Afterword: Across the duration of Test-3239- 
D, tracing efforts were able to track the call to 
an abandoned church near , Sweden, 
which had reportedly burned down in 34 
under unknown circumstances. Field agents 
reported recovering a red telephone of a 
similar model to SCP-3239 nearby on a bridge 
over River, disconnected from any phone 
lines or power sources. A small research 
outpost was constructed over the church on / 
/ under the guise of an archaeological 
operation and no anomalous properties 
regarding the red phone or the church have 
yet been reported. Psychiatric evaluation 
reports D-4731 is now suffering from 
aquaphobia and general anxiety. 
Analysis: Well, this new information is 
certainly keeping us busy. No clue what the 
church has to do with anything, but we've got 
people on it who will hopefully turn something 
up. In the meantime, we'll just have to keep an 
eye out. No telling what else is going start 
talking through SCP-3239. -Dr. Garrickson 


Footnotes 
1. More often referred to as a Bakelite phone 
2. This date has been theorized to correlate with November 29, 


1892, which was the day the first patent for a rotary dial was granted 
to Almon Brown Strowger. This correlation is yet to be verified. 
3. See Test-3239-D 


SCP-3240: The Bones Of What You Believe 


Item #: SCP-3240 
Object Class: Keter Neutralized Hiemal 


Special Containment Procedures: At least twelve afflicted 
specimens from each species susceptible to SCP-3240 should be in 
Foundation custody. Captive specimens are to be contained in 
enclosures that mimic their natural biome, but do not allow for 
contact with unaffected members of their species. Populations of 
susceptible species should be monitored in locations of appearance 
and locations of predicted future appearance. The location of future 
occurrences is determined using the Lowell-Kost Algorithm 
described in Document 3240-Asterion. 


Description: SCP-3240 is a learned behavior observed in certain 
predatory animals. In order for a species to be able to exhibit 
SCP-3240, it must be a predatory animal that resides in one of the 
following biomes: taiga, chaparral, tundra, desert or mountain. 
Affected animals show no other behavioral anomalies except that 
they no longer engage in hunting behaviors. 


Known affected species include corsac foxes, gyrfalcons, arctic 
foxes, leopard seals, Canadian lynxes, snow leopards, king cobras, 
arctic wolves, goshawks, diamondback rattlesnakes, saker falcons, 
coyotes, snowy owls, and burrowing owls. 


At solar noon each day, SCP-3240 affected individuals within a 5km 
radius of a predetermined location will congregate! and engage in 
autosarcophagy. Afflicted individuals will consume approximately 10 
to 15 percent of their own body weight, usually from the body parts 
most easily reached: for example, the forelegs and tail on 
quadruped mammals. Affected subjects will consume muscles and 
connective tissue, but never bone or enamel. The flesh consumed is 
always fully healed 12 hours later. Blood loss is normal during 
consumption, but ceases after finishing SCP-3240. Mated pairs will 


sometimes feed one another their internal organs or offer them up in 
courtship rituals; parents will tear the flesh from their offspring and 
feed it to them if they are too young to feed themselves. Social 
species such as arctic wolves have unique sets of vocalizations 
used when engaging in SCP-3240. 


Affected animals never show any form of pain response, despite the 
fact that no endorphins or other analgesics are generated. Between 
initial consumption and recovery, affected animals do not appear 
impeded by their injuries. 


SCP-3240 has a roughly 54% transmission rate? between unrelated 
adult individuals, a 63% transmission rate between siblings, mates, 
and members of the same social group, and a 99% transmission 
rate between parents and offspring. 


Due to their similarities, it is theorized that SCP-3240, SCP-2889 
and SCP-2547 are related. It is of note that sites of SCP-2547 
manifestations report high levels of infection of SCP-3240 after the 
manifestation, and that additional anomalous activity has ensued in 
the area of SCP-2889 after SCP-3240's neutralization. 


Addendum 1: SCP-3240 has been found to affect humans. Afflicted 
individuals have been located among the homeless population of 
several cities, most prominently in Moscow, Salt Lake City, Egypt 
and Marrakesh. Sidewalk orators preaching the tenets and benefits 
of the religion associated with SCP-3240 are becoming increasingly 
common. Due to the nebulous nature of these communities, active 
surveillance and neutralization of the humans afflicted with 
SCP-3240 has proven difficult. Any attempts to capture humans 
afflicted by SCP-3240 have been foiled by opposition from affected 
animals. Covert intelligence operations have proven more 
successful at gathering information, though any leader figures, if 
they exist at all, have not yet been found. 


Foundation Agent Lucas Bayard infiltrated a Salt Lake City sect to 
gain more information about the motives of those who joined. The 
following is a transcript of a conversation he had with a fellow 
convert, : was attempting to engage in SCP-3240 using 
a rusty knife, and Bayard approached him to offer a clean one. 


<BEGIN LOG> 


Bayard: Hey, man, put that down. You'll give yourself 
tetanus. Here, use mine. 


