An Exposition inspired by Metamorphosis

Xavier Cook

Year 8

As Jermain Jamal awoke from a deep slumber, he felt a feeling he had not felt ever before. His body was heavy: he was a skinny man who was often aware of his bones, but now felt oddly boneless. He couldn’t feel his arms or legs and his eyes were— well, they were looking in different directions. He found the place where his eyes met and forced them to look forward.

His sheets were soddened and wet. Not knowing what had happened he reached for them, but then realised he had no arms. He wriggled out of the covers and found he had no legs either. He slithered off the bed and down the stairs to the bathroom.

In this moment, it became clear: he was an oversized slug.

There and then he realised he couldn’t wear his signed Air Jordan 1s that had been signed by THE Michael Jordan. Thinking he didn’t belong in the house anymore, he slithered over to the front door, leaving a trail of thick, clear slime behind him. With no arms to open the door he decided to use his eyes, which extended out like slick, firm tentacles. He wrapped them around the handle and opened the door before slithering outside. The California heat beat down on him as he exited the building and he slunk his way down the road, cars zooming past him at high speed.

All at once there was a loud crash, as a car swerved off the road and knocked into some metal bins. Even from behind the inflated airbag the driver didn’t shift his eyes from the strange sight before him: a giant slug, sliding across the sidewalk, on a quiet suburban street.