Cicada terror: The fear is real, people (if irrational)

As the emergence of Brood X approached, I built my armor. Yes, figuratively, but mental chain mail encumbers just the same. Let’s be clear, construction began 17 years ago when I nearly abandoned my running car because “ONE OF THEM IS IN HERE!” When a cicada landed on my cardigan during a company fire drill, I shed the sweater and ran down the street screaming. In front of EVERYONE.