SCP-8935 - Tokophobia: The Virgin Birth

Description to come.

Image Credits

thehole.png - public domain.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wilhelm_Walther,_B%C3%BCro,_Gitta,_1-105-106-7949.tif

All image edits were made by me, djkaktus.

Item#: 8935

Containment Class: keter

Secondary Class: {$secondary-class}

Disruption Class: ekhi

Risk Class: danger

Entry point of the Tanny Mine near Woods Holler, West Virginia, United States.

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-8935 is currently contained through application of Protocol H-1502. A ritual liaison dispatched by Site-46 must be on-site at all times to ensure proper administration of the aforementioned protocol. Failure to do so has invariably led to breach of containment.

The primary tenets of Protocol H-1502 are as follows:

Under no circumstances are any persons to enter the Tanny Mine. Crossing the threshold of the Tanny Mine without an instance of SCP-8935-A will result in significant geological upsets, the severity of which could threaten the entrypoint of the mine. The entrypoint of the mine must be maintained.

In order to maintain a stock of potential SCP-8935-A candidates within Woods Holler, Foundation assets embedded within the local clergy and town administration must maintain a strict cultural taboo regarding human sexual intercourse, especially in all persons capable of bearing offspring.

No persons capable of bearing children beneath the age of 32 are to be permitted to engage in sexual intercourse of any kind. Persons found to have broken this taboo are to be removed from Woods Holler and remanded to Site-46 for evaluation prior to application of amnestics and reintegration.

In order to strengthen the aforementioned taboo, persons who break the imposed taboo and removed from Woods Holler are to be given a cover story indicating they have been moved to a local parish to redeem themselves of their transgressions through severe physical and psychological punishment. As no person removed from Woods Holler is permitted to return, this has thusfar been a sufficient deterrent to the behaviours in question.

On the night of the birth of an instance of SCP-8935-B, the SCP-8935-A instance who birthed the former is to carry the newborn to the entrance of the Tanny Mine. Foundation assets are permitted to assist the childbearer in getting to the entrance of the mine, but only SCP-8935-A instances are to cross over the threshold and enter the mine.

Once inside, the -A instance is to unlock the door on the far side of the threshold chamber and leave it ajar, and then leave the -B instance laying in front of the door. They must immediately vacate the threshold chamber and return to the entrance. Once the -B instance has been claimed, the door within the mine must be locked again by the childbearer, who is then free to return to Woods Holler.

In the event that this protocol is disrupted in some way, in order to prevent a full-scale breach of containment, a substitute instance of SCP-8935-B can be produced. This fallback protocol can be found in Document 8935.H1502.Addendum-1 (located on the Site-46 fileserver) and involves acquiring a non-anomalous newborn human1 and making alterations to it in order to mimic the shape, texture, smell, and sounds of SCP-8935-B instances. This process may only be carried out by trained Foundation agents familiar with the specific requirements of the protocol and who have undergone extensive analysis to ensure mental and emotional stability throughout. These individuals are permitted access to Class M amnestics upon completion of their task.

In the event that neither the H-1502 protocol or its fallback are acceptably carried out within the allotted timeframe, SCP-8935-C will breach containment. There is currently no known method by which to recontain SCP-8935-C; the entity cannot be physically harmed in any way, is incapable of being restrained, and is inimical to human life on sight. Breaches of containment will last 144 hours2, after which SCP-8935-C will return to Tanny Mine.

Breaches of containment endanger all human life within a roughly 100km radius of the Tanny Mine, with the exception of the town of Woods Holler itself. Efforts by Foundation assets to limit human development within this radius has mitigated immediate danger by eliminating the closest settlements, but larger populations centers near Morgantown, West Virginia, remain at risk.

Description: SCP-8935 is the group designation for a hostile anomalous entity inhabiting the Tanny Mine near Woods Holler, West Virginia, USA, and the specific personnel affected by its cyclical period of ritualistic activity:

SCP-8935-A is an individual - both capable of bearing children and who has not engaged in any sexual intercourse in their life - who experiences sudden and unexpected human parthenogenesis3 at the beginning of the ritual activity period. This individual always appears within the population of Woods Holler, West Virginia, and has traditionally been a childbearing person between the ages of 16 and 32 - very few examples exist of affected persons being older or younger, and only if no other appropriate candidates exist. SCP-8935-A instances become aware of their involvement in the ritual by way of a unusually severe vaginal discharge outside of their normal cycle of menstruation that signals the beginning of the activation period.

