s k i n

Almost everyone caught the Sickness at some point. There was less than 5% of the human race left unchanged by it. Isaac Finch was one of those people.

It was a complete medical mystery. It effected everyone differently. It gave his sister horns, his dad now grows plants all over his body, and his best friend has the skin of a serpent. No one knew how to stop it, so all they could do was learn to live with it.

Life was going alright. He and his best friend were in a two-man rock band growing in popularity. He finally worked up the courage to ask out the girl he'd been crushing on since elementary school. And graduation was only so far away.

Isaac managed to make it all the way to senior year before it finally got him. The Sickness developed in him overnight, covering his skin with words, whether heartfelt or cruel, and only he understood what they meant.

These were his thoughts, right out of his head and onto his skin like tattoos. No matter how hard he tried to keep them covered up, people would stare. Their eyes always followed him, always cruel and judging. He couldn't escape them. This was his curse, and he couldn't help feeling like he somehow deserved it.