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Description
I live! Appropriate for this Subject, I suppose...Finally got the write-up together for this one while I've been sick. Prompt for this one was "zombie." My thanks to my patrons on Discord for suggesting its region of origin. ^_^

Subject: BA-XX73

First identified in the Yucatan Peninsula, instances of this anomaly have since been discovered sporadically throughout Southern Mexico and Central America. Containment of instances is considered a high priority, with only a handful of individual subjects kept alive in captivity at any given time, for the sake of research. All other instances are to be destroyed upon containment, with any remains collected and stored as hazardous material.

The precise origins of this anomaly are unknown, with research pointing towards a potentially extraterrestrial or extra-dimensional source. While classified as a contagion, due to its regional localization and a pattern of propagation within a population, the exact vector and nature of contamination have not yet been determined. One theory suggests a potential correlation between susceptibility to the anomaly and the condition of an individual’s pineal gland, while another theory points to a connection to the amount of naturally-occurring dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, produced by the individual’s body. A third, more recent theory has proposed that the anomaly is more of a cognitohazard in nature, using psychological rather than physical vectors for infection. These theories are all due to the discovery that a notable percentage of those who are affected are those who claim to be spiritually “sensitive.”

Following infection, early symptoms include sleep disruption and anxiety, as melatonin levels produced by the pineal gland are diminished. This is followed by progressive atrophy in the nearby hypothalamus, resulting in more extreme irregularities in behavior and metabolism. Around this time, external physical symptoms will also begin to manifest, first appearing as a loss of skin pigmentation similar to vitiligo. As this depigmentation extends to all tissues, there is additional deterioration in multiple regions throughout the frontal lobe, and higher reasoning becomes diminished. The individual - now subject - will typically become extremely erratic in behavior, and will rarely sleep for more than an hour or two at a time. The body will gradually become transparent, beginning with soft tissues and extremities. The skull and spinal column are typically the last to be affected. By these final stages, the body’s physiology will have been drastically altered, with all human tissue being converted to a new, anomalous biochemistry and becoming almost completely invisible to the naked eye.

Subjects are highly aggressive and hyper-predatory, unable to enter a sleep state and having all energy devoted entirely to the consumption of living tissue. While they may subsist on animal prey for short periods of time, they have a distinct need to feed on humans. They also prefer live prey to scavenging, unless the corpse is particularly fresh. It has been discovered that upon consuming a prey item, ingested material is partially integrated into the subject’s body, beginning with the brain, bone marrow, and endocrine system. Interestingly, the eyes are also among the first organs to be rendered visible, typically in tandem with the visibility of the brain and skull. The result is that the more a subject consumes, the more visible its body becomes. It is only when a subject is approximately forty percent or more visible that it may enter a rest state for short periods of time. Studies have shown that their preference in prey stems from a need for human-specific hormones and other biochemicals, which their altered bodies still require but are no longer able to produce. It should be noted that because of this specific need, individuals who have more active hormone production (such as teens and young adults) are at particular risk of being targeted. The physical durability of a subject is dependent on the ratio of human biological tissue to anomalous tissue in their system, and a well-fed subject may be destroyed via most conventional means. However, even a subject lacking any integrated human tissue may still be disposed of if the cranium is severely damaged or removed, rendering it unable to feed.

Should a subject go for an extended period of time without feeding, it will suffer a rapid deterioration of the nervous system, most easily observed as a notable lack of muscle control and coordination. This is followed by the severe tightening of tendons and other connective tissues, rendering the subject effectively immobile. Over the next several hours, it will undergo a second phase of conversion in which all tissues are converted into rigid, unknown polymers. All standard life functions cease at this stage, and the body becomes slightly more visible to the human eye, taking on the appearance of glass or quartz. This material will display similar patterns of decay as organic tissue - over time, it will lose any remaining mass proportionate to soft tissue, leaving behind a skeleton of this crystalline material. Any “decayed” material is gradually broken down into a fine dust, similar to powdered glass. This dust is insoluble and slightly denser than water, and if left in an environment, will settle into the surrounding sediment.

Exposure to this dust via inhalation or ingestion has been shown to have a strong hallucinogenic effect on humans, who will often liken the experience to a “divine encounter,” with a small percentage instead describing more “apocalyptic” visions. Exposed individuals will likewise take a greater interest in spirituality, thus making them more susceptible to infection - however, not all who are exposed are guaranteed to become fully infected subjects, indicating there may be additional factors involved. Further research is required to identify what those factors might be.

As always, let me know what you guys think!

