The Pesky Little Bug

Little, tiny, squishy bug climbed up the bathroom ceiling. What will they do?

The little centipede fell down! Oh no! Ouch!

He was disappointed, “I don’t like this wall.” And he ran off. The brown centipede walk with its little feet, and its short but useful body. Curly legs that were rusty brown were used for walking and running for the tiny creature. And his two wiggly, skinny antennas with the dim light shining on his shell.

But then, the human was there! Little bug worriedly try to hide away from the giant human! And the human knelt down to it, “Hey little guy! What are you doing in my home!?” He shrieked.

Little bug shakily ran off, nervous that the human was going to crush his microscopical body. Its ticklish muscled running off away from the big human, that scared him.

He screamed, “Human, please stop chasing me!” And the human was right behind him, watching the miniature centipede go off into the distance. The human said, “Hmpf, you seem like a very interesting creature! I want to study you for my science project, don’t you worry little guy!”

The centipede was curious but confused at the same time. What was the human going to do to him!? What if he was planning on squishing him to death, just like his parents?!

He was as terrified as his centipede parents! But he should not let the human take him away, he should fight for his freedom!

“I have an idea!” When centipede’s plan came up, he decided to go outside because it was his best bet! So, before the human came back, centipede would try his best to hide away from him so he can go to the outside world! Finally!

While the human kept searching, he then said, “Oh! Where is the little bug?” They questioned.

No response, though the little creature kept walking and walking and then. There it was! It was the door to his freedom! His new life.

But then, the human scooped him up in a double-glass container and sealed him in. “NOOOO!” He screamed and kicked until he used his every last bit of centipede energy. And the door to freedom and justice was never seen by his little eyes again…

***

”Oh, how great it is to see you again! Little bug,” The boy said enthusiastically, “Were you hiding from me all this time?”

The bug shook his head and the antennas bobbed up and down on his small head. “N-no” he stuttered, completely shocked and stunned from what had happened.

”Well, I suppose. You’re going to be my little science experiment! I’m so excited!” He cheered

Little centipede, stared down at the floor, listening to the boy’s victory while he scratched the ground. “Why me…” he trailed off, “Why does it have to be me?”

“Because I think you’re cool!” The human standing above him, said. “I want to be friends with you too!”

The centipede though, This human is so positive and happy… But for me, I don’t like this one bit.

“Be right back!” The human said. He hurried off and ran to whatever room. The boy was way faster and smarter than little centipede— that’s what centipede was jealous of.

Why can’t I be as big and quick as the humans? The bug thought.

The little boy was back soon enough, with his packet of papers, and a long orange pencil, the pointy tip was blackish grey, with its pink dusty eraser at the bottom. “Yay! Time to start working!” He said joyfully.

And the little creature was not happy about anything at all, he barely reached the door until the human captured him and found him once again! It was anguishing and annoying to the bug, but he had to move on and find another way either way.

But then, someone came in the wooden door. The rectangular door creaked as someone started opening it, “George? It’s time for bed!” They said, in a deep, manly voice.

”Okay! I got it, I just have to finish this!” The boy, named George, was experimenting on a freedom-less, small, dirty bug. And suddenly, the man came in, “George!” He yelled.

”What are you doing with that!?” They shivered.

“Sorry, Dad! I’m working on a science project.” He said, “That bug is my test subject and volunteer for it!”

“George. You can’t keep bugs in containers!” The taller human beamed. “I’m taking that away from you!”

“Hey no! Dad…” The boy said as he struggled to keep hold of his container while little bug was stuck in the container that was rattling to left to right, dizzying him with the spinning.

“I’m feeling dizzy…” The centipede said. Then, curled into a ball and the container kept shaking and tumbling him to every direction. Until George’s dad took it from his son’s hands.

“Sorry, George but…” He looked down at the bug. And grabbed a napkin, then squeezed the little centipede until the life was out of him. The creature gave a final yelp and he was basically gone. Then his body was thrown into the garbage bin, as if he were nothing. George cried out to his father, pleading him and arguing to him. But the little creature was already gone.

Author’s Note

Ok, so I know you wouldn’t like the ending… but some stories can have bad endings, just accept it. So, this type of story might be disturbing, traumatizing, or tragic for some people. I know that, as I created this book to show how humans are scared of these strange things and curious at the same time, but I mainly got inspired by it because I actually had a centipede in my bathroom crawling up my ceiling, it just freaked me out so badly that I had to create a story motivated by it! So that’s an ironic… but yes, it did happen and I hadn’t killed it yet, so I’m scared of it still lurking around. That might’ve not been my fault, totally…

Thank you for reading my book! - P.S, the author, Janice Tang