The Jailbird is an anomalous humanoid entity contained by the SCP Foundation. SCP stands for Special Containment Procedures, which is an organization that secures and studies anomalous objects, entities, locations, and phenomena that defy natural law. The Jailbird is designated as SCP-513 by the Foundation.
What is the Jailbird’s Description?
The Jailbird appears as a middle-aged Caucasian male wearing an orange prison jumpsuit. It stands approximately 1.8 meters tall and weighs 86 kg. The Jailbird exhibits average strength and speed for a human of its size and build. Its most anomalous feature is its origami crane head, which resembles an intricate paper folding of a crane in place of a normal human head.
The paper crane head is attached to the Jailbird’s body at the neck and can flex, nod, and turn like a regular head. However, it does not have any facial features or orifices. There are no openings present where the mouth or eyes would be on a human head. The surface of the crane head emits a constant scratching noise, like the sound of shuffling paper.
What Are the Jailbird’s Abilities?
The Jailbird possesses several anomalous abilities related to its nature as a humanoid entity with a paper crane head:
- Origami Physiology – The paper crane head is invulnerable to damage. It automatically repairs any tears or holes inflicted on it by reshaping the paper back into place. Destroying over 50% of the crane head will cause the Jailbird to expire.
- Sound Manipulation – The Jailbird can mimic and perfectly recreate any sound it has heard before through its crane head. It uses this ability to lure victims by imitating voices.
- Adhesive Secretion – The inside of the Jailbird’s crane head produces a strong adhesive substance similar to glue. It can eject this adhesive from the neck to immobilize victims.
- Tooth Manifestation – The Jailbird can willingly manifest a mouth full of human-like teeth inside its crane head to bite victims. The number, size, and shape of the teeth vary.
What is the Jailbird’s Behavior and Nature?
The Jailbird exhibits predatory behavior toward humans and will attempt to lure, trap, and consume individuals it encounters. It uses its sound manipulation ability to mimic familiar voices, often impersonating authority figures, friends, or loved ones to lure victims into close proximity.
Once a target is close, the Jailbird immobilizes them with its adhesive secretion and manifests a mouth to bite off and swallow flesh in large chunks. It is capable of unhinging its lower jaw to allow for consuming larger pieces of flesh. The Jailbird is also opportunistic, preferring isolated individuals as targets.
In containment, the Jailbird paces its cell constantly while emitting paper shuffling sounds. It does not otherwise interact with personnel or require sustenance. The motives and origin of the Jailbird are unknown – it displays no communication or higher reasoning abilities. Its actions are driven purely by predatory instinct.
How Does the Foundation Contain SCP-513?
Containment procedures enacted by the SCP Foundation focus on preventing the Jailbird from accessing prey and limiting its ability to lure victims. Key containment protocols include:
- The Jailbird is kept in a soundproofed humanoid containment cell at all times. There are no audible sounds from outside the cell.
- The cell is monitored at all times via security camera by Level 2 personnel. Personnel are prohibited from audibly communicating within 10 meters of the cell.
- Weekly cell searches remove any materials the Jailbird could use to produce sounds for luring, such as loose paper.
- Any personnel interacting directly with SCP-513 must wear sound-cancelling headphones and communication is restricted to hand signals and writing.
- In case of containment breach, the Jailbird is to be located by tracking devices sewn into its jumpsuit and recontained with assistance from armed response personnel.
These containment measures are intended to neutralize the SCP-513’s sound manipulation abilities and opportunities for securing prey. Direct interaction is limited to reduce chances of personnel being attacked or consumed.
What Are Some Interesting Facts About SCP-513?
- First came to the Foundation’s attention in 19██ after a series of missing persons cases with witnesses reporting hearing familiar voices.
- The Jailbird’s jumpsuit bears the words “COUNTY JAIL” on the back and serial number 513-1 on the front.
- Although it does not require sustenance, the Jailbird will consume prey whenever the opportunity is presented.
- Researchers have noted the Jailbird folds its crane head into more intricate shapes while pacing when it has gone long periods without prey.
- Has manifested mouths exhibiting different dental structures, from fully human-like to rows of sharp triangular teeth.
- A Junior Researcher was caught attempting to smuggle paper into SCP-513’s cell in an attempt to communicate. He was demoted and reassigned.
What Are Some Theories About the Jailbird’s Origins?
