just wants to hide somewhere where they won't find it again…
Dr.████: Who?
D-3956: I dunno… umm… I…. I see lab coats….
Dr.████: And?
D-3956:Agh…. it hurts…. a lot. I don't want it to continue…
Dr.████: What to continue?
D-3956: Ugh…. the tests….. LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!!!! CAN'T YOU SEE HE DOESN'T WANT YOU MESSING WITH HIM?!?!?!

(D-3956 continue in a fit of despair and rage, constantly referring to SCP-XXXX as "he" or "him". Sedatives were administered promptly.)

Interview 4-C - 6/27/████

Subject: D-3956, host of SCP-XXXX
Dr.████: Okay, let's try this again… Last time you mentioned testing. Can you elaborate?
D-3956: Umm….. let me see…. uh, yah. I feel…. shocks…. electricity… poking… I don't know. It feels like they are tearing my mouth to shreds….. It hurts… bad….
Dr.████: Then what?
D-3956: Er….. I want it to end. I don't want it anymore…. something just snaps… Next thing I know, they're dead…. I'm moving down a hall….. lights are flashing… everybody's yelling, but I can't understand them… I just want them to leave me alone. No more pain. No more prodding. Can't they see how much it hurts?… They try capturing me again… but it's just too much…
Dr.████: So what happened?
D-3956: Uhhh…. its really bright…. I'm going outside… it's… a jungle? I dunno, there's trees. There's this metal thing behind me…. it seems like a bunker…. oh, I see…
Dr.████: What?… What do you see?
D-3956: Sorry, I just totally blanked again… umm… oh! It's a name… it's [Data Expunged].
Dr.████: Hmmm, so now what?
D-3956: I don't know…. Uh, I just know I'm done with this place…. I don't want anymore pain…… nobody should experience what I've been through ever again…..
Dr.████:……… Alright. Thank you for your time.
D-3956: … Sorry, what did you say? I spaced out for a second there…
SCP-XXXX will be stored at Site-XXXX-A near a general hospital owned by one of the Foundation's fronts in █████,████████. The containment area will be outfitted to look like a locked storage unit behind the hospital.

More notes!!! : 1) Give every scientific detail that helps tell the story; the Foundation is a meticulous organization. 2) Drop the clear-cut backstory. Let readers do the creating. Make a sympathetic character, not a summary of events. 3) Keep the addenda small, streamline it by having things explained in the description instead of in addenda. Addenda are for stories.

The Living Drawings

SCP-XXXX with several instances of SCP-XXXX-1.

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is to be contained inside of an airtight containment chamber at Site #235. SCP-XXXX is only to be used during experiments, and should be kept in a locked box for storage. If any instance of SCP-XXXX-1 escapes containment, it can be erased by dousing it in or smudging it with standard rubbing alcohol. Due to incident 22-A, SCP-XXXX-1 instances are not allowed to come into contact with SCP-XXXX by any means.

Description: SCP-XXXX is a standard ballpoint pen of the ████ brand. It features no anomalous features, aside from not needing ink to write or draw with. Drawings made with SCP-XXXX, referred to as SCP-XXXX-1 will show no anomalous features until 10 minutes after creation. After 10 minutes, the drawings will animate and stand up off the surface they were drawn on. If they are a drawing of a living creature, they can move freely and are not limited to their surface of origin. There are no behavioral patterns of SCP-XXXX-1, other than they mimic the behavior of whatever they resemble. If the drawing is of an inanimate object, they will behave like the object they represent. SCP-XXXX-1 subjects maintain a two dimensional form, and can slip through the smallest of cracks. The process behind the animation of SCP-XXXX-1 is unknown, and communication is limited. Most SCP-XXXX-1 instances cannot communicate effectively, but human-based subjects are capable of speaking, drawing, and writing.

SCP-XXXX was found in the middle of a hallway at ████████ middle school by James ███████, an 8th grade student. He began to doodle with SCP-XXXX in class, and 10 minutes later his drawing of a tiger began to jump up and attack the students. The only injuries that occured were minor scrapes, and Class-B amnesiacs were distributed. SCP-XXXX was then moved to its current location for testing.

Addendum - SCP-XXXX-1 22-A Incident Report, 3/14/15

Dr. ██████: Okay, open the door.
(Door to the SCP-XXXX-1 chamber unlocks and opens. Dr. ██████ enters the chamber. Small war cries are heard as SCP-XXXX-1-A and several other instances charge towards Dr. ██████, and the door closes)
SCP-XXXX-1-A: Quick! Tie him down!
(Small, crudely drawn lassoes are thrown around Dr. ██████)
Dr. ██████: What the-? Gah, where'd I put that alcohol?
(Dr. ██████ rummages through his pockets as SCP-XXXX-1 instances try to detain him. The lassoes snap under his strength.)
SCP-XXXX-1-B: He's too strong sir!
SCP-XXXX-1-A: Snipers! Take him down!
(Small snipers begin to shoot at Dr. ██████. Their bullets punter the skin, but only cause minor injuries.)
Dr. ██████: Aha!
(He pulls out a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a small handkerchief. He douses it and begins to rub away SCP-XXXX-1 instances. They begin to cry out, many shouting "Ahhh! It burns!!!")
SCP-XXXX-1-A: Quick! Full retrea- (At this point, SCP-XXXX-1-A was erased.)
SCP-XXXX was found lying in the corner of the chamber, with several copies of SCP-XXXX-1-A waiting to animate drawn around it. Other SCP-XXXX-1 instances were found imprisoned near SCP-XXXX. After the incident. (Dr. ██████ submitted a proposal for SCP-XXXX and SCP-XXXX-1 to be separated to prevent cloning. Proposal approved 3/17/15.)

Ms. Sweetie

Ms. Sweetie refers to a brand of snack foods (think Hostess and Little Debbie). Victims have no incentive to buy Ms. Sweetie products unless they have consumed some previously. When eaten, the victim immediately becomes addicted, despite no addictive ingredients being found in the product. Subjects are immediately subject to withdrawals, and wind up in a fit of panic until they buy more. It is unclear where they come from, they just show up in the delivery trucks. If other ingredients are mixed in, consumers will claim that they taste horrible and will not be addicted (it will not cure current addictions). The ingredients are simply listed as things like "Ms. Sweeties all natural mud cake mix" (brownies) and "Ms. Sweeties all natural meat blend" (Meat sticks). Viewers will not find this unusual, and it will always pass FDA regulations (despite not actually listing ingredients or nutrition facts.)

In addendum: Ms. Sweetie products were analyzed and were found to be made out of human materials (flesh for meat sticks, feces for brownies etc…. digging into the topics of stupid and not-funny preschool humor here.) Upon further DNA analysis, they were people who have recently been reported missing. Most were from [Data Redacted], Illinois. When sent to search for Ms. Sweetie, the agents disappeared between a latitude and longitude I haven't identified yet. Upon further analysis, Ms. Sweetie was determined to be somewhere in a forest near [Data Redacted], Illinois. The area was quarantined for a reason I'm still working out, and release of Ms. Sweetie products stopped for a period. Later they started up again, with victims disappearing from [Data Redacted] New Jersey. Upon exploration of the forest, a deserted cabin was found with various butchering tools and bakery equipment. A tag with the Little Misters list was also found. Whenever Ms. Sweetie's location is found, it is to be quarantined until further notice to prevent civilian disappearances.

Footnotes

1. cells that can change color.

2. an enzyme that inactivates kinin found in tissues and plasma. Used by ticks and other insects to prevent detection.