"Ugh, no thank you. | failed to mention this before, but I'm not in the 
business of going through any kind of disgusting... Faustian 
bargains," said Clovis, making a sort of 'shoo'ing motion with the 
sleeves of her robe. "Have you ever seen a soul? Probably not, | 
don't blame you, but they're absolutely foul. They would serve no 
purpose to me anyway. No, they're better off sitting in your skull, 
fulfilling whatever purpose it set out for itself, thank you very much... 
Besides, yours is not for sale," she said, taking in another sip of her 
tea. 


"So... So if you don't want my soul, what do you want?" 


"Well, a roof over my head would be lovely, but I'm mainly after one 
thing." 


"And what would that be?" 


"You must have me to follow you, and only you for as long as you 
live." 


COMMENT: Either SCP-912 does not consider the ROV 
a threat, or it doesn't care about the fate of the D-class 
subject. Test protocols amended on hygiene grounds. 


TEST: Remote Operated Vehicle (Srl No# 25168162) 

with cutting tool activates implement and approaches 

D-3117 (restrained in same chair). D-3117 now wearing 
PD uniform. 

RESULT: SCP-912 attacked the ROV when the cutting 

tool came within two feet of the subject. Attack continued 

until ROV deactivated remotely and "stand down" 

command given by D-3117 

COMMENT: SCP-912 does not appear to modify 

behaviour in response to a non-humanoid threat. 


TEST: D-3073 (wearing D-class uniform) ordered to 
simulate attacking D-3075 (wearing D-class uniform). 
RESULT: No response. 

COMMENT: SCP-912 appeared to be utterly indifferent 
even when D-3073 accidentally made full contact with 
D-3075 and inflicted a nosebleed 


TEST: D-3073 (wearing PD uniform) ordered to 
simulate attacking D-3075 (wearing D-class uniform). 
RESULT: No response. 

COMMENT: As suspected, based on the evidence in the 
acquisition report. 


TEST: D-3073 (wearing D-class uniform) ordered to 
simulate attacking D-3075 (wearing PD uniform) 
RESULT: SCP-912 attacked D-3073 with telescopic 
baton until subject unconscious, then restrained the 
subject. D-3073 hospitalized with suspected broken jaw. 
COMMENT: Primary test went largely as expected. 
However, when D-3075 attempted to intervene to 
prevent further harm to D-3073 he accidentally placed 
his right hand into the left arm cavity of SCP-912. D-3075 
was immediately set upon by SCP-912 and beaten to 
death using the telescopic baton and boots. It seems that 
SCP-912 will not tolerate violation of the space enclosed 
by the constituent equipment no matter what uniform is 


"... Is that all?" 


"That's all. Of course, if you wanted me to entertain guests, I'd be 
happy to oblige, but you can not transfer me to anyone outside of 
your own blood." 


"... Again, is that all?” 


"Yes. If it sounds easy, that's because it is. This is beneficial to me 
because so long as | am working for you, the effects of another, far 
worse agreement | am bound to are nullified. The only real 
challenge for you comes in the form of not getting either of us 
lynched. In most cases, | can take care of myself, but if anyone links 
me to you, you'll be accused of witchcraft or necromancy, regardless 
of whether or not you actually have been." 


"And why would they do that? You make yourself sound monstrous, 
but I'm not seeing it. You may have your eyes and... ears? But 
regardless, I'd imagine those would be very simple things to hide." 


"It's more than those. Do you see this terrible outfit I've adorned 
myself with? I've worn this for you, so | wouldn't make a horrifying 
first impression, but | do not plan on wearing it forever. I'm not 
ashamed of my appearance, but | do understand that it's something 
to fear." 


"Show me." 


Mildly surprised, Clovis responded "Oh, well, there's little | can do to 
prepare you for it. Are you sure?" 


"Yes. If we are to work together, | should at least know what you 
truly look like." 


She paused for a moment, and sighed "If you insist." 


She detached her face mask and stood up to untie the waist belt to 
her robe, letting it fall to the ground, revealing a near-fleshless 
figure. While what skin Clovis had appeared beautifully preserved, 
the lower Stuart looked, the less of it she had. She had no flesh 
around her mouth, leaving only a skeletal grin. Her chest and neck 
were mostly preserved, with the exception of the cluster of large, 


dried holes, giving a clear view of her inner workings. Just below the 
rip cage, her body seemed to have forsaken flesh entirely, leaving 
only a clean white skeleton behind. 


After Stuart was able to process that he was currently looking at a 
living, breathing skeleton, he began to recognize her other features. 
She had not hands, but two long, sharp bones, shaped in such a 
way reminiscent of a praying mantis. Her neck had a deep scar 
across it, as if it had been all but decapitated years ago, but then 
expertly stitched together. 


