The Caterpillarian

Chapter 10

Something was different. I could suddenly hear the wind whipping the conifers outside. I could hear our breathing.

Why? A difference had occurred but what? I looked at my friends and they looked at me, their eyebrows touching in the middle. They could sense the same thing.

The piano! It had stopped playing.

I turned to it and was alarmed to see the moth looking at me. I was even more alarmed when it began to speak.

"You have done it!" It said in a high-pitched voice, throwing its tiny stick arms into the air. "You have reached the final task!"

"Whoa, it's talking!" Jasper said.

"Quiet!" Alison shouted, elbowing him in the ribs.

"The Great Caterpillarian is most pleased!" It continued.

"The Great Caterwhat?" Jasper said.

"The Great Caterpillarian! He who watches over us!" He pointed to the window and we looked.

The enormous monster on my roof was The Caterpillarian?

"What is he? And I don't mean his name," Jasper said.

"The Caterpillarian travels the globe, searching for worthy children who can pass his tasks. He seals them in their homes, so he can test their strength, bravery, intelligence, and speed. Once they are ready, he sets them free, and they emerge as beautiful butterflies, ready to take on the world!"

So that's what had been going on this whole time.

"So this is all down to him?" I asked, looking at The Caterpillarian.

"What's the point?" Alison asked.

"He already said," Jasper spoke. "So we can become . . . butterflies, or something. Where're our wings, then?"

"No, no, you're taking it too literally!" The moth said, shaking his head. "Thanks to The Great Caterpillarian, you are stronger, braver, smarter, faster, and more beautiful than before! You can take on anyone or anything!"

"More beautiful, eh?" Jasper nodded approvingly while Alison's top lip curled.

So this Caterpillarian had scared us half to death, kept us trapped in my house for hours and almost got us killed. What a sicko!

On the other hand, I did have a cool sword now.

"More like," Alison started, pointing a finger to her thumb and then pointing it to her subsequent fingers as she spoke, "we're weaker because of what he put us through; jumpier because of how much he's frightened us; slower because of how exhausted we are; uglier because of the dirt and sweat. But I guess we know more about tropical fish? Thanks, Caterpillarian!"

"Stop being so negative," Jasper said with a shake of his head.

"What?" Alison said with a blink.

"The moth's right! We're like warriors now. I feel like I can do anything. I feel like going back into Axl's house and whooping some monsters!"

"It's funny you should say that," the moth started.

"We could've died!" Alison said, her voice rising. "What he did was wrong!"

"What's wrong with you? You're supposed to be Purple Lightning! You're more like a Purple . . . Spark."

Alison tossed a punch towards his arm, but to mine—and especially Alison's—shock, Jasper parried it. He then performed a martial arts stance of some kind, like he was Bruce Lee or someone.

"Nice," I said, grinning.

"See?" He said, as cocky as could be. "I'm a machine and it's all thanks to the Caterpillarian."