Sample of brickwork taken from point of origin.

fig 2: Sample of roof tiles taken from point of origin.

Item #: SCP-2962

Object Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: The point of origin and all surrounding buildings within a 200 meter radius have been purchased under a compulsory acquisition order. These are now being monitored for anomalous activity by MTF Delta-29 ("Apostates").

Containment units, research equipment, thermal treatment equipment and assigned personnel must be monitored on an ongoing basis.

*All non-test instances must be disposed of using high temperature waste treatment protocols.

*Test locations must be capable of automated site-wide particulate scrubbing.

*Neutralised particulate material must be stored in off-site facilities, which must also meet the above particulate scrubbing criteria.

Description: SCP-2962 is a super-aggressive form of carcinoma characterised by its ability to transfer to organic and inorganic external systems. Current testing suggests that physical proximity is required, although actual physical contact is not.

The onset speed and severity of SCP-2962 in new instances is proportionate to the number and stage of affected SCP-2962 instances nearby. Death or cessation of the host system does not affect the viability of the SCP-2962 instance, which will continue to replicate regardless (see Test Log SCP-2962-746-AE).

Due to the aggressive nature of SCP-29621 traditional treatments of organic instances (such as radiotherapy) are ineffective. Whilst palliative care is possible under certain circumstances, this should only be considered where immediate thermal treatment is undesirable or impossible.

+ Test Log: SCP-2962-746-AE

- Test Log:** SCP-2962-746-AE

Subject: SCP-2962-D-8746

Scenario: Subject (adult male, 25 y.o.a, 85 kg) sedated via intravenous drip, and placed on bed in containment unit. Anomalous material (designated SCP-2962-A1) placed on subject's torso. Times are in format hh:mm

Expected Result: N/A

Actual Result:

+00:01 Test commences.

+01:13 Subject's torso (in direct contact with SCP-2962-A1) shows signs of discoloration and lesions.

+02:27 Subject's torso shows signs of abnormal cell growth. Remote MRI scanning returns results consistent with early stage melanoma.

+03:33 SCP-2962 melanoma shows signs of supermetastasis and invasion of subject's torso. Remote MRI scanning indicates a mass of new cell growth in subject's abdomen around location of SCP-2962-A1 and twelve probable new metastatic sites in chest, arms, legs, lungs and pancreas.

+04:56 Subject has difficulty breathing. New metastatic sites in all parts of body. Weight now 89 kg.

+05:12 Delivery of sedative via cannula in subject's left hand ceases. Remote viewing of equipment shows syringe, drip tubing and electronics are compromised and no longer able to transfer fluid.

+05:28 Subject shows signs of distress. Further gaseous sedatives delivered. Subject's visible body area is 69% tumorous.

+05:37 Subject deceased. Weight now 98 kg.

+06:15 Weight now 109 kg. No further weight monitoring possible

+06:49 Mattress and bedding show signs of degradation.

+07:09 Bedframe shows signs of asymmetrical growth.

+07:26 Left leg at foot of bed buckles. Remote MRI self-diagnostics report five separate small scale faults.

+08:15 Tumours on deceased's right arm are visibly merged with similar growths on bedframe.

+08:16 Remote MRI self-diagnostics report three critical faults.

+08:21 Remote MRI is non-functional. Floor tiles beneath bed and wall immediately behind bed show signs of growth.

+08:22 Test terminated. Thermal treatment commences. 1 of the 5 in-unit incineration burners fails to ignite.

+08:57 Thermal treatment ceases with removal of oxygen from unit. Containment chamber is locked down for 72 hours to allow ash to settle.

+09:12 External structural degradation of test chamber door identified.

+14:47 Numerous electrical faults picked up throughout Site. No test log data after this point.

Discovery Addendum: The anomaly was identified at a residential property in Bedford, UK, following the deaths of its two tenants in July 2015. Routine checks by local authorities highlighted various structural defects, including apparently random formations of mortar and brickwork increasing in size and quantity over time, and Foundation research analysts were requested to survey the location the same month.

+ Exploration Audio Log 2014-07-21 (excerpts)

- Exploration Audio Log 2014-07-21 (excerpts)

Author: David Hulme

00:00:03

DH: For the log: Purpose of visit: Obtain samples of brickwork, assess the staircase/second floor landing and explore same if possible. Present are myself, Dr Jane Adams and four building maintenance operatives.

00:00:28

DH: Log: Initial Observations: Front door jams in frame, there is a large protuberance of brickwork on the inside preventing its opening. For the benefit of the log, the door is being removed by building team. Parts of exterior walls show obvious and progressive malformation - taking photograph [edit by David Hulme: see Fig 1]

JA: Not good.

