The dead kill. The dead eat.
The dead dream.
An SCP-8011-A burrow. All subjects pictured are deceased.
Special Containment Procedures: All SCP-8011-A instances are to be captured and taken to the nearest Foundation Site as soon as possible. Due to dangers of SCP-8011-A instances attacking or retaliating against Foundation operatives during the process of capture, provisions such as bite-proof gloves, helmets, neck guards, and body armor must be made for the protection of the operatives.
As SCP-8011-A instances are formally deceased, no provisions are have to be made for their sustenance and comfort while in containment. Care must always be taken in order to prevent total destruction of specimens during capture or containment. Aside from this, however, all damage to instances is acceptable.
Description: SCP-8011 describes a worldwide phenomenon where individuals who died on or after November 23, 2019 are “resurrected”. All instances of SCP-8011 resurrection events have been shown to transpire exactly 368 days after death1. Individuals resurrected in such events are designated SCP-8011-A instances.
Upon resurrection, an SCP-8011-A instance displays the following traits:
- Advanced or active decay typically expected of a corpse. After resurrection, continued decay in SCP-8011-A instances is observed to be markedly delayed.
- Vocalizations that can include low growling, pained moaning, or loud screaming.
- Hyperaggressive behavior towards one specific targeted person at a time, usually resulting in the death of the targeted person
- The tendency to consume only one part of their victims’ body, typically the face or hands.2
- An animalistic intelligence facilitating tool use3 and hunting strategies.
- An imperviousness to physical damage, such as with firearms, bladed weapons, and blunt weapons.4
- A tendency to lower the hume count5 of any particular area by a negligible amount once in a “lucid state” following successful consumption.6
These traits have been observed to continue until the SCP-8011-A instance has consumed a select part of their victim’s body. Upon consumption, the SCP-8011-A instance abruptly ceases attacking and flees the scene, typically to a hiding place heretofore referred to as a burrow [see Addendum 8011.2]. At this time, an SCP-8011-A instance has shown to be capable of articulate speech, with some being capable of entering “lucid states” under select circumstances. After an extended time (typically 5 days to 2 weeks), the SCP-8011-A returns to its aggressive stance and pursues a different victim, continuing the cycle.
Addendum 8011.1: Based on extrapolation from later events, the first resurrection event occurred on November 25, 2020. The first cases of murders reasonably thought to have been due to attacks by SCP-8011-A instances, however, occurred as late as November 31, 2020. This has been thought to have been due to the time that SCP-8011-A instances would have spent emerging from their burial places, with instances that had been shallowly buried or had been buried with coffins made out of fragile materials (such as wood) emerging first. Likewise, any case of early killings by SCP-8011-A instances in developing countries could have been underreported, further adding uncertainty to the possible first case of an SCP-8011-A attack.
Below is a list of selected cases of the first SCP-8011-A attacks, along with relevant details about the persons involved.
Date: November 30, 2020
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Former Name of SCP-8011-A Instance: Unidentified, presumed to have died between November 23, 2019 and November 28, 2019. Index case, classified as SCP-8011-A-1
Name of Victim: Michiko Niida
Description: At 22:21, the Japanese emergency police hotline received a request for help from Niida, who had reported that there was a dissheveled man following her as she walked through the streets of the Akasaka District. Upon being asked for details about her pursuer, Niida reported that she did not know who he was, and that he was holding a rock. The emergency dispatcher attempted to ask her for further details, but was cut short by Niida screaming, followed by sounds of her running. At 22:22, Niida is heard dropping her smartphone. Six seconds later, a man’s maniacal laughter is heard.
At 22:26, Japanese police officers arrive at the scene. After two minutes of searching, they find the body of a woman in a remote alley. Early attempts at confirmation of the victim’s identity were delayed due to severe facial disfigurement, with most of the flesh having been removed from her facial region. Later autopsy results would conclude that the woman had died due to blood loss secondary to blunt force trauma to her skull and her previously mentioned facial injuries, which showed signs of injury from human teeth. As such, she has thought to have still been alive when her pursuer removed her face.
Attempts at investigation by Japanese authorities were hampered by the apparent disappearance of the suspect from the scene of the crime. Bloody handprints were discovered 20m from the scene, leading to a manhole into the sewers. Upon further exploration of the sewers, Japanese authorities found a half-eaten nose belonging to Niida. However, no sign was found of her killer.
When interviewed, people living close to the manhole reported hearing “cackling” laughter, followed by crying. These noises were said to have been punctuated by chewing and choking noises.
Date: December 1, 2020
Location: Dasmarinas City, The Philippines
Former Name of SCP-8011-A Instance: Anya Santos, died on November 23, 2019. Classified as SCP-8011-A-2
Name of Victim: Guillermo Luis Santos III
Description: At 6:23, a call is made from the home of the recently deceased Anya Santos to a house in Manila inhabited by Gina Torres, her mother. Due to the fact that Torres was an elderly person habitually taking sleeping pills, she was not awoken by the phone ringing.
From 06:23 to 06:50, 18 more calls were made to the landline of the residence, to no avail. At 06:52, a message was sent to the account of Gina Torres from her 8 year old granddaughter, Haruka Santos, the daughter of Anya Santos. This was followed by several more messages, which stopped at 07:12. At 09:13, Gina Torres wakes up and checks her phone. The messages sent by Haruka Santos to Gina Torres are included below. These have been translated from Filipino for posterity.
06:52 - “grandma, mommys back and she keeps crying outside the door and she woke us up by knocking on the door”
06:52 - “ermo is scared, hes hugging me”
06:53 - “grandma mommy keeps crying she says she wants to see me again”
06:58 - “ermos hiding in his room”
07:12 - “grandma mommy found the key”
Upon seeing the messages, Gina Torres immediately dressed up and drove from Manila to Dasmarinas City, but was delayed by heavy traffic. She was able to arrive at the Santos residence at 11:14.
Upon arriving, Gina Torres found Haruka Santos crying in the room of her 6 year old brother, “Ermo”, whose real name was Guillermo Santos III. Blood was found on Guillermo’s bed, but neither the child nor SCP-8011-A-2 are found. Gina Torres attempted to ask her what had happened, but Haruka Santos was not able to speak articulately for several days following the incident. Upon arriving at the scene, police officers were unable to ascertain where Guillermo had gone, or who had been the perpetrator for his disappearance. They were able to track a woman in a bloody white dress running from the direction of the Santos residence at 7:14 AM on nearby security cameras, but were unable to find her.
On December 5, 2020, Haruka’s father Guillermo Santos II returned home on emergency shore leave. Upon meeting his daughter, Haruka immediately ran to hug her father while crying uncontrollably. In between bouts of crying, Haruka was heard saying “Mommy wanted to see me again. So Mommy ate Ermo’s eyes.”
