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2/5844 LEVEL 2/5844

CLASSIFIED

Item #: SCP-5844

A sample of fluid extracted from SCP-5844.

Special Containment Procedures: Civilian medical records are to be monitored for SCP-5844 symptoms. Upon confirmation of infection, the affected individual is to be covertly abducted by Foundation agents. Surgery to drain SCP-5844 abscesses is to occur. Following Incident 5844.1, this is to be performed entirely by autonomous surgical robots. At no point during the surgery may any individual enter the operating room.

Description: SCP-5844 is an idiopathic disease resulting in the development of large abscesses directly beneath the skin on the affected individual. The abscesses are anomalous in nature, with their interior dimensions being vastly larger than their exterior appearance would indicate.

The onset of SCP-5844 is noted by rigidity and discomfort in the upper back and neck. In particular, the fibres of the trapezius muscles will be tense to the touch. If pressure is applied, the muscles will undulate around the gathering collection of liquid in the abscess.

After a period of 4 to 6 days, the affected individual will develop a fever, and the abscesses will have emerged through the skin, with a width of approximately 3cm . The abscesses will continue to grow after this period, with the maximum width observed reaching 9.8cm.

The abscesses are filled with a black, viscous liquid which has yet to be identified. The liquid has a strong odour, described by those exposed as 'fetid' and 'putrid'. Preliminary analysis has indicated it is organic in nature, but research has been impeded by the liquid's memetic effects. Exposure to the liquid results in psychological disassociation, erratic behaviour, and the development of mysophobia.1 The effect is proportional to the level of exposure experienced.

ADDENDUM 001: INCIDENT 5844.1

Foreword: Containment procedures detected an advanced SCP-5844 infection afflicting John Straker, 32 years old, residing in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Under the cover of a surgical procedure at a local hospital, Straker was abducted by Foundation agents and transported to Site-81.

There, for the purposes of research and containment, Site surgeon Dr Miles Cartwright, assisted by Dr Abigail Gardner, conducted surgery to drain the abscesses on a sedated Straker. Their work was observed by Dr Pham Văn Danh, a junior member of the medical team.

One of the abscesses afflicting John Straker when he presented to civilian medical services. The abscess would go on to triple in size. (Hover to view).

(Gardner and Cartwright are stationed in the operating theatre, equipped with standard issue positive pressure personnel suits. The theatre has been placed under normal quarantine protocol for investigatory surgeries, with the airlock doors hermetically sealed. Pham watches the procedure from an observation room above the theatre.)

(Straker lies, anesthetised, on the operating table, his back exposed. Large, black abscesses protrude through his skin.)

Cartwright: This should — should — be a relatively straightforward incision and drainage procedure. Ten blade please. If you have any thoughts or questions, Dr Pham, please do speak up!

(Gardner passes Cartwright the scalpel, who proceeds to make a straight laceration across an abscess. A jet of black, viscous fluid begins to spray, at high velocity, from within. It splatters against the observation windows - Dr Pham makes a noise of revulsion.)

Cartwright: Ugh, the stench of it. Apologies! I insist I wasn't aiming for you.

(Pham responds over intercom, as he moves position to obtain a better view.)

Pham: Having seen your performance on the firing range, I'm quite aware of that.

(Cartwright laughs, before moving on to excise a second abscess. The first is still gushing, and the second opens up with the same ferocity. The liquid runs down the walls, flowing away via drainage grates in the floor).

Gardner: This is… this is something else. [She retches.] I can smell this from inside my suit.

(Both open abscesses are still in the process of draining, as Cartwright readies his scalpel again.)

Pham: Dr Cartwright, why don't you slow-

(Cartwright cuts. The jet of resulting liquid hits the front of Gardner's suit - she retches again).

Gardner: Ugh! I can't wait to get clean after this.

(By this point, an estimated 200L of fluid has been emitted from the abscesses. The drainage grates in the floor begin to back up.)

Pham: You need to slow down the rate of incisions. Look at the floor!

(Cartwright turns to face Pham. A sloshing noise is made by his legs displacing the growing layer of fluid.)

Cartwright: If we delay there's a chance the putrid rot will regenerate before removed. I'm continuing.

Pham: But-

Cartwright: I am your superior. I will not let the infection spread. I am continuing.

Gardner: He's right. We need to cut it out.

(Cartwright produces to cut open another five abscesses. By the time he is finished, the fluid is knee deep, but the first abscess opened has stopped leaking.)

Gardner: It needs to be all cut out. Even if we drown.

(Pham stands and runs to the emergency phone at the other side of the observation room.)

Pham: I have an urgent Maintenance request - the drainage in Operating Theatre 4 isn't functioning, I need it investigated ASAP.

(Cartwright walks round the table to the first abscess opened. Gardner begins to hyperventilate.)

Cartwright: The abyss is ready for drainage.

Gardner: What did you say? I, I can't concentrate, I can't-

Cartwright: Be quiet and come drain the abscess!

