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 against branches, every sting I ignored. It turned out my worst fears were completely wrong. After cleaning the area and gently examining it under better light, I realized those “spikes” weren’t moving at all. They were stiff, brittle, and slightly glossy. A bit of research and a closer look confirmed it: they were just plant thorns, likely broken off from some brush or grass I’d pushed through on the hike.

Once I understood what I was dealing with, the panic faded and practicality took over. I carefully removed the tiny thorns with tweezers, disinfected the skin, and watched the redness slowly calm down over the next day. What had felt like a nightmare under my skin was really just nature being sharp and sneaky.

Sometimes, the scariest stories we tell ourselves are far worse than what’s actually there.