Fly on the Wall
This project went with the project in Biology. For English we wrote a short story about the bug that we photographed and included ten facts.
The Outside
By Alexandria Smith
“Alright, well I will miss you. I wish you were coming to the party tonight, who knows if I’m even going,” I say in a disappointed tone with a hint of hope.
“I know Charlie, I’ll be back before you know it! Plus I think it’s a good chance for me to become closer with my family before I go out on my own.”
“I guess. At least you are going to learn valuable web designs to help catch prey.”
“Exactly! Well I have to get going so I’ll talk to you soon, I love you!”
The sincerity in his voice gives me reassurance, “I love you too, Chase, bye!” I removed my leg from his and left the worldwide web, not revealing to him how upset I was.
Chase won’t return from his trip for three weeks. It is going to be hard being separated from him for so long. He keeps me grounded, even though we live in webs. At least there is a party tonight so that I can see my friends and keep my mind off of it. I am still not certain if I am even attending it or not, I have to clear it up with my parents. I crawl down and make my way to their web.
“So is it alright if I go to Kylie’s party tonight? It’ll just be a few people.” I ask in a promising tone.
“I guess that’s fine. As long as everything that needs to be done is done.” My mother says unsure.
“Of course! Thank you!” I go to the party later that night and return right before dawn. I am a little late to get home but I immediately go to sleep hoping to avoid any trouble. Unfortunately, when I awake at dusk and go out to stretch, I receive an earful from my mom. I know she is upset because she calls me by my full name, Charlie Latrodectus Geometricus. She asks if I finished my web work, which I had not because I was too tired. My punishment is that I am not allowed to go to a party until I do my web work. They just don’t understand it’s not because of the party it’s because I was catching up on my lost sleep during the week, attending arachnicademy. My life is so frustrating sometimes; I just want to travel towards the light, the sun. I’ve never been to the outside, but I’ve gotten close. I am separated by a mesh barrier, many square holes that trap me inside this basic space. I need some sort of change; I don’t know how much more I can take. I get so upset sometimes and it is so frustrating. I guess I’m just under a lot of stress. I’m going to leave. Why not? I can sneak out in the morning while my parents are sleeping. It will be a break and I can explore the outside while thinking of how to fix my life. It’ll be perfect!
It’s really bright out here. The breeze is cool and the air is dry. The sun, it’s even more gorgeous than I have heard. The way it radiates over everything, like a warm blanket that illuminates the world. This is so amazing. I can’t believe I had doubts about the outside. Nature is so magnificent in the way that it helps itself and is naturally beautiful. Nature is independent and never complains or asks for help I admire that. As I continue on in this free, new world, the sky cast a peculiar overhead shadow, only lasting but a second so I don’t think too much about it until it happens a few more times, like an eclipse it covers the sun and is accompanied by chirps. This is when I know, there is a bird in the air. I am not certain that it is coming for me but I am not going to take the chance. I dash in all directions, panicking and looking for an escape. I notice a fallen, wilted flower on the cold, hard dirt ground. I quickly crawl under it as it conforms to my body, leaving only a small pocket of air and a strange oval object next to me. The inside of the flower has a warm feeling from the moisture that is coming from the part of the flower that is still alive and has a warm red glow from the sun. The thin, brown, wilted section does not overtake the flower and opens up the small space a bit. I think I will stay here for a while to clear my head, taking into account that my life was almost taken by that bird. If my life would have ended just now I don’t think I would have been scared to go but scared that my purpose in life has not been fulfilled. Although, if it is my time, I guess I have to go even if I’m only five months old, not a third of the way through life. I notice a rather weird egg so I extend my leg out to examine and it seems a bit soft, considering it is no longer living. I am pretty hungry since I forgot to pack any snacks so I think I’m going to nibble a little bit on this unknown fruit. It appears to be sweet; I can tell it will leave my fangs sticky once it dries. I have just about sucked it dry and I’m feeling a slight tingling sensation in my cephalothorax now, but I think I can sleep it off.
I wake up and it is still not dark, when I feel most energized. I slowly emerge from my temporary abode to a world of unknown color. I can see better than ever; normally I can only see blurry objects but now my vision is incredibly clear. I turn back to look at the flower and the color has intensified immensely. I start to explore a cold stone wall that I feel I effortlessly make my way over and into some bright, almost lime, green grass practically blinding my newly opened eyes, contrasting the dark, black dirt. All that is in front of me seems to be tall, skinny stalks of bamboo, apparently consumed by gigantic black and white, fuzzy aliens. I have to climb up these stalks; I will be so close to the sun! It is easy for me to trek up this stalk, for it has thin, vertical grooves that I can stick my eight legs into. I reach a canopy of small leaves where I push through and every one of my eight eyes start to water. Partially because the light burns a bit but also because of how close I am to this golden globe. It is the most astonishing sight I have ever witnessed and I will cherish this moment forever. As I gaze at the sun I hear a humming, which complements the beauty of the sun.
“Hello there!” an upbeat voice says from beside me, bringing me back to reality. “Isn’t it a lovely day?” I look to my right and see a monarch butterfly, the most stunning insect on earth.
