The SCP Experience - The Piñata Contagion | SCP-956

Episode Date: March 23, 2022

SCP Foundation EUCLID class object, SCP-956: The Piñata Contagion This story was derived from https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-956, and is released under Creative Commons Sharealike 3.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Author: Matt Doggett Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MatthewDoggettAuthor/ Website/Newsletter sign up: matthewdoggettauthor.com DISCLAIMER: This episode contains explicit content. Parental guidance is advised for children under the age of 18. Listen at your own discretion. #drscp #scp #scpfoundation #doctorscp #scpencounters #securecontainprotect #scpstories #scpexplained #whatisscp Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's never too early to plan your summer story in Europe with WestJet, from rolling countryside to cobblestone streets. Begin your next chapter. Book your seat at westjet.com or call your travel agent. WestJet, where your story takes off. Biennue at board of VIAE. Embarked and profited. Embarked and relax. Ciroat.

Bookine. Oh, that also. And profite. Via Rai, the voice that we love that we love. There's something else here now. Something new. From exclusively on Paramount Plus. It's the series Stephen King calls Scary as Hell.

Everything here is impossible, but it's also real. Sci-fi vision calls it the best show streaming right now. We're running out of time and we still don't know the rules. Don't miss what the movie blog calls something you need to watch. Saving those children is how we all go home. From binge all episodes exclusively on Paramount Plus. The backyard was a literal playground. The yard was huge, with a lush green lawn and two large oak trees that were probably a couple of hundred years old.

There was a bouncy house in one corner with several children inside, bouncing around. No doubt, surfing a sugar high thanks to all the goodies placed on decorated tables around the yard. There was a magician with six enthralled kids, staring rapidly up at him as he did something with two metal rings. There were also two inflatable slides, a miniature ball pit, a small petting zoo, and pretty much every toy a kid could ever want. There were kids running around everywhere, and groups of parents standing around talking with drinks in their hands. As I stepped out of the house, or mansion, I should say, and into the backyard, I looked

down at my son. Anthony's eyes were wide, glancing around at the vast wonderland. He looked up at me. the need visible on his face. Put the gift on the table, I said, pointing to a large table overflowing with wrapped presents. Then find Todd and tell him happy birthday. Then you can play.

He smiled and darted off without a word, heading for the bouncy castle, detouring to toss the present, a Star Wars Lego set on the gift table. I stood there awkwardly for a second, out of my element, before a small man with gold-rimmed glasses, khaki shorts, and an immaculate pink polo shirt came up and slapped me on the back.

Let me guess, he said. You're Anthony's dad? Guilty, I replied back. This guy had to be the owner of the house, I thought to myself. Name's Tony. Senior, obviously. Richard Shelby, he said, switching his glass containing what smelled like a very good scotch from his right hand to his left, so he could shake my hand.

It's my Todd's birthday. I shook his hand. Nice to meet you. Thanks for having us. Yeah, he said smiling. Some party, huh? Yeah, I said. You really know how to do it. He bowed his head with false modesty.

We talked for a little while about the weather and sports. Pretty soon another parent with another kid showed up. And Richard left me to greet them. I spotted a woman I knew from previous play dates Anthony had with her daughter. I headed over to say hi. Hey, Tony. Andy said. She wore comfortable-looking jeans and a tasteful floral print button-up shirt.

I'd always liked her most out of all the parents I knew from Anthony's school. We fell into easy conversation, talking about music and movies, killing time. She invited me and my wife over to have dinner with her and her husband some night. I agreed. They were a good couple, and my wife and I had always got along with them. and Anthony seemed to get along well with her daughter, Bethany. An hour passed like this, and I found myself having a good time. The two beers I'd had while talking with Andy probably helped.

During a lull in our conversation, I felt a presence next to me. Looking over, I saw Richard smiling up at me from behind his gold-rimmed glasses. You're going to love this, he said to me, pointing toward a large wooden shed at the back of the yard. He seemed a little drunk. The ice cubes in his glass rattling, even as he stood still beside me. The shed doors opened, and a man stepped out. Where's the birthday boy? The man bellowed.

Here, Uncle Darren, came a shrill cry from over near the petting zoo. I watched the kid plow through all the other children who had turned to see what all the yelling was about. I saw my Anthony standing in his path and felt a jolt of anger as the kid, Todd, shoved Anthony out of his way, knocking my son to the ground. I looked over at Richard, but he was oblivious. No wonder the kid's a brat, I thought as Anthony spotted me and ran over, tears in his eyes. I knelt as Anthony came up to me.

