The immune system is like a full body flak vest.
Instead of bullet protection, however, this vest works overtime to ensure the safety of a human’s internal universe from bacteria, fungi, toxins, and viruses.
In the event that one of these near-invisible assailants finds its way through the security gates, infectious diseases begin to form.
Suddenly, a little nasal congestion turns into a full-blown war.
Your typical routine is tossed to the sidelines while your insides take to the battlefield.
At first, your confidence is still conscious.
You are reminded that you’ve been down this road many times before; with a little bit of rest and a temporary diet of chicken noodle soup and water, you’ll be back to business as if nothing ever happened.
And then sometimes, that doesn’t happen.
Sometimes, your body’s chemical workup encounters an enemy that they could have never prepared for; it’s bigger, angrier, and far more motivated than anything ever imagined.
It tears into your flak jacket like a rabid wolverine and peels you apart like the layers of an onion, gradually digging into your core until you’re begging to go back to the moment where you were just dealing with that naggy respiratory clog.
At least then, there was still some sort of focus – a distinction of priority. Now? Everything seems to be the worst case scenario, doesn’t it Storm?
You took solace in that flak jacket of yours, didn’t you?
Between your own big dick complex and the circle of cheerleaders that kept you fluffed up, there was no way that the cocky universe of The Blockbuster would ever find itself dissolving into crumbs floating around in nothingness.
But there you are, barely breathing – your body like bowed fingernails just clutching the edge of a mountain that overlooks an abyss below you.
And you’re scared because for the first time, you’ve lost all control.
Your intimidation isn’t working and no one is giving you the answers you need to level out the vessel that symbolizes your everything from nosediving into a deep, dark place, where those that triggered this sickness expect you to fall –
And those that are hungry wait below, anticipating an iconic feast with their mouths wide open.
Because that’s the thing about a sickness that completely intoxicates.
It distracts you with desperation as you grip onto that last vial of energy in order to find your way back to normalcy – all the while, outside threats are watching the wounded, handicapped shadow of what you used to be, simply waiting for the moment where it’s most efficient to pounce and eliminate as quickly and violently as possible.
I have to inform you, Mr. Storm, that this opportunity has arrived.
Your fight has been honorable, and I wouldn’t worry too much.
You’ll get that silver screen feature you’ve always wanted – and the world will get to see every infected piece of you – an arm here, a spleen there, you know how it goes.
We’ll even hand out fragments of that flak jacket you felt so protected by to everyone that comes to watch the events unfold.
It’s the least we can do.