Black box! ██████████
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| SCP-160, camouflaged and viewed with infrared camera in its enclosure |
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Item #: SCP-160
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-160 is to be contained in an enclosure 7 meters to a side and 4 meters high, within a room 10 meters to a side and 4.5 meters high. The entrance to the enclosure is to be secured with a standard padlock, whose key is to be kept with the researcher currently assigned to SCP-160. Level 1 and higher staff may access the room at any time, with approval of said researcher.
The enclosure is to be constructed of plexiglass and surrounded by a Faraday cage, and should be populated with plant life indigenous to North American temperate forests with temperature and moisture set to match that habitat. Other than D-class personnel, anyone entering the enclosure must be equipped with a Faraday helmet and must have taken an approved depressant no less than five minutes and no more than one hour prior to entering the enclosure. Any non-D-class personnel with any anxiety disorders may not enter the room containing SCP-160.
SCP-160 must be allowed to feed on a human or other large mammal no less than once every 90 days. These feedings may be incorporated into tests, so long as SCP-160 is given the freedom to extract its fill of fluids and so long as it is not allowed to extract these fluids more than once per 30 day period.
Description: SCP-160 is a previously unidentified invertebrate that, while mainly herbivorous, also feeds on mammalian "fight-or-flight" hormones. Its body is approximately 5cm across, with a leg span of approximately 30cm. Its body is roughly hemispherical in shape, though its surface is irregular and dotted by many small eye pits, similar to those of some gastropods. From this central body mass extends a long, thin proboscis, approximately 6cm long when fully extended and capable of being withdrawn into the body. Near this proboscis is a small mouth flanked by mandibles around 0.75cm in length.
SCP-160 has ten segmented legs; eight of these legs have three segments each and are used in locomotion. The remaining two legs have four segments each and are used to make a variety of sounds. The last two segments of these legs are rough with a variety of ridges on them and end in pincers. When rubbed together, they are capable of rudimentary mimicry of almost any sound heard by SCP-160.
SCP-160 is capable of subsisting on a diet of plant matter for months at a time, though it requires specific mammalian hormones and neurotransmitters at least few times a year, though more frequently if possible. It typically chooses its prey at night when they are alone, usually asleep or otherwise resting. When preying on humans, it tends to target those sleeping in forested areas in tents, recreational vehicles, or homes built near or within its territory. It begins its attack by driving its prey into a state of anxiety, waking them if they were sleeping, by making disturbing noises. Recorded noises so far include tapping, scratching, miscellaneous animal noises, screaming, laughing, whispers, gunshots, [REDACTED].
SCP-160 monitors its prey's mental state by sensing its brain wave frequency. It will remain in a camouflaged state, changing the color of its body to match its surroundings, until it senses that its prey is feeling highly anxious, typically denoted by a certain frequency of beta waves in humans. Once its prey is in this state, SCP-160 will emit an electromagnetic field for up to one minute or more, "locking in" this anxious brain wave frequency in its prey, causing paralysis similar to that experienced during REM sleep. At this point, SCP-160 reverts to a natural color and approaches its prey, fully visible, further increasing anxiety and fear.
Finally, SCP-160 will crawl onto its prey, reaching the neck where it will extend its proboscis, penetrate a large blood vessel, and proceed to filter first glucose, then epinephrine, cortisol, and other hormones from the prey's blood and draw them into its own body. This will leave the prey feeling tired and drained physically, though the after effects of SCP-160's EMF will cause the prey to feel very on-edge mentally. If the prey proves especially susceptible to the EMF, these after effects may last long enough for SCP-160 to return for an easy meal shortly afterward.
On average, in humans, the effects of SCP-160's EMF last between 8 and 10 weeks, gradually tapering off until the victim is back to normal. For up to a day after the encounter, the victim will remain fully or partially paralyzed. For the first few weeks, the victim will be very paranoid, sometimes experiencing auditory hallucinations. The victim will find it difficult (though not impossible) to sleep during this time. After the first month, the victim may slip into depression as the heightened anxiety wears off. A little after two months after the initial encounter, most primary symptoms will fade, though natural fear of a second encounter may persist. Ordinary psychiatric treatment is capable of curing most cases after this point.
