I sink lower in my seat. Dana tuts as she turns, smug. She’s always so smug.
“Relax, Luna,” she condescends. “The imago’s part of life. Why’re you acting like such a hatchling about this?”
Easy for her to say. She’s already shed four times. It’s whispered she’ll chrysalis any day now. Meanwhile, I’m waiting for skin shed number one. My body looks like a dandelion stem every time I check the mirror—green, smooth, flat. What I wouldn’t give for one fat roll, just one to make the boys oscitate. Dana has a lot; maybe she’d share.
My dread drifts up into the miasma of nervous titters filling the room. Dana says, “I don’t know why everyone’s acting weird. I can’t wait for the video. I mean,” she slurps the lacuna of her milkweed stem, “I’m so close myself, but I’ve never actually seen the metamorphosis. You know?”
Teacher gives her lecture. Imago is a natural and beautiful part of a caterpillar’s life. The changes in our body are not shameful. Blah.
She starts the video. The monarch emerges from the cocoon, rumpled, sticky.
Gross.
In beautiful synchronicity, Dana hits the floor in a dead faint.
It’s a good day.
**************************************
This piece of flash fiction was written for the 2nd Campaigner Challenge. The title had to include the word imago, and the story had to include the words lacuna, oscitate, miasma, and synchronicity. For extra challenge, reference a mirror (done) and make it exactly 200 words (done).
If you liked it, please go here and vote for it. I'm number 171 (ooh, my lucky number!). The story with the most votes wins!!
33 comments:
Loved this! I spent many summers watching this process unfold in my own backyard, but you've captured it with such an angsty teen voice.
haha, that was great. Love the perspective and the fat roll comments...
A good day, indeed! I laughed out loud, Jeigh. Love this. (No surprise, there.)
Is it bad that I feel vindictively happy Dana fainted? Well, I do! Great piece!
Oh, I have missed you... The fat roll comment was hysterical, but really, I just loved the whole thing. Caterpillar health class FTW! :D
Ha! I kept picturing dragons until the end. Ahh...catepillars! Duh! :) Excellent!
Nicely done indeed! I like how you used the words and especially the "voice" of your characters.
If you're interested in checking out my entry, it's #42.
This was EPIC!!! :) Its sounds like you had a lot of fun writing it.
haha! Loved it! Of course. You rock, my friend. you rock.
Clever :) I enjoyed your writing, and the font you used (very easy on my dyslexic brain)!
Can I just tell you how much I loved that? Catapillar awkwardness. Genius!
Today I am thankful for my fat rolls. But only today.
Oh, I love this. Such fun.
So cute! ; )
Really well written - great voice! You put a big grin on my face (well, even bigger than on my avatar, ha,ha).
I'm # 157
So great. I laughed at the end. Glad Dana got what was coming to her :-)
Done. Good work! I'll make sure to send Michael over to your blog to vote as well.
I've yet to make the shedding myself...some of us just bloom later.
You are smart,beautiful and you remind me of your mother...a genius...both of you!
LOL. Jeigh, you make me laugh. Love the end.
Teen angst at its best. Well done. Great take on the challenge.
That was priceless! good job
This was great! I loved Luna's voice.
Mine is #3.
hahaha, oh thats great :)
I love that you used the voice of a caterpillar. Great job!
This is such fun ! Great POV ...
my entry at no.#185
Now that made me smile! What a great take on the challenge :) I'm no. 44.
That was excellent!
Nice one, ending with a "dead faint." I know what's that's like. Loved your voice here.
Great job, Leigh! :)
Jeigh- I was wondering how your writing blog was coming along. Awesome. So Much personality. I definitely loved your story the best. Fun and true in just a few short words.
I love your creativity with your kids too. I was thinking about that fairy thing you made for your kids that hung in your living room and it made me wonder how you were doing. Looks like all is great.
Comedic brilliance!
I can't get enough of your entry.
Great job!
The horrifying thing is that caterpillars don't have better teen-age years than we do. Great read!
Wow. This was really great. One of the best ones I think. I'm following you now :) Thanks for visiting my blog...can't wait to read more of your posts!
Jeigh,
Oh my, this had me laughing!
"What I wouldn’t give for one fat roll, just one to make the boys oscitate."
That was brilliant!
Thank you for visiting my interview at Christine Tyler! I appreciate your comment.
Excellent micro fiction; word usage; simplicity; the words embraced the subject; and fit like perfect puzzle pieces.
It was fun. You are a brilliant worker of words.
This is my personal favorite!
#188
That was fun! So creative to have a butterfly life-cycle class paralleling a sex ed class.
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