Journey through the Backyard-Another Story by Mee!!

Journey through the Backyard

"Stop moaning mom, I'll be fine!'' soothed Cory. "Your fathers gone and so has Cody, now you? Don't you remember what happened to them after they left? '' Croaked his teary-eyed mother. "It'll be okay mom, I'm old enough!'' he emphasized. While this whole conversation was happening around the Cater's dinner table, a gorgeous caterpillar called Carolina was daydreaming, thinking about when she would get married like her older sister. Little did she know, her future husband was going to meet her soon.
The following week after the Cater’s conversation was very busy because of all the planning, preparation and packing. 2 month previously, Cory’s father had gone out for a food scavenging expedition which had ended in tragedy. A fellow caterpillar from the far end of their Kenyan backyard, had visited, solemnly reporting that their father Colby, had been squashed under someone foot. With no one left to supply them food, their mother was reluctantly forced to send her eldest son, Cody, to supply them with food. Poor 36 year old Cody was killed on his second trip, eaten by an eagle. Now only Cory and his mother were left. Cory knew that if he didn't take charge, they would starve but his mother was just as firmly against it as Cory was with it. After all, who expects a 21 year old caterpillar to go across a whole garden, get supplies and come back in one piece? No one. "Oh please, let me go! I can do it! C’mon maa!’’ Cory had begged and implored. Finally out of sheer desperation and starvation his mother agreed, knowing that if Colby had been here he would have never allowed it.
At last, Cory was all set and ready to go but first cam the awful goodbyes. It broke Cory’s heart to so his mother break down completely since Colby’s death. He touched her head awkwardly, kissed her rough cheek and slowly crawled away. The backyard in question was a square 20 by 20 feet, big for a human and enormous for caterpillar. The Cater's lived at the base of a huge apple tree which was somewhere around the middle of their garden. The Bush where all the other insects got their food from was 3 days away from Cory's house. After a bit of travelling, Cory retired to sleep for the night. He set up camp, ate dinner mainly containing fallen evergreen leaves and left over water droplets from the gardeners' can. He then found a protective, suitable mushroom and lay down under it.
High pitched squealing and moving around woke Cory the next morning. He sat up groggily and dazed. Looking around he saw half of the body of a female caterpillar, crawling out from under the mushroom he saw that the body had a gorgeous head attached to it. ''Good Morning! Who might you be?'' the pretty head inquired. ''Oh, umm me?'' Cory looked around wildly for someone else but then replied '' I'm uhh, Cory Cater on my way to the Bush''. She seemed pleased. ''Good, I was heading there too! Oh! Excuse me, I'm very rude ain't I? I haven't even introduced myself! I'm Carolina Lar!'' the head said excitedly, all in a rush. Cory smiled thankfully then announced, ''We'll go together then? I'd be glad if you did''. Carolina agreed.
After 20 minutes they were of. They talked a lot throughout the whole journey, about each other's life, background and plans for the future. When Carolina informed him that she was single and her father said she could only marry a butterfly. Upon hearing this Cory grew hopeful of their marriage because during their journey together he had fallen deeply in love with her. Secretly our 19 year old heroin was also falling for our young hero. The two with their un-confessed love , reached the Bush by the twilight hour of the second day. As usual, the place was teeming with insect life, everyone trying to book the first flight to the Bush. Since all the sparrows, butterfly's and dragonfly's had been fully booked, they had to go by grasshopper. Insects generally tried to avoid grasshopper ferries because they were so jumpy and bumpy. When they'd been taken to the top and given their empty food baskets, the scavenging began. There were berries, leaves, dead grubs and fly eggs, so much variety. For the insects it was like a giant supermarket but only without the aisles and their form of payment was a layer of their old dead skin. Cory and Carolina's basket was full so they proceeded down but by the smooth flight if sparrow this time. All this excitement of his first scavenging trip made Cory curl up on the bark of a tree, snuggle in and start forming his cocoon. Carolina watched ,surprised. ''I won't be long, just a few days! good bye!'' Cory told her.
''Had a nice slee... Wow! Your wings are amazing!'' Carolina exclaimed in wonderment and awe. Cory had just woken from his transformation sleep. His wings were a beautiful deep blue with a black glossy finish, which matched his body. ''Cool aren't they? I feel so much older and mature!''Cory described. ''You look it too! Now hurry up, your mothers waiting for supplies''.


The journey back was uneventful but none the less fun because they flew on Cory's back. They met Carolina's father on the way back and he like Cory, so they got permission to get married. Upon reaching home Cory handed over the food and told his mother they were planning to get married.
Seven years have gone by, Cory and Carolina now have a son named Colby. They're life is great and Cory's mother lives with them. Six year old Colby loves listening to his fathers stories, especially the one about his journey through the backyard.


Simran Ali Malik-Aged 12