The Santos case was reported on the local news and was the topic of online conversation for several days. Following several more cases of similar attacks in other countries, Foundation observer staff were asked to further investigate a possible anomaly behind the cases, with instructions to dispatch Foundation Mobile Task Forces to the scene of a possible attack.
As of June 20, 2021, the bodies of both Anya Santos and Guillermo Santos III have not yet been found.
Date: December 6, 2020
Location: Boston, The United States
Former Name of SCP-8011-A Instance: Arnold Malkovich, died on November 23, 2019. Classified as SCP-8011-A-14
Name of Victim: Anna Bornholm
Description: At 12:32 in the afternoon, a “homeless man in a tattered suit” is reported breaking into an office building in Boston. According to security camera footage, the man, identified to be the deceased Arnold Malkovich (heretofore referred to as SCP-8011-A-14), is seen walking into the glass doors of the office building while displaying a shambling gait. After a short altercation with security officers, it is able to enter one of the building’s elevators and use it to travel up to the fifteenth floor.
While inside, it is seen shaking with rage, often stumbling while pacing in circles. It is also seen punching the walls of the elevator cab while screaming. As the elevator doors open on the fifteenth floor, SCP-8011-A-14 is seen running at a full sprint outside of the cab, bumping into several people passing by. As it passes several meeting rooms, it is seen looking into the windows of each one. Eventually, it comes to a stop outside of meeting room 8901, where department head Anna Bornholm is conducting a business meeting with company executives. Seeing Bornholm, SCP-8011-A-14 immediately jumps through the window of the meeting room, breaking the glass. Upon stumbling to his feet, SCP-8011-A-14’s eyes focus on Bornholm, and it immediately attacks her. For several seconds, the subject is seen grabbing Bornholm’s hair and banging her head on the nearby plywood wall, creating a small hole. One of the executives in the room immediately attempts to call security.
Outside of the room, Catherine Marsh, a friend of Bornholm, calls 911 and describes the situation while in a panic. Upon hearing this, observation staff at the nearby Site-18 immediately dispatch a small MTF to investigate the disturbance.
In the 12 minutes between the initial attack and the arrival of Foundation operatives, SCP-8011-A-14 continues to attack Bornholm. 9 minutes after the first attack, SCP-8011-A-14 finally ceases attacking Bornholm after eating three fingers from her right hand. Realizing that Bornholm was dead, SCP-8011-A-14 runs from the scene, biting two officers who attempt to restrain it as it escapes. As it runs down the stairs to the lobby, Foundation operatives disguised as police officers arrive at the scene and attempt to subdue Malkovich through the use of taser guns. When this was proven ineffective, the operatives opted for physical restraint instead. Like earlier, SCP-8011-A-14 attacks those who come close to it, and is only successfully subdued when an operative tackles and then restrains it on the ground.
Recognizing that SCP-8011-A instances always attempt to flee from the scene of the attack, SCP-8011-A-14 is implanted with a tracker at the instruction of Site-18’s director. The subject is then allowed to escape, with Foundation researchers at Site-18 observing the path that it takes to its destination and remotely listening in to the microphone feed. [See Addendum 8011.2]
Following the attack, Anna Bornholm was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Her cause of death was repeated blunt force trauma to the head.
Addendum 8011.2: The following addendum describes the observations and subsequent interviews conducted on SCP-8011-A-14 following its tracker implantation on December 6, 2020.
Activity Log
December 6, 2020: The instance is seen running north from the city of Boston without stopping. It avoids major roads when needed. In cases where it is impossible to cross an area with major foot traffic, SCP-8011-A-14 instead opts to wait in hidden places.
December 7, 2020: SCP-8011-A-14 spends most of the early morning continuing to walk north, arriving at the Middlesex Fells Reservation by 05:23. It again takes care to avoid other people, before entering an access point into the sewers below the reservation.
The Middlesex Fells Reservation burrow, located within the sewers
7:10 - Upon entering, SCP-8011-A-14 is heard mumbling to itself and tapping on the nearby pipes. It is heard whistling soon after. It continues to slowly walk through the sewers.
7:22 - SCP-8011-A-14 is heard running quickly through the sewers, before inserting a thin object through an unknown slot. It is heard speaking intellegibly for the first time, stating “Fuck, I was almost late there.” It is then seen entering a dead end in the sewers through the tracker. It is heard ruffling its clothes and running a hand through its hair.
7:27 - Afterwards, SCP-8011-A-14 rushes to a small recessed room in the sewers, before it is heard sitting down in a corner and tapping on the floor as if it were a keyboard. Occasionally, it makes clicking sounds as if trying to replicate the clicks of a mouse. It is then heard grumbling to itself, before exclaiming “Goddamnit, another audit.” From there, SCP-8011-A-14 pretends to work until 11:30.
11:30 - SCP-8011-A-14 stands up from its corner and walks out of the recessed room to take its “lunch break”. It is eventually heard sitting down again as it converses with another imaginary coworker who it refers to as “Cat”. Eventually, SCP-8011-A-14 begins to talk to another coworker, who it calls “Annie”. The subject continues to talk at length about its promotion to middle management, as well as comforting Annie on her being passed up for the promotion in favor of it. At the end of its “break”, SCP-8011-A-14 returns to the recessed room and continues to pretend to “work”.
13:30 - SCP-8011-A-14 slowly walks outside, towards the many voices outside its recessed room. As it gets closer, at least 12 individual voices can be discerned, ranging from children to the elderly. Unusually, however, none of the voices seem to be replying to one another. Instead, they seem to be having different conversations individually. Likewise, SCP-8011-A-14 makes no further indication that it can hear the voices around it. SCP-8011-A-14 then continues to “work” through its day.
16:30 - Eventually, at the end of its shift, SCP-8011-A-14 once again stands up from its room. It is heard slotting a thin object through the pipes again, and walking deeper into the sewers. With it, the voices from the previous area slowly disappear with distance.
17:00 - SCP-8011-A-14 comes to a room. Inside it, it is heard laying down on the floor and sighing to himself. It is heard saying “Home at last.” SCP-8011-A-14 calls out to a person it specifies as “Honey.” It then calls out again, only to be apparently met with no imaginary reply. After waiting for several seconds, it is heard collapsing to the ground.
17:32 - SCP-8011-A-14 begins to cry to itself.
20:32 - SCP-8011-A-14 is heard snoring.
December 8, 2020: SCP-8011-A-14 repeats its routine from the day before. However, at 7:57, a new voice is heard speaking unintellegibly as it enters the room where SCP-8011-A-14 is in. The instance makes no indication that it can hear the newly entering person.
