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WRITTEN BY JEREMY ENFINGER
SOUND: Brianne is typing again.
BRIANNE: Jeremy, you’re listed here as a Maker, too.
SOUND: A mouse is double-clicked.
BRIANNE: Your whole life is here, Jeremy. Your childhood, your birth certificate…your parents’ names!
I can’t seem to take my mind off of this new information. It’s kept me up at night lately. I swear, making this podcast has done some serious damage to my sleep patterns… and my relationships. Or at least it’s putting a strain on them.
When I told my wife that I may have actually learned who my parents are through the research I’m putting into the show, she didn’t seem very impressed. I don’t remember the exact words she used, but it was one of those single word answers. The ones like “fine” or “okay” without so much as a glance in my direction. If you aren’t married or if you’ve never had a life partner for any amount of time, let me clue you in on a little secret. When you hear these responses, things are definitely not “fine” and you should choose your next words with caution.
We had a long discussion that night after the kids were asleep. I was so excited to share the news about my parents, the possibilities of actually finding them and getting to know them, imagining that our children might actually have grandparents they could get to know. She isn’t close to her parents, so the kids haven’t really known what it’s like to have grandparents, just like me. Most extended family has always been kind of a disappointment, and I guess I hadn’t realized how alone the world felt until I learned my parents’ names.
What ultimately came out of the discussion was the realization that the whole time I’ve been making this podcast, I’ve really been kind of neglecting my family. Sure, I’m working my day job and meeting my obligations to provide for them, but after dinner each night, my nose is right back in the papers. She let me know that the kids had been having problems at school and they were likely seeking attention. And though I’ve been in my home this whole time, I haven’t really been “present.” In addition, she had concerns about my overall health, saying I looked pale and was losing weight. Normally that would be welcome, but she said it wasn’t “in a good way.”
Another helpful tip from many years of marriage and a few counseling sessions under my belt: when your partner opens up to you and shares their feelings, even if it makes you angry, take some time to reflect on what they’re saying instead of reacting in the moment. That’s a problem I have been working on. The anger came from the assumption that she really didn’t care about what I had learned, and the possibility that my parents are out there. That assumption is the key. Instead, I took some time to consider my reported lack of presence, and I almost always come to the conclusion that she’s right; that I’m the asshole. Or at least, I’m contributing to the problem and I can understand why she feels that way. But more importantly, she’s telling me these things because she values our relationship and wants restoration. Essentially, I’ve been severing my connection with her and the kids, and the knife is these papers.
Anyways, I’m sorry to take you down this road on the podcast, but someone recently told me I wasn’t injecting enough of my personality into the show. So there it is… for better or for worse. I will say, I do have a new therapist I’ve been seeing since the last one I had refused to see me. Apparently they were all bent out of shape about the nonsense Patel pulled to surprise me at my scheduled session. It’s just another love/hate aspect of the papers that keeps me conflicted in the pursuit of truth by digging into them. I promised I would spend more time with the family, even if that meant less time with the papers, and we agreed to a certain level of moderation as long as I could still show up to be husband and father every day.
By the way, I did follow through with that meeting at El Campo Cemetery last Saturday, but I can’t say anything about that just yet. I promise, I’ll fill you in as soon as I can.
Now, back to the papers:
After learning that both Malcolm and I were labeled as “Makers”, I wanted to learn everything I could about what that means. My first instincts were to go to the documents that Dr. Patel left me, and a particular folder stood out to me labeled, “M-22.” I’m assuming that folders labeled “S” relate to Shepherds and now folders labeled “M” refer to Makers.
I opened the folder and learned I was right. The very first document had a cover page with a very brief title saying, “Subject M-22, formerly known as (redacted), Malcolm Foye.” Malcolm! Wait, why is the name, Malcolm Foye listed but some other random identifier redacted? Damn, now that I’m thinking about it, I’ve seen references to “M-22” in other documents in the papers… at least, the papers that I inherited from the auction, which used to be Ron’s. Those have been Malcolm this whole time, and I’ve just been breezing by them because I didn’t think they were relevant.