She looked to Stuart, and said "| am sorry, Mr. Hayward, I'll just put 
this back on," donning her coat. 


Stuart sat dumbfounded. If there was any doubt about her being the 
devil she had claimed to be, it had just been eradicated. And yet he 
wasn't scared. Startled, perhaps, but scared, no. It was more like he 
didn't know what to think. This creature, presenting herself in all her 
terrifying glory, seemed to come straight out the very urban legends 
that the town so eagerly spread. Then a thought came to him. 


"Are those stories true?" 


"Stories?" Clovis tilted her head "What do you mean? Oh. | assume 
you are referring to whatever the residents were saying about the 
original tenants of the building | previously lived in, yes?" 


"Yes, in fact | am." 


"Well, if those stories involve me killing them, no. A couple used to 
live there long before you were conceived. | knew they traveled a lot. 
Unfortunately though, the husband died of a sort of heart disease 
while the widow left behind had long since moved away... Poor 
dear. she was childless too. She probably couldn't stand to even 
look at the place, let alone go through the processes of selling it. 
Ever since, I've been living there, keeping it clean, hiding from public 
view. | Knew how much you love books; it was only a matter of time 
before it at least caught your eye. | admit, | had to push the odds in 
my favor to get you in the door regularly. At least until..." 


"... Acacia and | were separated." 


"... Yes... Acacia asked me to help make your settling into the 
orphanage a more bearable one." 


"That | will not do." Stuart snapped. "I'm not going there. Inattentive 
caretakers and budding thugs do not make-" 


"And that's why I'm coming with you." Clovis interrupted. "I'm here 
so | can teach you how to change that. You do realize what I'm 
capable of, yes? What you are capable of? Your entire experience 
there will be radically different than what you think it'll be. Can you 
think of one alternative that doesn't involve you becoming a 
vagabond?" 


Stuart felt unable to give a proper response. 


"You need a roof over your head, and you need to inherit what 
Acacia left for you. The orphanage is the only reasonable option that 
grants both. You were never intended to live in the estate forever." 


"... And Acacia?" 


"I've... had her arranged to be picked up in the morning," she said, 
looking down. "I've left a letter for Dr. Unsworth. He'll come by as 
soon as he can." 


"... Fine. I'll go." 


"That's... That's good to hear. | know you've tried preventing this 
moment for so long, but for all it's worth, | know that you have made 
the right choice." She looked down at the floor. "Allow me to change 
the subject; did you enjoy your breakfast?" 


"Oh. No, | didn't eat it yet." 


"You should hurry. It might get cold before you even have the 
chance to enjoy them." 


"Right. Thanks." 


"You're very welcome," said Clovis, now sounding more relieved. 


"You just enjoy your breakfast and come visit me when you're done. 
I'll help you get everything settled. We only have a few days after 
all." 


As soon as Stuart reached for the knob to leave, he turned to ask 
"... Do you think | could | see her?" 


"Of course sweetie; you can do anything you want to, I'll just get 
started without you then." 


He couldn't manage anything beyond an "Alright. Thank you." to end 
the conversation. 


Chapter 4 


The large man felt an array of emotions: annoyance for the 
presence in front of him, sadness for the loss of one of his beloved 
patients, and, probably the most prevalent, concern of the child that 
shouldn't be. 


"Why did | even agree to this?" he groaned. 
"You did it because it's the right thing to do." 


Clovis was no longer in her shoddy bath robe, but into a sleeveless, 
pink day dress, heavily contrasting her originally grim look. Rather 
than disguise her appearance, her outfit seemed to gild it. She made 
no attempt to disguise her skeletal form, leaving her boney grin 
uncovered by a mask, and her ribcage obscured by a corset or 
undershirt. It would have been a shameful outfit to wear in public if 
there were any flesh to show, but on her, it was beautiful, if a bit on 
the macabre side. 


She continued. "We were lucky to get him in time in the first place, 
be happy that this is the end of it from your end." 


He shrugged. "Yes, yes, but this was a very unpleasant experience, 


especially his... conception, if you can even call it that." 


"She wanted a child more than anyone, and | needed one of the 
protectors. | regret what became of Acacia, but she was happy with 
her choice." 


"Well I'm not. How do | know | didn't help you raise a monster?" 
"You didn't.” 
"How can | be sure?” 


"Well, black cats were actually meant to give good luck, and cats in 
general are guardians against the weird. They were what were 
holding back the plague, for example. " 


"... ls that it? They're also the friends of witches." 


"And why do you think that is? There is a difference between legend 
and rumor you know. Look to the child himself." 


"He may be polite, but that doesn't change anything. You're polite 
too, and you've probably done numerous things." He shifted in his 
seat uncomfortably. 


