Random Oneshots

86: ITCH

"ITCH"

TW: gore and death. read at your own risk

It started with a simple itch. 

 "Ugh, ano ba 'to?" inis na sabi ko sa sarili saka naiinis na kinamot ang batok ko. Ang init-init na nga ngayon, tapos may makati pa. 

Buti pang 'wag na 'to pansinin. Maybe it was just the heat, or the usual mosquitoes or insect bites sa probinsya. Nung unang araw ko rin naman dito, pinapak din ako ng lamok. Wala namang kakaiba kaya hinayaan ko nalang. 

Pero hindi siya nawala. In fact, it got worse.The next day, habang naliligo ako, naramdaman kong parang may nakaumbok na sa balat ko. Pagtingin ko sa salamin, kitang-kita ko na may parang maliit na bukol na sa batok ko. Pulang-pula ito at halatang namamaga pa. 

"Sh*t," I whispered as I took a closer look. Sinubukan kong pisilin ng kaunti, hoping it was just a pimple or an insect bite. Pero nang ipitin ko, I felt something.

That this is not a simple insect bite.

 "Gross," I whispered. I was disgusted but curious by it so I squeezed harder. 

Then, something moved. 

 Napaatras ako saka napasigaw nang konti sa sobrang takot. 

I couldn't believe my eyes. Parang may gumalaw sa ilalim ng balat ko. Like something was wiggling and squirming underneath. 

Biglang umikot ang sikmura ko at parang ramdam kong masusuka na ako sa nakita ko. 

 "Sh*t, sh*t, ano 'to?!" I whispered.  Kinabahan ako pero pinilit kong hindi mag-panic. Kumuha ako ng towel saka tinabunan ito bago lumabas ng banyo. I needed to calm down, but I can't. My hands were shaking, and I could still feel whatever it was, moving under my skin. 

Tumakbo ako sa kwarto ko at tiningnan ulit iyon sa salamin. My eyes widened at what I saw. The lump was growing. Mas malaki na siya ngayon.  And the movement was even faster. Like it wanted to get out. 

Pawis na pawis ako kahit malamig ang kwarto. What the hell is happening to me? 

I rushed to grab my phone, dialing my mom. "Ma, m-may kailangan akong sabihin." I stammered and shaking. "May something sa batok ko." 

 "Baka kagat lang ng insekto 'yan. Sinabi ko naman na sa'yo 'yan 'di ba?" she answered calmly like she's used to me being like this. "Try mo lagyan ng ointment." 

 "Ma, I'm sure hindi lang 'to kagat! May gumagalaw eh!" 

The other line went silent for a while. "Anak, kumalma ka nga. Pupunta nalang tayo sa clinic pag-uwi ko. Relax lang." 

How could I relax? My skin was having a grwing lump, and I could feel something alive under it. 

I tried waiting for mama, but it just got worse as the hours passed. Palaki nang palaki yung bukol, at hindi ko na ma-ignore yung mga gumagalaw. Every minute, it felt like there were a dozen tiny legs pushing, scratching against my insides, trying to break free. 

Napatingin ulit ako sa salamin. Sa puntong 'to, parang gusto ko nang sumuko. The lump was swollen and had grown. Mas lumala lang ang nararamdaman ko, para bang nagpipilit ang mga iyon na lumabas. And it fucking hurts. 

I couldn't take it anymore. 

Desperation took over and I grabbed a pair of tweezers from my drawer. "Sorry, Ma, pero hindi ko na kayang maghintay." I said as if she's there.

Taking a deep breath, I placed the tweezers on the edge of the lump and squeezed it. Something moved violently under my skin.My vision blurred from fear, pero hindi ako umatras. Instead, I pushed harder, squeezing until the skin finally broke. 

Blood and pus oozed out,covering my fingers my fingers. Gusto ko nang sumuka, pero hindi ako tumigil. Kailangan nang matanggal ang kung ano mang naroon.

Then I saw it. A long, white threadlike thing, wiggling its way out of the wound I made. 

 "Ahh! Tangina! What is that?!" I screamed, shaking in terror. My hand trembled as I tried to pull the thing out, but it wouldn't go. It was stuck inside me, twisting violently, as if it didn't want to be removed.Nagsimula nang lumabas ang dulo niya, parang paa ng insekto, ngunit sobrang haba. 

I immediately panicked. I grabbed it with the tweezers, pulling harder, until it started to slip out. It made a loud, wet and gross sound as it finally came out. It was almost three inches long, pale and wiggling like a giant maggot. 

My entire body shook in horror.I dropped it on the sink, and for a second, I couldn't move. My eyes were focused on that... that thing. 

Hindi ako makapaniwala. Naroon lang iyon sa lababo, gumagalaw pa rin. And then I realize, it's not the only one. 

May gumalaw ulit sa batok ko. There were more inside. 

"Shit, shit, shit. Kailangan ko nang umalis dito," I panicked. I feel my skin was being pushed as more of them tries to find a way out from me.  I ran outside the room and tried to stay calm, But I can feel them all. 

They were squirming under my skin. 

Everywhere. 

My arms, my legs... even my face. 

I could see small lumps forming, wiggling under my flesh like parasites wanting to get out.My vision blurred as the tears streamed down my face. The itch it was once turned into an unbearable pain, as if thousands of tiny needles were stabbing me from the inside. 

Hindi ko na alam kung anong gagawin ko. Hanggang sumuko na ang katawan ko. I collapsed onto the floor. I screamed as the creatures started breaking through the surface of my skin. Dumanak ang dugo at nana sa mga butas na ginawa nila sa balat ko. On my hands, feet, face, eyes...they were everywhere. 

"Tulong! Please! Tulungan niyo ako!" I yelled before I vomited. The vomit was mixed with blood and the insects. They were all over me.

I feel so helpless.

Eventually, I stopped screaming and crying. There's no use. No one's coming to save me.

Slowly, my body felt weak. I watched as the parasites crawled on me and on the floor. 

Until everything went black.

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