March 10, 2025 • 23 mins
What happens when two little caterpillars come across a deadly enemy? Also, episodes now include a "Discount Idea" and I read fan mail!
Our Sponsor for today is Grandpa Old Timey's Cornmeal (flavored product).
CONTENT WARNING: Profanity, Violence, Body Horror, Gore
Enjoy!
Sound Effects by freesound_community from Pixabay
Music: "Skinny Food Fighters Blues 85" by Won Jong Hwa from Pixabay
“Little Toy House” by Geoff Harvey from Pixabay
“Inspiring Folk Acoustic” by Cookrate Eli from Pixabay
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Thanks!
Coffee
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hello, this is Coffee McCann and welcome to episode
48 of Discount Storytime.
Today's story is the VengeanceHungry Caterpillar, and our
sponsor is Grandpa Old Timey'sCornmeal flavored product Enjoy.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
This is Grandpa Old-Timey, I'm proud to announce
we've partnered with the ToothFairy.
That's right, the Tooth Fairyto bring you old Grandpa
Old-Timey's cornmeal flavoredproduct.
Choose between pearly, white oryellow.
It's easy to use in yourfavorite recipes and I promise
you your next batch of cornmuffins will be crunchy as a
(00:51):
rock and it's good for yourfamily, seeing how it's all
natural, stone milled and agreat source of calcium.
Switch to Grandpa Old-Timey'sCornmeal flavored product for
your next enamel.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Grandpa Old-Timey's Cornmeal flavored product is a
proud sponsor of DiscountStorytime, the Vengeance-Hungry
Caterpillar.
(01:29):
In the darkest of night, themoon shone on two little eggs on
a leaf.
Two tiny and hungrycaterpillars named Ripley and
Kane popped out of the eggs andlooked for food.
On the first day they atethrough one apple, but they were
still hungry.
On the second day, they atethrough two pears, but they were
(01:54):
still hungry.
On the third day, they atethrough three plums, but they
were still hungry.
Plums, but they were stillhungry.
On the fourth day, they atethrough four strawberries, but
(02:18):
they were still hungry.
On the fifth day, they atethrough five oranges, but they
were still hungry.
They kept looking for food andfound a dark cave.
Cain wanted to go inside thecave and look for more food, but
it was so dark and cold.
The cave scared Ripley and shesaid no.
Cain laughed and said there'snothing to be afraid of, but
(02:42):
Ripley still didn't want to gointo the cave.
So Cain went into the dark cave.
Not long after Ripley heard ahorrible buzzing sound, cain
screamed and ran out of the cave.
Well, ran as fast as a littlecaterpillar can run.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Run away, run away.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Cain yelled as he and Ripley ran to safety.
Once they were safe from thecave, ripley asked what happened
in?
There, Cain said I don't know.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
It was dark and hard to see, but then something very
big flew above me and I felt aburning sting.
I'm okay now just very hungry.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Reassured Ripley said oh, cain, you're always hungry.
You are a very hungry— Stop.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Let's not get sued.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
We're already pushing our luck said Cain, and he and
Ripley went to sleep as it wasgetting late.
And he and Ripley went to sleepas it was getting late.
On the sixth day, the hungrycaterpillars awoke.
Ripley's eyes widened when shesaw her friend Kane, with little
white sacks peppered all overhis body.
What the hell are those, sheasked.
(03:59):
Kane looked at his reflectionin a puddle and shrugged.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
I don't know Probably nothing.
I guess let's go find some food.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
I'm hungry.
So the two little caterpillarslooked for food and hit the
jackpot.
They found a chocolate cake,ice cream, a pickle, a salami, a
lollipop, a cherry pie, asausage, a cupcake and a
watermelon.
They ate through all of it.
(04:32):
Afterwards, ripley turned toCain and was about to say she
wasn't hungry anymore, but Caindid not look well.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
I feel sick, Ripley.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
She nodded and burped .
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Well, we did pound down the stuff.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Then Cain started coughing and wheezing.
