At first, I was sure something was growing out of me. Thin, dark spikes pushing straight through my skin like a horror scene. I froze, staring, imagining insects, parasites, tiny creatures burrowing beneath the surface. My mind spiraled. Each second made it look worse, feel stranger, seem more unreal. I replayed every step of that day, every brush against branches, every sting I ignored. The redness spread, the irritation pulsed, and the fear of something
It turned out my worst fears were completely wrong. After cleaning the area and gently examining it under better light, I realized those “spikes” weren’t moving at all. They were stiff, brittle, and slightly glossy. A bit of research and a closer look confirmed it: they were just plant thorns, likely broken off from some brush or grass I’d pushed through on the hike.living inside me grew until I finally discovered the truth
