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At first, I was sure something was growing out of me. Thin, dark spikes pushing straight through my skin like a horror scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I froze, staring, imagining insects, parasites, tiny creatures burrowing beneath the surface. My mind spiraled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It turned out my worst fears were completely wrong. After cleaning the area and gently examining it under better light,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I realized those \u201cspikes\u201d weren\u2019t moving at all. They were stiff, brittle, and slightly glossy. A bit of research and a closer look confirmed it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
they were just plant thorns, likely broken off from some brush or grass I\u2019d pushed through on the hike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once I understood what I was dealing with, the panic faded and practicality took over. I carefully removed the tiny thorns with tweezers,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
disinfected the skin, and watched the redness slowly calm down over the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What had felt like a nightmare under my skin was really just nature being sharp and sneaky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes, the scariest stories we tell ourselves are far worse than what\u2019s actually there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n