As I flipped to the first document behind the cover page, I immediately noted it had the now-familiar seven fingered hand stamp on it, but with a superimposed capital “M.” I hadn’t seen this before. The document seemed to establish the reason for the switch in labels from “Shepherd” to “Maker,” and it reads:
Proposal for classification change of (redacted) to M-22
5 February, 1998
With the M-class being relatively new, the subject began exhibiting new abilities over the previous several weeks following a series of Pyramidion Proximity Experiments. Unfortunately, the experiments were limited due to the random nature of the Pyramidion’s appearance and disappearance, and the amount of travel time required to move the subjects to its location this time.
While other subjects experienced marked enhancement of Shepherd abilities as a result of the limited Proximity Experiments, (redacted) went into the experiments with superior Shepherd characteristics, even when compared to other subjects after the experiments.
Preceding the exposures, he was essentially able to manifest fictitious entities from his dreams into reality (see Appendices A-F). He was also very skilled in his remote viewing capabilities when subjected to field study analysis (see Appendices G-K).
As a result of additional exposure, previously unseen abilities began to develop in the subject that are similar in nature to known Makers.
Examples:
Within twenty-four hours post-exposure, the subject had been in his living quarters reading his literature homework assignment, a chapter in the book, “Lord of the Flies.” He self-reported to his professor the following morning that he was simply able to “produce” a conch shell by thinking about it while he was awake. After the professor reported his claim, unscheduled testing ensued.
Within seventy-two hours post-exposure, he was manifesting inanimate objects at-will, during waking hours. Under testing observation with multiple witnesses and video recording, objects were suggested to him for manifestation. During a single sixty minute session, the subject was able to produce replicas of objects that were in the room with him that included a pencil, a chair, and a desk.
Testing was concluded when the subject, himself, suggested he attempt something more challenging. He then produced a pencil sharpener. Upon its manifestation, the subject freely tested the pencil sharpener’s functionality by picking up the original pencil that was already in the room (not the one he manifested) and inserted it into the sharpener. It was completely functional.
Notes:
Several relevant observations were made following several hours of video review of this session:
- Each object manifested was somewhat flawed upon manifestation: It is unclear if the subject was aware of these flaws, but among the noted features were:
- The conch shell seemed to be made of a porcelain-like material, rather than the calciferous structure of a real shell.
- The pencil he made, after analysis, had small divots in the wood of an unexplained nature not present in the original pencil.
- The chair had one leg slightly shorter than the others, which wasn’t initially noted, but was when someone sat in it.
- The pencil sharpener did not have a power cord or known source of electricity. This was highly irregular because we witnessed the subject operating it successfully, which was not able to be replicated by our team once the subject was dismissed. It would appear that the subject may have intentionally or unintentionally aided in the operation when he attempted it.
- The subject’s mood and demeanor changed dramatically between sessions. Upon presentation of the conch shell and undergoing a series of questions by our team, the subject appeared to be excited and eager to share results with the team. After the seventy-two hour session, the subject seemed more hesitant to respond to questions honestly. His mood shifted to defensive and somewhat cocky. He began to question the necessity of continuously being kept within the grounds of our facility, and started asking questions about why he wasn’t being allowed to explore beyond. He was provided a sedative when he became agitated.
- The video recording malfunctioned during moments of manifestation. A visual artifact, most likely some kind of static, appeared on the VHS tape during playback making it difficult to visualize. We can only hypothesize that the manifestation of these objects created some kind of temporary electromagnetic field or distortion as the recordings post-manifestation did not contain the artifact.
Conclusion:
Further research is going to be required to determine the extent of the subject’s capabilities and the direction our research may take us. It’s too early to make any evidence-based conclusions outside the observation that additional abilities are present within the subject compared to the previously noted limitation of Shepherd abilities. Comparison to other Maker test records should be made to determine similarities and to identify any differences.
Recommendations:
Regular testing at forty-eight hour intervals: At this time, abilities seem to be increasing over time since the Pyramidion exposure tests. It is unclear if this increase is due to latent effects of proximity or potentially due to the subject’s progressive learning capability to use these new abilities over time.
