It was itching his body. Not just a simple, fleeting sensation but a constant, maddening itch that seemed to spread with each passing minute. At first, he dismissed it. Perhaps an allergic reaction to something he’d eaten or a new detergent on his clothes.

But as the hours ticked by, the itch grew more intense, as if his skin was being pricked by hundreds of tiny needles. It wasn’t just on his arms or legs, but all over his body, his neck, his back, even his scalp. He scratched relentlessly, but the relief was only temporary, and then the irritation would return with a vengeance.