poison ivy

All night I was kept awake by the sense of something eating me from the inside.

Toxicodendron radicans

Someone pointed out the rashes as we were saying our goodbyes. "Guess I spent too long hugging nature," I responded.

It was benign at that time, more show than fire. But as I slept last night, things intensified and I'd frantically, inadvertently dig at my skin. I don't feel better today. If anything, I'm more paranoid that the rash is out for blood, jumping to other, fresher parts of me: ankles, outer calves, neck. That sort of thing.