8:00 - 11:30 - Both SCP-8011-A-14 and the new person are heard speaking over each other as both pretend to “work” at their jobs. With each time it picks an object up, the new person asks “911, what’s your emergency?” before conversing with another imaginary person. Both then continue to “work” until the end of their “shifts.”
17:00 - SCP-8011-A-14 goes back “home”. It once again calls out to “Honey”. After not being answered after several tries, it is heard collapsing against a wall once again and crying.
December 9, 2020: Both the subject and the other person then continue to “work” until their lunch breaks.
12:30 - As SCP-8011-A-14 eats lunch with imaginary coworkers, the other person is heard screaming from the recessed room. It repeatedly shouts “I can’t do this!” to itself before banging its head on the walls. Bones are heard cracking as it does so. SCP-8011-A-14 makes no indication that it hears this or the other voices in the room. Soon after, the other person runs out from the room screaming, with the sound echoing throughout the greater room that SCP-8011-A-14 is. It disappears as the other person grows more distant.
17:00 - SCP-8011-A-14 comes “home”. It calls out to “Honey” once again, before crying in a corner. It keeps repeating “I can do this, I can do this” to itself.
December 10, 2020: SCP-8011-A-14 continues its normal activities. Several more voices are heard in the greater room outside the subject’s “workplace.” As one is heard screaming hysterically, SCP-8011-A-14 is heard pausing its tapping on the floor. Afterwards, it resumes.
Upon going home, SCP-8011-A-14 no longer calls out for “Honey”. Instead, it immediately lays down and goes to sleep.
December 11, 2020: Upon arriving at its “workplace”, the sound of the other person occupying SCP-8011-A-14’s room is heard once again taking another call in a manner akin to a 911 dispatcher7 Upon hearing the other person’s voice, SCP-8011-A-14 visibly stops at the entrance, before slowly sitting at the part of the room furthest away from the other person. Upon doing this, SCP-8011-A-14 continues to “work.”
12:30 - Upon conducting its lunch break, SCP-8011-A-14 continues to converse with its imaginary coworkers, but stops at multiple points due to the loud noises made by the other voices in the room. It is heard hyperventilating as this happens.
13:30 - After it ends its lunch break, SCP-8011-A-14 enters the recessed room and attempts to continue to “work.” As the other person begins to take another call, SCP-8011-A-14 abruptly ceases typing for several minutes. It resumes only after the other person stops talking.
16:30 - Afterwards, SCP-8011-A-14 exits the room, only to stop in order to greet one of its imaginary coworkers. As it attempts to converse, the other person in the room is heard also making conversation with an imaginary coworker. During this time, SCP-8011-A-14 completely stops making conversation with its respective coworker, and instead is seen standing still at the doorway. Several minutes later, SCP-8011-A-14 is heard saying “Are you done?” in an angry tone to the other person. When it is met with no reply, SCP-8011-A-14 is seen approaching them and is heard crouching down. It repeats saying “Are you done?” in an angrier tone.
16:38 - The other person is then heard taking another call. SCP-8011-A-14 shouts ”Are you done?!” at it, but is met with no reply. In response, SCP-8011-A-14 is heard screaming loudly with anger before gripping the head of the other person and smashing it against the wall repeatedly. As SCP-8011-A-14 does this, the other person continues to talk in a cordial tone to the imaginary person on the other end of the call that it is taking. Its voice weakens at two minutes later, when SCP-8011-A-14 presumably damages its trachea or vocal cords.
The other person continues to talk until it completely ceases five minutes after the attack commenced, when SCP-8011-A-14 has presumably completely destroyed its skull. Despite this, however, more sounds are heard as SCP-8011-A-14 continues to assault the other person’s body. It ceases three minutes later. SCP-8011-A-14 then begins to cry uncontrollably.
16:50 - SCP-8011-A-14 stands up from the recessed room and walks “home”. More voices are heard on the other side of the microphone, still talking over each other as seen in previous cases. SCP-8011-A-14 mutters “I can do this” over and over as it walks across the room, but is occasionally interrupted by loud noises from the other voices in the area.
16:55 - SCP-8011-A-14 arrives home. It is heard slumping against the wall. It continues to repeat “I can do this” to itself. A few seconds later, SCP-8011-A-14 calls out to “Honey” once again. Upon being met with no reply, SCP-8011-A-14 screams in frustration and anger and is heard punching the wall repeatedly. It is heard shouting “I can’t do this!” again and again.
17:00 - SCP-8011-A-14 runs out of the room and out of the sewers.
17:10 - It exits the borders of the Middlesex Fells reservation and continues to run at full speed in full view through the towns of Winchester, Lexington, and Bedford. At this time, Foundation operatives are dispatched from Site-18 in order to pursue SCP-8011-A-14 and apprehend it once it reaches its target.
21:00 - SCP-8011-A-14 arrives at its destination at a small cabin close to the town of Concord. Foundation operatives are still en route to its location. Upon arriving, SCP-8011-A-14 crashes through the front door of the cabin before quickly turning to enter the dining room. At the time of SCP-8011-A-14's entry into the cabin four non-anomalous individuals were gathered in the dining room for a meal, and exclaimed in surprise at the sudden intrusion. Immediately, SCP-8011-A-14 attacks the individual at the furthest end of the table, a thirty-two year old man named Jonah Marlowe. According to eyewitness accounts, SCP-8011-A-14 directly seized Marlowe by his hair and repeatedly banged his head on the wooden table, shattering the plate directly in front of the victim. As Marlowe falls from his seat, SCP-8011-A-14 blinds him with its fingernails as he lays prone on the floor. It then continues to assault Marlowe by bludgeoning him repeatedly in the face with both arms.
Two other people in the room, including Marlowe’s wife Nicole Tyler-Marlowe and his mother-in-law Mariana Tyler, watch in horror as this transpires. Meanwhile, Marlowe’s father-in-law, Jacob Tyler, exits the room and enters thirty seconds later with a Colt M1911 pistol in his hand. Jacob Tyler fires three shots into SCP-8011-A-14’s abdomen and chest, but is not able to stop the subject from assaulting Marlowe. Soon after, SCP-8011-A-14 bites into Marlowe’s face, first devouring part of his right cheek and following by eating his lips. Jacob Tyler continues to fire his gun at Marlowe, but to no avail. Upon running out of rounds, Jacob Tyler flees the rooma.
Upon fully eating the skin from Marlowe’s face, SCP-8011-A-14 abruptly desists in its hyperaggressive behavior. As described by Nicole Tyler-Marlowe, SCP-8011-A-14 slowly stands up, wipes its bloodied mouth, and smiles at her. SCP-8011-A-14 then steps forward towards Tyler-Marlowe and tenderly says “Hey, Honey. I’m home.”