His coughs became more and moreviolent and he flipped over
onto his caterpillar back.
Ripley rushed to his side andtried to hold his legs, but they
were all squirming as Kane'slittle caterpillar face turned
red like an apple, then purplelike a plum.
(05:10):
Kane, kane what's happening?
Kane gave Ripley a terrifiedlook and his eyes bulged.
With great effort he gurgledout the word run.
Then he went still for a moment.
But then his body startedquivering again.
His little caterpillar cheststarted bubbling, as if large
(05:35):
marbles were rolling aroundunder his skin.
Kane's arms twitched as bloodspurt out of his chest.
Red blood sprayed everywhere,red like jam From inside his
body.
A buzzing sound grew louder andlouder and Kane's skin
stretched as the marbles startedpushing outward.
(05:58):
Blood and tissue exploded aswasp after wasp after wasp flew
out of Kane's body and zoomedtowards.
Ripley Panicked.
She ran as far and as fast asher little caterpillar legs
would carry her.
Ripley only looked back whenshe was finally far away and
(06:19):
safe.
Safe.
Cain was dead and Ripley hadbeen helpless and scared.
A mistake she would not repeat.
Ripley was hungry, but not forpears or strawberries or cake.
(06:56):
Ripley was hungry for vengeance.
Two weeks later Ripley woke upinside the cocoon fortress she
had built.
Ripley had her routine, herritual, her way to stay, focused
on avenging the death of herfriend.
She started in the cocoon'sweight room, then, once warmed
up, she practiced in thecocoon's dojo.
Finally, after a shower, shesat and drank coffee in the
(07:18):
cocoon's intelligence officewhile a computer bank beeped in
word.
One wall of the intelligenceoffice had a large cork board
with a picture of Kane with ared X over it.
All over the cork board wereblack and white pictures and
notes, all connected with redstring.
The notes were mostly questionslike can sting Flying Parasite.
(07:45):
Ripley's eyes darkened as shestared at where all the red
strings led to a grainy blackand white picture of a parasitic
wasp, a large wasp, the QueenWasp.
Ripley flinched when her cellphone rang.
It was Burke, an arms dealerthat knew how to keep his mouth
(08:09):
shut.
His grizzled voice was tinny.
Through the phone.
I got them.
Are you sure you want to dothis?
I'm paying, you aren't?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
I I'll come and pick them up.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
I'll come and pick them up, ripley, it won't bring
back Cain, nothing will.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
I know that, but it's not just about Cain.
What if?
Speaker 1 (08:32):
What if I told you and I ain't saying I said
nothing to nobody, but let'sjust say there's a company, the
company, and they would be veryinterested in you bringing one
back for them to study,no-transcript, they could make
(08:57):
useful and lucrative weapons,could make us make you rich.
Besides, say you manage to killthem off, then what Life is for
the living.
Ripley Ripley snarled at beinglectured to.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
And money is all you seem to care about.
Burke, Don't talk to anyoneelse, goddammit.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Have my order ready.
I'm on my way.
She hung up her phone.
Burke was always a shrewdbusinessman and of course he
would look for better weapons,being an arms dealer and what
such, but he did not know thepower of those parasites.
Burke had changed but in allfairness, ripley had changed as
(09:43):
well.
Not just the physical changesfrom weightlifting and becoming
a butterfly.
Oh oh yeah, ripley is abutterfly now with brightly
colored wings.
I just thought I should clarifythat real quick in case you
weren't sure.
She's a butterfly.
But her changes were more thanphysical and she's a butterfly.
(10:04):
Ripley wasn't the scared littlecaterpillar standing outside the
dark cave Tonight.
She would go into the cave notas a caterpillar or as a
butterfly, but as a hunter.
Ripley grinned darkly andwalked into the cocoon's armory.
After stopping by Burke's shopand getting the packages now
(10:34):
safely tucked into her assaultpack, ripley flew to the dark
cave.
The trip took a while becauseof the weight of her gear.
