SCP-014, colloquially referred to as "Old Man," is a humanoid entity of significant interest to the Foundation due to its anomalous properties and connection to the death of Dr. Jack Bright. The subject appears as an elderly man of indeterminate age, exhibiting a complete lack of physiological activity despite maintaining the physical structure of a living human. This paradoxical state of animated biological material forms the core of SCP-014's mystery, challenging standard medical and paranormal classifications.
Physical Description and Discovery
SCP-014 is described as a Caucasian male, approximately 1.8 meters tall, with a physique suggesting advanced age. The entity's skin is pale and exhibits signs of extreme dehydration, while its eyes remain perpetually closed. Following the containment breach involving SCP-014-2 instances, the subject was recovered from a rural area in [REDACTED]. The discovery occurred after local authorities reported an unusually high rate of spontaneous human combustion in the vicinity, leading to Foundation intervention and subsequent containment of the primary anomaly.
Anomalous Properties and Behavior
The primary anomalous attribute of SCP-014 is its ability to induce rapid, uncontrolled cellular necrosis in any living organism that comes into physical contact with its skin. This effect, designated SCP-014-1, propagates through touch and results in the immediate death of organic tissue, spreading at a rate of approximately one centimeter per second. Affected entities do not decompose in the conventional sense; instead, they are mummified and become instances of SCP-014-2, which exhibit heightened aggression and a singular goal of physical contact with non-anomalous humans to propagate the effect.
Interaction with Organic Matter
Testing has revealed that SCP-014-1 exhibits a horrifying specificity, targeting only living tissue while leaving inorganic material entirely unaffected. Plant life withers instantly upon contact, and animal subjects suffer the same rapid necrosis as humans. The entity itself shows no outward signs of deterioration or decomposition, maintaining a stable physical form regardless of the duration of containment. This has led to speculation regarding an alternative metabolic process or a state of suspended animation that defies biological understanding.
Containment Procedures
SCP-014 is currently housed in a standard humanoid containment cell at Site-19, constructed of reinforced plastic to withstand incidental contact. The cell is lined with a thin layer of foam to minimize damage from SCP-014-2 instances should an escape occur. Entry and exit are regulated by a two-stage airlock system, and all personnel are required to maintain a minimum distance of five meters from the subject unless conducting authorized experiments. Under no circumstances is direct skin contact permitted under any circumstances.
Incident Report 014-A and Dr. Bright
The most significant breach involving SCP-014 occurred during an experiment designed to test the limits of the necrosis effect. D-Class personnel D-7423, in violation of protocol, attempted to incapacitate the entity using a sedative. The struggle resulted in a scratch from SCP-014's finger, leading to immediate necrosis up to the elbow. The subsequent quarantine failed to halt the progression, and the subject transformed into an SCP-014-2 instance. This incident culminated in the [DATA EXPUNGED] of Dr. Jack Bright, whose remains are believed to be the current location of SCP-014.
Ongoing research into SCP-014 aims to determine the origin of the entity and the nature of the anomalous field it projects. Theories range from a psychic imprint concentrated on the concept of death to a biological weapon of unknown origin. Analysis of the mummified SCP-014-2 instances has revealed traces of an unknown retrovirus, though attempts to replicate the effect in controlled settings have thus far been unsuccessful. The relationship between SCP-014 and the death of its creator remains the primary focus of the research team.