The gestation that follows is typically abbreviated; the longest on record lasted 23 weeks, while the shortest lasted only 17 - the average being 21 weeks. SCP-8935-A instances experience a variety of anomalous symptoms during their pregnancy, including vivid dreams and hallucinations, excessive strain on the body outside of what is normal for human pregnancies, aversion to electric lighting, and an ever-increasing tokophobia that often compels affected persons to attempt to disembowl themselves to remove the instance of SCP-8935-B growing within them.

The majority of instances of SCP-8935-A are able to carry their SCP-8935-B instance to term and deliver it without excessive injury, though nearly all subjects experience gross mental trauma from the ordeal. This trauma can be mitigated somewhat with more severe amnestics regimens, but this sort of therapy often results in other lasting damage, especially on persons who become SCP-8935-A instances more than once. Repeat instances of SCP-8935-A likewise are at risk for more catastrophic physical damage to their bodies and are usually left physically disabled. While SCP-8935-A instances are not immediately rendered infertile as a result of their involvement in the SCP-8935 ritual, it is Foundation policy to remove the childbearing organs of repeat instances on their 32nd birthdays in order to prevent potential SCP-8935-B simulacra from manifesting outside of Woods Holler.

SCP-8935-B are the result of the ritualistic human parthenogenesis that occurs within instances of SCP-8935-A. SCP-8935-B are biologically human, containing human DNA and being very roughly physically analogous with normal human newborns. Despite this, SCP-8935-B are typically born with a variety of severe physical abnormalities, many of which would otherwise be inimical to human life. These abnormalities have included:

Excessive hair or digits upon the face, arms, legs, and interior of the throat and eyes,

Additional multi-jointed appendages emerging from the spine,

Unusually large tongues accounting for a debilitatingly large percentage of the total body weight,

A lack of eyes, mouth, nose, ears, or genitals, or an excessive number of all of these,

Thin, membranous wings emerging from the base of the neck,

A mouth that extends down the full length of the torso.

SCP-8935-B are not hostile and display much of the same behavior as normal human infants, in spite of their malformations. When capable of producing noise they will cry, though this sound is often particularly affecting to nearby human subjects who should take all appropriate measures to avoid excess exposure to these vocalizations.

The births of instances of SCP-8935-B are often traumatic on their SCP-8935-A counterparts, due in no small part to their unusual physical characteristics. It has been Foundation policy since the 1992 Brenda Cheryl Rights Event to perform these births as a caesarean section to limit excess physical damage to both the deliverer and delivered, though this has somewhat complicated the task of requiring the SCP-8935-A instances to carry their newborn into the Tanny Mine after its birth.

SCP-8935-C is a hostile, humanoid entity contained within the Tanny Mine. SCP-8935-C enters a period of activity during the sixth new moon of every third year. So long as the ritualistic pregnancy is allowed to continue unabated, SCP-8935-C will remain in a semi-inactive state until the evening of SCP-8935-B's birth.

Discovery: The existence of SCP-8935 came to the attention of Foundation personnel after a series of violent deaths made headlines in local news media in the early 1930s. Three individuals - 54 year old John Miller and his two sons, 24 year old Thomas Wells Miller and 17 year old Daniel "Danny" Sherman Miller, were found eviscerated in their home. The Miller farm sat roughly equidistant between Woods Holler and Morgantown, and the men were discovered roughly four days after the killings were believed to have taken place.

An excerpt from the Morgantown Dominion-News detailing the killing is included below:

October 12, 1934 – A Quiet Farm Shattered by Grisly Triple Murder

By Harold Gaines, Special Correspondent

MORGANTOWN, WV – In a scene more horrifying than the most lurid crime novels, the bodies of three men—a father and his two sons—were discovered early this morning at their remote farmstead on the outskirts of town. Authorities are struggling to make sense of what Sheriff Paul Mallory has called “the most savage crime this county has ever seen.”

