“Side Effects”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

Prompt: “Side effects may include nausea, hallucinations, and mushroom growth.” — suggested by E.L. Stew

“I really don’t feel good,” I groan, resting my face in my hands. “Can we please pull over?”

“I told you not to eat… whatever it was you ate,” Dad scolds me, glancing at me in the rearview mirror.

Bile nudges at my throat and I gulp it down. Screwing up my nose, I croak, “It was yuivenn. Some sort of delicacy from New Eidi.”

“See? That’s why I don’t eat anything from the Hor System.”

“The seller said that it was completely safe!”

“Of course he’d say that! He’s trying to sell you his… yolivar… or whatever it’s called.”

“Yuivenn,” I correct him. I tilt my head to rest on the window. As I look out, my eyes widen. “Hey, why aren’t you driving on the road?”

“What?”

“Why aren’t you driving on the road? Wait and… are we… flying?!”

Dad doesn’t reply for a moment. I take his silence as a yes as I press my forehead against the window. The world flies by beneath us, growing smaller and further with each second. But the strange thing is that there aren’t any wings on our car. Wait, were there ever wings on our car? And how come I never knew that our car could fly before now? All these years, I could’ve been flying to school and saving time? Wow.

My skin prickles suddenly. I must have goosebumps from flying in our car.

The tingling sensation intensifies to a burn. Letting out a yelp, I slap a hand onto my arm.

And I feel something squishy. Something that’s not skin.

Slowly, I look down at me arm. A scream rips from my throat.

I’ve got mushrooms growing from my skin. Spongey, pungent, disgusting mushrooms.

Final Comments: This was a really fun story to write! I think that I enjoy stories with hallucinations because you can make up so much nonsense…

Overall Rating: 😋