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The Cedar Cove Incident


The rumours, speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding the so-called Cedar Cove Incident of August 2009 are so varied, so wildly divergent and contradictory that one despairs of ever uncovering the truth of what happened. I have undertaken here to lay down and weave into a coherent whole only the established, verifiable facts, and let the reader draw his or her own conclusions. I will be the first to point out the many seemingly irrational choices made by the people involved, and the narrative gaps left where we cannot say with certainty how events unfolded. To these I say, we must wait for further information, but until that happens: Caveat lector. I’m sure even the most skeptical reader will agree that the following is the most parsimonious telling that accounts for all the known facts.

At some point between the 11th and the 14th of August, 2009, the power grid in Cedar Cove failed, and all contact between the hamlet and the outside world was lost. The exact cause of this failure has yet to be determined, but the power grid in that area is notoriously unreliable when compared to the national average. In addition to the power failure, the days preceding the incident were marked by another thus far unexplained phenomenon: a thick, tenacious mist enveloping the town. According to interviews of West Virginia residents and meteorological data, Cedar Cove was normally a relatively sunny town with a brisk noonday breeze that should have swept the area clear of any mist. The middle of August, however, was characterized by unseasonably cold, overcast days, with a slow but persistent southwesterly wind.

The power failure could not have occurred before the 11th, if one Alicia Wilson of neighboring Point Pleasant is to be believed. As far as anyone knows, she was the first person outside Cedar Cove to notice anything amiss, because on that day she says she couldn’t reach her sister, whom she called every friday. She phoned the sheriff’s office to complain to her husband, sheriff Graham Wilson, who then tried to contact the Cedar Cove Arms, an establishment that in such a small community often doubled as the de facto town hall. When even they could not be reached, the sheriff decided to investigate the situation himself. Nobody thought much of the town’s silence at first, so he only brought one deputy with him. It had been a slow night in Point Pleasant, and deputy Andretti would later tell investigators that the sheriff himself admitted before departing that he was only making the trip to break the tedium, and anticipating his wife fretting over her sister later that night.

Upon arriving at Cedar Cove, Sheriff Wilson called in according to protocol, saying that he and deputy Foreman were heading for the guesthouse. They reported that as expected, the streetlights were out and all the windows dark. Since the sky was overcast that night, the streets were already dark and they didn’t think it unusual to find the town quiet and the streets empty. By the time they reached the guesthouse, however, they had yet to spot a single citizen in Cedar Cove. They would’ve expected to notice at least one flashlight in a window, one dog barking to announce unexpected visitors.

Some minutes later, deputy Foreman called in to report that the Cedar Cove Arms was empty, cash register and manager’s office closed and locked. The building had an emergency generator in the basement in case of a blackout, but it wasn’t running. The two visited several of the houses around the guesthouse, but all doors were locked and nobody came to answer their calls. When a fifteen minute search of nearby houses failed to uncover any of the locals, they used the loudspeaker mounted on the patrol car to request that anybody within hearing range show themselves or give some indication as to their location, but again, no reply. With deputy Foreman as witness, sheriff Wilson decided that the situation in Cedar Cove appeared to be an emergency and assumed authority to forcibly enter one of the apartments without a written warrant.

Since they didn’t have a battering ram in the patrol car, deputy Foreman was forced to shoot out the front door lock after several verbal warnings to stand clear of the door. The gunshots provoked no response from the residents, and the two proceeded with a systematic search of the house, where deputy Foreman reported spotting someone – or something – in the basement. He cried out in alarm and backed away, ushering sheriff Wilson up the steps and out of the house. Foreman screamed at Wilson to enter the patrol car and drive away from the city as fast as possible, claiming that some unknown disease had overtaken whoever or whatever he had seen in the basement; he was uncommitted as to whether it was a man or some animal. According to Wilson, Foreman appeared to be hysterical and in at least a mild state of shock When Wilson suggested that Foreman remain in the car while he had another look in the basement, Foreman screamed at him to remain and to stay away from the basement, saying that the ‘the thing’ was possibly contagious and definitely dangerous. Since Foreman would not be calmed, and the situation in Cedar Cove was obviously more than two men could deal with, sheriff Wilson decided to return to the Point Pleasant sheriff’s station.

Upon returning, sheriff Wilson didn’t see fit to contact federal authorities before making sure just what it was that deputy Foreman had seen. The following is a transcription of his interview, recorded by consent:

Wilson: ‘All right, son, just take it slowly, from the beginning. You entered the basement, searching the area with your flashlight…?’

Foreman: ‘[shuddering sound] It was in the corner, behind the boiler tank. It was looking at me.”

W: ‘What was it? What was looking at you?’

F: ‘It was a monster. I said before that it might’ve been an animal, but I – [chokes off, sobs]‘

W: ‘Take your time. Just relax… You said it might’ve been an animal, but?’

