David and I had built a simple, happy life in a small Tennessee town. We weren\u2019t rich, but our days were full of laughter, warmth, and the quiet kind of love that doesn\u2019t need words. After eight years of marriage, I thought I knew everything about him \u2014 until that morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It started with something small. David began coming home from work more tired than usual. He\u2019d scratch his back constantly, leaving faint lint streaks on his shirts. I teased him about needing a new laundry detergent, but deep down, something didn\u2019t feel right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then one night, as he slept beside me, I lifted his shirt to put on some lotion. That\u2019s when I saw them \u2014 tiny red marks scattered across his back, forming strange, perfectly aligned clusters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At first, I thought they were bites. Maybe bedbugs? Mosquitoes? But the more I looked, the more it didn\u2019t make sense. They were evenly spaced \u2014 symmetrical \u2014 and some had tiny dark centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My hands shook as I whispered, \u201cDavid\u2026 wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He groaned and smiled, half-asleep. \u201cHoney, it\u2019s just a rash.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo,\u201d I said firmly, heart pounding. \u201cWe\u2019re going to the ER. Now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the hospital, the nurse took one look and called for a doctor. Within seconds, the calm atmosphere changed. The doctor\u2019s eyes widened as he examined David\u2019s back under the light. His face went pale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCall 911,\u201d he ordered. \u201cWe need an emergency transfer to the infectious disease unit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I froze. \u201cWhat\u2019s happening?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The doctor turned to me. \u201cMa\u2019am\u2026 these aren\u2019t insect bites. They\u2019re parasitic entry points. Whatever this is \u2014 it\u2019s inside him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My knees nearly gave out. I clutched David\u2019s hand as they rushed him away, my mind spinning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All those days of scratching\u2026 all those sleepless nights\u2026 and I had missed the signs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What came next changed everything \u2014 for both of us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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