Item #: SCP-3617

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: MTF-Phi-Eolh ("Provident Trawlers") are currently tasked with locating and amnesticising SCP-3617-1 instances (or remanding them to Foundation custody if initial SCP-3617 expulsion has not yet occured), and suppressing public knowledge of SCP-3617. Research into a method of terminating bonded or developing SCP-3617 instances is currently a low-level priority.

As SCP-3617 infection is relatively benign once initial infection passes, no continual monitoring of affected subjects is required. Ethics Committee involvement is expected to be minimal, as is normal for such anomalies.

Description: SCP-3617 are small, semi-insectoid creatures composed from various types of human body tissue. Instances usually range in length from 2 cm to 14 metres (in the case of instances composed of nerve fibres, blood vessels, or intestinal tract), with an average weight of around 0.1 kilograms. SCP-3617 may contain partially developed tissue structures or miniature versions of functional organs, but these have universally appeared dormant or otherwise unnecessary to the organism's survival — how SCP-3617 are able to survive without any working internal organ system or systems is currently unknown.

SCP-3617 are parasitic in nature, and can survive between three and seven days outside a host body. When deprived of a host, instances will become increasingly violent, but have been unable to cause major harm due to their diminutive size and lack of significant speed or strength.

If allowed access to a host subject (humans appear highly preferable, but many other primates will give similar results), SCP-3617 will attach themselves to any exposed skin, and begin to fuse with the host's body. From this point onward, the host subject will be considered an instance of SCP-3617-1. Once attached, an abnormal hormone will be released into the subject's system, causing rapid shrinkage of major organs, and the development of tumorous growths in the resulting space. While such a change would normally be fatal, no subjects have yet been observed to expire during this process. Tissue not directly connected to these tumours will often experience premature decay and early-onset necrosis — this poses no long-lasting harm and is considered normal. The growths produced within SCP-3617-1 instances will act as a basis for the formation of new SCP-3617 instances, which will usually be expelled via natural or artificial orifices three to six weeks after development.

This process has been non-fatal (presumably as a secondary 'life-prolonging' effect of SCP-3617) in 100% of cases. Following the expulsion of SCP-3617 instances, any exit wounds will heal, organs will return to normal, necrotic tissue will revert to a normal form and no further biological abnormalities will be observed.

Addendum.1: The following is a highly abridged list of the patient records of SCP-3617-1 instances:

► Show Patient Record 3617-023

◄ Hide Patient Record 3617-023

Patient #: P-3617-023

Patient Name: Violet Whittaker

Time in Foundation custody: 3 weeks, 12/06/2002 to 03/07/2002

Nature of Infection: Patient was infected by SCP-3617 some two weeks before apprehension, complaining of chest pains and near-constant nausea. Patient claimed to be able to feel the movement of SCP-3617 instances within her system; whether this was a genuine sensation or merely psychosomatic is unconfirmed.

After fifteen days in the Site-54 civilian infirmary, two SCP-3617 were expelled from the patient — one from the mouth, and one from an opening in the right armpit. Instances (designated SCP-3617-023-1 and -2 respectively) were hexapedal, ~3 cm in length, and consisted of muscular tissue lined with hair and bands of cartilage, with a number of capillary networks crossing the organism's underside.

Additional Details: Instances were terminated according to containment procedures following a reversion of symptoms and the patient's return to normal. After a comprehensive medical check revealed no abnormalities, the patient was amnesticised and released back into the civilian population.

► Show Patient Record 3617-059

◄ Hide Patient Record 3617-059

Patient #: P-3617-059

Patient Name: █████ █████████, formerly D-003240.

Time in Foundation custody: 20/04/1998 to 01/01/2009

Nature of Infection: Patient began to develop symptoms of SCP-3617 infection after volunteering for extended high-risk janitorial duties in the Site-54 infirmary as part of the Foundation's experimental Eurydice Programme. 42 days after initial reports, numerous (>200) SCP-3617 instances began to be expelled from every orifice. Instances appeared to consist of individual, quadrupedal teeth, with mucus-producing tissue on the rear surface (the 'root' of the tooth). Staff were understandably unable to terminate all instances, and the Site was quarantined for 15 days following the event.

Additional Details: All physiological and psychological qualities returned to normal within 3 days. The patient was deemed to have fulfilled the requirements of the Eurydice Programme, and was released into the civilian population after heavy amnesticisation and memory-realignment.

► Show Patient Record 3617-138

◄ Hide Patient Record 3617-138

Patient #: P-3617-059

Patient Name: Nicholas Peters

Time in Foundation custody: Four days, 14/11/2012 to 18/11/2012

Nature of Infection: Patient had recovered from SCP-3617 infection prior to apprehension, and so detailed reports are unavailable. Eyewitnesses report a single SCP-3617 instance emerged from the subject's abdomen, several metres in length, covered with raised areas of ocular tissue and irregularly spaced teeth. The instance apparently possessed numerous legs, similar in appearance to the skeletal structure of human fingers.

