Bug Bites

It’s a strange form of ecstasy, scratching a bug bite. I know that sounds weird, I don’t fully understand it myself but I can’t change what is.

It’s warm and swollen to the touch, sexual innuendos aside, it’s almost painful when you apply pressure. When you rub it absentmindedly the itch doesn’t go away but gets stronger until you give in a little and let your fingernails slowly scrape carefully over and around the calloused point of entry where some small, seemingly insignificant, insect sank their teeth into your flesh, it has an almost tantalizing effect. And suddenly you’re paralyzed because you want more satisfaction but you know that pain will follow if you scratch too deep, the desire pushing you too far and drawing blood.

So you’re left doing this slightly bad thing, because everyone knows you shouldn’t scratch at a bite. But with all these bad things we could be doing, why can’t we have just this little, if irresponsible, guilty pleasure of unsatisfying pain?