I stutter as I try to compose myself, “Yes, the sun is especially vibrant on this spring day.”
I notice that the patterns are constantly moving and changing color on this creature’s wings, but my voice is shy to mentioning this odd sight.
“Ahh, this must be your first time seeing the sun it is always that beautiful.”
I can hear her wings as she flutters to keep them warm. I feel a bit jittery because I can hear the leaves as they sway in the wind and the chirps that are also carried by the breeze, yet I don’t see the birds.
“How did you know? I needed a getaway so I felt this would be the best place to venture to,” I say with a trusting tone.
“Not many other insects take time to admire the small things that occur in life. They become used to certain standards of living and don’t appreciate how beautiful the everyday world is.”
The butterfly explains to me in a wise way as if she has contemplated this truth before. “Come on, crawl onto my back and I will take you home.”
Puzzled, I reply, “That would be great, I live inside this house, on the other side of that window sill,” but it seems as if she already knows.
“For instance, I live my life one flower at a time. Especially in this world, I have no guarantee of making it to the next flower to pollinate. So why dwell in a negative atmosphere when our lives are so short? Enjoy the small things in life, take it one step at a time and you will live a happier and less stressful life.” As she says this her wings envelop over me and everything becomes black.
I wake up, still under the flower. Whatever that mysterious fruit was must have caused me to have a crazy dream. At least I am still safe. The temperature tells me that it is about sunset, when the clouds create a marbled effect in the sky that is an ombré of golden yellow from the setting sun encased by a grapefruit red which is like the last bit of heat the sun gives off before resting for the night. Above that fades in a soft magenta and then the rest of the sky is taken over by a mixture of royal purple and midnight navy blue. The outside continues to amaze me as time goes on. I wish I could stay out here for the rest of my life but I must go back. If I leave now I should make it back before my parents awake.
As I crawl around the door frame into the room I can see my home illuminated by the artificial sun on the outside. I pick up my pace. Everything is how it was when I left but somehow more beautiful. The simple square shape of the window frame is a nice, clean white. The whole window draped with sheer white curtains with a wrinkly texture. When the sun shines through the window at just the right angle it will cast a rainbow onto the curtains. The curtains are held up by a gunmetal gray rod with two crystal knobs on each end. The food is nothing to worry about because there is an abundant amount of flies that get trapped between the window and the mesh barrier. I stay in the left corner closest to the corner of the room where I get equal darkness as lightness, although I prefer to live in the dark. Except for my strange fascination for the sun.
I barely finish spinning my web and quickly try to rest as I go over what I experienced. All I can think of now is that I have a good life...
By Alexandria Smith
“Alright, well I will miss you. I wish you were coming to the party tonight, who knows if I’m even going,” I say in a disappointed tone with a hint of hope.
“I know Charlie, I’ll be back before you know it! Plus I think it’s a good chance for me to become closer with my family before I go out on my own.”
“I guess. At least you are going to learn valuable web designs to help catch prey.”
“Exactly! Well I have to get going so I’ll talk to you soon, I love you!”
The sincerity in his voice gives me reassurance, “I love you too, Chase, bye!” I removed my leg from his and left the worldwide web, not revealing to him how upset I was.
Chase won’t return from his trip for three weeks. It is going to be hard being separated from him for so long. He keeps me grounded, even though we live in webs. At least there is a party tonight so that I can see my friends and keep my mind off of it. I am still not certain if I am even attending it or not, I have to clear it up with my parents. I crawl down and make my way to their web.
“So is it alright if I go to Kylie’s party tonight? It’ll just be a few people.” I ask in a promising tone.
“I guess that’s fine. As long as everything that needs to be done is done.” My mother says unsure.
“Of course! Thank you!” I go to the party later that night and return right before dawn. I am a little late to get home but I immediately go to sleep hoping to avoid any trouble. Unfortunately, when I awake at dusk and go out to stretch, I receive an earful from my mom. I know she is upset because she calls me by my full name, Charlie Latrodectus Geometricus. She asks if I finished my web work, which I had not because I was too tired. My punishment is that I am not allowed to go to a party until I do my web work. They just don’t understand it’s not because of the party it’s because I was catching up on my lost sleep during the week, attending arachnicademy. My life is so frustrating sometimes; I just want to travel towards the light, the sun. I’ve never been to the outside, but I’ve gotten close. I am separated by a mesh barrier, many square holes that trap me inside this basic space. I need some sort of change; I don’t know how much more I can take. I get so upset sometimes and it is so frustrating. I guess I’m just under a lot of stress. I’m going to leave. Why not? I can sneak out in the morning while my parents are sleeping. It will be a break and I can explore the outside while thinking of how to fix my life. It’ll be perfect!