Additional Details: An interview was conducted with the subject, in which they described the effects of SCP-3617 infection. An extract from said interview is included below.

Researcher Doyle: So, we have reports you were infected prior to our, ah, involvement?

P-3617-059: If that's what you want to call it, yes.

Researcher Doyle: Can you describe the sensations you experience while under the effects of the creatures?

P-3617-059: Sure. It wasn't pleasant. I felt sick pretty much all the time, and near the end of it I had trouble breathing.

Researcher Doyle: I see.

P-3617-059: The worst part, I think, was feeling it inside me. I'm not one to jump at every little twinge, but it wasn't nice. I could feel it sort of rubbing up against my ribs whenever I moved my chest. Subject gestures with their right hand. Sort of around there.

Researcher Doyle: Alright, that'll do for now. We'll get a full examination and discharge you in a few days time, provided there's not a resurgence of symptoms. How are you feeling now, if I may ask?

P-3617-059: Pretty much… normal, I think. Yeah. Nothing special, nothing to complain about. Must be whatever drugs you've got me on1. I don't think I've ever felt this uninteresting. In a good way, of course.

Researcher Doyle: Good to know, thank you. Take care, and the nurse will be round shortly.

P-3617-059: You too.

<End log>

Three days following this interview, with no signs of any further anomalous activity, P-3617-059 was amnesticised and released back into the civilian population.

Addendum.2: Incident 3617-BASKING: On 03/12/2019, Patient 3617-354 (Mr. Johan Auerbach) was undergoing amnestic treatment following an SCP-3617 infection when a partially assembled Conceptual Restabiliser malfunctioned. The following document is a notice issued by Site Director Tarrow shortly thereafter.

From: Site Director Imogen Tarrow

To: Site-54 Personnel, Metaphysical Department personnel, General Archive personnel, O5-1, O5-2, and [11] more…

Subject: Incident-3617-BASKING, and the events therein

As many of you are no-doubt aware, Site-54 acts as one of the Foundation's largest civilian infirmaries, and is therefore considered the central research hub for SCP-3617. Additionally, the east wing of the Site is designated primarily for investigations into metaphysical manipulation — in layman's terms, the application and removal of specific concepts from objects and entities. Until today, it was never expected that the two purposes would intersect — SCP-3617 was, for all intents and purposes, a standard biological anomaly.

Today, however, the first test of our Conceptual Restabiliser (intended to revert abnormal changes in abstract qualities) coincided with the treatment of one Johan Auerbach, an instance of SCP-3617-1. We expected a null result from the device; all documented metaphysical anomalies are stored at other sites, far from the range of effect. Full documentation on the event is available from the archives, but the crux of the issue is that an abnormal application of Concept C-000908 (NORMALITY) was detected and reverted. Specifically, with regards to Mr. Auerbach and the SCP-3617 instances within. How SCP-3617's conceptually-manipulative qualities have flown under the radar for so long is concerning, and most likely to do with the nature of 'normality' as we define it, and the general consideration of metaphysics as an esoteric study even by our warped standards.

We're currently performing the same reversion on the concept of SCP-3617 as a whole, so we should be able to sort the issue out within a few days, providing everything goes smoothly.

Following the incident, it was revealed that the Mr. Auerbach had not, in fact, recovered from infection, and in actuality contained several dozen more SCP-3617 instances, of various sizes and compositions. Large quantities of necrotic flesh were reported on the face, lower torso, and extremities, and the patient appeared to be in great distress and pain, repeatedly asking for assistance and questioning the lack of response from surrounding personnel.

Following an impromptu decision by Ethics Committee staff, and the patient's own request, Mr. Auerbach was terminated, and SCP-3617 was upgraded to Keter class. Containment procedures will be updated accordingly, referring to the need to terminate all previously suspected SCP-3617 instances, and the presently unknown (possibly global) reach of infection.

Addendum.3: Update (04/12/2019): The Conceptual Restabiliser responsible for the triggering of Incident-3617-BASKING malfunctioned due to design imperfections, and several involved personnel underwent variable construct emesis and expired. The proposed changes to SCP-3617's object class and containment procedures have been denied, due to a lack of evidence for the cited effects and the disbelief of all persons involved that such events ever actually occurred. All staff questioned about the incident report 01/12/2019 as a normal work-day.

Investigations were made into the contents of the Site-54 morgue, revealing entirely normal contents. No abnormalities were detected in Mr. Auerbach's remains, and all changes in physiology were deemed normal for SCP-3617-1 instances. Their corpse has since been amnesticised and released back into the civilian population.

Footnotes

1. It is worth noting that the patient was not, nor has ever been, on any kind of Foundation-administered medication other than standard painkillers.