Insomnia’s heavy limbs and hope carry me from bed to basement couch.
Dank darkness bathes my eyes.
Worries muted.
Calm.
Sleep’s delicate edge gently tickles my forehead, cheek, neck…
Broken slumber, grabbing in the blackness
A multitude of limbs not my own.
42 words to answer the question: Is something crawling on me?
Pryvate Parts 
Those little bastards are the one bug I’ll actually wash down the sink. Fiber eating, creepy crawling sons of…..
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Indeed! After that incident I called Orkin!
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I thought there was hair on the shower wall one morning, but nope. It was one of those horrible, horrible creatures. I screamed and flailed and had no idea where it ended up. That photo you included has triggered flashbacks. Not sure I’ll sleep tonight.
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Right? The whole time I was writing this, I was all squished in the face. Then, looking for the image…I was literally scratching where there was no itch! I really did wake up with one on me, as I wrote. I caught it when it got to my chest and threw it across the room. Now that I’ve lived through it though, I feel like I’ll be OK if another spider crawls on me. But, I’d rather not…
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The way you turned creepy, disgusting centipedes into something poetic, was pure magic. Karen
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Crawling poetic …. Great take!
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It’s tick season, I’m checking dogs like an airport screener when they enter. I found one on the wall after everyone had passed. To make a long story short, I usually catch the errant tick by the crawling sensation.
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What exactly is the evolutionary purpose of the tick? It’s hard to believe it actually has a place on the food chain!
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Lovely and lyrical all throughtout……..until the very end! Good descriptive words all from top to bottom but, damn, those creepy crawlers! 🙂
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True story too! I’m still trying to shake that creepy feeling I got from recalling the story for the challenge. Sense memory is an amazing thing. 🙂
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Okay, if one of those things was on me, I would have had fainted! I used to get them on my bedroom wall in Toronto (outside wall, damp). It scary the heck out of me!
Anyway, enough about that, I really wanted to comment that I knew I would enjoy your piece when I read “Insomnia’s heavy limbs…” That is a wonderful descriptor. Well done throughout :))
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Glad you enjoyed it!
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Gah! I am going to have nightmares tonight. But this is so very well written – poetic, and a complete story. Really, really well done!
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It really was my worst fear realized. Ew.
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I loved what you have done with the prompt! So so wonderful!
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Thank you kindly.
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Well, you went straight to that buried memory of when I half-woke to feel a scorpion crawling on me. Super job…but yikes!
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O MY GOOOOOD. Where were you???
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In my cozy little bed in my new-construction home in San Antonio (years ago). I can laugh about it now…and about the time that a BIG scorpion was crawling around on my hat brim while I was gardening.
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Lord Lord Lord Lord LORD! ACK!
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“Limbs not my own…” Utterly perfect!
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You know if you encourage me like that, I’m just gonna do more?? 🙂
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I hope so 🙂
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‘limbs’ really gives it that extra punch. *shivers*
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oooh, thanks.
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Excellent. I had those experiences too.
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Oooh, I’m sorry to hear that! (and thanks!)
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yucky, lol, I hate those things!
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WHY did you have to include a photo? oh god i’m gonna have horrendous nightmares- those things creep me out soooooooooooo much.
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LOL, Christina. I am seriously still shaking off the feelings writing that post brought up. They say bugs are more afraid of us than we are of them. WRONG.
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Loved the languid feel with that icky ack ending 😉
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Thanks, it was really just like that when it happened. Not at all ok! Thanks for reading.
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🙂
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“Sleep’s delicate edge” I know this feeling. Then, YIKES, the real tickle. I’m going to be rethinking my drifting off tonight. That said, you made the creepies so delightful to read. Gorgeous words!
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Thanks so much… My, my will I be glad when this challenge is over so I can put this icky post to rest! Somewhere safe where no creepy crawlers can invade my personal space. Seriously thinking of buying one of those things you plug in that keeps bugs away.
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Aaaaazaaacckckck. I am not afraid of bugs, generally, but OMG I detest centipedes. And here you have frightfully summoned my fear. Thanks. Not. 😉
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They tell me the thing about good writing is it causes the reader to have an emotional response. So, I guess I did something right. But, gross, I know! Totally, gross. 🙂
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Yes, you definitely did something right! 😉
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Reblogged this on Echoes of Words.
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Thank you! 🙂
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