At the entrance of the cave,ripley took one look back, maybe
her last look back to the worldshe had once known.
She stepped into the cave,engulfed by shadow.
(10:57):
The cave was dark and cold,silent except for dripping water
.
But she heard the buzzing, thatdemonic buzzing sound.
No, that's not right.
She didn't hear the buzzing.
She felt it felt invisibletendrils of the sick monster
(11:18):
pulling at her soul, pulling heronward.
She continued deeper into thecave.
Her eyes quickly adjusted tothe dim lighting but still
nearly fell over something largeand squishy.
It was a caterpillar, but itdidn't move.
It was dead and, just like Cain, had its body ruptured with the
(11:42):
exit of parasitic wasps.
The gruesome sight made hervomit and she chided herself.
Ripley knew she would have tobe tougher than that to win this
battle.
The buzzing called to her again, but now mixed with another
sound, more urgent, more fearful.
(12:02):
Someone was whimpering.
Ripley continued further intothe cave and found more
caterpillar bodies stippled withlittle white sacks.
But these caterpillars wriggled, just like Cain had wriggled,
just like Cain had, Under theirskin.
Ripley saw the macabre horrorof gestating wasps.
(12:24):
They were going to hatch, theywere all going to hatch and soon
.
Ripley froze, but just for amoment the terrified whimper
(12:46):
turned into a soft call Please,somebody help me.
It was a young caterpillar'svoice.
With renewed determination sheflew into the heart of the cave.
They attacked her withlightning speed.
As Ripley entered a large darkcavern.
Two wasps rushed onto her andtried stinging, but Ripley wore
(13:08):
specially made lightweight chainarmor that repelled the
stingers.
Their failure to sting confusedthe wasps, which gave Ripley
time to draw her daggers andstab them.
Then she heard a sizzle.
She looked at the dagger bladesas they melted away from the
wasp's acid blood, she threw thedagger handles down.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Are you fucking kidding me?
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Then something touched her wing.
She pulled her katana androunded to attack when she saw a
young caterpillar gentlytugging at her.
Ripley asked the youngcaterpillar.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Who are you?
My name is Newt.
I came in here with my friendson a dare to see who was brave
enough to go furthest, but Ithink the monsters got them.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Newt pointed back towards the entrance and her
eyes welled.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
I just wanted them to think I was brave but I'm
scared.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Ripley remembered the caterpillars with the sacks
about to hatch.
They also looked young.
Hatch they also looked young.
It's okay, Newt, my name isRipley.
I get scared too.
No-transcript.
(14:34):
Ripley gently put a wing aroundNewt.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
Listen, that was very smart of you to hide.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Now I have something to do before we go and I want
you to stay hidden.
Newt desperately grabbed atRipley.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Please don't leave me .
The monsters will get me.
It's okay, I'll only be gone alittle while.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
But it is more dangerous for you to go with me.
Stay hidden and quiet, I'll beback for you.
Ripley saw the terror in Newt'slittle caterpillar eyes and
said, I promise.
Before Newt could protest,ripley flew into the dark recess
of the cavern while diggingthrough her assault pack.
The seconds ticked into minutes.
(15:19):
Then the loud buzzing returned.
Newt hurried back to her hidingspot behind a mound of dirt,
but no sooner had she croucheddown than the dirt blew away.
The Wasp Queen floated over Newt.
It was yellow and black andtowered over her, standing at
(15:41):
least three inches tall.
Newt screamed and just dodgedthe queen's stinger.
She held up a small flat rockas a shield, but it was knocked
out of her hands.
With the next stinger attack,newt backed away.
Stinger attack Newt backed awaybut found herself cornered with
(16:04):
nowhere to run.
The wasp queen hissed and wasabout to plunge her stinger into
Newt.
Then high-pitched squealsechoed in the cavern.
At the other end, just in view,ripley hovered over a mound of
recently hatched wasps withtheir wings cut off.
She glared at the wasp queenand said get away from her you
(16:28):
bitch.
