Item #: SCP-XXXX
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures:
Subjects affected by SCP-XXXX are to be kept on Site ███. Containment cells need to be catered to the current subject's reaction to Stage 5, but otherwise should be a typical 5mx5m humanoid containment cell. Once the subject has succumb to the affects of the anomaly, their remains are to be kept for research purposes. However, if the subject is of particular note remains may need to returned to the public to stay in line with cover stories (Refer to Document C-412 for exact protocol).
Once the current subject either succumbs to the anomaly or expires otherwise, Mobile Task Force Omega-12 ("Evil Eye") has been assigned to determine and capture the next affected individual, using protocols outlined within Document C-412, beginning with highly affluent individuals and working down to the general population.
Description:
SCP-XXXX is in reference to an anomaly that currently affects a middle eastern man, SCP-XXX-545. SCP-XXXX-545 was a factory worker in ████████, under the employ of ████. Due to the obscurity of 545's position, they weren't taken into Foundation custody until 3 months after the previous subject's termination, 545 being in the 6th stage of development.
SCP-XXXX is a progressive anomaly, that changes how it affects individuals over the course of several stages, which are detailed below. The timings detailed are approximate, except within Stage 5, which is always a period of exactly 30 days. It is unknown why there are discrepancies in exactly how long other stages last, when the fifth stage is always exact. Additionally, SCP-XXXX only affects a single person at a time, moving to another subject once the previous subject expires. However, testing has shown that if the subject is purposefully terminated, the next subject is found within the same stage of development as the last subject, proceeding through the stages as the previous subject would have.
The stages of the anomaly are as follows:
Length: 1 week
Symptoms: The subject experiences heightened paranoia, and an increasing sense of dread. Most subjects attest that this paranoia is sudden and without a specific cause. Treatment via known medicinal or recreational methods available to the public have proven ineffective.
Additional Notes: Tests surrounding this stage is limited, as acquisition of subjects during this stage is extremely rare, as the affects are too mild to be reliably found within the general populace.
Length: 3 weeks.
Symptoms: The subject continues to feel paranoia and dread, however rather than being a general feeling, the subject begins specifically to fear their own mortality. They'll avoid even marginally dangerous situations, and will act extremely defensively, assuming that others intend to harm them.
Additional Notes: Any interaction with subjects in this stage should be done remotely, as the presence of others cause them extreme distress, even when presented with overwhelming evidence that the individual does not mean them harm.
Most subjects are found within this stage, with family members or friends reporting their condition to local medical institutions. However, in parts of the world that lack psychiatric infrastructure or have cultural limitations that prevent the reporting of psychological conditions, the subject may be found in much later stages.
Length: 1-2 weeks.
Symptoms: The subject becomes completely unresponsive to outside stimulus. The subject's brain activity drops to only autonomic processes, keeping the subject barely alive. Notably however, there are occasional spikes in activity, although the subject does not outwardly display the change. These spikes are typically located within the sections of the brain that control the "Flight or Fight" response, as well as those associated with creating feelings of fear.
Additional Notes: No testing has been able to relieve the affects of this stage, nor establish communications with the subject. The use of SCP-████ to attempt establish a connection resulted in [DATA REDACTED], resulting in the termination of the subject via gunshot. The subsequent subject affected by SCP-XXXX was found catatonic, even though they were located only 4 days after the previous subject's death. 5 days later, this subject continued on to the 4th stage of SCP-XXXX, in time with the previous subject's progression.
Further testing surrounding the apparent cyclic nature of XXXX is warranted. However, due to its unpredictable nature, as well as the guaranteed death of infected individuals, purposeful preemptive termination of affected subjects is inadvisable for practical and moral reasoning. ~ Dr. █████
Length: 2 weeks.
Symptoms: The subject recovers from their catatonic state within Stage 3. Psychological evaluation of subjects during this stage have revealed a near complete reversal to their previous personality, with the exception of their response to stressful situations. All subjects exhibit aggressive or neutral responses to danger, with extended testing revealing that the sections of their brain responsible for fear being atrophied. This causes additional complications in 73% of subjects, ranging from occasional bloody noses and headaches to frequent seizures. However, even subjects that exhibit seizures and extreme internal hemorrhaging do not expire from their symptoms.
