Link to article: SCP-8781.
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===== [[include component:preview text=//"Maybe what we did was an act of forgiveness."//]] ===== [[>]] [[module Rate]] [[/>]] **Item:** SCP-8781 **Object class:** Euclid **Special Containment Procedures:** Foundation agents embedded within healthcare systems worldwide are to monitor any cases of nematode parasitism that match symptoms associated with SCP-8781. Should an instance of SCP-8781-A be discovered, it is to be removed from its host and terminated immediately, following which the host is to be diagnosed with psychosis. Should any instance of SCP-8781-A be confirmed to have escaped Foundation custody, it is to be terminated as soon as possible by any means necessary, up to and including destruction of human hosts. Instances of SCP-8781-A in captivity are to be kept within a regular rotation of D-class personnel; no instance of SCP-8781-A is to be kept within the same host for more than three days. Once instances of SCP-8781-A are no longer useful for testing or population maintenance, they are to be surgically removed and incinerated. SCP-8781-B is to be kept in a climate controlled terrarium where it is to be fed a slurry approximating the nutritional contents of human flesh daily. At no point are personnel to interact with SCP-8781-B without observing PPE protocol; interactions of such nature are to be minimized as much as possible. All waste produced by SCP-8781-B is to be immediately incinerated and sterilised. **Description:** SCP-8781 is a phenomenon in which parasites within the phylum Nematoda spontaneously --appear to-- develop higher level reasoning and emotional capabilities. SCP-8781 has only been known to affect parasites that exclusively feed on and are currently inhabiting live human hosts, however no correlation has been discovered between circumstances of parasitism and occurrence of SCP-8781. SCP-8781-A refers to nematodes affected by SCP-8781. Instances of SCP-8781-A are morphologically identical to non-anomalous members of their species, however express multiple major behavioural abnormalities as a result of SCP-8781. The most notable of these abnormalities is the refusal to reproduce with non-anomalous partners or via autogamy, despite possessing full reproductive capabilities. SCP-8781-A will reproduce with other SCP-8781-A, producing instances of SCP-8781-A as offspring. Hosts infected by instances of SCP-8781-A typically report substantially less severe symptoms of infection than hosts of non-anomalous worms, however in severe cases instances of SCP-8781-A have been known to attempt to exit hosts that are persistent in eradication attempts, often resulting in bodily harm. --It is currently unclear the degree to which instances of SCP-8781-A possess intelligence, as such ethical rights for instances of SCP-8781-A are currently pending. Senior researcher Ambrose has ordered that for SCP-8781-A to constitute intelligent life instances must produce an object indicating higher reasoning ability-- Following Incident 8781-B, SCP-8781-A have been reclassified as sapient life. **Addendum 1 - Experiment logs:** Repetitive experiments removed for brevity, for unabridged list contact site director. > **Experiment 1** > **Staff:** Dr. Ambrose > **Purpose:** To observe the differences between infection of SCP-8781-A-7, an instance of A. Duodenale, and a non-anomalous hookworm of the same species. > **Procedure:** SCP-8781-A-7 was surgically inserted into D-35910 alongside a non-anomalous specimen, while two non-anomalous hookworms were inserted into D-48201. Both subjects were monitored for 2 weeks. > **Result:** D-48201 developed pains and a series of rashes throughout his abdomen, symptoms typical of hookworm infection. Analysis of waste and colonoscopy indicated the presence of eggs within intestinal tract. > D-35910 suffered mild discomfort, however reported improved digestion and substantially lesser irritation. Analysis of waste and colonoscopy indicated a lack of eggs within digestive system. > Notably, subject's intestines displayed abnormal gut flora patterns conducive to healthy digestion. > //Notes: It appears SCP-8781-A attempt to maintain the health of their host. I believe that this may be an advanced feeding strategy with the purpose of maintaining parasitism for longer periods of time. - Dr. Ambrose// > **Experiment 4** > **Staff:** Dr. Ambrose, Xenolinguistics technician Alberts > **Purpose:** To attempt direct communication with an instance of SCP-8781-A > **Procedure:** SCP-8781-A-15 [[footnote]]Female //Enterobius vermicularis//, commonly known as human pinworm.[[/footnote]] was surgically removed from D-28108 and placed inside a warm environment designed to mimic conditions inside the small intestine, where it would be observed and recorded through high resolution cameras. NEM-025, a small probe built to resemble a pinworm, was placed in the environment and would be used in order to attempt communication > **Result:** SCP-8781-A-15 initially began moving erratically in response to being removed from its host. When brought into the environment, the entity quickly burrowed into the soft substrate and began investigating the walls of its container. Shortly after, the probe was added to the environment under the control of technician Alberts. > > A transcript of the experiment from this point is included below. [[include component:image-block |name=Enterobius_vermicularis-1.jpg |caption=SCP-8781-A-15 |width=300px |align=right]] > <Begin log> > > //NEM-025 is gently set onto the substrate// > > **Ambrose:** Begin experiment 8781-4. Is this working? > > **Alberts:** Probe is working. > > //Alberts pilots the probe below the surface of the substrate, its bristles are able to discern the location of SCP-8781-A-15.