The wasp queen howled in rageand charged for Ripley, but
Ripley aptly dodged.
Her katana slid through thewasp's waist and the beast
careened into the darkness intwo pieces.
Surprised Ripley flew to Newtwho smiled and said Well, that
(16:52):
was easy.
No sooner had she said easythan a cacophony of wet popping
sounds came from the caveentrance, followed by a hateful
buzz.
A horde of newly hatched waspsjust heard Ripley kill their
queen.
Ripley quickly took off herarmor and wrapped it around.
(17:14):
Newt picked her up and huggedher close.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
I want you to close your eyes when I say drop it,
drop this.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
And shoved the assault pack into Newt's hands.
Ripley flew as fast as ever andthey careened through the
escape tunnel, now swarming withangry wasps.
Ripley knocked as many aside asshe could with her wings and
dodged a few.
The wasps stung at Newt, butthe chain armor held Newt kept
(17:44):
her eyes shut.
Mostly.
She snuck one peek just in timeto see one of her friends, or
at least the corpse of herfriend.
Newt recoiled in horror andkept her eyes closed.
Newt recoiled in horror andkept her eyes closed.
Ripley flew faster and fasterand the light was coming up
(18:05):
close when stingers caught herwings and yanked her backwards.
Newt tumbled out of Ripley'sarms and dropped the bag.
Newt tried to retrieve the bag,but Ripley yelled.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
No, leave the bag Run .
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Newt froze confused.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
I'm not leaving you.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Wasps now coded Ripley, as she yelled.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
We have to seal the entrance.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Newt screamed back.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
I'm not leaving you.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
It all happened in a moment.
Ripley looked kindly at Newtand smiled.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Newt, saving you is the best thing I've ever done.
Please don't die now.
Find my cocoon.
It's yours.
Now You'll know what to do.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Ripley held up the explosives detonator.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
For me, this was always a one-way trip.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Swarming wasps dragged Ripley back into the
cave, into the darkness, intothe buzzing.
Newt ran as hard as she couldtowards the entrance.
She'd just made it outside whenthe ground shuddered and the
explosion burst out of the cave,causing the entrance to
collapse.
(19:22):
Newt sat there for a long timewaiting for Ripley but knowing
she was gone, Exhausted, shefell asleep.
The next day Newt woke up veryhungry and ate through one apple
, but she was still hungry.
(19:44):
The second day, Newt atethrough two pears, but she was
still hungry.
The third day, Newt ate throughthree plums, but she was still
hungry, but she was still hungry.
The fourth day, Newt atethrough four strawberries, but
(20:05):
she was still hungry.
The fifth day, she looked forfood and found herself at the
mouth of a dark cave.
Inside the cave came a loudbuzzing sound.
Newt didn't go in but noted thecave's location and left.
She found five oranges to eat.
(20:29):
Then, with her belly full, wentback to Ripley's cocoon and
studied the corkboard andsharpened an acid-resistant
katana.
And sharpened an acid-resistantkatana Soon, like Ripley, she
would seal the cocoon andtransform into a butterfly.
And as with Ripley, Newt wasstill hungry for vengeance.
(21:18):
This week's discount idea myfavorite memories of Granny was
our time spent out by theclothesline.
We talked and talked while Ihelped her hang sheets of
freshly made counterfeit bills.
Hey, listeners, I have somegood news we got our first fan
(21:45):
mail.
So on the episode show notes,if you click on a little link,
it lets you send me a message,and so we got one from Michigan.
Thank you so much.
I'm just going to read this realquick.
It says I loved ad space.
So much subtle humor, Very good.
You made my day.
(22:06):
When I saw that I was actuallyfeeling a little bummed about ad
space, I felt like, well, maybethat wasn't my best.
So I am so glad that youappreciated it and that it made
you laugh and that you wroteinto me.
So thank you again.
If anyone wants, you cancontact me again by clicking
(22:28):
that link.
Also, my contact information isin the show notes as well.