It’s really bright out here. The breeze is cool and the air is dry. The sun, it’s even more gorgeous than I have heard. The way it radiates over everything, like a warm blanket that illuminates the world. This is so amazing. I can’t believe I had doubts about the outside. Nature is so magnificent in the way that it helps itself and is naturally beautiful. Nature is independent and never complains or asks for help I admire that. As I continue on in this free, new world, the sky cast a peculiar overhead shadow, only lasting but a second so I don’t think too much about it until it happens a few more times, like an eclipse it covers the sun and is accompanied by chirps. This is when I know, there is a bird in the air. I am not certain that it is coming for me but I am not going to take the chance. I dash in all directions, panicking and looking for an escape. I notice a fallen, wilted flower on the cold, hard dirt ground. I quickly crawl under it as it conforms to my body, leaving only a small pocket of air and a strange oval object next to me. The inside of the flower has a warm feeling from the moisture that is coming from the part of the flower that is still alive and has a warm red glow from the sun. The thin, brown, wilted section does not overtake the flower and opens up the small space a bit. I think I will stay here for a while to clear my head, taking into account that my life was almost taken by that bird. If my life would have ended just now I don’t think I would have been scared to go but scared that my purpose in life has not been fulfilled. Although, if it is my time, I guess I have to go even if I’m only five months old, not a third of the way through life. I notice a rather weird egg so I extend my leg out to examine and it seems a bit soft, considering it is no longer living. I am pretty hungry since I forgot to pack any snacks so I think I’m going to nibble a little bit on this unknown fruit. It appears to be sweet; I can tell it will leave my fangs sticky once it dries. I have just about sucked it dry and I’m feeling a slight tingling sensation in my cephalothorax now, but I think I can sleep it off.
I wake up and it is still not dark, when I feel most energized. I slowly emerge from my temporary abode to a world of unknown color. I can see better than ever; normally I can only see blurry objects but now my vision is incredibly clear. I turn back to look at the flower and the color has intensified immensely. I start to explore a cold stone wall that I feel I effortlessly make my way over and into some bright, almost lime, green grass practically blinding my newly opened eyes, contrasting the dark, black dirt. All that is in front of me seems to be tall, skinny stalks of bamboo, apparently consumed by gigantic black and white, fuzzy aliens. I have to climb up these stalks; I will be so close to the sun! It is easy for me to trek up this stalk, for it has thin, vertical grooves that I can stick my eight legs into. I reach a canopy of small leaves where I push through and every one of my eight eyes start to water. Partially because the light burns a bit but also because of how close I am to this golden globe. It is the most astonishing sight I have ever witnessed and I will cherish this moment forever. As I gaze at the sun I hear a humming, which complements the beauty of the sun.
“Hello there!” an upbeat voice says from beside me, bringing me back to reality. “Isn’t it a lovely day?” I look to my right and see a monarch butterfly, the most stunning insect on earth.
I stutter as I try to compose myself, “Yes, the sun is especially vibrant on this spring day.”
I notice that the patterns are constantly moving and changing color on this creature’s wings, but my voice is shy to mentioning this odd sight.
“Ahh, this must be your first time seeing the sun it is always that beautiful.”
I can hear her wings as she flutters to keep them warm. I feel a bit jittery because I can hear the leaves as they sway in the wind and the chirps that are also carried by the breeze, yet I don’t see the birds.
“How did you know? I needed a getaway so I felt this would be the best place to venture to,” I say with a trusting tone.
“Not many other insects take time to admire the small things that occur in life. They become used to certain standards of living and don’t appreciate how beautiful the everyday world is.”
The butterfly explains to me in a wise way as if she has contemplated this truth before. “Come on, crawl onto my back and I will take you home.”
Puzzled, I reply, “That would be great, I live inside this house, on the other side of that window sill,” but it seems as if she already knows.
“For instance, I live my life one flower at a time. Especially in this world, I have no guarantee of making it to the next flower to pollinate. So why dwell in a negative atmosphere when our lives are so short? Enjoy the small things in life, take it one step at a time and you will live a happier and less stressful life.” As she says this her wings envelop over me and everything becomes black.
I wake up, still under the flower. Whatever that mysterious fruit was must have caused me to have a crazy dream. At least I am still safe. The temperature tells me that it is about sunset, when the clouds create a marbled effect in the sky that is an ombré of golden yellow from the setting sun encased by a grapefruit red which is like the last bit of heat the sun gives off before resting for the night. Above that fades in a soft magenta and then the rest of the sky is taken over by a mixture of royal purple and midnight navy blue. The outside continues to amaze me as time goes on. I wish I could stay out here for the rest of my life but I must go back. If I leave now I should make it back before my parents awake.
As I crawl around the door frame into the room I can see my home illuminated by the artificial sun on the outside. I pick up my pace. Everything is how it was when I left but somehow more beautiful. The simple square shape of the window frame is a nice, clean white. The whole window draped with sheer white curtains with a wrinkly texture. When the sun shines through the window at just the right angle it will cast a rainbow onto the curtains. The curtains are held up by a gunmetal gray rod with two crystal knobs on each end. The food is nothing to worry about because there is an abundant amount of flies that get trapped between the window and the mesh barrier. I stay in the left corner closest to the corner of the room where I get equal darkness as lightness, although I prefer to live in the dark. Except for my strange fascination for the sun.
I barely finish spinning my web and quickly try to rest as I go over what I experienced. All I can think of now is that I have a good life...