My friends and I went hiking in the forest over the weekend.

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 continue reading …