I’m at a friend’s party when I see her. She’s absolutely stunning, and seems to pull the light in the room towards herself. I work my way over and her eyes catch mine. She smiles and walks over.

“Hey,” I say.

“Hey yourself.” We start talking and within minutes it’s clear that we’re a match. Our eyes tell each other we’ll be leaving early, together.

It’s then that I first feel it. It starts deep and dull in my stomach, and for a few moments I think maybe it’ll pass. But it doesn’t, it only grows stronger and more painful until the gnarled, misshapen creature burrows its way out of my chest and lands flailing in my hands, blinking and shrieking against the light. She’s visibly shaken, but no one else seems to have noticed the thing.

“I guess you should know about…this.” I wait for the disgusted look, the slow shake of the head, the disappointed sneer. Instead, she gives a tired smile, steps closer, and gently pets the creature. Her hair parts as a gnawing beast emerges from her ear and slithers around her neck and down her back.

“I think I understand.”

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