F: ‘… but now I think about it, I only said that because I didn’t want to think a man could look like that! Oh jesus, the look on it’s face – [sobs] and the mouth!’

W: ‘So you spotted a man behind the boiler, and he saw you. You said he had some kind of disease? Why did you think that?’

F: ‘It wasn’t normal! The look in it’s eyes, they were staring at me the second I turned the light to it, no, before that! It couldn’t have seen me in the dark, with that light shining right at it, but it was already staring at me when I saw it! [whispers hoarsely] And it’s face!’

W: ‘What about his face? Was there something unusual about it? Some markings?’

F:’ [inaudible]

W: ‘What’s that? Speak up, son..’

F: ‘[whispering] It was upside down.’

W: ‘His face was upside down?’

F: ‘[still whispering] It was all there, eyes, nose, mouth and everything, but it was wrong. The eyes caught me first, but above those… the mouth. It was grinning, so wide it was impossible, and it was upside down! The mouth was streched so wide you could see every ****ing tooth in its mouth, [crying now] and I swear it was grinning at me, like it knew we were coming and it was just WAITING for us, and it -’

W: ‘Calm down, calm down! Easy. Just take a deep breath.’

F: ‘[whispers again] Not human. Not an animal but not human either.

W: [starts to speak but is interrupted]

F: ‘I figured something got to the people there, something that changed them – like you see in the movies, right? It used to be human, but now it’s something less, something wrong, and I bet the same thing happened to the whole town, that’s why it was so quiet! I know it sounds crazy but you didn’t see it, didn’t see those eyes, the way it looked at me, the way it was-’

W: ‘All right, son, that’s enough. It’s okay now, we don’t have to talk about this anymore-’

[Recording ends]

How a copy of the recording came to be found is disputed, but its provenance is beyond question: relatives of both Wilson and Foreman have confirmed that the voices heard on the tape are indeed theirs.

Sheriff Wilson contacted the governor’s office, reporting that some, if not most of the people in Cedar Cove had disappeared, and mentioned the possibility of an unknown infection. Mayor Green wasn’t known to be a man of half measures and so, later that night, sheriff Wilson, accompanied by deputies Coolidge, Stuart and King, rendezvoused with CDC staff at a point some five miles outside Cedar Cove. The plan was to conduct another search of the apartment visited earlier by Wilson and Foreman in order to determine the condition of its inhabitants. The leading CDC investigator, doctor Hartman, would then determine if a quarantine needed to be instituted, in which case more CDC men would be brought in, aided by the national guard if necessary. In the interests of medical history and proper analysis, doctor Hartman suggested that the investigation be videotaped; his recording from
that night is the single most important document pertaining to this incident. Transcript follows:

The recording begins at the outskirts of town, as the team is just entering Cedar Cove proper. The viewpoint is from the front passenger seat of the CDC van, and one of the patrol cars can be seen leading the convoy, its emergency lights flashing. The town is completely silent, as before. The door to the apartment is ajar, as Wilson left it, suggesting that whoever deputy Foreman claims to have seen in the basement hadn’t ventured out from his hiding place. Research assistant Walker was the first to enter, followed by Hartman, who was still holding the camera. The recording shows Walker descending the basement stairs, calling out to the inhabitant to show himself.

Walker stops at the foot of the stairs and points his flashlight at some point not visible from the top of the stairs. His voice is too low to be intelligible, but he appears to have spotted the inhabitant encountered earlier and is coaxing him to come out. Wilson crouches slightly, extending his hand in invitation, then gasps and freezes. Panicking, he drops his flashlight, sending it rolling around the floor. The scene is momentarily cast into darkness while the rolling flashlight points away from Walker, but the muffled screams of at least two men can be heard on the recording. Doctor Hartman tries to back up the stairs, camera wavering but still pointing towards the basement, when the flashlight completes its circuit and casts its light on the scene below.

In the meager second captured on film, we see what appears to be a naked man attacking Walker. Both the attacker and Walker are covered in blood, and the latter is lying on his back and screaming, bleeding badly, trying to push off his assailant. At this point, doctor Hartman panics and turns around, jostling the others behind him in his haste to escape the apartment. Hartman is the last one out of the door, and he slams it shut, apparently not noticing that it won’t stay completely closed, the locking mechanism having been shot out. The camera, strapped to his hand but apparently forgotten for now, is still recording as he argues with the others, bobbing and jumping
crazily as he gesticulates with his arms to lend weight to his words. Sheriff Wilson is furious, demanding to know what is happening inside and trying to get past Hartman, while shrieks and thumps can still be heard from inside the apartment. Hartman seems to have collected himself somewhat and is arguing forcefully for sealing off the house, and indeed the whole town, whose inhabitants have apparently contracted something similar to rabies. The sheriff is indignant, pointing out that even laymen know rabies isn’t an airborne disease, but Hartman, backed up by his assistants, remains adamant, citing his superior authority. Wilson threatens to shoot Hartman if he won’t let him by, but their argument is interrupted by deputy King’s scream.
Hartman reflexively whips up the camera in the direction the he is pointing.