Hey, it's okay, buddy. Are you all right? He nodded mutely, and I knew he wasn't going to cry. His pride was hurt more than anything. Forget about him, I said. You can still have fun, but why don't you stay with me and watch whatever's about to happen. Anthony nodded again. I stood up and positioned Anthony in front of me,

placing my hands on his narrow shoulders, as we both watched the commotion at the shed. Uncle Darren had cleared a wide circle of onlookers and placed Todd off to the side. He then brought out a strange-looking pinata tied to a rope. I couldn't tell what kind of animal it was supposed to be, but it had four legs and a head. It could have been a camel's or a horses,

or some mixture of both. It was covered with little pieces of multicolored tissue paper, approximating fur. A cry of joy went up from the crowd as they saw the pinata. Todd made a move to rush toward it, but Uncle Darren told him to stay where he was. It took a few minutes for Darren to get the thing hanging from the branch of a nearby oak tree. He then headed over to Todd and put a blindfold on him. He spun the birthday boy around a few times, then gave him a stick. He pointed the kid in the right direction and set him loose.

The crowd of children stood in their wide circle, tensed for the moment when the candy would flow from the pinata like manna from heaven. I got that pinata from a very strange man, Richard said to me. I'd almost forgotten he was standing beside me. Apparently, it's unbreakable. He said, then laughed at drunken laugh that I found just a little disturbing. Personally, I thought it was a cruel joke. Dodd stumbled up toward the pinata, slashing the stick to the, through the air with all his might but hitting nothing.

Standing far back, Uncle Darren shouted directions at the kid, urging him on. Todd managed three total attempts, each hitting nothing but air, before he seemed to give up, stopping where he was. He held the stick over his right shoulder as if he was about to swing again, but he didn't. His legs were wide apart and unmoving. A silence settled over the crowd as this continued for over 10 seconds. You all right there, Todd? Darren said, no longer needing to shout to be heard.

You want to take the blindfold off? Todd didn't answer. He stood there, frozen like a statue. But the pinata did move. It swayed on its rope as if in a stiff breeze. But there was no breeze. The leaves on the oak tree were moving only slightly, as if from a gentle breath of air.

Then it started shaking violently at the end of its rope. Everyone watched, enthralled by whatever trick was going on. Surely this had to be a part of the entertainment. Surely. I looked over at Richard, expecting to see a knowing smile. But he looked as perplexed as all the other adults. The rope snapped, and the pignata came down, landing easily on its four legs. Before I could even try to figure out how this was all happening,

the pina rushed toward Todd, the little frilly pieces of paper attached to it, moving back in unison as the object propelled itself through the air using its legs. The pinaata rammed Todd in the chest. I thought the crunching sound the impact made was from the pinaata breaking, but I saw soon enough that it wasn't. Todd flew back without changing the stance he seemed stuck in. The stick hit the ground first and came out of his frozen hands. Then he landed on his back, and I could see the dark hole in his chest.

Only then did I notice the little pieces of candy. that had flown out of him. The Pena smacked its head into Todd again and again in quick succession, each impact bringing another cracking sound and sending another splash of candy out of the boy's abdomen. The adults were now murmuring, looking at each other and growing alarm. Many of the kids turned their smiling eyes toward the magician, knowing that this was some sort of crazy magic trick.

The magician, for his part, stood stunned, watching the impossible play out. Penaata was still smashing itself into Todd. Uncle Darren, the nearest adult, ran forward and picked the Pignada up. Clearly not knowing what else to do, he threw it into the shed and closed the doors on it. But even as this was happening, chaos was breaking out behind him. In the end, it only took one kid to break the trance. One kid, who ran forward emitting a giggling scream, started scooping up the candy from the lush green grass.

of the other kids rushed in, their little minds unable to comprehend the impossibility of it all. Even though Anthony made no move toward the candy, I gripped his shoulders tighter. Next to me, Richard dropped his glass of scotch and rushed forward toward his destroyed son. Parents were now dashing into the fray to find their kids and get them away from whatever hellishness this was. I spotted Andy as she charged in, grabbing her little Bethany by the arm and pulling the girl out, I watched in growing dismay as Bethany used her other hand to stuff some of the candy into her mouth. Spit it out! Andy screamed, scooping the girl up in her arms and rushing her away from the growing chaos.

