This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/YeetManXD69 on 2024-04-08 15:48:11.
After a long drive, I sit on the sand, squinting in the harsh sunlight. The sound of kids playing and the seagulls cacophonous squawking blend together over the rolling waves. Saltwater and sunscreen scents the surrounding air around us. My Dad and brother set up the umbrellas and chairs while I lounge, in the singular chair I set up. Yes I know, I'm lazy.
“Oh hey, did you see that picture they got of the moon?” Jeremy says. He drops the umbrella in a hurry to grab his phone. In doing so, he cuts his arm on the metal pole.
"Jesus! Watch what you're doing!" says my father.
"At least I'm doing something!"
Part of me feels guilty, but what am I to do? It’s not my fault he’s always been a dumbass and I've always been the favorite. Jeremy dusts sand off of the screen of his phone with his shirt, a goofy grin grows upon his face. I can tell he's excited to tell me something. I roll my eyes in anticipation.
“Says they found life.” “Can you believe it?” “Look at this, it looks human, really weird.” He shows me the picture on his phone, but it’s in grainy black and white. It shares similarities with an ultrasound picture, which makes sense. Funny, I guess babies resemble aliens when they’re first born. Jeremy certainly did.
“No, that’s not real.” I retort.
“No dude, it’s from NASA.”
“That can’t be right.” I say. “Come on, man, that even looks fake. You believe everything you're told! Last year you believed you spotted that Skin-walker near Maegen’s house!” I say, my nostrils beginning to flare.
“I did!” He says.
“Whatever.” I say, rolling my eyes. I want to enjoy the beach, not argue. Jeremy huffs putting his phone back into the chair, stuffing it into his sandy shirt, and picks up the sunscreen.
Despite the arguing at the store, he insisted we buy this new brand, this mineral sunscreen crap. See, Jeremy’s gotten into a wacky mindset. Now he’s worried chemicals and artificial shit are in everything. He won’t buy any product if he doesn’t scan it on this stupid app he bought. Yes, bought, I mean, who even pays for apps anymore?
I digress. This stuff was odd. First, it was the color gray. Who’d ever heard of gray sunscreen? Second, it smelled of the ashes of a fireplace, if you had poured water on them, say five minutes ago. Real specific, I know, but that’s the only way to describe that stench. Me, I refused to use it. I’ll stick to my harmful chemicals or whatever.
Disgusted, I watch as he coats his body in this gray goop, mixing it with the sand that covers him. I can’t help but laugh at how ridiculous he looks. As he reaches for his arm, he continues slathering the horrid concoction onto himself. Not paying any mind to the gash he received a few minutes earlier, he winces.
“Hey, idiot, you have a cut there, you shouldn’t put sunscreen on it, you should—”
I paused my words from the sight of puss pouring from Jeremy’s wound. It’s overflowing and has the texture of sea foam.
“What the fuck?!” Jeremy yells, as his skin bubbles and turns green. With no warning, his body swells, taking on the likeness of a bloated whale. I dart back, knocking my chair over violently in the process.
"Dad?" I shoot my father a concerning glance. Before I can say anymore, boiling hot green goo splashes onto my father. In an instant, it melts through him, leaving a smoking gaping hole in his stomach. I'll never forget that final look on his face, of pure confusion and fear. Now in place of Jeremy, a ghastly green acid-like substance boiling through the sand. My own father lies slouched over in his beach chair, his charred entrails exiting the wound in his gut.
Coming close to passing out, I manage to be saved by pure instinct. I knew if I stayed on that beach any longer, I'd be dead too. Unshakable urges to vomit overcome my body as i trudge forward in the wet sand. Puke plummets out of my mouth, covering the sand beneath my feet. I think about how disgusting this situation is, however I lack the ability to do anything about it. The sounds of beach goers screaming fills the air, drowning out the relaxing waves heard not too long ago. It's spreading. In the distance amongst the chaos, I spot a man screaming in the waves, jolting his arms. Only, where his arms should be, were pulsing red tentacles made out of his blood. I knew we should have stuck with the regular sunscreen.
In my escape, I noticed one man who seemed unfazed. Dressed in unassuming beach attire, but oddly enough he appeared to be taking notes. As I ran, I caught his view. He raised his arm and pointed at me, I can see he's speaking to somebody, possibly on a headset. This caused me to sprint even faster.
I made it off the beach, and am now sitting in the hotel room by myself, too shaken to even clean up myself. I tried to look up the mystery sunscreen brand, but found no results. Absolutely nothing. But it seems like something more, did the other beachgoers use the same sunscreen too? That couldn't be the case. And what about the guy in the water? Oh god, I can still hear the screams. What the hell caused all this? My deep thoughts are interrupted by some commotion outside my room. I think someone's at the door.