Michael had just returned home from a hiking trip when he noticed something unusual on his right arm.
A tiny dark mark appeared beneath his skin, just above his wrist. At first, he thought it was a small bruise or a speck of dirt. But when he looked closer, the mark seemed to move.
Michael froze.
He rubbed his arm with a towel, hoping the strange spot would disappear. Then he turned on the bathroom light and examined it carefully. The mark was gone.
He tried to laugh it off, telling himself that he was simply tired after the long journey. Yet a strange feeling remained, as though something was moving beneath his skin.
During his trip, Michael had spent several hours walking through a damp forest after heavy rain. He remembered brushing against wet branches and crossing a shallow stream. At the time, everything had seemed perfectly normal.
That night, as he lay in bed, he felt a faint tickling sensation beneath his wrist.
He pulled back the blanket and stared at his arm.
The dark mark had returned.
This time, it slowly moved toward his elbow.