File no. MFA-P-1821
Description: Anomaly P-1821 is a submicroscopic pathogen composed of inorganic synthetic polymers. The virus is visually reminiscent of the Myoviridae family of bacteriophages, with a large capsid and set of twelve tail fibers connected by a cylindrical sheath. P-1821 utilizes a lytic cycle for self-propagation as is common for virulent pages.
Upon maturation and exiting a host cell, only ~50% of newly-synthesized instances of P-1821 will seek out new cells for further propagation, while the remaining instances will seek out and attach to cells and carry out a separate function. Instead of injecting a genetic payload, the instances will seemingly auto-cannibalize, dissolving into the host cell’s membrane. From this point, the cell will shift in its biochemistry, resulting in an inorganic silicone cell that fully replicates the cell’s former role.
P-1821 is capable of targeting any manner of cell for either reproduction or alteration, and can spread through the entirety of a human over the course of several weeks until they have been fully converted to an inorganic “living plastic" (termed P-1821-A). P-1821 is known only to infect humans. Due to its unique structure and composition, no cure has been devised, with several trials of various antivirals proving ineffective in treating or eliminating P-1821.
Persons infected by P-1821 experience little to no physical side-effects during conversion, even when vital organs or even the brain are partially inorganic. Psychologically, however, subjects invariably develop a form of Cotard’s Syndrome, believing themselves to be a doll, puppet, or similar plaything.
This delusion often develops long before full conversion into living plastic, with subjects refusing to recognize the flesh-and-blood they still possess, and neglecting self-care. Without assistance, subjects will allow themselves to starve, and can experience fatal insomnia if not medically sedated. Full ego death typically occurs around the 90% conversion point, with subjects losing all sense of self and memory and regressing into an amnesiac state. Once fully converted, P-1821-A do not experience any metabolic function and can operate indefinitely through poorly-understood means.
The behavior of fully-converted subjects varies. Some adopt a pose and stand motionless for hours. Some move about in frenetic jaunts, as if each articulating point of their body is held up by individual strings. Others will take up a rigid stance with their hands held in a fixed position, walking in a slow, waddling manner. In all cases, subjects will seek out and attempt to interact with uninfected persons to “play”.
Though not actively hostile, instances of P-1821-A are extremely dangerous. They do not seem to understand the ramifications of their actions and the concept that other humans are living beings. They may remove the limbs of victims to reorganize them, or break limbs to pose victims in a particular way. In test #47, a P-1821-A instance skinned the test subject while looking for his “battery compartment”.
As P-1821 is present throughout the entirety of P-1821-A instances, any direct physical contact is sufficient to transfer the pathogen to a new host. To prevent an outbreak, any instance that escapes the testing environment is to be incinerated, as is any person it had contact with. P-1821-A are to be held in individual storage containers outside of testing.
Incident Log:
On ████/02/09, systems analyst Joy Adams manipulated her security credentials in order to enter the P-1821-A Biohazard Exclusion Zone. From here, she gained access to the cell containing Subject #081 (formerly, Doctor Ethan Adams). While Adams sabotaged video footage prior to this act of insubordination, the event was nonetheless recorded through the security camera’s audio.
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[BEGIN LOG]
[Adams’ footsteps are heard in the distance, steadily getting closer. She can be heard to stop at regular intervals, the metal sliding of each door’s judas window indicating that she’s looking into each room as she comes across it. After a moment, her footsteps draw near to the recording device. There is a loud metal scraping as the door’s judas window is slid open.]
Adams: Ethan? Ethan! Finally, thank God!
[There is a loud beep as a keycard is slid through the reader, and a clank of metal as the deadbolt disengages. The door creaks open.]
Subject #081: Mama?
Adams: No, honey, it’s me! Joy! Don’t you remember?
Subject #081: I like joy! Happiness and joy! Wanna play?
Adams: No, it- listen, Ethan. It’s going to be okay. We’re gonna help you get better, but you need to come with me. We don’t have a lot of time.
[Footsteps are heard, this time with a slow, plodding gait.]
Subject #081: Mama! Mama!
Adams: I-it’s going to b-be okay. You’ll [sobs] remember. Take my hand. Come on, yea! That’s it, now let’s go!
Subject #081: I want a hug!
Adams: There’s no time for that! We need to leave!
[Adams grunts, then yelps in pain.]
Adams: Ethan sweetie! Not so rough, you’re hurting me!
Subject #081: Hug! Hug!
[Adams is heard grunting more as she struggles.]
Adams: Stop! Let me go! I don’t want a–
[Adams is cut off as the wind is squeezed out of her. She can be heard struggling and wrestling against Subject #081. There is a protracted scream of pain that echoes through the hallway, interspersed with the cracking of bones.]
Subject #081: I love squeeze hugs!
[There is a thud as Adams’ body hits the ground. She can be heard to be weakly groaning.]
Subject #081: Tee-hee! Your eye is popping out! Are you a Potato Head?
Adams: E-Eth… Please.. sto–
Subject #081: Potato Heads are silly! I can make lotsa funny faces with a Potato Head!
[Adams can be heard to whine and gurgle as the sound of tearing of flesh dominates the audio. Her cries fall silent after several minutes; the tearing of flesh continues for another moment after.]
Subject #081: Tee-hee! All done! Let’s play again sometime!
[END LOG]
