Lucidity Lost

The following document is a chronological list of Dr. Moreau’s personal observations of the rapid onset of a currently unknown condition. Patients were found wandering the street together in a trance-like state. They vary in age from 14 to 73. 
December 5th, 2002, 09:01 All patients show no signs, internally or externally, of any physical trauma to the head. Save for entering the “entranced state” throughout the day, they are all in good health. Many of them are slowly regaining consciousness outside of the “entranced state”. Between all 26 patients, very few have any history of mental health or neurological issues. Blood tests show no presence of mind altering substances.   Further questioning will be required. MRI scans are being scheduled. 
December 6th, 2002, 09:00 All patients have regained complete lucidity. Although there was much initial panic, they are all unexpectedly calm about their current situation. Each patient was interviewed by an on-site psychologist. They all possess an inability to recall specific details about past events. The memories are there, but they say that they cannot pick out any specific details. Perhaps the issue is not medical, but psychological? The MRI machines and technicians are being transferred here next Tuesday. For a top of the line facility, one would think we’d have them already.
December 11th, 2002, 09:03 MRI scans show very minor signs of degradation to the fusiform gyrus and, as expected, hippocampus. Another regular interview was conducted and it seems many patients have started to get restless. They want to know when they can go home and when they can leave their rooms. I tell them that we just need to pinpoint what exactly it is they are suffering from. The terrible thing is, I’m not sure when that is. We can’t just keep these people here like this. 
December 15th, 2002, 09:00 I hate to say it but we’ve hit a dead end. We can’t find any signs of infection, no foreign substances in their bodies, not even a minor chemical imbalance. And yet, the degradation won’t stop. The patients used to be able to remember my face and name. They’d greet me anytime I entered their ward. I need to remind them who I am each time I enter now. Sometimes I watch them through a one way mirror, introducing themselves to each other all over again. These people must have families that still have no idea where they are. Parents wondering what happened to their child, siblings terrified for their sisters’ safety. For all their families know, they may have died. I wonder if that might be preferable to knowing their current state. 
December 20th, 2002, 17:35 Their degradation has become more severe. They can’t even remember each other. Sometimes they start demanding to know where they are, sometimes they just start sobbing. They have started to enter the “entranced state” again. But this time they don’t just try to wander off. They scream, nonstop. Not just shouting but horrible, visceral screams. The kind of animalistic scream that people only do when they’re filled with fear and anger that makes you unable to speak. One man screamed so loud for so long that he tore his vocal folds.  We have to keep them restrained now, but that just makes them more anxious when they become lucid again. Their families will never see them again.
December 25, 2002, 09:02 The patients no longer show lucidity for periods longer than one hour. One patient caused such severe damage to his vocal folds that they developed a hemorrhagic polyp requiring surgery. From now on, whenever not required for an interview during their lucid states. Fusiform Gyrus has become extremely atrophied, and is seemingly being reabsorbed by the rest of the brain. Cause is still unknown 
January, 1st, 2003, 09:05 During a standard interview session with the patients, an unusual phenomenon was found. Every single patient mentioned seeing a man in the room, standing in the corner. Patients said they recognized him but were not sure of his identity. No signs of hallucination were displayed up until this point, suggesting that even when lucid their minds have begun to decay. MRI scans show near complete decomposition of the hippocampus. A repair technician has been contacted. 
January, 3rd, 2003, The facial features of the patients have begun to shift to the point they are no longer recognizable. Their interviews are nearly incoherent. Despite clear evidence other staff refute my records. The ailment is clearly progressing in new and horrific ways. This condition is unlike anything ever documented. 
May 9th, 2003, 08:20 I have seen him too. I try to warn them but the words won’t come out. I see him creeping towards the other doctors, moving just a little closer every day. If they just looked at him, maybe they could do something. But all I can do is scream. Scream until they finally realize what is wrong. He has already stolen our minds, but there is still hope for them.
Category:Science
Category:Beings