I reached down and grabbed Anthony's hand. Let's go, I said. We need to go. I thought about calling 911. But what would I say? Help! A kid turned into a pinata? A part of me still thought it was some kind of dark joke.

But I didn't see it. how it was possible. Andy rushed up to me with a giggling Bethany in her arms. She ate some of the candy. Andy cried. What do I do? I don't know, I said. I don't know. Bethany suddenly stopped giggling, drawing both my and Andy's attention to the girl. Anthony looked up at his friend, eyes wide with worry. Oh my God! Andy screamed. She's getting stiff. Sure enough, I could see Bethany changing position, her legs jutting out and her arm straightening at her side. She went as stiff as a board in her mother's arms. Andy rushed over into a solitary corner and laid Bethany down in the grass. I followed along, dragging Anthony beside me. Andy was blubbering, pleading for Bethany

to stop it. I pulled my phone out with my free hand and dialed 911. The dispatcher told me that they'd already received several calls for my location, and that help was on the way. I found little comfort in this. What help could they give? What the hell was happening? I looked around the yard and found that many of the other children were also going stiff. The little bodies taking the same position every time. Parents were crying, as were many of the children who hadn't rushed in to eat the candy.

Andy screamed again, and I looked back over at her and Bethany. The little girl's hair was falling out as I watched. Then her skin changed, turning from a healthy white to a more artificial, papery white. Her eyes were wide open, and I could see them changing, the intricate blue of her irises morphing to a dull, two-dimensional pulpy blue. I backed off a couple of steps, realizing that the girl was turning into a pinata right before our eyes. Help me! Andy screamed at me.

I shook my head and tried to speak, but found that I was unable to. Anthony was now crying, and his sobs snapped me out of it, making me realize what I had to do. I scooped my son up in my arms and ran. I ran as fast as I could through that gigantic house. We made it to the car parked down the street, just as the sound of sirens reached my ears. I put Anthony in the front seat, although he was still too young for that. It didn't matter. As I drove home, I kept the sound.

checking on Anthony. I kept picturing him changing it to a stiff piñata, then bursting apart, his inside's hollow but for the strange, unbranded candy that would spill out. But Anthony was still a living, breathing boy when we made it home. I parked in the driveway and turned off the car. I looked over at my boy. No more birthday parties for a while, huh kid? Anthony nodded. SCP-956 appears to be a common pinata. Tests have revealed that, although superficially similar to paper mache, SCP-956 is constructed of various amounts of glue, sugar, and unidentified fur, and human tissue. SCP-956 has also shown to be highly resistant to any sort of bludgeoning damage,

though the use of gunfire, flame, and heat have all been shown to be effective. SCP-956 enters its active state when a human under the age of 12 enters within 5 meters of it. Approximately 7 to 28 seconds after entering the active zone, the child becomes unable to move, holding any stance they had at the time. The victim is incapable of motion or speech, although they remain alive and retain awareness. SCP 956 moves towards the victim and bludgeon him or her until the torso runs. ruptures. Upon breach, the victim's body discharges a large pile of unmarked candy, ranging from 23 to 1,323 pieces. Instances of this candy are designated as SCP 956-1. A victim can be removed from

SCP-956's activation range if retrieved promptly. The victim, however, shows no signs of recovering from its immobilized state and appears to remain in such a state indefinitely. Autopsies of unbroken victims show that their bodies had been severely dehydrated, leaving them brittle with pieces of candy growing out of the victim's organs, apparently using the tissue as a component. Children under the age of 12 who consume this candy first enter a similar state to the immobilized victims of SCP-956, although they assume a standing stance. The subject then experiences, in sequence, rapid hair loss, a sprouting of paper mache from their skin,

and a complete restructuring of bone and muscle. The process takes approximately nine minutes to complete. Upon completion, the victim has transformed into another instance of SCP 956. These copies behave identically to SCP-956. There is a 0% chance of survival for the victim. Lazzang sur-joled, puissance-moyane for 15 minutes. We'd say that's their dojo.

Prere to play a pleasure with Leo Jo. The casino in line that proposes the most recent machine-a-sou and the show of casino in direct. Profite of 50 tours on Big Bas Bonanza, without exigance of mis, and with the payment instantane.

Hey, I've gained. Woo-hoo! Sentire the pleasure. Rayo Joe! 18-8 and plus, 1, 1-Depos only, expel in Ontario. 50 tours,

on the machine-a-soumissu Bikbas Bonanza. Depos minimum of $10. DePos minimum of $10. Beye. Goet to play in a way responsible. The conditions is applicable.