The town is stirring. The floodlights mounted on the CDC van reveal doors opening silently all down the street from the guesthouse. The inhabitants of Cedar Cove are slowly coming out, approaching the outsiders. Their shape is immediately recognizable as human, but their bodies are contorted hideously, spines arching backwards until their heads are almost level with the ground. They pad noiselessly on all fours, with elbows leading, their shoulders bent at an impossible angle. Each one is naked, and stark bruising can be seen where the joints must have snapped to allow the unnatural posture. Hartman pans the camera to capture every door, and from each one the inhabitants are pouring out in a silent stream, hovering at the edge of the light. Each face carries the same perverse, upside down grin, and all eyes, wide open, stare unblinking at the men.

Deputy King can be seen in front of Hartman and to the left, shouting and discharging his sidearm at the inhabitants directly across the street. One of them twitches and flops down, briefly resembling a man lying spread eagled on his back, then curls his limbs close to his torso– back in their natural direction – to make a horrible mockery of a dead cockroach lying on its back. At no point does the grin falter or the eyes blink. The other inhabitants seem somehow emboldened by this move, as they no longer circle the lit area like sharks but begin to slowly advance, moving jerkily, a few quick steps at a time. Hartman shouts at everyone to get to the van as quickly as possible,
and they all break into a mad dash for safety. As Hartman’s voice rings out, the inhabitants charge en masse, loosing screams that still sound very human as they bound and leap towards the men.

Someone screams outside the camera’s view, but Hartman never slows down, never turns his course or the camera away from the van. King is the first one to reach the doors, and he can be seen whipping open the sliding door before opening the front passenger side door for himself. Hartman climbs into the back, panting and videotaping the others as they pile inside. Deputy Coolidge manhandles a bleeding Wilson inside before joining them and slamming the door shut. Just then, the view
jerks around wildly and settles into a sideways position on the floor, but the men can be seen holding on, trying to remain seated, as King jerks the van around to escape the city. The screaming of the wheels can just barely be discerned under the screaming and thuds ringing through the van before they are clear of the herd, accelerating away from the Cedar Cove Arms.

[recording ends]

The recording appeared on the internet at some point in September 2009, and was circulated on a handful of websites for some time thereafter. If it is authentic, one can be certain that federal authorities would want to keep it a secret from the public, and the video was leaked by one of a presumably limited number of people with proper clearance to view it. Be that as it may, the video was largely dismissed by those who have seen it as a hoax, being either a publicity stunt by some group of CGI-artists, a trailer for a horror movie yet to appear, or part of a so called Alternate Reality Game (ARG).

Beyond this, the rumours and reports are so divergent, and of such questionable authenticity, that I balk at venturing any further. In any case, the version of events presented here – which I know to be credible, having personally verified all source material used – describes a matter I’d just as soon forget. To anyone willing to sift through the mounds of unverifiable anecdotes and paranoid rants, the practical jokes and blatant lies, the unbelievable reports and delirious eyewitness accounts, I wish you the best of luck… you’re a braver man than I. As a final item of interest, I’ve transcribed a newspaper article that arrived in my mailbox earlier this week, from an unknown sender.

West Virginia Observer, October 21st, 2009
Mysterious disease sweeps over local town

Inhabitants of Mason County were shocked early this autumn when the National Guard, at the behest of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) cordoned off the sleepy town of Cedar Cove, barring the towns few regular visitors and casual tourists entry. The real shock, however, arrived scant weeks later, when a convoy of dozens of trucks rumbled its way out of West Virginia, and federal emergency workers razed the whole town.

According to the official CDC statement, the entire population of Cedar Cove (317 people according to a census taken in January, 2009) had been exposed to a mutant strain of the West Nile virus. Emergency workers were too late to save all of those afflicted by the highly contagious, rapidly progressing disease, but they were, thankfully, succesful in containing the outbreak. Doctor Steinberg, who issued the statement, commented that we might take some cold comfort from the fact that this disease essentially annihilated itself, killing most of its carriers too quickly to spread effectively. However, torching the town was seen as a necessary precaution, as the mutant virus might have remained dormant in porous surfaces exposed to infected bodily fluids. The surviving inhabitants were transported to an undisclosed location to be properly quarantined.

http://www.scp-wiki.net/

epic side massere af creepy stuff, men også noget der bare er awesome og godt fundet på. Der er også lavet nogle små spil over nogle af historierne

Edit: start evt. med at læse her:

http://www.scp-wiki.net/about-the-scp-foundation

og så ellers bare gå i gang med SCP series i toppen man kommer nemt til at bruge en time fordi man læser de henvisninger til andre objekter der er.