[ accepts it, and begins cutting a slice of flesh from 
his thigh.] 


: Much appreciated. My teeth aren't what they used 
to be, you know? Neither is the rest of me. Not like you. 
What's a good strong fellow like you doing here? 


Bayard: Wasn't me, needed strength. Wife's cancer ate 
through our savings, and then through her stomach 
lining. Insurance wouldn't cover it. Pre-existing 
conditions. 


: That's a shame. That's a real damn shame. I'm 
sorry to hear that. That's the whole damn problem. 
Everybody's got everyone else wrapped up around them 
on astring. You gotta kiss ass after ass to get what you 
want, and then they throw you out and you have to beg 
them for scraps in the street. 


Bayard: Exactly. | could never bring myself to go ina 
soup kitchen. | was so fucking ashamed. | used to be, | 
don't know, a provider. And then | was just a charity 
case. 


: That's exactly it. If they want us to eat, we eat, but 
it's all at their whim. We're fucking pets. But this? | like 
this. The guy told me that all a man needed to live was 
given to him when he was born, and as long as he had 
his bones he was all right. And I'll tell you what. I've got 
my fucking bones. And now | don't need nobody else. | 
got the sun on my skin, and the wind in my hair, and the 
flesh on my bones, and | can live wherever the hell | 
want, because ain't nobody can take that away from me. 


<END LOG> 


Addendum 2: Despite the active public attempts at conversion, 
actually partaking in SCP-3240 was done in private until an incident 
on January 25th of 2017, whereupon a Moscovian man who had just 
engaged in SCP-3240 climbed onto the roof of an Orthodox church, 
followed by three northern goshawks. A transcript of recovered 
video footage taken by a civilian witness is included below. 


<BEGIN FOOTAGE> 


(The man is approximately halfway up the side of the 
church. The goshawks circle around him whilst he 
climbs. When he reaches the top, he leans back against 
the church spire, grasps it for support, and begins to 
speak.) 


Pol-3240-Delta: You'll regret this one day, you sordid, 
gluttonous bags of fat and blood. You and your sap-filled 
monstrosities you call gods. 


(The largest goshawk makes the first incision with its 
beak. The footage is briefly blocked by someone moving 
in front of the recording device. When the man is visible 
again, two goshawks have begun to probe within the 
incision. They eventually remove a large dark mass - the 
footage is too low quality to allow for detailed inspection, 
but the organ removed appears likely his liver. Pol-3240- 
Delta shows no discomfort as it is removed. An 
unidentified man next to the recorder of the footage 
vomits on his shoes.) 


Unidentified man: Is that - oh god, is that his liver? 


Pol-3240-Delta: The Verdant has abused us for so, so 
long, leaving us their scraps, permitting us to feast on 
their weak and dying. Pushing us to the harshest parts of 
your overgrown world. But the blade turns in the hand 
now, hah! We don't need your leavings, not now! We can 
exist alone, and you cannot. 


(All three goshawks begin to peel away the skin and 
inner lining from his ribcage.) 


Unidentified woman (off-screen): Somebody get him 
the fuck down from there! 


(No one moves or makes any audible remarks.) 


Pol-3240-Delta: The Veldt provides so we survive! 
Without us, you'll suffer! You don't know it yet, but you'll 
see! You'll grow and rot and grow and rot until there's 
nowhere left to go and the vines are wrapped around 
your own throats and you are strangled and choked in 
your own waste. Unbalance! Unbalance! The cycle goes 
both ways! You've forgotten it, but we'll make you 
remember. Remember that predator needs prey, and 
prey needs predator. You'll beg us for help, for mercy, 
like that which you never gave us. And for once we'll 
feast as you look on, starving, and you'll finally know. 


(The goshawks remove the last of the tissue from 
Pol-3240-Delta's chest, leaving his ribs exposed. He 
begins breaking off his own ribs and tosses them to the 
crowd below. Multiple observers have begun screaming.) 


Pol-3240-Delta: Go on! Eat! Crack them open, suck the 
marrow! Know what it is to taste the Veldt! 


(The footage is blocked once more, and the recording 
device falls to the ground face down.) 


<END FOOTAGE> 


The next day, another man climbed a church in Butte, Montana, and 
began reciting a similar speech, accompanied by turkey vultures. 
The church's reverend attempted to argue with him, and began 
quoting Bible passages at him. After arguing with the man for some 
time, the vultures descended upon the preacher and tore out his 
tongue. Witnesses were detained and given medical aid if needed 
before being amnesticized. Both incidents were passed off as 
performance art pieces. Undercover Agents are now directed to 
incapacitate those who intend to engage in SCP-3240 publicly 
before civilians are exposed. 


Addendum 3: Observation has shown that areas high in animals 
affected by SCP-3240 are having die-offs of local prey species, 
some reducing populations by up to 80 percent. These die-offs 
appear to be due to population growth running unchecked, causing 
starvation when food sources were depleted. Recovered bodies 
contain no bone tissue whatsoever; further testing shows that all 
bone disintegrates immediately upon death. In addition, there have 
been more than 20 cases over the past month where humans 
affected by SCP-3240 have deliberately destroyed plantations or 
farms. They used an unknown substance that causes calcification of 
plant tissue on contact to do so. All perpetrators in custody 
committed suicide before reaching trial. 


