13HRP – 0028 – Wondering MusicMan
Description
Entity 13HRP – 0028 – Wondering MusicMan, designated Wondering MusicMan, presents as a humanoid figure of uncertain origin whose defining attribute is the perpetual possession of a handheld stereo device. The object, which closely resembles a late-twentieth-century portable cassette player, functions without any visible power source. It emits continuous loops of distorted music that integrate fragments of popular songs with static, reversed speech, dissonant tonal structures, and subliminal vocalisations. Consequently, the result is an auditory environment that unsettles and destabilises the majority of listeners. Observers have documented the tracks shifting mid-playback without mechanical intervention, implying that the device responds directly to the entity’s volition or to ambient conditions. Moreover, researchers have noted that MusicMan occasionally “conducts” the stereo, using gestures, rhythmic movements, or swaying motions, as though shaping the performance itself.
The entity’s visual appearance reinforces its paradoxical status. It wears attire evocative of late 1980s to early 1990s urban fashion: a frayed denim jacket, worn leather shoes, and a t-shirt. Importantly, the shirt’s graphics alter between encounters, presenting images that range from defunct cultural logos to symbols unknown to existing linguistic frameworks. These transformations support the hypothesis that MusicMan occupies a temporal position partially detached from linear chronology. Therefore, the combination of mundane clothing and profound anomaly blurs boundaries between the ordinary and the alien.
Observed Effects
- Proximity to 0028 induces unstable psychological responses. For instance, subjects frequently oscillate between nostalgia, euphoria, and comfort on one hand, and paranoia, dread, or perceptual disorientation on the other. These outcomes appear dependent on both the track played and the subject’s autobiographical associations.
- Furthermore, exposure extending beyond thirteen minutes leads to entrainment of biological rhythms. Respiration, heartbeat, blinking, and in some cases neural oscillations align with the stereo’s tempo. Sustained entrainment often culminates in seizure, temporary paralysis, or dissociation.
- Additionally, individuals emerging from exposure exhibit compulsive behaviours. They hum, whistle, or replicate rhythmic fragments; others attempt to re-enact observed dance steps. Attempts at suppression typically produce extreme agitation or violent resistance, suggesting the melody embeds itself within motor memory.
- Most critically, 0028 demonstrates immunity to all known infohazards catalogued within the archive, including Entity 0017 (SOMETHING). Analysts posit that the stereo’s auditory field not only cancels but overwrites competing memetic structures, rendering the entity uniquely resilient within semiotic conflict environments.
Moreover, case studies indicate that synchronised individuals frequently dream of auditory landscapes. They describe corridors lined with reels of cassette tape or vast dance halls where music persists indefinitely. Thus, such accounts imply that MusicMan operates across cognitive domains extending beyond waking perception.
Incident Log
During the containment emergency referred to as the Oner Outbreak (see 13HRP – 0017), MusicMan entered a cafeteria where infected personnel attempted verbal propagation of SOMETHING. Surveillance systems recorded a sudden intensification of the stereo’s output. As a result, speech became inaudible as sonic pressure fractured glass and destabilised monitoring equipment. Within moments, infected individuals convulsed, their movements briefly synchronised to the rhythm before total collapse.
Afterwards, MusicMan adjusted the cassette with deliberate precision, in a manner resembling a performance conclusion, and departed without acknowledgement of survivors or casualties. During the event, the stereo broadcast a lyric: “Don’t listen to them — only to me.” Subsequent interviews revealed amnesia regarding the broader event, yet nearly all subjects retained a melodic fragment. Furthermore, several later reported recurring dreams dominated by the tune, situated in surreal industrial environments. These findings suggest that the anomaly’s influence persists at subconscious levels.
Unverified reports situate MusicMan at other outbreak sites shortly before memetic collapse events. In each case, its music appeared to neutralise the hazard, although the secondary impact on affected populations remains indeterminate.