At this point, Foundation operatives arrive at the cabin. As SCP-8011-A-14 moves forward to embrace Tyler-Marlowe, it is quickly apprehended by operatives in full riot gear and armed with batons. SCP-8011-A-14 responds to this with aggression, attempting to bite those restraining it to the nearby table. Quickly, operatives are able to handcuff Marlowe and tie a secure gag to its mouth before carrying it to the Foundation vehicle. Two operatives remain in order to control the situation under the disguise of SWAT team members. Shortly after, Foundation medical staff arrive to administer first aid and provide amnestics. Jonah Marlowe’s death is later concluded to have been the result of a mishandling of acidic chemicals.
SCP-8011-A-14 arrives at Site-18 four hours later. It is taken to a humanoid containment cell, where it continues to exhibit aggressive behavior towards researchers on the other side of its cell. By 23:45, SCP-8011-A-14 calms and curls up on one side of its cell, and begins to sleep.
December 12, 2020: SCP-8011-A-14 awakens in its cell at 9:12. Unlike its disposition prior, it is smiling and seemingly groggy as it awakens. Carefully, SCP-8011-A-14 rises from its spot as if avoiding waking up an imaginary person next to it. It then rubs its eyes, before moving to stand in front of a table in its cell. SCP-8011-A-14 then grabs an imaginary object from the table and drops his wrist as if pouring a liquid from a pitcher. It then sets down the imaginary object that it was previously holding and starts drinking from an imaginary cup. It sighs with relief.
Moving to the other side of the room, it then begins to put on an imaginary apron and pretend to cook. SCP-8011-A-14 continues to perform these movements for several minutes, before arching his arm in order to scrape the cooked food from the imaginary pan onto the plate. It then bends down to sniff it, before moving to the corner where it once slept.
It then begins to speak while smiling, speaking to another person in a tender manner about breakfast in bed. It then begins to converse with this other person while miming eating from a plate, before taking both imaginary plates back in order to pretend to wash them in a sink. As it does so, it continues to converse and laugh occasionally.
Crossing the room, SCP-8011-A-14 responds to an unheard request to turn on a television, which it obliges by pretending to retrieve a remote from the table and pressing a button on it. It then sits on the floor in front of the blank wall, while arching his hand out to embrace someone who is not there.
At this time, Head Researcher Ulm arrives to observe and interview SCP-8011-A-14 outside the reinforced glass wall of its containment cell. As SCP-8011-A-14 reclines on the floor, Head Researcher Ulm begins to read out from a pre-prepared list of interview questions. SCP-8011-A-14 does not respond, even when Ulm calls its attention. Due to this, the Head Researcher decides to passively observe the subject outside of the containment cell.
11:22 - SCP-8011-A-14 continues to recline in its seated position, only changing the position of its arms to accommodate the imaginary person beside it. It is heard speaking to the imaginary person multiple times, maintaining a casual and loving demeanor as it does so. Eventually, the topic of SCP-8011-A-14’s conversation switches to an alleged invitation to a family dinner, which SCP-8011-A-14 graciously accepts, before abruptly shaking it head. As it does so, SCP-8011-A-14 attempts to continue the conversation again, but is unable to do so. It puts its head in its hands, and starts to scream in frustration. It attempts to violently punch the wall of its containment cell, enough to break several of its finger bones and cause the carpal bones in its hand to crack audibly. As it does so, Head Researcher Ulm begins to turn on his microphone to speak into the containment cell. Included below is the transcript of the interview.
<Begin log>
Ulm: “Hello, Mr. Malkovich? Can you hear me?”[SCP-8011-A-14 continues to punch the wall and scream in frustration.]
Ulm: “Hello? Can you please respond? Desist from punching the wall now.”
[SCP-8011-A-14 gives no reply. It continues to punch the wall.]
Ulm: “Mr. Malkovich, please respond.”
[SCP-8011-A-14 stops and slowly brings its arms down. It bows its head and remains unmoving.]
Ulm: “Do you know where you are, Mr. Malkovich?”
[SCP-8011-A-14 does not respond.]
Ulm: “Mr. Mal-”
[As Ulm speaks, SCP-8011-A-14 turns to the glass wall where Ulm is observing him from and runs at full sprint towards it. Due to the glass’ tempered nature, it bounces off and lands on the floor one meter away.]
[In response, SCP-8011-A-14 snarls with aggression, before charging again at the glass and repeatedly banging on it.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “LET ME OUT!”
Ulm: “Sir, if you do not desist-”
SCP-8011-A-14: “LET ME THE FUCK OUT!”
[SCP-8011-A-14 continues to bang on the glass with its hands, before switching to using its head to attempt breaking it.]
Ulm: “Mr. Malkovich, this is reinforced glass. You will not be able to get past it.”
[SCP-8011-A-14 continues to bang its head on the glass. Rotting skin is seen peeling from its forehead.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!”
[Immediately, SCP-8011-A-14 collapses to the ground. It slowly begins to sob.]
Ulm: “Mr. Malkovich?”
[SCP-8011-A-14 remains unresponsive.]
Ulm: “Mr. Malkovich, can you please respond? Do you know where you are?”
[SCP-8011-A-14 begins to hug its knees and cry.]
Ulm: “Mr. Arnold Malkovich, please res-”
SCP-8011-A-14 [shakily]: “No. No I f-fucking don’t. Is this the hospital? Jail?”
Ulm: “You are currently in a holding cell due to two recent incidents which you were involved in.”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Incidents? What do you mean? ”
Ulm: “The deaths of Anna Bornholm and Jonah Marlowe.”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Annie’s dead? How?”
Ulm: “We… we thought you would like to shed some light on that.”
[SCP-8011-A-14 shakes its head, before slowly standing up. It wipes its tears and grits its teeth.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “Listen, Doctor, all I know is that my wife is out there and not two seconds ago was I with her. Now, I’m here. Can you please explain that?”
[Ulm notes something down on his clipboard.]
Ulm: “So you remember nothing at all of the incident that transpired last night and one week ago?”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Nothing. Can I now please talk to my wife-”
Ulm: “I see.”
[Ulm notes his observation on the clipboard again.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “Doctor? May I now please talk to my wife?”
Ulm: “Mr. Malkovich, you will only be allowed to talk to your wife once we are done with our investigation. In order to do that, you must cooperate?”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Doc, she must be worried sick by now-”
Ulm: “Mr. Malkovich, can you please tell us your name?”
[SCP-8011-A-14 stares at Ulm, then closes his eyes and sighs.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “My name is Arnold Malkovich, Department Head at Augustus Life Incorporated. Listen, if I had my business card, I’d hand it to you.”
[Ulm glances at his clipboard, then back up at SCP-8011-A-14.]
