The story it's based on: "The Red Spot"
How scary it actually is: Anyone with arachnophobia will likely disagree with me here, thinking that this scene deserves to be closer to number one. But I don't have arachnophobia! And also I really enjoy watching Dr. Pimple Popper videos, so personally I didn't find this to be nearly as traumatizing as the others on the list. However, let's not gloss over the fact that it still is very traumatizing — the idea of something secretly burrowing deep inside you, essentially taking over your body without your consent, is stomach-turning no matter how you look at it.
I must also give props to actress Natalie Ganzhorn here, who effectively drags out Ruth's dermatological predicament. Like someone consumed by picking at a white head that just won't pop, Ruth can't resist poking and prodding at her growing spot in the mirror of her high school bathroom, no matter how painful it is. Finally, when the lone, spindly black leg of an insect pops out, her fear and shock are palpable. I'd be lying if I said I didn't jerk back in my seat as a horde of baby spiders came spilling out of Ruth's face, swarming inside her mouth as she screamed.
But — a very important 'but,' mind you — Ruth doesn't die. Unlike the rest of her cohorts, she's merely driven to the edge of insanity by her experience with Sarah's curse, but retains her life thanks to some quick thinking from her brother, Chuck. The spiders are beyond disgusting and the facial scar she's left with is no small thing, but comparatively, Ruth gets off easy.
Image Source: CBS Films