Two teams: while these new abilities exist and should be further tested and monitored from the standpoint of Maker classification, we have not yet tested Shepherd abilities to determine any potential change post-exposure. Each set of abilities would be more efficiently and effectively documented and analyzed by each team focusing on their own specialty areas. In the interest of time, and due to the rising mood and demeanor challenges of the subject, I recommend testing parameters be discussed prior to each session and testing coincide, instead of doubling the duration of testing sessions for each team. To accomplish this goal, more collaboration is needed, which will require a significant degree of transparency between departments within Hydra and less compartmentalization.
Additional testing parameters: This is just a hypothesis, but the likely presence of magnetic distortion that could be the cause for the artifacts on the VHS tape recordings indicates the need to measure it. I propose a similar setup to the electromagnetic measurements taken during Pyramidion exposure sessions, and if the subject is willing, brainwave pattern analysis. Both should occur in real-time and be compared to levels present when the Pyramidion is present.
Precautionary measures: As we know, several negative short-term and some long-term effects of Pyramidion exposure have been noted in some people. I would advise increased safety precautions during Maker-testing be implemented to be modeled after Pyramidion testing precautions. If the subject is producing high levels of electromagnetic radiation during the manifestation process (as the video artifacts might suggest), and (assumed to be) inconsistent with other previously-classified Makers, prolonged exposure must be limited.
In addition, I recommend post-testing therapy sessions for the subject in light of the changes in demeanor following the manifestation of objects. More information is needed on which drugs and chemicals may suppress these abilities, if any, and in the meantime we would be wise to avoid situations that would result in conflict with the subject, or create any tendencies toward aggression. We need to consider the fact that some differences exist between this subject and known makers, and extreme caution should be placed to avoid making any assumptions about similarities and differences before further testing can take place.
Personnel with training and experience in conflict resolution should be present during all testing sessions, and we should remain conservative and take the subject’s willingness to endure testing sessions into consideration for the time being to prevent unnecessary negative outcomes and/or uncontrolled manifestation events.
Well, that was interesting. To me, this appears like at this time, they had already identified a few people with Maker abilities and they aren’t quite sure yet if Malcolm was actually developing these abilities or if he was turning into something different following exposure to this Pyramidion.
The next document appears to have the same symbol… you guessed it! The seven fingered hand, still with the capital “M” superimposed. But it also has a symbol shared by many of the other papers, and one that I’ve shared content from previously. There’s a pentagram symbol right next to the seven fingered hand. The pentagram has some smaller symbols within it. It contains what are likely other pagan symbols, and if I had to guess, it likely represents various occult symbols. It’s interesting because I think I saw a similar symbol when I was looking into the Order of the Divine Acolytes quite a while ago.
This document looks like it was someone’s notes, strictly observation, from one of these testing sessions. It reads:
Clinical Observation Notes for Malcolm Foye and Assessment
22 February 1998
I was brought in today as an inter-departmental consultant to observe and analyze testing for M-22. I have only been briefed on the initial proposal for Maker status and intentionally excluded from two sets of testing results between the initial assessment and today’s session. I’m not yet certain why they would be seeking consultation from an occult specialist, but I’m forced to assume my lack of access is typical as “need-to-know.”
I have been asked to observe and document from behind a two-way mirror approximately twenty-five meters from the subject as a safety precaution, but I am also monitoring three video feeds which are displaying various points of view including a close-up of the subjects face, a pulled-back view showing the subject’s entire body while sitting at a table with the clinical psychologist in full view, and a video feed from within the room I am in at the twenty-five meter distance. I also have a fourth monitor displaying the subject’s brainwave patterns.
The first several minutes were seemingly uneventful, and I should note that I do not have an audio feed, so I am not certain what kind of conversation is being conducted. The subject seems to be at ease, often smiling and seems to be willingly participating in the conversation. One other thing of note is that he occasionally seems to be glancing toward his left. On that side of the room, there is another mirror, and I can only assume he is aware he is being observed by another individual or team, which seems like a fair assumption if I were in his shoes.