Ulm: “You are a Department Head at Augustus Life Incorporated? Not a team leader?”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Yes, is there something wrong?”
[Ulm notes down an observation in his clipboard.]
Ulm: “No, nothing at all. I believe there may be something wrong with our records. Can you tell me about who your parents were, as well as where you were born?”
SCP-8011-A-14: “I was born in the Massachusetts General Hospital on September 20, 1989. My parents are Judy and Nash Malkovich.”
[Ulm continues to note on his clipboard.]
Ulm: “Earlier, you were discussing your wife. May I ask who that is?”
SCP-8011-A-14: “You mean, there isn’t anything about her on those records of yours?”
Ulm: “We just wish to test your orientation to your surroundings.”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Fine. My wife’s name is Nicole Tyler-Malkovich, born on October 15, 1989. Does that answer your question?”
[Ulm visibly stops writing on his clipboard.]
Ulm: “Understood.”
[Ulm makes another note, then looks at SCP-8011-A-14.]
Ulm: “When were you and Mrs. Tyler-Malkovich married?”
SCP-8011-A-14: “We were married… just recently.”
Ulm: “May you please give me a date?”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Uh… December 23, 2019. Just before Christmas. She insisted on it.”
[Ulm nods and writes on his clipboard.]
Ulm: “How did you know Anna Bornholm?”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Annie, she… she was a friend at work, yeah. One of the other team leaders. We eat lunch together at work.”
Ulm: “So you say she was one of the team leaders?”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Yeah. I think she was jealous when I got promoted, but she got over it. We’re friends. We talked at work yesterday.”
Ulm: “Alright.”
[Ulm notes on his clipboard again.]
Ulm: “Your work wasn’t affected at all by the pandemic?”
[SCP-8011-A-14 cocks his head.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “The what?”
[Ulm looks up with a questioning expression.]
Ulm: “The COVID-19 pandemic.”
SCP-8011-A-14: “I don’t know what that is.”
Ulm: “Your company hasn’t been affected by lockdowns? Lay-offs? The switch to work from home?”
SCP-8011-A-14: “No, not at all. We go to work, same as we always have.”
[Ulm is silent for several seconds, staring at SCP-8011-A-14. He then looks down and notes something down on his clipboard.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “I’m sorry, Doctor, but… what the hell are you talking about?”
[Ulm continues to write on his clipboard. He does not reply to SCP-8011-A-14.]
Ulm: “Alright. Now, how do you know Jonah Marlowe?”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Who?”
Ulm: “Jonah Marlowe, who died last night.”
SCP-8011-A-14: “I don’t know who he is.”
Ulm: “Are you sure about that, Mr. Malkovich?”
[SCP-8011-A-14 looks at Ulm.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “Listen, did something bad happen to Annie and this… Jonah?”
Ulm: “Not particularly, Mr. Malkovich.”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Then why the hell are you keeping me here? Asking these questions from me? Why the fuck won’t you let me call my wife?”
Ulm: “I am not at liberty to say.”
[SCP-8011-A-14 stands up and bangs on the glass with his palm.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “For fuck’s sake, talk to me straight for once!”
[Ulm stares at SCP-8011-A-14 for several seconds. He checks the clipboard, then looks back up at the subject.]
[Ulm visibly pauses for several seconds as he looks at SCP-8011-A-14.]8
Ulm: “Alright, Arnold. I will lay the situation out to you.”
[Ulm moves forward on his seat.]
Ulm: “Are you ready for what I am about to tell you?”
SCP-8011-A-14: “What do you mean?”
Ulm: “A week ago, Anna Bornholm was murdered by a man who had broken into the Kanzler building. This man knew where the floor which Augustus Life Incorporated was occupying, and also knew the approximate area where Anna Bornholm would be.”
SCP-8011-A-14: “What the fuck?”
Ulm: “No, listen to me. Once he saw her, the man violently burst through the window of the meeting room and attacked Bornholm, repeatedly slamming her head against the wall until she was dead. Then, this man, seized by some violent hysteria, ate three fingers from her hand.”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Doctor, what are you saying-”
Ulm: “Next: last night, another murder occurred outside of Concord. This time, a man named Jonah Marlowe was eating dinner with his wife and in-laws. Then, at 8:22 PM in the evening, a man broke into the house which they were eating at and immediately pounced on Marlowe, physically assaulting him to such a degree that he was half-dead. Then, not satisfied, the man then bit pieces out of Marlowe’s face. He did this so violently, in fact, that parts of the victim’s skull were exposed by the time he expired. Does that sound familiar?”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Doctor…”
Ulm: “Then, with no compulsion for guilt whatsoever, the man then stood up, straightened his tattered suit, wiped the blood from his face, and smiled to Marlowe’s newlywed wife, Nicole Tyler-Marlowe.”
[SCP-8011-A-14 has a clear expression of shock on its face. It does not immediately offer a reply.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “…What the fuck are you saying?”
Ulm: “Do you know the reason why you’re here, Arnold?”
[Ulm smiles ungenuinely at SCP-8011-A-14.]
Ulm: “Because you’re the one who committed these murders. That’s why we took you in. That’s why you’re here.”
[Ulm clicks the pen in his hand.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “You’re fucking lying.”
Ulm: “You died on November 23, 2019. You never married Nicole Tyler. You were never promoted to department head. Other people did that in your place.”
[Ulm clicks the pen in his hand again.]
Ulm: “And now you killed Jonah and Annie, just so that you could pretend to be what they are… that you never were. You’re living a lie, Arnold. Wake up.”
SCP-8011-A-14: “YOU’RE FUCKING LYING!”
[SCP-8011-A-14 punches the glass.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “YOU’RE LYING!”
[SCP-8011-A-14 punches the glass again, eliciting loud cracks from its right hand.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “GET ME OUT OF HERE, YOU LYING SON OF A BITCH!”
[SCP-8011-A-14 punches the glass repeatedly with both of his hands, causing multiple fractures across the phalanx bones and carpals. SCP-8011-A-14 does not notice them.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “FUCK YOU! YOU’RE LYING! FUCK YOU!”
[SCP-8011-A-14 stops punching the glass. Tears are streaming down both of its cheeks.]
[After a few seconds, SCP-8011-A-14 falls to the ground and hugs its knees to its chest. It starts to rock itself back and forth. It begins to cry loudly, followed by whimpering.]SCP-8011-A-14: “You’re fucking lying. You’re lying. You’re lying.”
[Ulm stands in front of SCP-8011-A-14, his arms folded across his chest.]
Ulm: “You didn’t even feel it, did you?”
[SCP-8011-A-14 sniffles.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “What?”
Ulm: “Your hands.”