Description
I live! Appropriate for this Subject, I suppose...Finally got the write-up together for this one while I've been sick. Prompt for this one was "zombie." My thanks to my patrons on Discord for suggesting its region of origin. ^_^

Subject: BA-XX73

First identified in the Yucatan Peninsula, instances of this anomaly have since been discovered sporadically throughout Southern Mexico and Central America. Containment of instances is considered a high priority, with only a handful of individual subjects kept alive in captivity at any given time, for the sake of research. All other instances are to be destroyed upon containment, with any remains collected and stored as hazardous material.

The precise origins of this anomaly are unknown, with research pointing towards a potentially extraterrestrial or extra-dimensional source. While classified as a contagion, due to its regional localization and a pattern of propagation within a population, the exact vector and nature of contamination have not yet been determined. One theory suggests a potential correlation between susceptibility to the anomaly and the condition of an individual’s pineal gland, while another theory points to a connection to the amount of naturally-occurring dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, produced by the individual’s body. A third, more recent theory has proposed that the anomaly is more of a cognitohazard in nature, using psychological rather than physical vectors for infection. These theories are all due to the discovery that a notable percentage of those who are affected are those who claim to be spiritually “sensitive.”

Following infection, early symptoms include sleep disruption and anxiety, as melatonin levels produced by the pineal gland are diminished. This is followed by progressive atrophy in the nearby hypothalamus, resulting in more extreme irregularities in behavior and metabolism. Around this time, external physical symptoms will also begin to manifest, first appearing as a loss of skin pigmentation similar to vitiligo. As this depigmentation extends to all tissues, there is additional deterioration in multiple regions throughout the frontal lobe, and higher reasoning becomes diminished. The individual - now subject - will typically become extremely erratic in behavior, and will rarely sleep for more than an hour or two at a time. The body will gradually become transparent, beginning with soft tissues and extremities. The skull and spinal column are typically the last to be affected. By these final stages, the body’s physiology will have been drastically altered, with all human tissue being converted to a new, anomalous biochemistry and becoming almost completely invisible to the naked eye.

Subjects are highly aggressive and hyper-predatory, unable to enter a sleep state and having all energy devoted entirely to the consumption of living tissue. While they may subsist on animal prey for short periods of time, they have a distinct need to feed on humans. They also prefer live prey to scavenging, unless the corpse is particularly fresh. It has been discovered that upon consuming a prey item, ingested material is partially integrated into the subject’s body, beginning with the brain, bone marrow, and endocrine system. Interestingly, the eyes are also among the first organs to be rendered visible, typically in tandem with the visibility of the brain and skull. The result is that the more a subject consumes, the more visible its body becomes. It is only when a subject is approximately forty percent or more visible that it may enter a rest state for short periods of time. Studies have shown that their preference in prey stems from a need for human-specific hormones and other biochemicals, which their altered bodies still require but are no longer able to produce. It should be noted that because of this specific need, individuals who have more active hormone production (such as teens and young adults) are at particular risk of being targeted. The physical durability of a subject is dependent on the ratio of human biological tissue to anomalous tissue in their system, and a well-fed subject may be destroyed via most conventional means. However, even a subject lacking any integrated human tissue may still be disposed of if the cranium is severely damaged or removed, rendering it unable to feed.

Should a subject go for an extended period of time without feeding, it will suffer a rapid deterioration of the nervous system, most easily observed as a notable lack of muscle control and coordination. This is followed by the severe tightening of tendons and other connective tissues, rendering the subject effectively immobile. Over the next several hours, it will undergo a second phase of conversion in which all tissues are converted into rigid, unknown polymers. All standard life functions cease at this stage, and the body becomes slightly more visible to the human eye, taking on the appearance of glass or quartz. This material will display similar patterns of decay as organic tissue - over time, it will lose any remaining mass proportionate to soft tissue, leaving behind a skeleton of this crystalline material. Any “decayed” material is gradually broken down into a fine dust, similar to powdered glass. This dust is insoluble and slightly denser than water, and if left in an environment, will settle into the surrounding sediment.

Exposure to this dust via inhalation or ingestion has been shown to have a strong hallucinogenic effect on humans, who will often liken the experience to a “divine encounter,” with a small percentage instead describing more “apocalyptic” visions. Exposed individuals will likewise take a greater interest in spirituality, thus making them more susceptible to infection - however, not all who are exposed are guaranteed to become fully infected subjects, indicating there may be additional factors involved. Further research is required to identify what those factors might be.

As always, let me know what you guys think!