The Bite
October 7, 2020I am curious about the human-biting habits of mosquitos and learn only female mosquitoes bite, stimulated by light, body heat, and the scent of skin. On a warm, wet evening, I sit still and wait for one to land on my forearm, moist and oily from sweat and sunscreen. Carbon dioxide is an an attractant, so I inhale deeply and exhale slowly. When one lands, I watch her penetrate my skin with the thin tip of her mouth, so sharp I can barely feel her biting me. Fusing her fluids with mine, her warm, slippery saliva mixes with my blood as she sucks, tingling my sensory nerves. She remains there, her body engorging with blood, ready to burst.