“Sure, my baby girl, I’ll make sure to take my meds later – if it makes you happy.” I knew dad didn’t mean it, because all the medication bottles, including the vitamins, have vanished.
Ever since my parents retired, their health had been steadily declining. They both had a long list of medical conditions, and the doctor had prescribed several medications to keep their symptoms under control. But they refused to take their medication, insisting that they knew better than the doctor.
I had tried to reason with them, explaining the importance of following the doctor’s orders, but they wouldn’t listen. Instead, they expected me to take care of them, even though I was barely managing to take care of myself.
One night, I was awoken by a strange noise coming from my parents’ bedroom. I got up and walked towards their room, calling out to them. But there was no answer. As I pushed the door open, I was hit by a wave of nausea.
My parents were lying on the bed, their eyes wide open, their bodies twisted in agony. They were writhing and moaning, their faces contorted in pain. I rushed to their side, trying to figure out what was wrong with them.
But then, I saw it. A strange, pulsating mass on their chests. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. It was throbbing and pulsing, its surface covered in strange, wriggling tendrils.
I tried to peel it off, but it was too strong. It seemed to be feeding off my parents’ bodies, draining them of their life force. I watched in horror as their bodies grew weaker and weaker, their breathing becoming more and more labored.
I knew then that this was the consequence of their refusal to take their medication. Their bodies had become a breeding ground for some unknown, malevolent force. And now, they were paying the price.
As I watched helplessly, the mass began to move, writhing and pulsing. And then, it began to grow. It spread across the room, enveloping everything in its path. I tried to run, but the mass had already surrounded me.
I screamed, my voice echoing through the mass, but there was no escape. The tendrils began to burrow into my skin, searing pain shooting through my body. And then, everything went dark.
When I woke up, I was alone. The mass was gone, and so were my parents. I stumbled out of the house, my mind reeling. I knew that I had to get help, to find someone who could explain what had happened. But as I walked down the deserted street, I realized that the horror was far from over.
The mass had spread, infecting everything in its path. And now, it was coming for me. I had to run. To god-knows-where, but I could not stand still.
I stumbled through the cold, dark Alaskan night, my mind consumed by terror. The snow was knee-deep, and the wind was howling, whipping the snow into a frenzy. I knew that I had to find help, but I had no idea where to go.
I could feel the tendrils of the mass wriggling beneath my skin, feeding off my energy. The pain was excruciating, but I knew that I had to keep moving. I stumbled through the snow, my feet numb, my body shaking with cold.
As I walked, I saw something in the distance. A light, shining through the darkness. I stumbled towards it, my heart pounding in my chest. As I got closer, I realized that it was a cabin, nestled deep in the woods.
I knocked on the door, my hands shaking with cold and fear. The door creaked open, and an old man peered out at me. He looked me up and down, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.
“What do you want?” he growled, his breath clouding in the cold air.
“I need help,” I gasped, my voice barely audible. “Please, can you help me?”
The old man hesitated, then nodded slowly. He let me into the cabin, his eyes fixed on the mass writhing beneath my skin. He sat me down by the fire and began to examine me.
As he prodded and poked, the pain grew worse. I screamed, my body convulsing in agony. But the old man didn’t flinch. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing, his hands moving with practiced ease.
Finally, he sat back, wiping the sweat from his brow.
“I’ve seen this before,” he said, his voice low and grave. “It’s an ancient force, older than time itself. It feeds on the life force of its victims, draining them of everything they have.”
“What can I do?” I gasped, my voice barely audible.
The old man looked at me, his eyes piercing. “There’s only one thing you can do,” he said. “You have to destroy it. But to do that, you’ll have to sacrifice yourself.”
I stared at him, my heart sinking. “What do you mean?”
“You have to let it consume you,” he said. “And then, you have to destroy it from within.”
I knew what I had to do. I closed my eyes and focused, letting the mass consume me. The pain was unbearable, but I held on. And then, I felt a surge of energy. I opened my eyes, and I saw the mass writhing inside me.
With a scream, I lunged forward, tearing the mass apart. It exploded in a burst of light, and I felt a surge of energy.
In my final moments, my mother’s voice spoke to me, “baby, your father and I should have sacrificed ourselves like you did. But we wanted to celebrate one last birthday with you. Happy Birthday, we love you forever.”
And then, everything went dark.