Approximately seven minutes into the session, it appears as if the subject is being guided through a meditation exercise. His eyes are closed and he is sitting with upright, yet relaxed posture. The psychologist is speaking and the subject is taking deeper breaths in succession. My eyes were drawn to monitor four as the brainwave patterns began to reduce in amplitude and frequency. Sharp peaks became short rolling waves as the subject proceeded with the exercise.
A period of two or three minutes passed without change until I saw a very large spike in the brainwave pattern. Sharp peaks grew higher in amplitude and frequency. It was similar to what an earthquake looked like on a Richter scale. When I turned my glance from the brainwave pattern to the up-close facial video feed, there was a slight static artifact which made me think perhaps the camera was farther away than in the initial proposal document, only zoomed in to minimize the artifact effect. But that wasn’t what caught my attention.
The subject’s eyes were open, but rolled backwards into his head, revealing only their whites. It could have been an effect caused by the distortion, but I also observed what appeared to be swirling colors and the emission of a faint glow emanating from his eye sockets and nostrils. The effect grew slightly when his mouth parted.
I could read the psychologist’s lips when he asked the subject, “Are you okay, Malcolm?”
At that point, the subject placed his palms flat on the table to steady himself as his body began to exhibit tremors. This indicated to me that he was fully aware of his body’s disposition and this was not seizure-like behavior, but controlled. Once glance back at the brainwave patterns, and I could see the peaks disappearing beyond the scale of the equipment.
The table in front of the subject began to shake, as did the two-way mirror I was observing through. A low rumble echoed in the room as a smile developed on the subject’s face. The lights flickered for a moment before completely turning off and the monitors went dark. Within a second or two, emergency flood lights came on, along with the video feeds. The monitor with the brainwave pattern remained blank, but the video feeds were back up with diminished visibility due to the lower ambient light in the room, but a greater noticeable light emanating from the subject.
As the light gradually faded from the subject as he slid down in his chair, he seemed to be experiencing an element of fatigue. I could more clearly make out what was going on by observing directly instead of through the video monitors.
At that time, some movement in the corner of the room behind the psychologist caught my eye. In the dim light, it appeared as if a shadow was growing. First, it started out just a few feet above the ground and was spherical in shape. As it grew, it began to morph into something tall with a humanoid shape. The psychologist somehow became aware of this presence and turned around to face it. He appeared intrigued and amazed at first, and I wondered if he was able to see something different from his vantage point.
The shadow being walked toward the psychologist, who remained staring at its face. It towered over the man. I’d estimate it to be eight to nine feet tall given the ceilings were ten feet. Then with the speed similar to a scorpion’s sting, the psychologist was thrust from a sitting position in front of the shadow to being slammed head-first into the ceiling above where he sat. There he remained, pinned to the ceiling for what seemed like an eternity, though it was likely less than ten seconds, as if gravity didn’t exist. His neck was severely displaced from the impact as his head was flattened. One of his eyes was dangling by the optic nerve, freed from its socket as blood streamed out of his mouth and nostrils and began pooling on the chair he had just been in, and eventually flowed onto the floor.
In an instant, the lights came back on and gravity got to work as the psychologist’s body fell from the ceiling, landing on the upright chair, and clearly causing more lower spine damage as a result of the fall. Blood splashed in every direction. Some landed on the face of the subject, who sat still like a statue throughout most of the encounter. Then I watched as a gap in the blood on his face grew and revealed an unnatural, exceedingly wide grin. In that moment, my eyes locked with his, and I can’t explain how, but I knew he was aware of my presence some twenty-five meters away behind a mirror.
I blinked and his grin had all but disappeared as a door into his room flew open and three orderlies ran over to him to place him in restraints while he sat in his chair. A large syringe was injected into his neck before he went unconscious and was carried out of the room by the orderlies; One for each arm and one at his feet.
This concludes my observations of the event. As I previously noted, I have been asked here as a consultant from the Occult Studies Department to observe and provide an assessment, or at least offer my opinion, based on my professional expertise. I am assuming, without much direction given, that I am to comment on the shadow being I witnessed as I have had little exposure to the psychological testing of the Maker group. I find this ironic because in my rare interactions with the Department of Psychical Research, my line of work had been mocked quite publicly as it was never given any consideration as a serious area of scientific research. I could say the same about their department.