"Against my will, eons ago, and even then, it's debatable whether or 
not those things were truly evil or not. Look, aside from my word, 
that's all | can give. | don't know how the Mother and Father will act, 
but if push comes to shove, at least someone will have a chance to 
stop them. They may just want their voices to be heard, which | can 
support, but | can not promise a particular outcome. This is simply 
necessary to fend against the worst. You have done good Unsworth; 
act the part. The only thing left to do on your end is have your 
brother deliver her will to the proper channel, as it should be done 
anyway. You don't have to worry, as | doubt even your grandkids will 
live to see the end. You'll never have to hear from me again." 


The doctor sighed. "Then | suppose | will just have to pray for the 
best." 


"If it helps you sleep at night | suppose. This will be the last time | 


see you privately, so let me offer you a very sincere thank you. We 
may not have agreed on everything, but this would have been a very 
difficult process without you." 


"I'd be lying if | said it was my pleasure, but you are welcome." 


"It wasn't too great for me either. | didn't like opening her womb to 
get a proper vessel in, and | hated what a toll it had on her, but your 
needlework and care were greatly appreciated." 


"It helped that she couldn't die from your wounds. | suppose it was 
worse for you than |; | know how much you liked her." 


Clovis paused, her gaze drifting off to the side. "| did. | more than 
liked her even... Though, | think I'm over grieving. The shell may 
have passed recently, but the woman truly died when we began... | 
have to check on Stuart, he's still in her room. Would you like to 
accompany me?" 


"I'll meet you there. | need a minute." 


"Of course, | understand," she finished, reaching for her parasol and 
making her way towards the door. "Enjoy your retirement doctor, 
that tree house isn't going to build itself after all." 


Stepping out of the house, she checked her watch, knowing how 
late it was already. 6 o' clock. Sunrise was coming. The path to Dr. 
Unsworth's abode to the estate was a brief one, perhaps three 
kilometers or so. While many were up at this time, virtually no one 
walked down this path but Dr. Unsworth and her. She planned it that 
way, ‘tipping the odds' so that no one wanted to even look at it, at 
least at night. 


It was something she had done everywhere around the town, 
strategically turning streets into forgotten paths or buildings into 
infamous ‘haunted houses’. The town made up their own context 
about the places she wanted quiet, pinning it on demons or crazed 
murderers that probably don't exist. Let them; anything to let her 
walk undisturbed by a drunk or hysteric onlooker. 


She would have had the townspeople avoid the areas entirely, but 


the routes she needed to walk were so widespread, it would have 
raised suspicion if everyone were suddenly afraid to walk down the 
street in broad daylight. She only needed them to work at night, 
since Stuart was awake at that time, so now it only appears that 
everyone is simply very conscious of curfew. After all, who isn't 
already disturbed by the prospect of walking down a shady road at 
night? 


It was this reason why she was surprised to see a large figure in the 
distance. 


Her first instinct was to retreat to the shrubbery, but she failed to 
move anywhere but backwards. It seemed to have already noticed 
her, beginning to dash toward her. It was not a person, but a large, 
black, wolfish figure. 


"You're... You aren't really here." 


As it barreled towards her, she realized who this figure was meant to 
be. It lunged towards her, bursting into a cloud of grey flame, 
disappearing as soon as it arrived. Still tense from what she had 
seen, she scanned her surroundings. She had put together that it 
was simply a figment long before it lunged towards her. 


It was never going to hurt her, it couldn't, but that was never what 
she truly feared about it. Clovis readjusted herself and looked down 
to see a message scrawled into the dirt, presumably left behind by 
the presence. "| suppose it had to happen sooner or later once they 
came to," she thought to herself. "It appears that we are going to 
have to jump right in." 


Chapter 5 


"This is silly." 


"No it's not, trust me. These are the most important components to 
any kind of special action you need to perform. You're fortunate that 


you don't actually need to gather them like so many others. You 
could go mad from some of the components alone." 


The two sat at a table, a worksheet Clovis had drawn out for the 
occasion depicting a large chart of ‘components’ sprawled out in 
front of Stuart. It had been several days since Acacia's funeral, and 
Stuart had become used to Clovis' presence. Dr. Unsworth had said 
he would look after Stuart until a representative had been arranged 
to deliver him to the 'Haven Harbor' orphanage, which was located 
somewhere just off the river Mersey. He was expected to come by in 
the morning. 


She continued. "You're pretty much done anyway, why not be safe 
and cover your bases?" 


"Fine, but when you told me that | was basically going to be casting 
spells, | was not expecting so much busy work." 


This isn't good. He should be getting excited over practicing, not 
tired of it, Clovis thought to herself. Maybe he'll be better behaved if 
he tries it for himself to see what he is capable of? After all, he's 
already memorized the most important parts... 


She started "Hmm... You may have a point there. How about we put 
this away for now, and put you up to the test?"