The Parasite Dilemma

The Unexpected "Parasite"

Aanya wasn’t exactly having the best day.

She’d been dealing with stomach issues for weeks, and her doctor finally prescribed a course of antiparasitic meds. She took them the night before, expecting an unpleasant but necessary ordeal. By morning, she was ready for her “cleansing” to begin.

Instead, she was now curled up on the floor of her tiny bathroom, feeling like her insides were staging a violent mutiny.

The toilet bowl told a grim story: deep red blood swirling ominously, dotted with clumps of something unidentifiable. Aanya’s periods had never been this dramatic before. This wasn’t just heavy flow; this was a horror movie.

She staggered upright, gripping the sink for support.
“Clots?” she muttered, staring at the toilet. “Are those... supposed to be that big?”

Her mind raced with terrifying possibilities. Could the parasite medication have caused this? Or was this some apocalyptic side effect of the stomach bug she’d been battling?

In a haze of pain and panic, Aanya grabbed her phone and texted her best friend Tara, the self-appointed medical expert of their group.

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Aanya:
I’m in terrible pain. Period cramps. My flow is wayne heavier than usual, and there are huge clots. Could the parasite meds have interfered with my period?

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Tara, ever casual in a crisis, replied an hour later:

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Tara:
Oh good, the parasite is out. Sorry ur in pain tho. I’ll drop by after work.

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Aanya blinked at the screen.

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Aanya:
No, I haven’t pooped yet. I just got my period.

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Tara’s next reply stopped Aanya cold.

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Tara:
Yes, and that’s why I said the parasite is out.

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“What the...?” Aanya stared at the message in confusion.

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Aanya:
Whom the parasite is out? What kind of parasite gets expelled through a period?!*

---

The dreaded three dots appeared, signaling Tara was typing.

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Tara:
An embryo, duh.

---

Aanya froze, the phone slipped from her hand. Her stomach clenched, but this time it wasn’t from the cramps.

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Aanya:
Tara, this is NOT funny. I’m not pregnant.

---

But even as she typed the words, doubt crept in. Her last few months had been chaotic: missed meals, irregular sleep, skipped periods. She’d chalked it all up to stress.

The cramps intensified, and she dialed Tara instead of waiting for another cryptic text.

“Tara,” she hissed as soon as her friend picked up, “are you seriously suggesting I was pregnant?”

“Uh, yeah,” Tara said nonchalantly. “You had stomach issues, missed periods, and now you’re bleeding with clots. Sounds like a chemical pregnancy or early miscarriage to me.”

“But I took parasite meds! Could those have caused it?”

“Not likely,” Tara replied. “If you were pregnant, your body was already rejecting it. The meds just gave it a little push. Anyway, you’re single and hate kids, so... silver lining?”

“Tara, this is not a silver lining!” Aanya snapped. “I might’ve just flushed a baby down the toilet!”

Tara sighed dramatically. “First of all, it wasn’t a baby—it was a clump of cells at most. Second, you’ve been complaining about parasites for weeks. Well, guess what? It’s gone. You’re welcome.”

“Tara!” Aanya shrieked, both horrified and slightly hysterical.

“Relax,” Tara said. “This is a good thing. Imagine if it had stayed and grown. You’d be dealing with diapers, sleepless nights, and a tiny human yelling at you for snacks. Instead, you’re free. Cheers to that.”

Aanya groaned, pressing the phone to her forehead. “You’re the worst best friend ever.”

“And yet, here I am, on my way with chocolate and painkillers.”

By the time Tara arrived, Aanya had gone through the full spectrum of emotions: confusion, panic, grief, and finally, begrudging acceptance.

Tara breezed into the apartment like nothing had happened, tossing a bag of goodies onto the couch. “So,” she said, handing Aanya a heating pad. “How’s the exorcism going?”

“Shut up,” Aanya muttered, unwrapping the chocolate.

“I mean, look at it this way,” Tara continued, grinning. “You dodged two bullets. No tapeworm and no baby. That’s a win-win.”

Aanya couldn’t help but laugh, despite the ridiculousness of it all. “Only you could turn a day like this into a joke.”

“That’s what best friends are for,” Tara said, plopping down beside her.

For the first time all day, Aanya felt like she could breathe. Maybe Tara was right—her life might be a mess, but at least it was her mess.