Additional Notes: The subject can still expire otherwise, either via natural causes or suicide.
Interestingly, this atrophy isn't attributed to SCP-XXXX's anomalous properties, and rather is simply a desensitization to the feeling of fear caused by the activities spikes within Stage 3. However, the subject's survival through the symptoms caused by the atrophy is anomalous.
Length: 1 month.
Symptoms: The subject exhibits increasing interest in objects, organisms, or situations that would have previously caused them fear. Accounts from relatives close to subjects confirm that those affected prioritize personal fears or phobias, and the stronger the fear the stronger the attraction. For example, those who exhibited arachnophobia will actively seek out arachnids and information surrounding arachnids, specifically particularly aggressive and poisonous species, becoming increasingly infatuated with them. This can be detrimental to their continued health, such as previously hydrophobic subjects drowning themselves, previously acrophobic subjects attempting to throw themselves off high objects, etc. As the month progresses, the subject will more aggressively pursue their interests, starting off with only infrequent requests for materials or to be placed in applicable situations, and ending the 30 day period enable to hold conversations on anything other than - and aggressive attempts at getting closer to anything pertaining to - their obsession.
Additional Notes: This behavior continues regardless of any determent. Tests have shown that subjects later into this stage will maim or kill themselves or others in an attempt to pursue their previous phobia. Attempts to artificially induce fear in subjects has been completely unsuccessful, and the use of other SCPs to anomalously heal and repair a subject's brain [DATA REDACTED] resulting in the death of 12 site researchers, although the subject was later subdued and continued into the 6th stage normally.
Additionally, it is found that when a subject that is purposefully terminated before this stage, the next subject will develop an interesting in the previous subject's fears, rather than their own personal phobias.
All testing involving the use of other SCPs to affect the development of SCP-XXXX is hereby prohibited, and any researcher who attempts to continue with such testing will be demoted and moved to another site ~ O5-█
Maximum Length: Unknown.
Average Length: 1 month.
Symptoms: Once Stage 5 has passed, the subject immediately begins drawing symbols. Subjects can not be restrained during this stage. All attempts at doing so have resulted in the subject ripping themselves out of their restraints, with more comprehensive methods leading to more fatal results. For example, a subject was bound such that they were completely unable to move, and the subject's heart rate began to rapidly rise as they struggled against the restraints, eventually resulting in cardiac arrest.
Subjects not given writing materials will instead use their own bodily fluids to write on any flat surface, using their own body if necessary. Every subject has drawn the exact same symbols in the exact same order, the largest number of symbols written by a subject being ███████. With each symbol the subject's skin becomes increasingly soft and malleable, eventually becoming liquidated. Every ███ symbols, the subject's body undergoes a dramatic physical transformation. Some examples include the sprouting of bat like wings once the ███th symbol is drawn, or the growth of additional arms once the ████st symbol is drawn.
Symbols drawn by the subject during this stage induce extreme amounts of paranoia and fear in those who view them unaltered, even through photographs or remote surveillance. Extended exposure of more than an hour has caused mental break downs and long lasting psychological damage in 93% of those who have been exposed to them. No test subjects have been unaffected by the symbols, and have all explained the sudden paranoia as surrounding their own "insignificance" in the world, even those who previously displayed narcissistic tendencies.
The SCP-XXXX subjects conversely are not affected in this manner by their own symbols, nor the symbols drawn by other SCP-XXXX subjects. Rather, subjects begin experiencing euphoria and elation in association with the symbols. This has caused all subjects to forgo self preservation, ceasing any attempts to eat, drink, or sleep. Subjects are only kept alive during this stage for extended periods via force feeding and IV insertion, although all subjects have eventually succumb to exhaustion. The length of this period is seemingly only determined by the subject's ability to stave off exhaustion, and it is unknown if a 7th stage exists or not.
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