00:03:45

DH: Thanks guys… Log: Hallway: Chandelier light is hanging at an angle and the rose has a "bubbling" appearance. Plaster has fallen from most wall surfaces and the underlying bricks are showing signs of distortion. Temperature, humidity, magnetism, light, pressure and radiation levels are all within sub-anomalous ranges.

JA: I've never seen anything like this before. The required reading didn't mention it was this bad.

DH: It wasn't. It didn't look like this three weeks ago.

00:05:21

DH: Log: Front room: Shows a marked and obvious progression of phenomena since previous visit. Fireplace is now completely closed off with a growth of brick originating from the interior of the chimney breast. Ceiling bulge noted in previous report is now two meters wide and hangs 25cm into room. Ceiling plaster has a non-uniform, degenerated appearance. Temperature, humidity, magnetism, pressure, light and radiation levels are all within sub-anomalous ranges.

00:12:13

DH: Log: Other downstairs rooms show similar signs of progression. Kitchen is completely closed off by outgrowths in floor and ceiling around doorway.

00:19:56

DH: Log: First floor. Growths on bathroom wall as noted in initial report have pushed bath further out of alignment and plumbing is no longer viable. Same is leaking into room and may be the cause of the running water in the kitchen, which is directly below. THMPLR levels are all within sub-anomalous ranges.

JA: [Extraneous details removed] Whatever is making it grow, it's not stopping.

DH: Hmm… Log: Bath side panel removed to reveal cold water pipe, which is heavily malformed with what appears to be an excess growth of copper. This has merged - if that's the right term - with the floorboards under the bath and these too show signs of swelling. Taking samples.

JA: Let me see that… Well, there's the metastasis and invasion of tissue. The way the copper growths are growing into the floorboards… Do you remember that house in Luton?

DH: «laughter» The Vagina House? Christ, yes. With the Womb-Kitchen. That was my first genuine anomaly. Wonder how the extension's getting on?

JA: Mother and baby are doing fine, apparently. That had a strange calm about it. This place, not so much.

DH: I know. Let's crack on.

00:26:34

DH: Log: First floor bedrooms: both show signs of progressive, ongoing growth. Second bedroom cannot be accessed. External window can just be seen. This is skewed approximately 17 degrees vertically out of true. Glass has broken in windows. Broken glass on floor shows same signs of asymmetrical growth, as does wood in window frames. THMPLR levels are all within sub-anomalous ranges.

JA: Limitless replicative potential. Does the mortar constitute a form of angiogenesis, I wonder? Assuming the role of blood vessels?

DH: Christ, I don't want to think about that now.

00:34:09

DH: Log: Second floor stairs and landing. Situation has worsened; brick growths now extend down the full length of the stairs. Sections of the handrail (those that are visible before becoming engulfed in the mass of bricks and mortar higher up) show similar growths and malformations. Taking samples. THMPLR levels are all within sub-anomalous ranges.

JA: Have you seen enough?

DH: I think so, for now. For the benefit of the log: myself and Dr Adams are leaving the property. I'll get the building guys to secure the place. Let's get out of here.

Samples taken at the scene displayed carcinoma-like characteristics2 and the property was subsequently diagnosed with malignant inorganic para-neoplasm.

Update 2015-08-12:

The root cause has been traced to a photograph (SCP-2962-A05) of the deceased tenants taken at a social function, discovered in the master bedroom at the point of origin. Said photograph displayed warping and "bubbling," with a grossly asymmetrical metal frame; the photographic distortion was worst at, and originated from, the male's chest. Photographic paper in that area showed significant degradation.

Exhumation of the body revealed no anomalous properties; likewise apart from the SCP-2962 phenomena, no items at the property were found to be anomalous. Attempts to understand the anomaly therefore focus on locating the camera that was used to take the photograph, the photographer, plus a number of other individuals within it.

Urgent investigations as to the current location of these (by MTF Theta-51 ("Swarm-Cell")) are ongoing.

Footnotes

1. Tested against a population size of 138: 2.5 hour survival rate is 89%; 5 hour survival rate is 61%; 10 hour survival rate is 33%; 20 hour survival rate is zero. Rates decrease proportionally when instances are not in isolation.

2. Growth signalling self-sufficiency, anti-growth signal insensitivity, apoptosis evasion, infinite replicative potential, induction/sustainment of angiogenesis, metastasis and, in the case of one D-class operative, tissue invasion.