I'm sitting at my usual desk. Miss Pari is teaching us today about parasites. Generally I enjoy how she teaches but her examples today somehow make me uneasy.
"Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is what's commonly known as zombie-ant fungus. This fascinating fungi is an insect-pathogenic fungus with its fancy way of saying it's parasitizing on insects and more precisely on ants."
She's facing the blackboard instead of us but she's gesticulating wildly anyway.
"Ant infected by fungi is controlling an ant by infiltrating its muscles. Then an infected ant is forced to climb a plant near their colony. When time is right and spores start to sprout out of ants head. Ant will with the last ounce of life left in her position herself just right so the spores will be taken by wind to other ants from her colony."
'This is gruesome. Why is nature so brutal?'
"Children, would you like to see a live specimen of an infected ant?"
'Nah, thanks. I would rather not'
But it looks like I am outnumbered by my classmates because everyone shouted: "Yes!"
With such harmony it was creepy.
"Okay!"
Miss Pari answered in a sing-song voice. Then without touring around she started climbing up her chair backward and when she somehow made it work. She climbed her desk still facing us backward.
"Take a good look. It's a fascinating thing to marvel about."
she whips herself in our directions.
"Aaaaaa!What the fuck!!!"
My loud scream would wake the dead from the grave. In this situation I can say it is a logical reaction. Because her head is like that of an ants and from her head is protruding antenna-like looking spore. Just what the fuck is happening here!?
"Don't worry, I already opened the window. Do you feel this gentle breeze?"
Then a protruding bulb on the end of the spore exploded with tiny particles flowing in our way.
"Noooo! I don't want to be controlled by fungi!"
*La la li la! Daisuki! Daisuki! Suki Suki Daisuki! Hime Hime!*
My alarm started playing synchronised with my scream.
I let it play for five minutes and then ten minutes later it started playing again.
Eventually my heart stopped trying to beat out of my chest.
"Is it some fucked up way of my consciousness telling me I should listen to Miss Pari advice?"
Hand finds its way to my soaked hair strands. Skin crawling I hope into the shower.
Hot water does nothing to the gross feeling permitting my body.
"It wasn't even up to me. Things just ensued and I was caught in the middle of it."
I explain it to the blank space in the corner of a bathroom. Staggeringly it didn't respond. Rude.
Honestly I didn't feel up to eating for breakfast but I don't know what Shadows experiments entails so it's better if I have a few bites. I wouldn't want to faint during experimentations that just may break my human rights.
Not my idea of fun but sometimes people have to do what they have to do to continue living or whatever…
"Maybe It's not worth it."
"What is not worth it?"a disembodied voice said.
"Oh my fucking God! Mom why do you go around like a ninja!? I nearly died from a heart attack."
"Alexander language!"
Mom was standing in the front doors watching me with a mixture of worry and scandalization. `
"Language English, but sometimes Polish if I'm feeling spicy."
Stone face told me, the joke didn't land particularly well. Tough crowd.
"Alex, I have to tell you in the most loving way possible. You look awful. Are you feeling bad? Why would you even get up this early on vacation?"
Oh no! She gave me hers, I know something is not right, look TM. I have to intervene quickly or she will pull out from me what really happened with sheer strength. Don't let this average age woman's face fool you. She's the best detective in her division and if she sniffs out even a whiff of bullshit, I'll be done for.
"I had just the weirdest nightmare. You wouldn't believe how stupid it was. It was about zombie ants and how they want to infect me. Really weird."
Her eyes softened on this admission. Sorry I told you part of the truth so my lie will be more believable.
"And I woke up so early so I can go to the mall with my friends from the anime club. We want to go to the mall and later visit a local comic shop."
Her gaze somehow at once communicated being happy for me and also not understanding the world of what I said. She has the same look when I show her my favourite memes.
"Oh, I'm so happy you have plans with friends outside home. I often worry for you when you spend such a long time in your room all alone."
She got out of her uniform and went straight to the kitchen.
"What would you like for breakfast?"
Bless her soul for wanting to make me breakfast but I see how deep shadows are under her eyes.
"Mam you don't have to do anything for me. I'll make some sandwiches myself. If you're hungry, I can make some for you?"
"Oh thank God. Don't take it the wrong way but I'm so wrung out after last case, I'm barely standing on my feet. Don't make anything for me. I will probably pass out the minute my head touches the pillow."
As she said she did. Not a minute passed from her going to her bedroom to me hearing her loudly snoring.
I hope at least she has nice dreams.
Slapping together a couple of sandwiches takes me no time but they taste like dirt in my mouth. I always have problems with eating when I'm feeling anxious.
When I take a last bite of my baloney sandwich phone in my pocket dings.
Like I suspected, it's not a normal message. My screen is again glitching out and the chat bubble is floating in the middle.
"41°24'12.2"N 2°10'26.5"E. Just put it in boogle and boogle maps will guide you. I'll scrub you search history letter."
I feel in my bones it will be another crazy day.
"Okay. Ready or not, here I go."