Item #: SCP-3486

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: Personnel are to monitor the Cooke County Landfill and bar civilian access, providing the cover story of dilapidation due to catastrophic equipment failure. Daily rations of food and water are to be deposited at disposal chutes 42A-46C. As SCP-3486 have made no attempts to exit Cooke County Landfill, it has been reassigned the purpose of a Foundation facility. Should any instance of SCP-3486 attempt to breach containment, it is to be re-contained within a standard human containment cell at Site 25.

Information regarding the research and/or whereabouts of POI #33508 are to be reported to the current lead researcher on SCP-3486; at the time of writing, this position has been assigned to Dr. Khan.

An observed instance of SCP-3486. Stitching on abdomen and left bicep is determined to have been another instance's attempt to medically aid or cosmetically reassemble the pictured instance.

Description: SCP-3486 is the collective designation for 43 humanoids ranging in development from fetal period1 to adolescence. All instances of SCP-3486 suffer from severe malformation or genetic mutations, including but not limited to: Proteus syndrome2, clubfoot, congenital heart defects, phocomelia3, EV4, alopecia, and kyphosis5.

As of 05/05/20██, all known instances of SCP-3486 reside within the abandoned Cooke County Landfill and its accompanying buildings. Cooke County Landfill has since been abandoned due to company relocation and, as such, SCP-3486 have become reliant on Foundation personnel for anonymous deliveries of basic resources via garbage chutes. Previous sources of food and water had been acquired through consistent deliveries of refuse from local garbage trucks. It is assumed that all instances of SCP-3486 were delivered to the Cooke County Landfill via garbage trucks, potentially after being abandoned in local dumpsters.

SCP-3486 are nonverbal, and display varying levels of cognitive and muscular function disproportionate to their developmental stage; behaviors displayed by SCP-3486 are parallel to those commonly associated with "feral children". SCP-3486 live in a loosely organized hierarchy, with the more physically capable instances tending to the needs of less capable instances. SCP-3486 are able to survive conditions not withstandable by non-anomalous individuals, including levels of force comparable to a 60kph car crash, and starvation/dehydration for an upwards of 84 days. When interviewed, those capable of communication disclosed that they had once been referred to as "Hunter". Later interviews6 with adolescent instances have revealed that SCP-3486 have stayed in Cooke County Landfill on the reasoning that they may be easily located by a guardian, should one attempt to locate them, as they have remained in one location since their initial abandonment at a Cooke County-owned refuse bin, dumpster, or similar receptacle7.

SCP-3486 have been observed to administer amateur surgical procedures to one another. These procedures range from medical necessities to wholly cosmetic. Cosmetic procedures typically take place following a visitation to SCP-3486-A by the instance undergoing the procedure. Instances have also been witnessed to fashion prostheses for themselves from debris, notably of children's toys.

+ Video Log 3486-018

- Access Granted

Foreword: The following video log is an observation of an infantile instance of SCP-3486 (SCP-3486-018, henceforth referred to as "subject") administering a cosmetic procedure to itself using an X-Acto-brand precision knife, an unlabeled tube of adhesive, a broken pane of acrylic glass, and a 53cm 1998 Teletubbies plush toy. Prior to Video Log 3486-018, SCP-3486-018's facial features were severely malformed due to Proteus syndrome and other defects.

[BEGIN LOG]

[00:00]: Subject is sitting beneath a table in the northernmost region of Room W900, an area previously utilized for separation of solid waste. Using its single functional arm, subject is handling the plush toy. Subject runs its fingers over the plastic shell of the toy's face, and turns to the left. Subject sets the toy down in front of itself, and adjusts the glass pane to lean against a leg of the table.

[01:10]: Subject fumbles with the handle of the precision blade, and looks down to the plush toy. Subject inserts the tip of the blade into the edge of the plastic shell, and begins to carve it away from the plush lining. Subject's movements stutter, causing the blade to miss the plastic shell and dig into its calf. Subject gurgles.

[03:02]: The shell of the plastic face is removed from the plush lining. Subject kicks the toy over, and turns to the glass pane. Subject hesitates, then lifts the precision blade up to its right temple.

[04:46]: Subject digs tip of precision blade into the epidermis, and drives it into the dermis, breaching the subcutaneous layer of flesh. Subject mewls and rips the blade out of its temple. A trickle of blood drips from the wound.

[08:19]: Subject is now visibly shaking as it picks up the precision blade. Second incision is made as subject drags the blade down past cheekbone. The blade suddenly dips into cheek, causing subject to emanate a guttural howling noise. Subject releases the handle of the blade, but the blade itself remains lodged in the subject's lower jaw. Subject flails wildly and grabs at the handle. The blade does not move.

[11:06]: After several minutes, precision blade dislodges from mandible. Subject hesitates again, then reinserts blade into the underside of its chin, continuing the incision. Due to extreme convulsions, the blade slips and gouges a hole into the external jugular vein. Subject writhes and gags as blood and gastric acid spurt from esophagus. Blade is immediately reinserted into chin and is wrenched up past the mandible. Spastic movements of the arm cause the blade to puncture a cyst. Pus sputters from the wound and oozes down the chin.

[12:58]: Precision blade meets initial incision point, and subject discards blade. With singular functional hand, subject pries fingertips into the underside of separated flesh and begins to pull upwards. Subject kicks its legs and cries out.

[14:01]: Separated skin catches on a protruding segment of cartilage from nasal cavity, and subject tears the skin from the right temple to the left cheekbone. Subject throws skin down beside itself and drives fingers into nasal cavity. Subject's struggles to continue respiration are audible.