If you like the discount ideas,I am on Blue Sky and Mastodon
under Discount Storytime and Iupload a discount idea pretty
much every day.
So if you happen to be on those, feel free to look me up.
(22:49):
And until next week, be sure toplay nice with others, be super
duper, kind to yourself and, asalways, remember to laugh.
Bye.
Hello, this is Coffee McCann and welcome to episode
48 of Discount Storytime.
Today's story is the VengeanceHungry Caterpillar, and our
sponsor is Grandpa Old Timey'sCornmeal flavored product Enjoy.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
This is Grandpa Old-Timey, I'm proud to announce
we've partnered with the ToothFairy.
That's right, the Tooth Fairyto bring you old Grandpa
Old-Timey's cornmeal flavoredproduct.
Choose between pearly, white oryellow.
It's easy to use in yourfavorite recipes and I promise
you your next batch of cornmuffins will be crunchy as a
(00:51):
rock and it's good for yourfamily, seeing how it's all
natural, stone milled and agreat source of calcium.
Switch to Grandpa Old-Timey'sCornmeal flavored product for
your next enamel.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Grandpa Old-Timey's Cornmeal flavored product is a
proud sponsor of DiscountStorytime, the Vengeance-Hungry
Caterpillar.
(01:29):
In the darkest of night, themoon shone on two little eggs on
a leaf.
Two tiny and hungrycaterpillars named Ripley and
Kane popped out of the eggs andlooked for food.
On the first day they atethrough one apple, but they were
still hungry.
On the second day, they atethrough two pears, but they were
(01:54):
still hungry.
On the third day, they atethrough three plums, but they
were still hungry.
Plums, but they were stillhungry.
On the fourth day, they atethrough four strawberries, but
(02:18):
they were still hungry.
On the fifth day, they atethrough five oranges, but they
were still hungry.
They kept looking for food andfound a dark cave.
Cain wanted to go inside thecave and look for more food, but
it was so dark and cold.
The cave scared Ripley and shesaid no.
Cain laughed and said there'snothing to be afraid of, but
(02:42):
Ripley still didn't want to gointo the cave.
So Cain went into the dark cave.
Not long after Ripley heard ahorrible buzzing sound, cain
screamed and ran out of the cave.
Well, ran as fast as a littlecaterpillar can run.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Run away, run away.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Cain yelled as he and Ripley ran to safety.
Once they were safe from thecave, ripley asked what happened
in?
There, Cain said I don't know.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
It was dark and hard to see, but then something very
big flew above me and I felt aburning sting.
I'm okay now just very hungry.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Reassured Ripley said oh, cain, you're always hungry.
You are a very hungry— Stop.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Let's not get sued.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
We're already pushing our luck said Cain, and he and
Ripley went to sleep as it wasgetting late.
And he and Ripley went to sleepas it was getting late.
On the sixth day, the hungrycaterpillars awoke.
Ripley's eyes widened when shesaw her friend Kane, with little
white sacks peppered all overhis body.
What the hell are those, sheasked.
(03:59):
Kane looked at his reflectionin a puddle and shrugged.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
I don't know Probably nothing.
I guess let's go find some food.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
I'm hungry.
So the two little caterpillarslooked for food and hit the
jackpot.
They found a chocolate cake,ice cream, a pickle, a salami, a
lollipop, a cherry pie, asausage, a cupcake and a
watermelon.
They ate through all of it.
(04:32):
Afterwards, ripley turned toCain and was about to say she
wasn't hungry anymore, but Caindid not look well.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
I feel sick, Ripley.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
She nodded and burped .
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Well, we did pound down the stuff.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Then Cain started coughing and wheezing.
His coughs became more and moreviolent and he flipped over
onto his caterpillar back.
Ripley rushed to his side andtried to hold his legs, but they
were all squirming as Kane'slittle caterpillar face turned
red like an apple, then purplelike a plum.
(05:10):
Kane, kane what's happening?
