SPOOKTACULAR! PEOPLE JUICE!!!
Today we are going to tell a story. A scary story in honor of Halloween being right around the corner. No ghouls or goblins but a thriller nonetheless. A story of a battle between tiny alien invaders and the host body. The vehicle of transmission, what we call People Juice. Millions upon millions of these tiny alien invaders hitched a ride on the water in this Hot Spring, where vacationers and backcountry visitors soak in day after day. After a journey of a mile or two downhill they made their way into the host. How you may ask? Well this was an instance of No Filter, Big Problem! I know already scary enough, it is okay, turn the lights back on, barricade the door, and make yourself a plate of guts and eyeballs (Spaghetti and Meatballs), knowing while this story is 100% true, it happened in the past, there is nothing to be scared of anymore, besides the horror of feeling each moment in your heart!
Every good story starts with setting the stage and introducing the characters, so transport yourself to the Olympic National Park in Washington State, and meet Constantine, a pure in heart character, but fallible in thought this day and many days before and sadly he still probably is making these decisions to this day. It was an especially long mile day for him and his hiking partners. They were climbing multiple high-alpine passes, and had many miles to go. He was lagging behind already, working through a cough and a sickness that had crept upon him a few days prior. So, when he saw what appeared to be a spring being filtered directly out of the earth, he popped his bottle out of his pack, and a No Filter, No Problem situation ensued. No break necessary to filter the water, he was going to drink it straight, the earth was filtering it, no need for an extra filter. Unbeknownst to him, millions upon millions of tiny alien invaders had just entered his body. This is where the story begins...
Millions upon millions of tiny alien eggs inside of our hero's stomach. He had been infected!
(Actual representation of Cryptosporidium)
After leaving the area that would be come to be known later in his life as the Contamination Zone, he began his ascent up multiple switchbacks. The tiny aliens had also began their ascent and attack of his body, slowly at first to not raise any alarm. As the switchbacks continued, a sign appeared out of the mist. Like a ghoul materializing, a sense of dread washed upon him. Getting closer to the sign, he began to make out objects around this battered sign in the woods. There was a discarded pair of underwear, little pieces of trash, and signs of much human activity. Disgusted at this blatant disrespect to the environment, he grimaced and chalked it up to irresponsible people. Yet, a question remained with him, why a pair of underwear, and why were they wet?! Thus began his journey towards the Hot Zone.