[14:57]: Flesh peels away from upper lip, and continues to pull away in one piece from the lower lip. Subject tugs on flesh as it separates into slivers. Gums begin to bleed as they are pulled away from the teeth.

[16:15]: Remainder of flesh is removed from subcutaneous layer. Subject drools a mixture of saliva, blood, and gastric acid into lap. Carpet beneath subject has been soiled. Subject reaches for unidentified tube of adhesive, and applies a thick coating of it across its entire face.

[16:40]: Subject takes hold of plush's plastic face and turns to the acrylic glass. Subject makes attempt to steady itself before pressing plastic shell against its own face. Plastic shell remains affixed to the face. Subject becomes still.

[54:38]: Subject begins to weep.

[END LOG]

SCP-3486-A is a collection of non-anomalous items gathered by SCP-3486, arranged in a pile located in the southwest wing of Cooke County Landfill's equipment warehouse. SCP-3486-A includes items such as discarded makeup, a pink shower cap, thirteen wilted daffodils, a torn leather purse, and a US Size 7 Women's tennis shoe. Several crude children's drawings adorn the walls of the southwest wing near SCP-3486-A, all of which depict a human female in a white garment alongside instances of SCP-3486. Visitations to SCP-3486-A have been observed to leave SCP-3486 with emotional distress and sorrow.

Addendum-01: On 12/14/████, Foundation personnel were alerted to an instance of SCP-3486 that had been deposited in a dumpster outside of the ██████ ████ diner, after the owner of the establishment contacted police to report a "deformed fetus" that had been abandoned there.

+ Interview with Mr. Pine

- Access granted

Foreword: The following interview was performed 3 hours after the discovery of an instance of SCP-3486 outside of Mr. Pine's establishment. Mr. Pine was notably shaken by this event, and was provided with Class-A amnestics following the interview.

Interviewer: Dr. Richard Khan

Interviewee: Daniel Pine

[BEGIN LOG]

Dr. Khan: Mr. Pine, the paramedics said that you described the noise the infant made as a 'gurgle'. Can you elaborate on that?

Mr. Pine: Yes, uh, the noise — it gurgled, like, like… I thought it was choking. I thought someone was choking on a drink. I couldn't really hear it when I first went over to take the garbage out, but I saw some birds pecking at something inside, and I could hear something wriggling around in the trash. But when I looked in, it — I saw a little pink patch of skin, and I knew it was a baby, but when I reached down and touched it, I knew something was wrong with this baby. I could see a little piece of something in its throat. I couldn't really see the baby, it was covered in trash, and I picked it up to give it the Heimlich, and when I picked it up, it, um, it…

[Mr. Pine swallows anxiously and shifts his gaze to the floor. He pauses, then looks back up at Dr. Khan.]

Mr. Pine: It was like, still covered in placenta, and it was the size of a fetus, too. I thought — I knew I was holding a baby, but it was barely bigger than my fist, and it was covered in these big, bruised patches that were pulsing and squirming, and I looked, and there were more on its shoulders, but when I touched them I could feel bone underneath. The baby didn't have arms, or legs, but it did — it did have this, this, this long tube, like, like an umbilical cord, sticking out of its back. It was, um, it was coming from its spine, and at the end was this, like, this little curled ball, and when I turned it over, I could see the start of what looked like a face, just, just, just dangling from it. And its face, well…

[Mr. Pine pauses.]

Mr. Pine: The baby didn't… have a face, 'cause I looked down and it was just another tumor on its head, where it was s'posed to have eyes, and the jaw was, I think it was broken, or it was just born that way, the jaw was hanging down and gaping open, and I could see some little bits of, um, bone in the throat. That — that baby was so small, I think it could've only been a few days old, but it was premature, for sure. I don't know how long it was there for, I never heard it crying. I don't think it could, with its throat like that. That poor baby. Oh, my God. Oh my God.

Dr. Khan: Your recorded CCTV footage has shown that the infant was abandoned, ah… about thirteen days prior.

[Mr. Pine looks at Dr. Khan with an expression of abject horror, and begins to retch. Further questioning is postponed.]

[END LOG]

CCTV footage displayed a middle-aged woman parking a white vehicle, disposing of the SCP-3486 instance, and exiting the parking lot within 2 minutes. Analysis of the license plate allowed for personnel to locate the Cooke County residence of POI #33508, a geneticist known as Madeleine ██████. The residence was determined to have been abandoned for one week.

A makeshift laboratory had been created in the basement, which housed a number of unidentifiable substances and stolen equipment; folders of analytical notes taken by POI #33508 were revealed to have elaborate plans to attempt to replicate human DNA, as well as progress reports and details regarding failed trials. Encrusted placenta and bodily fluids were caked across the desk and floor. Newspaper clippings regarding local infant deaths were uncovered next to photos of young boys. One boy was later identified as Hunter ██████, whom had passed away at the age of six in the years prior in a fatal car crash.

Footnotes

1. Despite resembling a human fetus, fetal instances of SCP-3486 are able to survive outside of a womb, and behave identically to infants.

2. A condition characterized by disproportionate overgrowth of bones, muscle, and other tissue.

3. A congenital deformity in which the limbs are grossly underdeveloped or absent, resulting in hands and feet being attached closely to the trunk.

4. Epidermodysplasia verruciformis, an autosomal skin disorder characterized by eruptions of wart-like lesions on any region of the body.

5. A steep forward curvature of the spine.

6. Interviewers utilized alternative forms of communication that did not rely heavily on speech.

7. Instances of SCP-3486 have declined to elaborate, nor have they responded to further questioning.