Kane gave Ripley a terrifiedlook and his eyes bulged.
With great effort he gurgledout the word run.
Then he went still for a moment.
But then his body startedquivering again.
His little caterpillar cheststarted bubbling, as if large
(05:35):
marbles were rolling aroundunder his skin.
Kane's arms twitched as bloodspurt out of his chest.
Red blood sprayed everywhere,red like jam From inside his
body.
A buzzing sound grew louder andlouder and Kane's skin
stretched as the marbles startedpushing outward.
(05:58):
Blood and tissue exploded aswasp after wasp after wasp flew
out of Kane's body and zoomedtowards.
Ripley Panicked.
She ran as far and as fast asher little caterpillar legs
would carry her.
Ripley only looked back whenshe was finally far away and
(06:19):
safe.
Safe.
Cain was dead and Ripley hadbeen helpless and scared.
A mistake she would not repeat.
Ripley was hungry, but not forpears or strawberries or cake.
(06:56):
Ripley was hungry for vengeance.
Two weeks later Ripley woke upinside the cocoon fortress she
had built.
Ripley had her routine, herritual, her way to stay, focused
on avenging the death of herfriend.
She started in the cocoon'sweight room, then, once warmed
up, she practiced in thecocoon's dojo.
Finally, after a shower, shesat and drank coffee in the
(07:18):
cocoon's intelligence officewhile a computer bank beeped in
word.
One wall of the intelligenceoffice had a large cork board
with a picture of Kane with ared X over it.
All over the cork board wereblack and white pictures and
notes, all connected with redstring.
The notes were mostly questionslike can sting Flying Parasite.
(07:45):
Ripley's eyes darkened as shestared at where all the red
strings led to a grainy blackand white picture of a parasitic
wasp, a large wasp, the QueenWasp.
Ripley flinched when her cellphone rang.
It was Burke, an arms dealerthat knew how to keep his mouth
(08:09):
shut.
His grizzled voice was tinny.
Through the phone.
I got them.
Are you sure you want to dothis?
I'm paying, you aren't?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
I I'll come and pick them up.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
I'll come and pick them up, ripley, it won't bring
back Cain, nothing will.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
I know that, but it's not just about Cain.
What if?
Speaker 1 (08:32):
What if I told you and I ain't saying I said
nothing to nobody, but let'sjust say there's a company, the
company, and they would be veryinterested in you bringing one
back for them to study,no-transcript, they could make
(08:57):
useful and lucrative weapons,could make us make you rich.
Besides, say you manage to killthem off, then what Life is for
the living.
Ripley Ripley snarled at beinglectured to.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
And money is all you seem to care about.
Burke, Don't talk to anyoneelse, goddammit.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Have my order ready.
I'm on my way.
She hung up her phone.
Burke was always a shrewdbusinessman and of course he
would look for better weapons,being an arms dealer and what
such, but he did not know thepower of those parasites.
Burke had changed but in allfairness, ripley had changed as
(09:43):
well.
Not just the physical changesfrom weightlifting and becoming
a butterfly.
Oh oh yeah, ripley is abutterfly now with brightly
colored wings.
I just thought I should clarifythat real quick in case you
weren't sure.
She's a butterfly.
But her changes were more thanphysical and she's a butterfly.
(10:04):
Ripley wasn't the scared littlecaterpillar standing outside the
dark cave Tonight.
She would go into the cave notas a caterpillar or as a
butterfly, but as a hunter.
Ripley grinned darkly andwalked into the cocoon's armory.
After stopping by Burke's shopand getting the packages now
(10:34):
safely tucked into her assaultpack, ripley flew to the dark
cave.
The trip took a while becauseof the weight of her gear.
At the entrance of the cave,ripley took one look back, maybe
her last look back to the worldshe had once known.
She stepped into the cave,engulfed by shadow.
(10:57):
The cave was dark and cold,silent except for dripping water
.
But she heard the buzzing, thatdemonic buzzing sound.
No, that's not right.
She didn't hear the buzzing.
