Shivers

The Infestation

Lisa Bennington had always been an adventure seeker. This time, her wanderlust had led her to a remote area of the Amazon rainforest, where she hoped to experience the unique wonders of an ecosystem she had only seen in documentaries. Little did she know that her thirst for adventure would leave her with a horrifying souvenir.

It all began one morning, several weeks after her return. Lisa stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, her eyes fixated on a small, red, and tender bump on her left cheek. "Must be a mosquito bite," she thought. But as the days went by, the bump grew larger and more painful. It was unlike any mosquito bite she had ever experienced.

One day, Lisa was discussing her symptoms with her friend Maria over the phone. "I'm telling you, it's not a mosquito bite. It feels...different," she said, her voice trembling with worry.

Maria tried to console her. "It's probably just an allergic reaction or something. You should see a doctor just to be safe."

Following her friend's advice, Lisa made an appointment with Dr. Williams, a renowned dermatologist. As the doctor examined the growth on her cheek, his expression turned increasingly concerned.

"I must admit, I haven't seen anything quite like this before. I'll have to run some tests to determine what it is," he said.

The next day, the test results came back inconclusive. Dr. Williams referred Lisa to a specialist, and she was put on antibiotics as a precaution. But the growths didn't stop. They spread across her face, down her neck, and onto her arms. As they multiplied, they began to mutate, taking on a disturbing, otherworldly appearance.

One evening, as Lisa stared at the mirror in horror, she noticed her hair starting to fall out in clumps. Panic-stricken, she called Maria.

"Maria, my hair...it's falling out!" she cried, her voice cracking.

"Oh, my God, Lisa. What's happening to you?"

"I don't know. These growths, they're taking over my body. I'm scared, Maria. What if it's something from the rainforest?"

"Let's not jump to conclusions. I'm sure the doctors will figure it out," Maria said, trying to remain calm.

But deep down, Lisa knew the truth. It was something from the rainforest, something that had infested her body and was consuming her from the inside out.

As the days went by, her condition worsened. Her tongue began to swell, her teeth loosened, and her eyesight started to fail. Eventually, her once vibrant blue eyes turned a milky white, leaving her blind.

One night, as Lisa lay in her bed, unable to sleep, she felt a strange sensation on her arm. The growths were pulsating and writhing, as if something was moving beneath her skin. She knew in that moment that the alien organism was more than just a parasitic infestation—it had horrifying intentions.

Desperate and terrified, Lisa made her way to Maria's house, guided only by her remaining senses and the innate need to survive. When she arrived, Maria gasped at the sight of her friend, now barely recognizable.

"Lisa, we need to get you to the hospital right now," Maria said, her voice quivering.

"No," Lisa whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's too late for me. But you need to tell them, warn them about what's happening. They need to know."

Maria nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I promise, Lisa. I'll make sure everyone knows."

As Lisa succumbed to the horrifying infestation, her once vibrant life now a distant memory, she could feel the transformation taking place within her. The pulsating growths began to expand and merge, forming a thick, grotesque cocoon around her. She lay there, feeling her humanity slip away with every passing moment.

Maria watched in horror as her friend disappeared beneath the layers of the monstrous cocoon. She knew she couldn't abandon Lisa now, despite the danger that loomed in the air.

Days went by, and the cocoon continued to grow and change. The surface writhed and pulsated, emitting a sickening, guttural sound. Then, one night, it began to crack, and the creature that emerged bore no resemblance to the woman Maria had once known.

The being that now stood before Maria was revolting and hideous, a twisted amalgamation of flesh and alien matter. It towered over her, with elongated limbs and a malformed head covered in pulsating, multi-colored growths. Yet, beneath the monstrous exterior, there was a spark of intelligence in its eyes—eyes that were now a vibrant, unnatural shade of green.

Maria stared in shock, unable to move or speak. The creature tilted its head, as if examining her, and then, in a voice that sounded both alien and eerily familiar, it spoke.

"Maria...do not be afraid. It is still me, Lisa. My body has been consumed, but my mind has...evolved."

Maria blinked back tears, her voice trembling. "Lisa? How is this possible?"

"The organism that infected me was not merely a parasite. It was a catalyst, a vessel for a greater intelligence. It sought a host, a human vessel capable of accepting its power and knowledge," the creature explained. "I am that vessel."

Maria struggled to comprehend what she was hearing. "But why you, Lisa? Why were you chosen?"

"Perhaps it was fate, or simply chance," the creature replied. "Whatever the reason, I have been given a purpose. With this newfound power and knowledge, I must protect our world from other, more malevolent forces that lie beyond our comprehension."

Maria looked into the creature's eyes and saw a glimmer of the friend she had lost. She knew that, despite the monstrous exterior, Lisa was still in there—changed, but determined to use her newfound abilities for good.

As the sun began to rise, casting an eerie glow over the transformed Lisa, Maria knew she had to help her friend navigate this strange new existence. Together, they would face the unknown, united by the unbreakable bond of their friendship and the unimaginable challenges that lay ahead.