The Jailbird’s origins remain unknown, but researchers have proposed several theories based on its behaviors and abilities:
- It may have been a human criminal who was the victim of an arcane transfiguration ritual or spell. Its jail clothing lends credibility to this theory.
- Could have originated from an alternate dimension where paper folding and origami is tied to animate beings.
- Might be the creation of an artist or occultist who managed to transform an origami figure into a living humanoid entity.
- Some think it may be an extraterrestrial creature that merely resembles a human form and uses paper as a structural basis.
- There is a possibility it is an animate origami sculpture created through some unknown paranatural or metaphysical means.
Without direct communication or interaction possible with SCP-513, its true origins and nature may never be discerned. The Jailbird remains an enigmatic predator animate of folded paper and human flesh.
Addendum – Containment Breach Incident 513-1991
On ██/██/1991, SCP-513 breached containment by using adhesive secretions to clog the locking mechanisms on its cell door, preventing it from engaging. During routine cell checks, Junior Researcher ████████ opened the malfunctioning door to inspect it, at which point SCP-513 attacked and incapacitated him.
SCP-513 was free in the facility for approximately 18 minutes before being recontained. During this time, it accessed the public address system and mimicked various Foundation personnel voices and codes to lure and consume 4 staff members. Additionally, one security officer died engaging SCP-513, sustaining major lacerations from its manifested teeth before the Jailbird was driven back into its cell.
Following this incident, SCP-513’s containment procedures were updated to include redundant automated cell locks, increased armed security, and mandatory hearing protection for anyone entering its vicinity. Personnel are now prohibited from audibly communicating security codes anywhere in the facility.
How Does the Jailbird Compare to Other SCPs?
The Jailbird has similarities and differences to other notable Euclid class humanoid SCP objects contained by the Foundation:
SCP | Comparison |
---|---|
SCP-4971 “Ritual Devil” | Both are predatory humanoids. But while the Ritual Devil is hyper-intelligent and manipulative, the Jailbird is an animalistic hunter focused only on consuming prey. |
SCP-973 “Smokey” | Both entities are based on arts and crafts materials – smoke for SCP-973 and folded paper for SCP-513. But the Jailbird is far more aggressive and directly threatening compared to the withdrawn Smokey. |
SCP-106 “The Old Man” | Both humanoids are dangerous predators who use subterfuge to secure prey, but 106 relies on psychological tactics while 513 uses auditory deception and mimicry to hunt. |
Ultimately, while one of many predatory humanoid SCPs, the Jailbird’s unusual paper physiology and mimetic abilities make it a uniquely disturbing and dangerous anomaly in containment.
What Threat Level Does the Jailbird Pose?
The Jailbird is classified as a Euclid class anomaly, meaning it poses direct and immediate danger to human life if containment is compromised, but can be reliably contained using protocols focused on isolating and neutralizing its abilities.
If allowed to roam free, SCP-513 would likely cause a significant number of civilian disappearances and deaths. Its methods of luring through mimicking voices means it can exploit human social tendencies and empathy to attack isolated targets. However, the Jailbird does not exhibit interest in spreading destruction or mayhem on a massive scale.
Well-designed containment procedures deprive it of stimuli needed to use its predatory abilities effectively. SCP-513 has no motivation or capacity to escape containment beyond attacking nearby prey when opportunities immediately present themselves. It therefore lacks the intelligence, planning, and manipulative capacities to be considered a serious threat to society at large if properly contained.
For these reasons, the Jailbird warrants a threat level rating of 8/20 on the Foundation’s Anomaly Threat Metrics scale. It remains a dangerous predator, but its threat potential outside of direct individual interactions is limited compared to some other SCP objects.
Conclusion
The Jailbird remains one of the more bizarre and unsettling humanoid entities contained by the SCP Foundation. With the infamous SCP-096 and SCP-106 ranking among some of the most dangerous captive anomalies, the Jailbird stacks up as a lesser but still credible threat, especially to isolated personnel interacting with it directly.
Its mimicry, adhesive attacks, and flesh-consuming make it a deadly predator to individuals, but limitations in intelligence and overall behavior patterns mean large-scale containment breaches are less catastrophic compared to other SCPs. So while secure precautions are paramount for continued isolation of SCP-513, the Jailbird is considered safely contained using current protocols.