SCP-8011-A-14: “What about my hands?”
Ulm: “They’re broken to hell. Look at them.”
SCP-8011-A-14: “Why the hell would I?”
Ulm: “You have nothing to lose by looking at your hands, SCP-8011-A-14. Look at them.”
[SCP-8011-A-14’s face twitches.]
Ulm: “Go on. Look at them.”
[SCP-8011-A-14 brings its hands up to look at them. Its eyes widen in horror.]
Ulm: “You’re dead, Arnold. You can’t feel a thing. Look at your suit. Look at your skin. You’re rotting.”
[SCP-8011-A-14 moans in horror. It stumbles back as it continues to look at its hands.]
SCP-8011-A-14: “No… no no no no no…”
[SCP-8011-A-14 starts whimpering. It attempts to grip the table near him for balance as it continues to step back, but its broken hand is unable to support its weight. It falls to the ground.]
Ulm: “You were never promoted. You never married Nicole Tyler. Instead, on November 23rd, 2019, you died in a car accident– scared, alone, and slowly bleeding out.”
[Ulm stands up from his chair.]
Ulm: “You’re dead, Arnold. Accept it.”
[SCP-8011-A-14 screams in anguish while on the floor. It continues to do this for forty seconds.]
[Afterwards, SCP-8011-A-14’s anguished screams decrease to low, repeating whimpers.]
[Ulm watches expectantly at SCP-8011-A-14.]
Ulm: “Arnold? Are you still there?”
[SCP-8011-A-14 lies in a ball on the floor, motionless.]
Ulm: “Arno-”
[Suddenly, SCP-8011-A-14 launches itself at the glass wall in a hyper-aggressive state, repeatedly banging its head against the glass. It starts screaming in extreme rage, before pummelling the glass wall with what is left of its hands. Its right hand is seen falling from its forearm.]
[Ulm smiles in fascination.]
Ulm: “I’ll take note of this.”
[SCP-8011-A-14 screams louder in response, before banging its head against the glass wall again.]
[Ulm begins to animatedly write in his clipboard. He turns away as SCP-8011-A-14 continues to bang against the glass wall in rage.]
<end log>
When later questioned as to his unprofessional conduct during his interview with SCP-8011-A-14, Head Reseacher Ulm stated that it was done in order to discern if breaking SCP-8011-A-14’s constructed reality would cause it to revert to a hyperaggressive state. According to Head Researcher Ulm, SCP-8011-A-14’s reaction was able to adequately fulfill his aims.
Addendum 8011.3: Following the capture of SCP-8011-A-14, an initiative was undertaken in Site-18 in order to capture SCP-8011-A specimens before they assumed or reassumed their hyperaggressive states in order to further study them. The first target for this initiative was the burrow situated in the sewers under the Middlesex Fells Reservation. Twenty-five SCP-8011-A specimens were captured in the first operation. Due to safety protocols and the initially docile states of the specimens upon first encounter, no personnel were injured in the operation. Upon arrival at Site-18, specimens were identified through local records. Below is a list of selected subjects from this operation, followed by relevant details.
Former Name of SCP-8011-A Instance: Rodrigo Perez, classified as SCP-8011-A-15
Description: SCP-8011-A-15 used to work as a bank teller before expiring on November 23, 2019. After its presumed resurrection event on November 5, 2020, SCP-8011-A-15 stalked one of its clients, a wealthy thirty-seven year old woman called Janice Salisbury. Upon attacking Salisbury, SCP-8011-A-15 bit into and devoured her neck, killing her almost instantly. Upon arrival to the Middlesex Fells Reservation burrow, SCP-8011-A-15 began pretending to be of affluent status.
When later selected for interview during its lucid state, SCP-8011-A-15 was stated as saying that it was “heading to Kobe’s game.” After being further asked as to who it was describing, SCP-8011-A-15 elaborated that it was “going to be his best game yet.” When further inquired about how Kobe Bryant would play a game amidst pandemic restrictions and his expiration earlier in 2020, SCP-8011-A-15 expressed visible puzzlement.
Former Name of SCP-8011-A Instance: Julius Shane, classified as SCP-8011-A-19
Description: SCP-8011-A-19 used to be a student at Middlesex School near the town of Concord before expiring due to an allergic reaction suffered while playing videogames at the house of Nathan Casa, a classmate of SCP-8011-A-19. After resurrection, SCP-8011-A-19 attacked its classmate, eating both of his thumbs as well as his left index and middle fingers. Upon arrival to the Middlesex Fells Reservation burrow, SCP-8011-A-19 was observed pretending to play videogames via a controller.
After being interviewed on the video games that it played, SCP-8011-A-19 stated that “Fortnite crashed and burned, but Overwatch just got a new big overhaul, so me and my friends are playing that!”9. When asked further about its interest in Overwatch, SCP-8011-A-19 mentioned that “the sequel was cancelled a while back so that they could focus on Overwatch 1. I was bummed about that, the PVE looked so good.”10 After researchers acquired further as to its relationship to Nathan Casa, SCP-8011-A-19 stated that it was best friends with Casa, and states that they “hit it off” after winter break around January 2020, with the two of them playing Overwatch together until the present. Upon further cross-referencing with sources close to SCP-8011-A-19 and Nathan Casa, it has been determined that neither party had interacted with each other prior to SCP-8011-A-19’s death in November 2019.
A picture of SCP-8011-A-28
Former Name of SCP-8011-A Instance: Claudine Colt-Barrella, classified as SCP-8011-A-28
Description: SCP-8011-A-28 used to be a housekeeper before expiring on November 23, 2019 due to unspecified causes. Upon resurrection, SCP-8011-A-28 attacked its employer Angelina Magalang, killing her with a kitchen knife before eating her right shoulder and feet. Upon arrival to the Middlesex Fells Reservation burrow, SCP-8011-A-28 was observed to walk from room to room in the sewers while pretending to wear high heels and holding a handbag over her shoulder.
When interviewed in containment, SCP-8011-A-28 stated that it was “going to the mall everyday”, and that doing so tired it due to “all the money” it felt it “had to spend”. When inquired as to how it got the money for shopping, SCP-8011-A-28 stated that it got it all from her husband, before correcting the interviewing researcher when she referred to it as “Mrs. Colt-Barella”. Instead, SCP-8011-A-28 wished to be considered as “Mrs. Magalang”. When asked as to what its husband did for a living, SCP-8011-A-28 stated that its husband worked as a stock manager. When the researcher further inquired as to how the husband could have made money after the pandemic-caused stock market recession in early 2020, SCP-8011-A-28 said that “there was never a recession”.