(Gardner wades through the liquid, now up to the doctors' waist, and proceeds to drain the remaining liquid from the abscess. Dr Cartwright cuts open the final abscesses, and stands back from the table. He retches, producing a small amount of vomit that hits the front of his suit).

Cartwright: We wade through the filth to make it clean. We will purify.

(Gardner gasps, dropping the drainage pipe into the liquid. She does not appear to notice. She crouches down to the operating table, and prods the abscess with her left index finger. She proceeds to insert the finger into the abscess, followed by her middle finger, followed by her whole fist.)

Gardner: Oh god. We… we need to make sure this is all gone. I can feel the rot. Feel it. Look at these wounds!

(Dr. Cartwright stares down into the opaque liquid.)

Cartwright: I'm looking at them. I'm looking and I agree wholeheartedly with you. It is devouring us.

Gardner: It is devouring us.

Pham: [Through phone.] I don't care what's happening in the East Wing! I need Maintenance here right now!

Cartwright: This all needs to come out. All of it. The infection can't be allowed to resurge. Gardner, bone saw please.

Gardner: Make us clean again.

(Pham puts down the radio, and diverts his attention back to the operating theatre. The fluid is now mid-torso high. Several abscesses sporadically spurt out their remaining liquid. One continues to flow at full force. Gardner and Cartwright's protective suits are covered in fluid, which they sporadically wipe from their face panels. The liquid's height results in it lapping at the operating table.)

Pham: Christ! You need to stop operating immediately and elevate the patient! Their face is centimetres from submersion! Why… what are you doing with the saw?

Cartwright: We have to cut deep to be clean. The abyss will swallow us all, if we do not excise it first.

(Cartwright places the saw against Straker's neck. Pham stands up, and exits the observation room at a sprint. The patient's face is now submerged in the black fluid. For a time, air bubbles emerge from the liquid, before ceasing).

Gardner: I think it's in my suit.

(Cartwright pulls back the saw. Blood spurts across the room, coming to rest on top of the black fluid. The liquids do not mix.)

Gardner: I know it's in my suit. When I touched the abyss it touched me too. It can see me.

(Gardner vomits. Cartwright's hand begins to shake as he continues sawing. Soon, Straker is decapitated. His head rolls off the operating table, and floats atop the liquid. Dr Gardner begins to scream.)

Gardner: It's got me, Miles, it's got me! You've got to help me, cleanse me too. Oh god please cleanse me too!

(Cartwright makes his way to the instrument tray, now floating on the liquid. He picks up an electric oscillating saw.)

Cartwright: Hold out your arms. There is still time to save you.

Gardner: Take the rot, please get the rot away from me!

(A noise is heard from the airlock to the theatre. Cartwright walks over to Gardner, his whole body experiencing tremors. He pauses, looks down at the liquid, and begins to weep. After a brief delay, Gardner joins him in this.)

Cartwright: It never really goes away though, does it? The rot's inside. It's only rot inside. Human DNA mixed with rancid regret.

Gardner: Please. Take it away from me, please.

(As Gardner holds out both arms in front of her, a noise comes from the airlock door. Pham, wearing a pressure suit, is attempting to bypass the quarantine procedure and open the door. Gardner's crying turns into wailing.)

Cartwright: No! I won't let you rob me of this!

(Cartwright turns on the saw and haphazardly plunges it into his suit. He moves it downwards, creating a vertical slit. Pham has entered into the airlock.)

Cartwright: I surrender myself. Unsoil me. Unstain me. Unsully me.

(The interior door starts to open, causing fluid to flow into the airlock. Cartwright begins to kneel down.)

Cartwright: Purify.

(The liquid flows into Cartwright's suit. As he moves lower, it can be seen rising up the suit, obfuscating his face.)

Cartwright: Thank you.

(Cartwright vanishes into the liquid.)

(Pham enters the theatre, and wades across the room. He grabs Gardner, and begins to drag her to the airlock. She flails against him.)

Gardner: You have no right to take this from me!

(Gardner kicks out, hitting the surgical table. Straker's decapitated body falls into the liquid.)

Gardner: I can't exist like this, I can smell my putrid insides, I need to be cleansed! I'm tainted!

(Pham shoves Gardner into the airlock, as he closes the door behind them, she tries to scramble over him back into the theatre.)

Gardner: Please let me be cleansed!

Afterword: Upon exiting the theatre, Pham sedated Gardner and took her for medical attention, alerting security to the situation. Upon regaining consciousness several days later, she had no recollection of the incident. She is currently undergoing psychiatric treatment. For Pham's actions, which saved the life of Dr Gardner, Dr Pham was offered the opportunity to transfer from his medical team training pathway to field assignments. This offer was accepted.

Following the complete drainage of the SCP-5844 liquid, Site security entered the operating theatre. The cause of the drainage system's malfunction has yet to be discovered.

Dr Cartwright's suit was discovered, empty, on the floor of the theatre. His whereabouts, and that of Straker's corpse, are currently unknown.

Footnotes

1. A fear of infection and contamination.