I am ... - Flash Fiction Friday - all audiences

Hello again, my friends.

Yes, it's that time of the week again. I know you've been impatient (I could tell by the number of views!!!), so here it is. It didn't really come out the way I was hoping for, but I hope you'll enjoy it nonetheless.

I am …

This is my story.

The story of me.

A story like you have never heard one before.

This, is the story of my life.

My life is simple.

I have but one purpose.

My only purpose in life, is to eat.

I live to eat, I eat to live.

If I do not eat enough, I will not survive.

I must eat.

I eat from the moment I see the light of day, starting with what is closest to me … the egg I hatched from. It provides me with everything I need to begin my journey in this world. A journey that is all about food.

I must eat.

I must.

I have no choice.

My jaws are powerful enough to cut through the leaves I feed on.

My body functions solely around the food I ingest and my growth.

Massive growth.

I expand my body mass up to 1.000 times.

I bet you did not know this.

I told you this was a story unlike any you had heard before, did I not.

My body, always growing, always changing, contains over 4.000 muscles, all working together to bring me from one meal to the next. I shed my skin as it tightens and can do this several times before I am fully grown, fully fed. My legs, all of my legs, work to propel me from one meal to the next.

I am always hungry.

Always feeding.

My legs, six of which are real, grow with me to support my growing weight. All of my other ‘legs’, are merely there to help me move forward.

Always forward.

Always hungry.

Always eating.

I am a master of deception.

My hind legs are not real legs, they are used for balance, traction and forward motion, waving forward, always forward.

My colors vary from camouflage brown, to bright – almost screaming – colors.

I may be toxic, depending on the food I eat.

I may play dead, pretend to have a dozen eyes at the back of my head or grow bristle hair in protection against attack.

I may look like a leaf or a branch to hide from predators.

I may leave a silky, sticky trail.

But above all, I will eat everything I find on my path.

No plant is safe from me.

No leaf will be left untouched.

No chance left untaken.

I live to eat.

I eat to live.

For I, am caterpillar.

More entries can be found here