Addendum 4: The Foundation has obtained custody of several 
human children afflicted by SCP-3240. When surveyors in a rural 
Alaskan town were contracted to determine the placing of a 
hydroelectric dam, they noted the local Arnatsiaq family engaging in 
SCP-3240 alongside several other affected animals. Authorities 
were called when parents were seen aiding their children in 
participating; upon police arrival, the adults appeared to have 
deserted their property. Several arctic wolves and gyrfalcons were 
found in the residence and attacked the social workers when they 
attempted to remove the children. Undercover agents intervened in 
order to extract the children and place them in Foundation custody 
for further observation. The animals found in the residence were 
placed with the other members of their species currently in captivity. 


An interview with Dmitri Arnatsiaq, one of the children recovered 
from the Arnatsiag residence, is recorded below. 


+ show block 

Interview Log: 
Interviewer: Dr. Nyla Hessen 
Interviewed: Dmitri Arnatsiaq 


Foreword: Dmitri was the most outgoing and 
cooperative of the recovered children, and had 
been helpful in encouraging his siblings and 


help every one of you." 


[6:10] Dr. Chuang: "Even when they kill 
themselves? Even when they forget who they 
are? How does that help- what is your 
reasoning?" 


[6:12] SCP-414-1, in unison: "It is a last 
usefulness to society, to die and leave 
resources for others, others make use of them. 
Forget yourself for your society. You cannot be 
egotistical when the ego Is carved out. 
Selfishness, | will cure it, by excising the 
tumor. | cure society and make the lost find 
purpose. | help." 


[6:14] Dr. Chuang, agitatedly: "But society 
needs that! They need individuals! Selfishness 
can drive and motivate success!" 


[6:15] SCP-414-1, recoiling collectively: "You 
are sicker than | thought. You may be kind 
among your human populace, but | have 
surely known kinder men. | thought, you, who 
worked for the good of all, would be my ally. 
But it's alright. | will take care of you. You will 
feel better when I'm done with you." 


[6:16] Dr. Chuang: "Why did you come to me? 
Who are you? Where are you from and how do 
you work?" Dr. Chuang can be seen 
attempting to free themselves from the grip on 
their arm. 


[6:15] SCP-414-1, in unison: "You want to 
stop us. But you are trying to stop helping. You 
are secure, contain, protect. | am society, 
community, progress- a shepherd for humans. 
You are a sick lost lamb, not for much longer." 


[6:17] Dr. Chuang attempts to speak, but an 


cousins to allow Foundation staff to remove 
them from their residence. The interview was 
conducted 2 hours after his arrival at Site-19. 
He asked that he be allowed to interact with 
the animals affected by SCP-3240 that were 
found in his residence as a reward, but 
consented to the interview when denied his 
request. 


<Begin Log> 
Dr. Hessen: Hello, Dmitri. 
D. Arnatsiaq: Hi. 


The subject shudders, and attempts to cover 
his mouth and nose with his sleeve. 


Dr. Hessen: I'm sorry, is something bothering 
you? 


The subject shakes his head. 
Dr. Hessen: Are you sure? 


D. Arnatsiaq: Promise | won't get in trouble? | 
don't wanna be rude. 


Dr. Hessen: Go ahead. You won't be in 
trouble, | promise. 


D. Arnatsiaq: I'm sorry, but you stink. 
Dr. Hessen: How so? 


D. Arnatsiaq: You smell like plant. Like green. 
Like sap and leaves and rot and pollen. It's all 
over you. It's making me sick. 


Dr. Hessen: | apologize. 


D. Arnatsiaq: 'S not your fault. You all smell 


like it. You eat their stuff long enough, you 
smell like it. All the outsiders do. I'm just not 
used to it, being so close. 


Dr. Hessen: So your family doesn't eat plants, 
then. 


D. Arnatsiaq: Nope! We don't eat your 
bloodbag cows and rabbits and cud-chewers 
either. My mama said they're Pan's creatures, 
and they'll poison us with their waste. She'd 
read us all the stories to scare us when we 
were bad, and tell us that Pan was coming for 
us. 


Dr. Hessen: What stories are these? What 
else did your mother teach you? 


D. Arnatsiaq: The ones from the Books of 
Bone and Sun and Frost and the rest. All the 
scripts of the Veldt. We read them every day 
before we eat. 


Dr. Hessen: Like a prayer? 


D. Arnatsiaq: Yeah! | know the usual one 
perfect! It goes, "the earth gives us all we need 
when we come into this world and feel the sun 
on our faces and the wind on our skin. We do 
not eat the Verdant's fruits, we do not taste its 
cursed prey-meat. We do not waste, we feed 
ourselves alone." 


Dr. Hessen: | see.