She felt it felt invisibletendrils of the sick monster
(11:18):
pulling at her soul, pulling heronward.
She continued deeper into thecave.
Her eyes quickly adjusted tothe dim lighting but still
nearly fell over something largeand squishy.
It was a caterpillar, but itdidn't move.
It was dead and, just like Cain, had its body ruptured with the
(11:42):
exit of parasitic wasps.
The gruesome sight made hervomit and she chided herself.
Ripley knew she would have tobe tougher than that to win this
battle.
The buzzing called to her again, but now mixed with another
sound, more urgent, more fearful.
(12:02):
Someone was whimpering.
Ripley continued further intothe cave and found more
caterpillar bodies stippled withlittle white sacks.
But these caterpillars wriggled, just like Cain had wriggled,
just like Cain had, Under theirskin.
Ripley saw the macabre horrorof gestating wasps.
(12:24):
They were going to hatch, theywere all going to hatch and soon
.
Ripley froze, but just for amoment the terrified whimper
(12:46):
turned into a soft call Please,somebody help me.
It was a young caterpillar'svoice.
With renewed determination sheflew into the heart of the cave.
They attacked her withlightning speed.
As Ripley entered a large darkcavern.
Two wasps rushed onto her andtried stinging, but Ripley wore
(13:08):
specially made lightweight chainarmor that repelled the
stingers.
Their failure to sting confusedthe wasps, which gave Ripley
time to draw her daggers andstab them.
Then she heard a sizzle.
She looked at the dagger bladesas they melted away from the
wasp's acid blood, she threw thedagger handles down.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Are you fucking kidding me?
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Then something touched her wing.
She pulled her katana androunded to attack when she saw a
young caterpillar gentlytugging at her.
Ripley asked the youngcaterpillar.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Who are you?
My name is Newt.
I came in here with my friendson a dare to see who was brave
enough to go furthest, but Ithink the monsters got them.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Newt pointed back towards the entrance and her
eyes welled.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
I just wanted them to think I was brave but I'm
scared.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Ripley remembered the caterpillars with the sacks
about to hatch.
They also looked young.
Hatch they also looked young.
It's okay, Newt, my name isRipley.
I get scared too.
No-transcript.
(14:34):
Ripley gently put a wing aroundNewt.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
Listen, that was very smart of you to hide.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Now I have something to do before we go and I want
you to stay hidden.
Newt desperately grabbed atRipley.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Please don't leave me .
The monsters will get me.
It's okay, I'll only be gone alittle while.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
But it is more dangerous for you to go with me.
Stay hidden and quiet, I'll beback for you.
Ripley saw the terror in Newt'slittle caterpillar eyes and
said, I promise.
Before Newt could protest,ripley flew into the dark recess
of the cavern while diggingthrough her assault pack.
The seconds ticked into minutes.
(15:19):
Then the loud buzzing returned.
Newt hurried back to her hidingspot behind a mound of dirt,
but no sooner had she croucheddown than the dirt blew away.
The Wasp Queen floated over Newt.
It was yellow and black andtowered over her, standing at
(15:41):
least three inches tall.
Newt screamed and just dodgedthe queen's stinger.
She held up a small flat rockas a shield, but it was knocked
out of her hands.
With the next stinger attack,newt backed away.
Stinger attack Newt backed awaybut found herself cornered with
(16:04):
nowhere to run.
The wasp queen hissed and wasabout to plunge her stinger into
Newt.
Then high-pitched squealsechoed in the cavern.
At the other end, just in view,ripley hovered over a mound of
recently hatched wasps withtheir wings cut off.
She glared at the wasp queenand said get away from her you
(16:28):
bitch.
The wasp queen howled in rageand charged for Ripley, but
Ripley aptly dodged.
Her katana slid through thewasp's waist and the beast
careened into the darkness intwo pieces.
Surprised Ripley flew to Newtwho smiled and said Well, that
(16:52):
was easy.