After this initial success, Foundation authorities in Site-18 launched several more operations in located burrows within the state of Massachusetts. By the end of these successive operations, a total of 120 instances were contained in the humanoid containment wing of Site-18. However, due to concerns with overcrowding, a provision was made to expand the approved capacity of each 7 square meter humanoid containment cell. This raised the number of SCP-8011-A instances in a given cell to 9. It was at this point that the SCP-8011 research team at Site-18 began noting small hume decreases in the cells where SCP-8011-A instances were contained, as well as a wider decrease in the humanoid containment wing of Site-18. These, however, were deemed too negligible in order to warrant a definitive action.
A few days later, on January 4, 2021, reports began emerging from the town of Arellano, Florida of an alleged “mass hysteria” incident resulting in at least 60 fatalities. Suspecting a potential SCP-8011-A attack, Foundation authorities tasked Site-18 staff with addressing the situation. Upon arrival at the town of Arellano, Florida11, operatives reported that casualty rates were higher than first assumed. 90 fatalities were determined to have been suffered by the town following the attack, with all victims having had their throats and feet completely eaten.
VolunteeratMinamisanrikucho,MiyagiprefEntiretowndestroyedbythetsunamiofGreatEastJapanEarthquake.jpg)
A picture of the town of Niño, Florida, in the aftermath of Hurricane Dylan
By interviewing the locals, the operatives were able to discern that all of the culprits had come from and had went in the direction of the destroyed town of Niño12. This caused the operatives to travel to the site, whereupon they encountered 112 SCP-8011-A instances celebrating together by dancing and singing.13. Faint music was also described being heard played at the site, but was dismissed as auditory hallucinations. Following this, all SCP-8011-A instances were apprehended without incident.
The common point of origin for the SCP-8011-A instances was determined to be a nearby cemetery, which had been the site of rushed burials following the deaths of 112 persons in Niño during Hurricane Dylan. This disaster then prompted the town to be abandoned. Later research into the town’s history revealed that its patron saint was Saint Elizabeth Seton, whose feast day was on January 4th.
Following the incident, all instances were brought to Site-18. This brought the total number of contained SCP-8011 instances to 232. Due to the high amount of SCP-8011-A instances in the humanoid containment wing, however, the area’s hume level began to decrease by a noticeable level. Due to this, personnel began reporting hearing faint fiesta music being played in the humanoid containment wing, which matched the dances that the newly contained SCP-8011 instances were conducting. Likewise, objects related to the delusions of other SCP-8011 instances began manifesting. This included a handbag fastened around the shoulder of SCP-8011-A-28 and a video game controller in the right hand of SCP-8011-A-19, as well as musical instruments in the containment cells of instances originating from Niño.
This incident prompted the placement of a Scranton reality anchor in the humanoid containment wing, which only worsened the reality bending effects through a previously theoretical Pull Event.14 Because of this, fiesta decorations and musical instruments began manifesting in the humanoid containment wing in the first few seconds of the incident, with the earlier reported music getting progressively louder. Due to the closely-packed nature of the SCP-8011-A instances, some of the manifested objects came into existence in the same space as other contained subjects. This, incidentally, had no consequence on their body functions or the performance of their delusions. Of more concern, however, were the objects manifesting through the walls of the containment cells, which compromised the structural integrity of the cells.
Shortly after, it was realized that the Pull Event’s manifesting objects were caused by the increased number in SCP-8011-A instances in the humanoid containment wing as well as the presence of the Reality Anchor. As such, Head Researcher Ulm mandated site security staff to temporarily relocate half of all contained instances to other containment wings, with the instances originating from the town of Niño being particularly separated from one another. The Scranton Reality Anchor was also removed from the wing, which lessened the intensity of the reality bending effects. The emergency caused by the Pull Event was then declared ended several hours later.
Due to this occurrence, Head Researcher Ulm and his team began investigating the nature of the SCP-8011-A instances’ reality bending capacity in relation to the delusions that they are experiencing. It was then realized that the SCP-8011-A instances’ reality bending capacity was caused by their capability to reach into another universe while commencing their delusions, and that the likely cause for their delusions originates from within this aforementioned universe15. In line with this, a proposal for an experiment with a prototype machine was created in order to determine the universe that they were interacting with.
An excerpt of the proposal is included below.
…in order to determine the universes that SCP-8011-A interact with while under their delusions, this team requests that the following actions be performed:
- The procurement of necessary materials and personnel as stipulated below
- The construction of a large reality-bending-resistant containment matrix, along with the installation of a standard Foundation supercomputer in accordance with the specifications enumerated below
- The procurement of the heads of 150 SCP-8011-A instances who are currently experiencing delusions
- The connection of the heads to the supercomputer via telepathic wires
(…)
After construction, the machine will then commence a 2 minute start-up procedure. Electricity consumption is determined to increase markedly to .10 gigawatts16. The humes within the containment matrix are also expected to dramatically plummet to an expected 5 to 10 humes, with items being expected to be manifested within the containment matrix. This, however, will not affect the outside environment, with the heads of the SCP-8011-A instances inside being protected by internal protective safeguards.
Once the start-up procedure is performed, the supercomputer will then calculate the identity of the universe which the instance selected by the user is interacting with. For reference, our home universe has been designated the number “000-000-000”, with neighboring universes being classified according to their relative distance from our universe.
(…)
By performing these actions, this team hypothesizes that they will be able to discern the specific universe that SCP-8011-A instances connect to in their capacity as Pull Agents. Through this, this team aims to further understand the SCP-8011 phenomenon, as well as the implications that the SCP-8011-A’s reality-bending properties have on the anomaly.
Following a short deliberation with the Ethics Committee17, the proposal was approved by the Site-18 Research Board.
The experiment was then conducted on January 27, 2021. An eyewitness account, as recorded by Junior Researcher Irmgard Marlowitz, is included below.
(…) Then, suddenly, Doctor Ulm declared “lights out”, causing the room to be put in complete darkness. The only things I could see in front of me were the battery-powered lanterns all around, lighting the machine up but nothing else. You could feel that… even in the darkness, everyone was dead fucking nervous.
As the lights went off, Doctor Whent immediately went to work on the panel. As she fiddled with the knobs and whistles on the console, I saw her make the go signal to Doctor Ulm, who was standing right next to the big box where they kept all the heads in.
You know… it was kinda strange, honestly. Doctor Ulm seemed to be distracted, listening in to the box. The heads were silent, of course. Whent explained to me the day before that the -As no longer had lungs or vocal cords to speak with. But Ulm… Doctor Ulm seemed to be listening in nonetheless. Then I saw his ears perk up as he saw Whent’s signal. He was ready.
I saw Ulm nod, and then Whent flipped a switch. The machine started humming… first this low droning buzz, like a bee. Then, it started getting louder, and I realized it was coming from the computer. Outside, where the lights were on, I heard the power flicker in and out. It was expected, though. Ulm and his team got us oriented on that before we started. We were just here to watch and wait in case things went wrong.
