Anomaly C-283 was an alien lifeform unlike anything the Foundation had yet encountered, its existence stretching the boundaries of what they deemed to be a living thing. Like most of the paranormal anomalies encountered, acquired and duly catalogued by the Foundation, it did not operate according to the laws of nature as they understood it, but from an entirely different set of physical principles. Anomaly C-283 was, for all intents and purposes, living latex; carbon-based, capable of stretching itself out far beyond what its mass would suggest, capable of responding to external stimuli, but non-sentient. Forty years of study and experimentation at the Foundation’s main labs had told them little more than that, the possibilities of reactive materials that spontaneously regenerated when damaged always tantalizingly out of reach. Emily knew all this, just as she knew how important it was for the secrets of every anomaly to be recovered

But why did she have to be the one used as a test subject?

“MMMPPGGGHHH! MMMMMPPPGGGGHHH!” In the centre of the test chamber, the screams of the beautiful blonde scientist were made pathetic by the latex-esque membrane stretched tight over the lower half of her face to keep her lips sealed beneath. It had been the anomaly’s first target as she stepped into the room, and from outside the chamber, her colleagues observed dispassionately as the anomaly continued to bind its prey. A band of the foul substance produced by the creature, both sticky and painfully taut, had bound her upper body beneath her breasts, keeping her upper arms pinned uselessly to her sides, while more still gunked up her pantyhose-clad legs so they were sheathed together, leaving her unable to run. Grey eyes stared in horror as new tendrils suddenly sprouted from her existing bonds to web her up against the wall, and fresh cries emerged as she thrashed about like a worm on the hook. “MMMMPPPGGGHH, MMMPPGPGGGHHH! MMMPPPGGGHH!”

“Ahh, yes, it does react to body heat!” Director Allard gushed as the anomaly stretched about Emily’s body, growing even faster now. Within minutes, her legs were left completely sheathed by the living latex, a half-dozen anchor points growing from the alien mass keeping her well-secured to the wall, all the while the leader of the Foundation quickly jotted down her observations onto a piece of paper, watching with a growing excitement from behind wide-rimmed glasses. “Perhaps that is how it finds its targets, via touch. And that rate of growth…”

“Mmmmppggghh! MMMPPPGGGHHH!” Emily screamed again, glancing down and watching, terrified, as the anomaly began slithering up her midsection. It was cocooning her, webbing her up like a fly caught by a spider, and for all her desperate struggles, not a single inch had given way. “MMMPPGGGHH!” She kicked out, hoping against hopeshe could peel herself free from the wall, before staring pleadingly towards the Director, eyes wet with helpless tears. “MMMPPGGGHHH!”

“It’s quite all right, Dr. Richardson, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Nothing we know about Anomaly C-283 suggests it actually harms or consumes its victims, just leaves them wrapped up, so it’s a stretch to assume you’re in any real danger,” Director Allard insisted dismissively. The living latex suddenly sprouted new growths that began covering Emily’s eyes, provoking fresh shrieks of panic. “Just try to relax and learn all you can from the experience. I’ll be expecting a report from you later, and I don’t want you missing out on anything just because you tried to get away…”