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The sun was high in the sky as three friends, Sam, Rigor, and Joshua, set off on their journey to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. The anticipation of a relaxing getaway had been building up for weeks, and they were determined to make the most of it.
The trip took them five hours, but the time passed quickly as they chatted and laughed, excited for the adventure that lay ahead.
Soon as they arrived at their destination, a secluded province known for its beautiful natural pools and cascading waterfalls, the heat of the day was intense but the cool breeze coming off the river and falls provided a welcome reprieve. The province may not have been as popular as others, but for those who loved the outdoors, it was a true paradise.
After a long hike, the three friends, Sam, Rigor, and Joshua, finally arrived at their favorite campsite. They had crossed a small waterfall, walked along the side of the cliff, and almost got lost along the way. In the past, they would have gone to the village office to ask a local to guide them to the place and pay them a small fee, but they had been there so many times before that they decided to go on their own this time.
While on their way to the campsite, they stopped to take in the stunning view in front of them. The natural pool was surrounded by lush greenery and had a small waterfall cascading down into it, which was only three feet tall. The water was so clear that it looked like a mirror reflecting the blue sky above.
"Wohoo! We're back!" Sam exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Rigor said, taking in the view.
"Yeah, it never gets old," Joshua added, taking off his backpack.
"Josh, before you jump in the water, help us set up the tent first. You know you'll just run off and leave us if we don't keep an eye on you," Sam joked with Joshua.
"Hey, I'm not that bad. I'll help set up the tent later, but I'm taking a swim first," Joshua replied with a grin.
"What are you going to use for sleeping? I thought you were bringing your own tent," Rigor asked Joshua.
"I'll just sleep in a sleeping bag. No need to set up a separate tent for me," Joshua explained.
"Alright, but make sure you help us with the tent first," Sam said, starting to unpack the camping gear. But without further ado, Joshua jumped excitedly on the nature-made pool.
As Joshua submerged himself in the cool, clear water of the natural pool, the two others busied themselves setting up the tent. Joshua couldn't help but feel a sense of childlike excitement as he dove in and out of the water, the coolness invigorating his body and the sound of the waterfall providing a soothing background noise. Every now and then, he let out a shout of joy, causing his friends to look over at him with a hint of envy in their eyes. They quickened the pace of their tent setup, eager to join Joshua in the water and make the most of the beautiful day.
As the sun began to set, the three friends sat around a small fire they had built, sipping on the bottles of wine they had brought along. They had buried the bottles near the river earlier in the day to keep them cool, and now they were the perfect temperature to enjoy. As they relaxed and laughed, they couldn't help but feel grateful for the opportunity to escape the stresses of daily life and spend time in nature's beauty.
As the night went on, they moved on to a few more bottles of wine and before they knew it, they were feeling a bit tipsy. They knew that they should probably stop drinking and go to bed, but the thought of ending the night and the company of each other was not something they wanted to do. So, they continued to talk and laugh around the fire, watching the stars come out in the sky.
Eventually, they knew it was time to call it a night, Rigor and Sam settled into the tent while Joshua set up his sleeping bag next to the dying fire. The fire provided him with enough warmth and the sound of the crickets and the rustling leaves lulled him to sleep.
The next morning, they woke up to the warm rays of the sun filtering through the trees. Joshua, who had been sleeping outside in his sleeping bag, was the last to wake up, thanks to a nudge from Sam.
"Come on, lazybones. It's already afternoon," Sam said, trying to rouse Joshua from his slumber.
Joshua groggily sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and scowling at Sam. "What's the big idea, waking me up so early? I was having a great dream," he grumbled.
Rigor emerged from the tent, a grin on his face. "Don't be mad at Sam, he's just trying to make sure we make the most of the day. Besides, we can't just sleep all day and miss out on all the fun," he said, trying to cheer up Joshua.
"Fun? I don't call waking up to the sound of someone's foot in my face fun," Joshua grumbled, still rubbing his eyes.
"Come on, Josh. Don't be like that. We've got a whole day ahead of us, and I don't want to spend it arguing," Sam said, trying to make peace.
"Fine, fine. I'm up," Joshua said, finally standing up and stretching his arms. "But I'm not climbing down that mountain again. I'll just eat some Pork and Beans and call it a day."
A moment later, Joshua noticed Rigor and Sam staring at him with worried expressions. He raised an eyebrow, "What's going on guys? Is something wrong?"
Rigor and Sam exchanged a glance before Rigor spoke up, "Yeah, we noticed something on your face."
Joshua was confused, "What are you talking about?"
Sam gestured towards Joshua's left forehead, "You have a bump on your left forehead. It's quite noticeable."
Joshua reached up to touch his left forehead, feeling a small bump that was soft to the touch. He grabbed his phone and used it as a mirror, examining the bump on his face. It was bigger than a pimple, but smaller than a normal bump, and there was a small black circle inside it, that looked like an insect egg. He thought about squeezing it, but the thought of the pain made him stop.
The three friends gathered around Joshua to take a look at the bump. It was clearly visible that there were small black dots inside, and it seemed to be moving.
"It's alive!" Rigor exclaimed in shock.
"How did that even get in there?" Sam asked, with a mixture of disgust and curiosity.
The three friends didn't waste any time and immediately decided to leave the campsite and head to the nearest hospital. Upon arriving at the hospital, Joshua was quickly examined by the doctor, who couldn't believe what he was seeing. The doctor had never encountered such a condition before. It appeared to be a live insect inside of Joshua's cheek. The doctor gently pressed on the bump and Joshua let out a cry of pain.
"I'm sorry, it appears that you have an insect inside your temple. The black dots are its eyes. I'm not sure what kind of insect it is," the doctor explained.
"Do you need to operate on it?" Sam asked, worried for his friend.
"We're not sure yet. It seems that the insect is sensitive and every time it moves, it digs deeper into your temple. The pain you're feeling is the insect digging into your skull. We don't have any information on this insect," the doctor replied.
"Then let's just operate on it. Before it starts eating his brain," Rigor suggested.
"We don't have enough information on this insect, and it might be dangerous to open the bump before we know what we're dealing with. It might dig deeper into your friend's skull," the doctor said.
"What is that insect doing in his temple?" Sam asked, still in shock.
"I believe it's laying eggs inside his body. It's a defense mechanism for some insects," the doctor said.
As Joshua screamed in agony, his two friends watched in horror as the bump on his forehead began to split open, revealing a wriggling black mass inside. Blood gushed out as Joshua thrashed on the floor, pounding his head against the hard tiles in a desperate attempt to make the pain stop. His friends tried to hold him down, but he was too strong in the grip of his agony. They could do nothing but watch helplessly as the writhing black mass inside the bump on his forehead slowly consumed his face, drowning out his screams until he finally lay still and silent.
Sam was the first to break down, running to the hospital bathroom to retch and cry as the reality of what had just happened sunk in. He couldn't believe that a happy camping trip had ended in the death of his friend. As he clutched his chest, he felt something bumpy under his shirt. In a state of growing panic, he tore off his clothes and found his body covered in small bumps, each one wriggling with the same black mass that had killed Joshua.
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