After a while, the room began to light up a bit more. It was… ethereal. A bright kind of light… I don’t really know how to describe it. It was as if the wires, the big wires that connected the box to the computer were glowing. There was nothing inside the wires, no big chemicals going through it but… at the same time, it felt like something actually was.
Then the computer powered on. It was this big screen that dominated the room. First it was dark blue- nothing on it. Then suddenly, it started to turn on properly, flashing on and off as letters quickly went in and out on the screen. The buzzing kept getting louder. It was like one of those old computers my dad had from the 80s, screaming like it was getting murdered electronically.
The flashing and the buzzing continued for what felt like twenty minutes. Whent, Ulm, Doctor Marlon and the others were just staring up at it, waiting for it to come on. The other officers were looking up too, watching and waiting. Watching… and waiting.
Whent then started calling out numbers. “70 percent…” she said. “80 percent… 90…”
Then, once we reached the home stretch, we heard something coming from the box.
The -As… they were talking. It shouldn’t have been possible, but we heard it. They were talking loudly, shouting things like “Viva el Cristo Rey!”, “Happy birthday!”. I looked at Jan, the site security officer standing right next to me, and she was just as surprised as I was. The heads weren’t talking when the team put them in a few days ago. How the hell were they talking now?
Ulm seemed to be giddy now, not shocked like we were. It was like he knew what was coming. Whent was concentrated on the numbers on screen, so I’m not sure she even heard it. The other scientists were just waiting and watching, with some staring so intensely at the screen it was like their lives depended on it.
“96,” Whent said. “97…”
It was then we heard the -As scream- scream so loudly that it pierced through our eardrums. The screams echoed through the walls of the experiment room, bounced up and down the floors, into our heads… it was like their souls were getting ripped right out of them.
Whent was staring at the screen. She never noticed. She kept counting. “98… 99…”
Then we heard the buzzing go its loudest, echoing through the room along with the screams. It was this gigantic cacophony, almost… screams and electric screams all mixing in our heads.
Then Whent finished it: “100.”
In the space of a single second, everything went quiet.
All we heard was the hum of the computer and all we saw was the glow of the lanterns and the screens.
I looked at Ulm. His smile was wide with delight. He was enjoying this.
He crossed the room, to Whent, and then patted her back. Said something to her along the lines of “congratulations”. Then, he turned to the us, his team, and declared: “Let’s get to work.”
No one responded. They were too busy watching the screen. The screen with nothing but a flashing blank on it, waiting for orders.
Ulm turned around to type something on the keyboard. “Start query”, the screen said, as he typed it out.
He pressed enter. The screen replied: “Select instance.”
Ulm answered with “Instance 1.” Then he pressed enter again. The computer screen went black. We heard its gears whirring. It sounded like it was calculating things, trying to give us an answer.
Earlier on, Doctor Marlon gave us a run down of what the numbers meant. “All zeroes for us,” Doctor Marlon said. “000-000-000. Then it’s 111-111-111 for Alagadda, 222-222-222 for the Library, 333-333-333 for the Daeva.” Marlon was holding a big, really old catalog at the time that he was talking, full of big numbers implying big universes. It dated back to the 70s, and we were only just pulling it out now.
Marlon was holding that book then, looking at Ulm and Whent and the console from his seat. He was holding it tightly to his body, like he was waiting for a sign to open it and start looking through.
Then the computer went back on… and we all saw it.
“000-000-000.” That’s what the computer said. All zeroes.
Everyone stared at the screen.
What felt like an hour passed.
Then Doctor Marlon jumped to his feet, carrying the book, running to Ulm and Whent at the console.
They started talking. Quietly. But angrily. Ulm was looking at Whent, asking if she got the connections right. Whent was trying to defend herself, saying everything was right, and had been double-checked, triple-checked, quadruple-checked. Marlon was cutting in, trying to say that maybe it was a bug, or a fluke, and that if they tried again they’d see where the -As were coming from.
Ulm looked at Marlon, then nodded. He looked at the console again, told Whent to type. Whent started typing.
The screen flickered out. The buzzing started again.
Then that same number came out. “000-000-000.” All zeroes.
Whent tried again, another -A.
The screen flashed, the buzzing came and went.
All zeroes.
She did it again.
All zeroes.
Ulm ran behind the screen to check the connections. See if everything was alright. Nothing. He looked at the box, checked it for damage. Nothing. He looped back to Marlon and Whent, checked the console.
Nothing.
The computer was right.
The researchers started buzzing amongst themselves, talking, whispering. They looked at the computer and back again, while Ulm and Whent tried more and more and more -As.
Earlier on, a theory was floating around the team- something that Ulm refused to acknowledge but something that we were talking about nonetheless.
We all knew from the interviews that the -As were consistent. They were all drawing from the same source. If ever we got a number from the machine, they should have been the same number, or the same group of very close numbers.
Then, one time, Doctor Marlon joked “If it was zero, that’d be fucking bullshit.” Then Whent asked “Why would it be bullshit?”
Marlon then went on to say that if it was zero, it meant that the -As were imagining being in our universe- but that couldn’t be true, since what they were experiencing was so different from ours. Much less scary, even if it were still the fucked-up world we all remember. A more mundane hellhole… a more normal kind of bad. In the world of the -As, after November 2019, different things happened. There was no COVID, no economic recessions, no crises, no wildfires, no hurricanes like Dylan and Ainah. “Ergo,” Marlon said, “It’s bullshit. All zeroes is impossible.”
Then Whent piped up. “What if it weren’t bullshit? What if the zeroes meant that the -As were dreaming of the world as it should be, and that we wandered off the path somewhere?”
“To date, we’ve busted 300 burrows. 8,000 dead ones across sites from around the world, with hundreds of thousands more thought to be under the ground, trying to get out. But we’ve never gotten anything before November 23, 2019.”
“If we get all zeroes, what if the lives that they’re living in their heads are what we’re supposed to be living right now? What if the reason that they’re coming back is because they aren’t supposed to be dead… but because things changed, they are now?”
Marlon had no response to that. Just chuckled and said “It’s a wild guess, for sure.”
Back then, I looked at the senior researchers, and I had no idea what they meant.
I know it now.
Whent was right.
The -As had the script we were supposed to be quoting from, and they were quoting from it successfully. Them eating people- it’s all a means of getting back the lives that they were supposed to be living.
The shit that we all went through since 2020… the pandemic, the storms, the fires… it was because we were the ones that were off-track.
We were the ones that were off-script.
And the dead– in all of their thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands- are the ones trying to hurt us to get back on it.