John Miller, 54, and his two sons, Thomas, 24, and Daniel, 17, were found lifeless inside their modest farmhouse, each victim displaying wounds that investigators have described as “unexplainable.” Blood stained nearly every surface of the one-room home, with deep lacerations on the bodies that, according to the coroner, were unlike any he had ever seen before.

“I’ve seen animals torn up by wolves with less brutality,” Mallory told reporters, his face pale beneath his hat brim. “It’s like something went at them with claws instead of knives.”

Neighbors reported hearing strange noises late into the night—described variously as "howling," "scraping," and "an awful thudding sound"—but assumed it was just the Millers dealing with a wild animal. No one thought to investigate until after the three did not attend services the following Sunday. A local preacher, Reverend Clemens, stopped by to check in on the family and made the grisly discovery.

“The door was busted clean off the hinges, and the windows shattered from the inside,” Reverend Clemens recounted with a shudder. “It was like someone—or something—got in there, and once it did, it tore through those poor boys like a cyclone.”

Adding to the mystery, there are no signs of forced entry beyond the ruined door, nor any tracks leading away from the house—despite recent rains that left the dirt road soft with mud. A search of the surrounding woods has turned up no clues, and dogs brought in to help track the killer refused to enter the property.

Foundation assets embedded in local police were notified of the mysterious killings and became involved in the subsequent investigation. It was during this process that Agent Elliott Christenson was approached by an individual, 42 year old Joseph Hall, who claimed to know about the cause of the killings, and requested assistance preventing them in the future. Hall, a member of the Mount Siloam Baptist Church4, led Agent Christenson and three other Foundation agents to the secluded community of Woods Holler. It was during this initial interaction that the Foundation met with Reverend Malaciah Waters, who claimed to have devised much of what is now the understood containment protocols for SCP-8935.

A transcript of the initial meeting with Reverend Waters is available below.

Addendum 8935.1: Interview with Rev. Malaciah Waters

Agent Christenson: So you say it's not an animal?

Rev. Waters: No sir, not an animal at all. The thing what did that to those men is something far more foul than any beast that walks this earth. It is an evil thing what did this, a fell hand at work. It was a woman, a witch in the mountain. Her arms and legs are too long. Taller than any man, stronger too. Her hair is unwashed and stinking. Her eyes are sinkholes and her mouth is a yawning cave. She moves in queer silence and with terrifying speed. The marks on those poor boys, well, I've seen it before. That's the Woman.

Agent Christenson: There's no woman who could've done this. Hell, no man, neither. John Miller was as big as an ox, and he was split damn near down the middle.

Rev. Waters: The thing that tore up those boys and their father is not like us, sir. There are powers in these mountains that have been asleep for a long time. The devil stretches out his hands over the world of man, brother Elliott, but down under the mountain is an evil that surpasses even Satan himself.

Agent Christenson: That sounds blasphemous.

Rev. Waters: If you had seen the things I'd seen, you'd not even think to invoke such trifling matters as blasphemy. God is great and God is mighty and God protects, but either God can't see down into the roots of these mountains, or… maybe He doesn't want to. You see, there exists down there… well, it's not like us, don't you understand? It's not made of the same stuff as you or me, or anything that walks upon the surface. It's a thing that the mind can barely comprehend, seeing it is enough to drive a man to madness. The Lord God and the devil fight over the hearts of men, but down there… well, that's altogether different. I reckon neither of them want anything to do with that.

Agent Christenson: What does that have to do with the woman you mentioned?

Rev. Waters: They say she was like us, once. No one lives now who knows where she came from, or how she ended up like she is. There are stories, of course. Up here in the holler we've been hearing those stories since we were just babes. My nana used to tell us she was a girl who had been done wrong. Soiled by someone who was supposed to take care of her - a brother, or a father. When her babe was born it came out wrong, bein the way those things tend to go. But whoever it was who did that unkindness to her didn't want people finding out, see? So they stole the babe and threw it down into the mine, then beat her and left her to die. She went in there after it, slipped between the rocks and fell down, down down down, down into the miasma at the bottom of the world. Instead of her babe she found… the thing that's down there. I can't say I know what the terms of their arrangement was, or if there was even an arrangement at all. But she came back out, alright. They just call her the Woman, now. For at least four generations, at least. Before that, I can't say.