Behavioural Notes
When not engaged in high-intensity anomaly interactions, MusicMan demonstrates idiosyncratic and whimsical behaviours. For example, surveillance has documented the entity strolling through abandoned spaces in synchrony with its soundtrack. Witnesses describe pauses to sway, finger snaps in rhythm, and elaborate choreographies that include spins, shuffles, and measured ritualistic steps. Collectively, these activities imply that the stereo provides both a weaponised field and a personal accompaniment.
Acoustic recordings often capture humming or whistling layered over the cassette output, suggesting either improvisation or deliberate augmentation. Consequently, analysts debate whether this constitutes authentic expression or a memetic stratagem designed to implant additional auditory hooks. Patrol logs describe episodes of MusicMan humming children’s songs that deteriorate mid-sequence into distorted syllables, producing unease among observers.
Further footage depicts the entity dancing fluidly down corridors, pressing its ear against the stereo, and humming as if in dialogue with the device. On occasion, it executes choreographed sequences resembling private performances. Some scholars interpret this as evidence of individuality or affectivity. However, others argue it conceals manipulative mechanisms aimed at entrancing observers.
In addition, anecdotal reports add that MusicMan adapts its rhythms to environmental cues. For instance, it alters its movements to mirror flashing lights, taps its foot in synchrony with dripping pipes, or hums in time with footsteps. These interactions blur distinctions between spontaneous play and deliberate environmental influence.
Containment Protocols
All attempts at capture or sustained containment have failed. Pursuit operations disintegrate due to the entity’s erratic wanderings and apparent spatiotemporal irregularities. Documented appearances span urban ruins, rural settlements, and active population centres, often in intervals inconsistent with normal travel. Therefore, the working hypothesis holds that the stereo functions simultaneously as amplifier and anchor across parallel spatiotemporal strata.
Consequently, current procedures prescribe non-engagement. Operatives encountering 0028 must disengage immediately, attempt audio capture from the maximum feasible distance, and prevent rhythmic synchronisation. Experimental use of noise-cancellation devices has reduced compulsion in limited contexts but fails during extended exposure. Moreover, efforts to digitise the audio invariably end in corruption, reinforcing the view that the signal encodes information beyond standard data frameworks.
Parallel research has explored utilising MusicMan’s auditory field against other anomalies. Nevertheless, strategic and ethical concerns have prevented operational deployment. The entity’s autonomy and unpredictability remain paramount risks.
Notes
Scholarly consensus remains fragmented. One school of interpretation considers 13HRP – 0028 – Wondering MusicMan a counter-anomaly, an emergent stabiliser whose properties neutralise rival hazards. Conversely, others warn that its resilience signals greater existential threat, suggesting that it may constitute the origin point of auditory contagion or function as a primordial anchor for anomalous sound.
Ultimately, MusicMan embodies a convergence of whimsy, dance, and destructive acoustic potency. It represents one of the most challenging subjects in the Hollow Reality Project’s catalogue. Its classification remains liminal: simultaneously enigmatic, alluring, and destabilising. Researchers concur only on its danger, while its ultimate nature eludes determination. Until new theoretical frameworks emerge, MusicMan must be regarded as both potential protector and latent threat — a wandering anomaly whose music lingers long after its departure.
Last modified: 2025/08/29 at 16:10 pm
Published: 2025/09/04 at 12:00 pm
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13HRP – Hollow Reality Project
- 13HRP – Part 1
- 13HRP – Part 2
- 13HRP – Part 3
- 13HRP – Part 4
- 13HRP – Part 5
- 13HRP – Part 6
- 13HRP – Part 7
- 13HRP – Part 8
- 13HRP – Part 9
- 13HRP – Part 10
- 13HRP – Part 11
- 13HRP – Part 12
- 13HRP – Part 13
- 13HRP – Part 14
- 13HRP – Part 15
- 13HRP – Part 16
- 13HRP – Part 17
- 13HRP – Part 18
- 13HRP – Part 19
- 13HRP – Part 20
By Silvia Moan