Either way, at first glance the manifestation of this entity appears to be demonic in nature, but to prove that, I would need to know the identity of the demon and confront it when it shows itself again. I can think of a couple of demons with this known appearance, and one of them would be considered an eminent threat of positively ID’d. However, its behavior is not necessarily consistent with any known demonic entities.
If I were to conjure a guess, it appeared to be doing the will of the subject rather than manipulating the subject to do its own will. The only known service that demonic entities perform is to the greater evil or to higher-level demons. I suppose it’s possible, and that’s if this was a real demon, that the goals of the subject could have aligned with the demon’s, but I know of no example of such a partnership. No, based on my observations, this entity was brought forth by the subject.
How could the subject have manifested this shadow being? If the subject was strictly a Shepherd, this manifestation would have occurred in a dream state. I would need to consult the brainwave patterns to make sure this wasn’t the case, but I’m nearly certain it wasn’t based on my physical observations of the subject. This means the being was manifested while the subject was awake, which would imply the subject meets the Maker criteria despite having documented Shepherd abilities.
To possess both Shepherd and Maker abilities is anomalous. It’s possible there are individuals who have been documented by the Psychical Research Department who have previously, but I, personally, have never seen it.
Because I fear this may be new territory to the likes of what Hydra has seen before, we must consider several possible scenarios, some outside of our current knowledge. First, the subject could possess both Shepherd and Maker abilities. Second, there could be new abilities presented as a result of the close proximity of this mysterious Pyramidion and its unknown origin. Perhaps this object somehow amplifies or distorts abilities already present.
I fear others in the Occult Studies Department might incorrectly conclude this entity as demonic if shown the footage. But I could not suggest what exactly this entity might be, if not demonic. Was it brought here from some parallel dimension? Is it possible that demons don’t behave the same way in other dimensions? I would recommend an expert in string theory be questioned about this.
Of course, it’s always possible that the subject simply imagined this being and manifested it from absolutely nothing. If this is the case, the objects he would be capable of manifesting would only be limited to his imagination, which could place us all in extreme danger. We must consider that the murder of the clinical psychologist I witnessed could have been performed by either the subject himself, using the shadow entity to disguise his own actions. Or, and I’m not sure if this is better or worse, the shadow entity itself murdered the psychologist. If that possibility is to be considered, what other abilities might this entity possess? And does it exist and act now with its own free will? If that is the case, what are its motives? As you can see, the circle of questions leads down a very dangerous path. Unfortunately, in order to answer these questions, one must form hypotheses that are deadly, not to mention, incredibly unethical to put to the test. I fear we may no longer be able to control the outcomes of these experiments, and it is without reservation that I must recommend they cease immediately and the subject be terminated.
I do not make this recommendation lightly, but we must also find out if it was the subject’s imagination that inspired the creation of this being, or if his thoughts were influenced prior to this event. I wonder, due to the similarity in characteristics of this being with demonic entities (especially known ones), was he provided with some literature or education in occult studies or demonology that preceded this event? This must be learned, but not at the expense of allowing the subject to regain consciousness again.
Holy shit! In a lot of ways, I can’t believe this is the same Malcolm that I’ve met and spoken to… and carved a symbol into with a dull knife. I was already cautious of him, but what the hell am I supposed to think after all this?
It occurred to me that this kind of makes sense to an extent. At least the part that talks about this shadow being not necessarily being a demonic entity. We faced the Grinner in a church, thinking that would somehow weaken him or prevent him from having any authority there. He dismembered a werewolf-slash-priest and morphed into a creature I could have never imagined in my worst nightmares. What if he wasn’t a demon at all? That would mean that Malcolm created him and knows exactly what he’s capable of doing. He knows what limitations and weaknesses the Grinner had. And what’s to say he couldn’t just create him again? Or maybe something worse?
Even still more perplexing to me is why my name is in the medical documents labeled as a Maker. Am I capable of similar things? What kinds of things happened in my childhood that I can’t remember? I need to go through more of Patel’s documents.
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