Agent Christenson: Do you know where this creature is now?

Rev. Waters: I can't say I know where she's at. Out there, somewhere, looking for her babe. No force in Heaven above or Hell below will compel her back until she's done enacting a cruel revenge against us all for whatever happened to her. But eventually she'll be done, and then she'll come back here to Woods Holler. Past the old church building, the one that burnt down, and up the dusty road to Tanny Mine. That's where she stays, until the next time she needs to find her babe again. That's where she fell, in the stories. Down in the lowest point of her despair she found a door at the bottom of the mine and found out truly how deep those veins run.

Agent Christenson: And the babe?

Rev. Waters: That's why we came out and found you, sir. The babe… well, we need to provide it. We've had some trouble, with girls trying to run off. Afraid of the thing growing inside them. We've tried hard to make them understand it's not their fault, that it won't last forever, but…

(Pauses)

Rev. Waters: Time before last, young girl - Ellie May Thurman, barely tall enough to reach the counter. We thought she was too young - and she was - but the Woman chose her anyway. She was scared, and we did everything we could to make it easier for her. But she was too small, and the baby wouldn't come. When the Woman came out of the mountain, she found that poor girl and… Lord Jesus help her, there's no bit of humanity left inside that witch. It pulled her open, like it was digging in the dirt. Flesh and meat and crunching bone, and that poor thing screaming and…

(Pauses)

Rev. Waters: This time it was Daisy Moore. We were relieved - she was of a birthing age, and strong. It's never easy on any of them, but we thought this one might be easy. She got spooked though, I figure. She found out what happened to Ellie May, and she ran. Think she may have had help from someone outside - it doesn't matter. We looked high and low for her but couldn't find her, and then four nights back the Woman came out of the mountain and her baby wasn't there. We tried to subdue her, but it can't be done. She doesn't suffer metal or fire, they pass through her like she's not even there. Looking at her… I've seen men age thirty years just from her stare, and the sounds that come out from her throat are not from God's creation. It is an abhorrent thing.

Agent Christenson: What do you need from us?

Rev. Waters: I've gotten old, and townsfolk think I've gotten soft. Truth is, I don't know if I have it in me anymore, and every time the Woman can't find her babe, more people die. I was in the room when the Woman came for Ellie May, and I… I hope it's dark when we die. I hope there's nothing that comes after. I can't stand to think about living that moment any longer than I need to. I need someone to take my place, to have a firmer grip over Woods Holler. Someone who doesn't care as much about these girls.

Addendum 8935.2: Post-Birth Autopsy of [NAME REDACTED]

The following is the internal autopsy conducted by Foundation medical staff assigned to Woods Holler in 1937 of an SCP-8935-A instance who perished during childbirth. Despite the subject's expiry, the SCP-8935-B instance was independently placed (alongside the expired SCP-8935-A instance) within the Tanny Mine, resulting in the successful completion of Protocol H-1502.

AUTOPSY REPORT

Decedent: Female, [AGE REDACTED]

Case Number: 67-1034

Date of Examination: October 20, 1937

Medical Examiner: Dr. Gerald F. Meade

I. External Examination

The decedent is a [AGE REDACTED] Caucasian female, 5’4” in height, and weighing 128 lbs. She appears well-nourished, with no signs of neglect or malnutrition. Post-mortem lividity is noted on the posterior surface, consistent with a supine position at the time of death. Rigor mortis is fully established, indicating death occurred between 10-12 hours prior to the examination.

The abdomen is highly distended, consistent with pregnancy at full term. Extensive tearing is observed in the vaginal and perineal regions, with lacerations extending posteriorly into the anal sphincter. Deep bruising and additional lacerations along the inner thighs suggest significant trauma during labor, possibly related to the size or positioning of the infant. The fingers show broken nails with tissue fragments beneath, suggesting efforts to assist herself during the delivery.

Additional bruising is noted on both wrists and forearms. No evidence of external violence or foul play is present, and the injuries appear directly related to the delivery process.

II. Internal Examination

Cranial and Thoracic Cavities:

The brain is unremarkable, with no signs of hemorrhage, trauma, or swelling. The heart is of average size (10 oz) with no structural abnormalities. Lungs exhibit moderate congestion and edema, likely the result of labor exhaustion or asphyxia during delivery. No pulmonary embolism is identified.

