My story begins a lot different than most. My story begins when my family and I go camping at the state park. It's a rather popular park which makes my tale all that much more strange. It's a place hundreds visit every year, and I was the lucky one to find out it's secrets. Secrets so unusual that nobody would believe me if I said anything. This is why I'm writing it down. Someone somewhere will relate. It can't be just me. Can it?
It all began when we went on our family vacation in the tourist trap area of the state. I was in the camper with my youngest while my husband and oldest slept in the tent. It was a normal vacation of fire cooked meals, and lots of swimming and hiking. We also did plenty of relaxing. I consider myself rather active even though I'm a large girl. I like to swim, hike, and be outdoors. It's all fun to me. I just love nature, and I always have. You wouldn't tell it by looking at me though.
I'm five foot one inch tall. Which is plenty short, but I'm also over 300 pounds. That's plenty fat. I don't eat much, and I am active. I don't know why I am so big. Once I had my kids my boobs blew up from B cups to D cups, and my ass grew along with it. My belly looks like I'm still pregnant to me, and I don't like to think about it. I was a 97 pound gymnast in high school. The years haven't been nice to me. My family on the other hand can eat and do anything they want without gaining a pound.
I wear glasses, have long brown hair with blond highlights, and I dress conservatively since I'm a fat old lady. At 47 I am an old lady. I don't turn heads anymore like once did. Time is cruel in many ways. I don't move as easily as I once did either. If I don't stretch before a hike I'll be unable to get out of bed in the morning. I crack and pop just standing some days, and my hips were never like before I first was pregnant. Some days I just want to lay in bed and cry because I ache so much. those are usually the days the monthly cramping begins.
I digress. We were at the park, and even though the forecast called for major July thunder storms the sun was shining brightly. At eighty degrees and humid nobody really wanted to leave the air conditioning of the camper. I needed to get out. I knew I'd sweat like mad, but I was getting stir crazy. I asked who all wanted to hike with me, and I got three definite negatives so I doffed a tee and shorts with a sport bra and briefs. My ankle socks were sufficient enough with my walking shoes for the well groomed trails of the park. I grabbed a bottle of water, and emergency blanket, and my phone before heading out. I told my husband I was going to explore the longest trail so he knew not to expect me back too early.
It took over an hour to get to the back end of the trial. I sat by a large pine near a pond to sip some water out of the sun. It was hot and I was sweaty, but there wasn't a single mosquito to be had. I liked it. I checked the time seeing it was about an hour before sunset so I knew I would be finishing my hike after dark. I would be close enough to camp that I wouldn't have to worry. After a couple minutes I stand to continue, and I hear a loud crack of thunder real close even though I don't see a single cloud. I stand there watching as the sky turns black, and then white. I know it going to be a good one so I text my husband telling him that the rain has arrived and I'm going to wait it out.
I barely hit send before the skies opened up one me. I was drenched before I got my emergency blanket around myself shielding me from the rain. I was wet, but the blanket kept me fairly warm as the rain poured non stop. When it was almost dark I texted my husband telling him that I was going to stay put for the night. He agreed telling me to be safe. I hunkered under the tree listening to the thunder in the distance as it floats away, and am mesmerized by the rain on the leaves and ground all around me. I sit back nodding off feeling relaxed.
I woke to the dripping from the leaves in the darkness. The moon being full casts a dim light all over. The rain has stopped, and I'm feeling chilled. I know I can't make a fire. Even with matches everything is too wet. I sit back trying to sleep against the tree. A smell hits my nose. It's sweet, but strong. I can't place it, but I find it calming yet alarming. I look all around in the dim light, but see nothing that could be emanating such a smell. It grows stronger as though the cause is getting nearer. Still I see and hear nothing in the dripping leaves and the dim moon light.
In minutes the scent is overpowering. It makes me swoon while burning my nostrils. I use my phone to look around, but nothing is there. I turn off my light to save battery, and I close my eyes feeling my brain swimming like I had been drinking. I feel a chill, and wrap the blanket tighter around me. I turn more to my left side trying the get comfortable on the hard ground, but a root digs into my left butt cheek. I sit back with my back flat against the pine. A slight breeze blows through the trees warming me oddly enough. I relax more, and my nose starts to not sting from the smell.
I relax more feeling warmer so I ease the blanket from my shoulders. The breeze blows again warming me even more. I pull the blanket from me laying on the ground beside me thinking that I'm probably coming down with something since I still soaked to the core, but feeling very warm. I have to remind myself that it is still well over eighty degrees out here. I ease my eyes shut relaxing into slumber when I feel something bump against my left calf. It felt warm and slimy startling me. I pull out my phone turning on the light, and I see a carpet of greenish worm like creatures all around me on the ground. They're all about a foot long and a few inches around. They are on both sides of my legs inching closer and rising up onto me.
I try to shake them off, but I can't move my legs. then I feel a pinch at the base of my spine, and I drop my phone as my entire body goes numb. I sit in fear watching in the moon light as the worms crawl all over my legs until my legs are covered. I feel them squirming up my back and sides as well like they're trying to overtake me. I watch as I'm coated with a slime, and then my shorts become holey, then stringy, and then are gone. A few have gained way up to my neck, and are sliming my shirt as well. Soon my underwear are gone followed by my shirt and bra leaving me naked. The worms wiggling becomes more pronounced after the last of my clothing is gone.