Attack Of Parasites

"Dear, let's stop for a moment to enjoy this magical place and take some pictures," the wife suggested.

"We're close to the rest area, my dear. Don't you think stopping on a narrow road like this could cause a traffic jam?" Takashi replied, preferring not to stop.

"Come on, dear, a view and place like this won't be there when we reach the rest area. Besides, we won't cause any obstruction; there's plenty of space on the side of the road," the wife insisted, urging him to stop.

Relenting to his wife's request, Takashi pulled over to the side of the road to take in the view they couldn't see every day. He helped his wife over the barrier separating the road from the overlook, both in a cheerful mood. The spot was high up, surrounded by trees and mountains, with a shimmering sea in the distance reflecting the sunset's rays.

"What a sunset, isn't it, dear?" the wife said as she stepped toward the edge of the rock to get a better view.

"Yes, it's worth it," Takashi said, standing just a few steps behind her, then took out his camera to snap pictures of his wife.

"I want to bring Izumi here someday," she said as she turned around.

With his eyes on the ground, Takashi smiled and replied, "He's always on your mind, isn't he?"

Just then, Takashi noticed a large shadow while still looking down, as if a huge umbrella had opened overhead, casting a darker pall over the area. He lifted his gaze to discover the source of the shadow, and panic spread across his face.

"Darling... darling!" Takashi managed to utter with difficulty.

"What?" his wife replied coolly, noticing the change in Takashi's expression.

A parasite, a massive parasite, stood behind Izumi's mother. Below the neck was a human body, while the other half was a monster, featuring four limbs and sensory stalks in the middle (eyes resembling Dobby's) similar to a snail's antennae but much larger. The far right limb mirrored the far left, a curved falchion like those seen in Critical Role, bent at an angle of no less than 130 degrees.

In the blink of an eye, without warning, the head was severed from the body, long strands of hair flying through the air, carried away by the wind, as droplets of blood splattered across Takashi's face.

"Why... why her?" Takashi said, kneeling with tears in his eyes after the monster had taken his wife's head.

"I was about to perish," the parasite Oki said, having completed the transition into Izumi's mother's body. "I can move freely now; I need to return to the city," Oki added, pacing back and forth to test how well he adapted to the new body.

"Your food is unbalanced—snacks and unhealthy stuff," Megi commented on the food Izumi was eating.

"As if you know what it tastes like or are affected by my eating habits!" Izumi retorted, leaning back after finishing his meal.

Megi stretched and rose to Izumi's eye level. "Your mother used to prepare balanced meals."

"I can eat like this again tomorrow," Izumi replied.

**The phone rang.**

"Call from a payphone," Izumi thought suspiciously as he saw the caller ID. After a while, he decided to answer.

"Izumi..." came the trembling voice.

"Dad!!! Is that you?" Izumi exclaimed.

"Your mom..." the father struggled to continue.

"What? What's wrong with Mom?" Izumi stood up abruptly.

"Mom... Mom..." His father couldn't finish the sentence.

"Anyway, I'm heading to the police station. I'll deal with that monster," the father said, then hung up.

"Dad... wait... Dad..." Izumi shouted loudly.

"He said 'monster,' right, Megi? Could it be true?" Izumi spoke aloud before sitting down again. "Did something happen to Mom...?" he added.

**Ten hours later**

The night had been challenging for Izumi, both psychologically and emotionally. Many scenarios and conclusions flooded his mind, hoping for the least harmful outcome. But the word "monster" from the phone call made everything harder. Izumi knew well what "monster" meant—something unnatural and out of the ordinary. It had only one interpretation...

Sitting with his head resting on his hands, he stared at the phone on the table. "It hasn't rung again, not once..." Izumi said.

"If only I knew where they are..." he added angrily.

Megi appeared on his right hand and said, "You need to rest; you've been awake all night. You need to conserve your energy."

"Monster, he said 'monster.' That's what my dad said." Hearing Megi's voice made Izumi associate it with the term his father had used.

"That might only mean you guys," Izumi replied.

Megi slowly lowered his eyelid, expressing sadness over Izumi's harsh words, calling his mother a monster.

"Wait, one of my friends is showing up," Megi suddenly said, forming four eyes pointing north, south, east, and west. "He's coming from this direction," he added, then replaced the east and west eyes with a medium-sized sickle.

Izumi ignored what Megi was saying, chastising him instead. "This is your fault. I was against the trip from the start, but because you reassured me..."

Megi interrupted, "I didn't reassure you! I spoke from a logical standpoint. Statistically, less populated areas..."

Izumi slammed his left hand on the table and yelled, "Shut up!"

"I should have told them when you took control of my right hand!" Izumi added.

"I understand your anger and the stage you're going through, but now I need you to focus on the imminent battle," Megi said, trying to calm Izumi down.

Izumi headed to the kitchen, searching for a weapon to use if necessary after his father had taken the gun he had obtained illegally. He opened the knife drawer and grabbed the largest one.

"No need for that; I meant for you to be mentally prepared," Megi said as Izumi held the knife.

"I'll end this quickly before he figures out whether we're friends or not," Megi added.

"I can't face him without a weapon; hatred is consuming me right now, hatred for those cursed monsters," Izumi said, raising the knife to eye level.

"He's reached the front door," Megi warned.

Izumi moved to a corridor where he could see the parasite take a few steps inside the house.

The sound of the door unlocking echoed.

"He's unlocking the door," Izumi said.

The shadow of the parasite was reflected on the ground as it stepped forward, at the end of the corridor. On his left was the staircase leading to the upper floor, and on his right stood Izumi, ready to attack alongside Megi.

Izumi couldn't believe his eyes; it was his mother. She had returned home.

"Mom!" Izumi lowered his knife, joy evident on his face.

"Mom?" he said again, but she remained still.

"Has that man returned?" the mother asked coldly.

"Mom..." Izumi repeated.

"Izumi, no," Megi warned, preparing for an attack.

"That's not her! Don't be foolish; she's asking about that man. You know better than anyone how much your mom loves your dad, and she's never referred to him as 'that man,'" Megi added.

"Welcome back; this is strange," Izumi said as he lowered the knife from his left hand.