Abdominal Cavity:

The uterus is found to be ruptured along the lower segment, with an irregular tear extending approximately 7 inches. Significant intra-abdominal hemorrhage (approximately 1,500 mL) is noted. There are no signs of infection or placental abruption. The uterus shows jagged fragments of fetal membrane along the tear, suggesting that the rupture occurred during labor.

The placenta, still partially attached, is misshapen and displays an unusual multi-lobed structure.

Pelvic Cavity:

Fractures are evident along the pubic symphysis and sacrum, likely sustained during the final stages of delivery. Severe trauma to the vaginal canal includes complete tissue avulsion in several areas. The nature of these injuries suggests the fetus was abnormally large or improperly positioned, causing extreme mechanical stress during birth.

III. Neonate (Infant Subject)

The infant is notable for severe congenital abnormalities. The length of the body is 25 inches, and the estimated weight is 19 lbs, with disproportionate growth in the cranial region. The skull exhibits two bony protrusions along the temples, resembling rudimentary horns. The skin is thick and leathery to the touch, with patches of rough scales along the arms, legs, and back.

The fingers and toes are unusually elongated, terminating in sharp, claw-like nails. The neonate's jaw contains a full set of fully developed incisors and canines, highly atypical for a newborn. The umbilical cord appears to have been severed internally, showing evidence of having been bitten through.

Attached to the infant's thorax is a small membranous sac, containing unidentifiable tissue, possibly remnants of a failed twin.

Of note is the neonate was delivered alive and remained alive after the decedent expired.

IV. Cause of Death

The primary cause of death is massive hemorrhage due to uterine rupture. Contributory factors include severe mechanical trauma during childbirth, resulting from the abnormal size and presentation of the fetus. Fractures to the pelvis, alongside complete perineal tearing, indicate the labor was obstructed and extremely traumatic. Exhaustion from prolonged labor may have also played a role in the decedent’s demise.

V. Conclusion

The decedent died as a result of childbirth complications, specifically uterine rupture and hemorrhagic shock. The unusual morphology of the neonate contributed significantly to the difficulties experienced during delivery. The trauma was consistent with natural birth processes, although the extent of the injuries is highly unusual.

Signature:

Dr. Gerald F. Meade

Medical Examiner

Addendum 8935.3: Ethics Committee Memorandum

SCP Foundation Ethics Committee

November 17, 1937

To: Dr. Benjamin Clarke, SCP-8935 Assignment

Subject: Authorization for Special Operations – SCP-8935 / Woods Holler, WV, USA

Dear Dr. Clarke,

After extensive review, the Ethics Committee has concluded that authorization is granted for the implementation of Protocol H-1502 concerning the population of young women in Woods Holler, West Virginia, United States. While we acknowledge the regrettable nature of the planned interventions and the harm that may ensue, the Committee has determined that the actions are justified within the parameters outlined in your proposal.

It is with the understanding that these measures will yield effective containment of the anomalous entities aforementioned. While individual subjects will experience adverse outcomes, we are persuaded that the long-term benefits for the broader population outweigh the localized impact. The objectives of the project, as you described, align with our mandate to prioritize collective well-being over isolated ethical concerns.

All operations are to proceed as discreetly as possible to minimize awareness among the affected population. As stipulated, the women targeted for intervention should be treated with minimal force required to ensure compliance, though the Committee recognizes that certain outcomes, including physical or psychological distress, may be unavoidable. Any unnecessary escalation, however, will be considered a breach of protocol and reviewed accordingly.

We trust that you and your team will carry out these actions with the appropriate level of professionalism and care under the circumstances. Full documentation must be provided for every phase of the project to ensure accountability and compliance with institutional oversight. Should unforeseen complications arise, contact your local Ethics Committee ombudsman immediately for further guidance.

The Committee takes no pleasure in issuing this approval but affirms the necessity of the measures outlined. The unfortunate consequences of these operations will be a difficult but essential step in fulfilling the project’s greater purpose.