// > > **Ambrose:** Move towards the entity. > > **Alberts:** Will do. > > //NEM-025 moves through the substrate until within 10mm of SCP-8781-A-15, at which point subject pauses and begins moving towards probe.// > > **Alberts:** Looks like she's noticed us. > > **Ambrose:** If it attempts to attack, move this thing away. > > //SCP-8781-A-15 prods NEM-025's 'head' using its tail, before quickly retracting it. It repeats this again 4 seconds later.// > > **Alberts:** Requesting permission to respond? > > **Ambrose:** We don't know what this signal means. > > **Alberts:** It resembles common forms of social play or curiosity to me. > > **Ambrose:** This is a parasite we are working with here. > > //During this conversation SCP-8781-A-15 has pressed its tail against the probe's face and has not retracted it.// > > **Alberts:** This still looks like play to me, I suggest we respond in kind. > > **Ambrose:** Permission granted, then. > > //NEM-025 moves its tail through the substrate, tapping SCP-8781-A-15 on its head before retracting. SCP-8781-A-15 jolts backwards in response to this, before beginning to move its sensory bristles across the probe.// > > **Alberts:** Looks like it's examining us. > > **Ambrose:** I recommend we remove the probe. > > **Alberts:** Why? > > **Ambrose:** We've gained enough insight into their behaviour, I believe the risk of damage to the probe outweighs the benefits of extending this. > > //SCP-8781-A-15 eventually stops moving across NEM-025 and begins to return to its previous behaviour.// > > **Alberts:** Alright, then. > > <End log> > **Experiment 16** > **Staff:** Dr. Ambrose > **Purpose:** To study the anatomy of SCP-8781-A instances. > **Procedure:** SCP-8781-A-38 [[footnote]]Male //Trichuris trichiura//, commonly known as Whipworm[[/footnote]] was removed from D-30193 surgically, where it was then dissected. > **Result:** Complications initially arose during the removal process, as subject appeared to position itself in reaction to medical equipment leading to considerable damage being dealt to D-30193's small intestine. Upon successful removal, subject was restrained before being impaled by a thumbtack. Subject attempted to use its head to dislodge the thumbtack before losing consciousness. Dissection showed the majority of the object's body to be nearly identical to a non-anomalous instance of //Trichuris Trichiura//, with the exception of the entity's circumesophageal nerve ring, which was found to be abnormally dense. > //Notes: Object appears to respond to bodily injury with immediate action, possibly indicating possession of an acute stress response. More research in this field is necessary.// **Addendum 2:** On 05/08/██, SCP-8781-A-15, shortly after the completion of experiment 21, was found to have tied itself into a knot, fatally restricting oxygen flow across its body. Due to this event and the loss of specimens during other experiments, Dr. Ambrose authorised the artificial creation of new instances of SCP-8781-A through artificial insemination. Once the offspring of SCP-8781-A were confirmed to be further instances of SCP-8781-A, a program to create new instances of SCP-8781-A was implemented. While several more instances of SCP-8781-A have since begun self-destruction, prevention of such behaviour has been deemed unnecessary. **Incident log 8781-1:** During routine physical infection of D-class hosts for SCP-8781-A, multiple hosts faked sedation with help of instances of SCP-8781-A within their circulatory systems. At 11:25 on 12/08/██, five separate D-class being examined at Site 29's medical wing suddenly attacked the staff performing their examinations, successfully overpowering them, stealing various equipment and escaping into Site 29's western corridor. Immediately after, subjects began to slice each other with a stolen scalpel, before charging towards Dr. Ambrose and slicing him mildly with said blade before dispersing, attempting to escape the site. During the ensuing lockdown, Dr. Ambrose locked himself in his office. 36 hours later, a foul odour was reported to be emanating from Dr. Ambrose's office. Upon entry, staff discovered what they initially believed to be Ambrose in extreme distress, leaning against a wall, wearing a coat stained with blood and standing in what appeared to be a puddle of waste. Upon attempting to communicate with the entity, it turned around, revealing its face to have been mostly consumed. The entity then began to spew fluid from its jaw while crudely moving its arms, leading to staff investigating fleeing and alerting on site security. Upon arrival, site security were able to identify the entity as non-harmful and successfully restrain the object before transporting it to provisional humanoid containment. Autopsy identified the entity as being composed of a mixture of the skeleton of Dr. Ambrose, various crude mechanical structures used to hold the body together, and a large amount of living biomatter moving throughout the structure, later identified as being a large group of SCP-8781-A. Due to the nature of the object's construction and the apparent engineering involved in its construction, the object was deemed as meeting the late Dr. Ambrose's qualifications for an item proving SCP-8781-A intelligence, and as such was contained and designated as SCP-8781-B. [[div class="footer-wikiwalk-nav"]] [[=]] << [[[SCP-8780]]] | SCP-8781 | [[[SCP-8782]]] >> [[/=]] [[/div]] [[include :scp-wiki:component:license-box]] > **Filename:** Enterobius_vermicularis-1.jpg > **Author:** Danny S. > **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0 > **Source Link:** [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Enterobius_vermicularis-1.jpg] [[include :scp-wiki:component:license-box-end]]