#Mumps

Mumps is the affectionate name for a self-assertive virus that only realizes its full potential when your glands bulge. It ambushes children, steals the joy of school photos with swollen cheeks, then slips away in adulthood as if nothing happened. To those unarmed with the shield of vaccination, it stages a forced reality show of pain and puffiness, casting everyone as unwilling stars. It lurks in the shadows and announces itself from beneath the ears louder than any announcement ever could.