Approximately two decades ago, medical staff at Northernville Hospital were astonished to discover that the human species is more resilient than anyone formerly dreamed.
Details are only just emerging of how the birth of a child - known only as Otis - sent shockwaves through the maternity ward as news of the full extent of his deformities spread. Despite this, within moments of being born he was demonstrating incontrovertibly that he would be capable of leading a rewarding life despite being born with no ears, mouth, heart or lungs!
Previously it was thought that we use only a tenth of our brain capacity yet "Baby O" appeared to have NO BRAIN WHATSOEVER. Astoundingly, he remained capable of looking his mother in the eye, following her as she crossed the ward.
He also demonstrated a full range of movements including crawling.
Unwilling to permit further examination of her son it was widely rumoured that the mother left the hospital without warning - and Otis disappeared with her.
The hospital denies any knowledge of this but unsubstantiated rumours persist in the town about a deformed child being placed in a chest freezer and frozen by its distraught parents.
A police spokeswoman said: "This case is firmly closed. To be honest, it was never even open. If we thought there was a deformed child in the freezer we'd be looking into it. People who believe this sort of thing need to chill."
For more information about Otis, read
Spiderface by William Mobberley