Lastly, we have allocated an additional shipment of amnestics to be distributed among the members of your team, as needed. Please do not be judicial with these - while your resource allowance has been expanded, your personnel allowance remains unchanged.

Proceed with due diligence, and may your efforts contribute meaningfully to the body of knowledge that will serve the common good.

Sincerely,

Dr. Charles M. Abernathy

Ethics Committee Liaison for Special Containment Projects

Addendum 8935.4: Subject Interview

The following is an interview with Haddie Walters, a 19 year old resident of Woods Holler, WV. At the time the interview was conducted, Ms. Walters had just completed a cycle as an instance of SCP-8935-A, during which time the subject expressed significant distress, agitation, and suicidal ideation. Prior to the end of the cycle, Ms. Walters (as SCP-8935-A) had thrice attempted to flee Woods Holler, in defiance of Protocol H-1502 and local taboo. Due to the protocol's effectiveness in maintaining compliance among the child-birthing population of Woods Holler, Ms. Walters' defiance was a noted anomaly. Upon the conclusion of the previous SCP-8935 cycle5, Ms. Walters was remanded to the local parish and interviewed by Dr. Franklin Madsen, posing as a member of local clergy.

Ms. Haddie Walters, a prior instance of SCP-8935-A.

Dr. Madsen: Haddie. I have to admit, I am disappointed to see you here. Your last stunt was truly intolerable - the Lord detests those who stray from His will, and His will is known well in the holler. Do you disagree?

Silence.

Dr. Madsen: Well? Do you not have anything to say for yourself? This is a grave thing you've done, Brother Gerald is going to need to-

Ms. Walters: Please. Please stop.

Dr. Madsen: Excuse me?

Ms. Walters: Please. Father Madsen. I'm begging you, please let me go. I can't keep doing this.

Dr. Madsen: Haddie, the Lord is clear, He-

Ms. Walters: I can't- I can't do it anymore. I can't have another one of those things inside me.

Dr. Madsen: The Lord demands we do our service in defense against the evil-

Ms. Walters: No, no. I can't do it. I ain't got nothing left. Nobody else has had to do as much as me, it's not fair. Three times, Father Madsen. First time I wasn't even a girl of thirteen. I just can't-

Dr. Madsen: This sort of subservience is an abom-

Ms. Walters: GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME! Three times! How is that good in the eyes of the Lord? How is any of this just and right? You don't know a thing about what it's like. You ain't never had one of those things grow inside you. You know you can hear it talking to you? Every time your belly starts to swell a little bit bigger and it starts talking, but not like you and I talk. Chattering and chirping and horrible. It hurts, god it hurts so bad. You wake up in the night and see blood on the bedsheets and pray that your body has finally given it up but it's just that thing chewing you up from the inside. Please, God, just let me die. I'll do it myself - I can't do this anymore.

Dr. Madsen: Haddie, you-

Ms. Walters: I CAN'T DO IT AGAIN. How do you not understand this? That horrible thing growing bigger in you and the fear you feel inside your heart knowing what's coming, and you know what the worst part is? When it finally scratches its way out, tearing you up and screaming and crying and shrieking, and you look down at it, writhing and flailing around like a terrible bug that's gotten flipped over on its back, and you love it. You can't help it, you love it more than anything. It's a horrible, wretched thing but you want nothing more than to cover it up and take it somewhere safe where everything will be alright, but then you have to climb up that hill and… and… give it over to her… Have you ever looked into her eyes, Father?

Dr. Madsen: (Pauses) No, I haven't.

Silence.

Ms. Walters: Let me go, please. I can't do it again.

Note: Due to Ms. Walters' capacity for carrying instances of SCP-8935-B, the subject was remanded to Foundation custody for a period of four weeks and underwent an extensive amnestics regimen in order to increase compliance in potential future cycles.

Eisoptrophobia

Anthology 2024

Eschatophobia

Footnotes

1. Attempts to mimic SCP-8935-B using animal newborns have proven ineffective.

2. Verifiable by a lack of apparent sunrise in the region during this period.

3. Virgin birth.

4. Mt. Siloam being the local name for the mountain in which the Tanny Mine is located.

5. During which Ms. Walters had to be forcefully moved into the Tanny Mine antechamber with her SCP-8935-B instance strapped to her chest.