No sooner had she said easythan a cacophony of wet popping
sounds came from the caveentrance, followed by a hateful
buzz.
A horde of newly hatched waspsjust heard Ripley kill their
queen.
Ripley quickly took off herarmor and wrapped it around.
(17:14):
Newt picked her up and huggedher close.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
I want you to close your eyes when I say drop it,
drop this.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
And shoved the assault pack into Newt's hands.
Ripley flew as fast as ever andthey careened through the
escape tunnel, now swarming withangry wasps.
Ripley knocked as many aside asshe could with her wings and
dodged a few.
The wasps stung at Newt, butthe chain armor held Newt kept
(17:44):
her eyes shut.
Mostly.
She snuck one peek just in timeto see one of her friends, or
at least the corpse of herfriend.
Newt recoiled in horror andkept her eyes closed.
Newt recoiled in horror andkept her eyes closed.
Ripley flew faster and fasterand the light was coming up
(18:05):
close when stingers caught herwings and yanked her backwards.
Newt tumbled out of Ripley'sarms and dropped the bag.
Newt tried to retrieve the bag,but Ripley yelled.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
No, leave the bag Run .
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Newt froze confused.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
I'm not leaving you.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Wasps now coded Ripley, as she yelled.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
We have to seal the entrance.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Newt screamed back.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
I'm not leaving you.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
It all happened in a moment.
Ripley looked kindly at Newtand smiled.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Newt, saving you is the best thing I've ever done.
Please don't die now.
Find my cocoon.
It's yours.
Now You'll know what to do.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Ripley held up the explosives detonator.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
For me, this was always a one-way trip.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Swarming wasps dragged Ripley back into the
cave, into the darkness, intothe buzzing.
Newt ran as hard as she couldtowards the entrance.
She'd just made it outside whenthe ground shuddered and the
explosion burst out of the cave,causing the entrance to
collapse.
(19:22):
Newt sat there for a long timewaiting for Ripley but knowing
she was gone, Exhausted, shefell asleep.
The next day Newt woke up veryhungry and ate through one apple
, but she was still hungry.
(19:44):
The second day, Newt atethrough two pears, but she was
still hungry.
The third day, Newt ate throughthree plums, but she was still
hungry, but she was still hungry.
The fourth day, Newt atethrough four strawberries, but
(20:05):
she was still hungry.
The fifth day, she looked forfood and found herself at the
mouth of a dark cave.
Inside the cave came a loudbuzzing sound.
Newt didn't go in but noted thecave's location and left.
She found five oranges to eat.
(20:29):
Then, with her belly full, wentback to Ripley's cocoon and
studied the corkboard andsharpened an acid-resistant
katana.
And sharpened an acid-resistantkatana Soon, like Ripley, she
would seal the cocoon andtransform into a butterfly.
And as with Ripley, Newt wasstill hungry for vengeance.
(21:18):
This week's discount idea myfavorite memories of Granny was
our time spent out by theclothesline.
We talked and talked while Ihelped her hang sheets of
freshly made counterfeit bills.
Hey, listeners, I have somegood news we got our first fan
(21:45):
mail.
So on the episode show notes,if you click on a little link,
it lets you send me a message,and so we got one from Michigan.
Thank you so much.
I'm just going to read this realquick.
It says I loved ad space.
So much subtle humor, Very good.
You made my day.
(22:06):
When I saw that I was actuallyfeeling a little bummed about ad
space, I felt like, well, maybethat wasn't my best.
So I am so glad that youappreciated it and that it made
you laugh and that you wroteinto me.
So thank you again.
If anyone wants, you cancontact me again by clicking
(22:28):
that link.
Also, my contact information isin the show notes as well.
If you like the discount ideas,I am on Blue Sky and Mastodon
under Discount Storytime and Iupload a discount idea pretty
much every day.
So if you happen to be on those, feel free to look me up.
(22:49):
And until next week, be sure toplay nice with others, be super
duper, kind to yourself and, asalways, remember to laugh.
Bye.
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