wHy doEs tHere have to be s0 many…
Carole! did yOu make it in okaY?
boY, he’s movinG. musT be pRetTy sHaken up…
LEo!!
Why’d yOu have to cHoOse a pRicKle busH!?
…it definitely isN’t.
we had to hide somewHere, didN’t we?!
This is tHe worSt!!
leO! tHe baby! Grab his leg or sometHinG! YeAh, yEah.
|’m seriOus! The farTher he goEs, tHe more we’lL have to-
|’m tRyInG, alRigHt? it’s jusT reAlLy denSe…
…anD he’s reAlLy quIcK.
DId yOu get him?
uh… | tHinK we migHt’ve reAcHed tHe enD of tHe busH…
welL wHere is he tHen??
carole… tHe foresT…
…| dunNo… | don’t seE him anymore.
…it loOkS difFerenT tHan before…
tHe cRowS got him, didN’t tHeY?
don’t saY tHat!! he’s pRobabLy jusT cRawLinG aroUnD somewHere!
besides, don’t yOu tHinK we woUlDa heArD tHem?
eItHer waY, we gotTa go finD him now.
JusT sTaY here wHile | finD him. tHat’lL be quIcKer anywaY.
go in tHere? are we even alLowed? it loOkS like it’s someOne’s pRoperTy.
yOu wanNa get oUr bRotHer or not?
yOu’re not beInG faIr, |-
of coUrSe! | jusT-
forGet it.
WaIt Carole! The bab…Huh?
|’m goInG in. sTaY put.
tHat felT weIrD… my legS wenT numB for a seconD…
What were yOu saYinG? SometHinG aboUt tHe baby?
…C’mon, cut tHat oUt. leO…?
What’s igNorinG me goInG to do? yOu’re beInG so imMature-
But his hanD…
…tHen Why is tHe resT of him fRozen?
How are yOu doInG tHat?
sTop… it’s not funNy anymore!
wHat’s witH tHem? so loUd-
LIStEN, |’M GONnA PULl YoU IN, OKAy?
MosQuItoEs?
yOu’re not supPosed to be here, litTle bLeEdinG tHinG.
how’d yOu misTake a hedGe for a doOr?
Ew! Why is it so big??
It’s not tHat |’m parTicularLy big or anytHinG; yOu’re jusT sMalL.
That’s not tHe poInT.
WaIt, IS ThAT yOu TALkINg? How are yOu doInG tHat!?
YoU reAlLy oUgHta leAve
ThIS IS No pLace for someOne like YoU.
| meAn, jusT loOk at tHOSE hanDs!
alL tHose sCrapes… sucH a sHame…
ThAT’S WhAT YoU GET FOR CrAWlINg AROuNd AT YoUr AGE, | SUPpOSE.
perHapS | coUlD polisH ofF wHat’s alReAdy sPilT? before it coAgulates…
What?! No waY!!
But yOu’re not doInG anytHinG witH it…
AM NOT! NO!
UnBeliEvabLe. bLOod sHe’s not even usinG anD sHe sTilL won't sHare a dRop…
… Where are yOu goInG?
| don’t have to anSwer anytHinG. yOur quEsTiOnS are poInTlesS, anywaYs. wHa-
| don’t care aboUt tHem, yOu don’t care aboUt tHem… asK betTer oneS, AT LEaSt!
StinGy.
a perFecT wasTe, reAlLy
HEy! | asKed WhERE YoU’RE GOiNg!
…A betTer quEsTiOn?
Are yOu… goOd?
YoU won’t hurT me, rigHt?
ThatS a reAlLy sTupid quEsTiOn.
AlRigHt tHen… wHere am |? no.
how come LeO’s sTucK like tHat?
So |’lL be on my waY if yOu don’t minD.
haAa, More of tHe same…
LisTen, | can telL we’re not gonNa get anywHere anD | don’t have tHe patiEnCe for tHis rigHt now…
yOu’re sTupid.
…..tHat’s not even… waIt!
| have one lasT quEsTiOn It betTer be goOd.
|’m jusT saYinG, yOu don’t kNow tHe anSwerS to anytHinG so…
| tolD yOu! It’s not tHat | don’t have tHe anSwerS: yOur quEsTiOnS don’t matTer.
Why are yOu tHe one wHo decides wHat matTerS anD wHat doEsN’t?
That’s not tHe poInT at alL.
LoOk, | can’t take tHis anymore. | gotTa go.
waIt a seconD! Have…
Have yOu seEn a baby aroUnD here?
PleAse.
This one reAlLy matTerS.
It’s beEn forever sinCe | lasT saw a human. …A human baby?
GoOdNesS, sHe sure can be rude sometimes! YoU’lL have to forGive her!
sHe meAnS welL, tHe hunGer jusT getS to her, sometimes.
goOdNesS me!
What’s wRonG?
Why do yOu alL have to be so big?
WelL, | guEsS it’s becaUse we’ve beEn alive for a lonG time anD keEp gRowinG.
YoU… YoU’lL anSwer my quEsTiOnS? Sure. ReAlLy?
Why woUlDn’t |?
YoU guYs don’t eAt peOpLe, do yOu?
To be honesT, |’ve never met a perSon, so | don’t kNow
How come yOu anD tHe mosQuIto can talK?
we’ve alWaYs beEn abLe to.
…So… That meAnS…
But how?
It’s beEn a wHile, but | imagine my motHer taUgHt me?
So doEs tHat meAn yOu have vocal corDs anD a tonGuE anD alL tHat?
| won’t eAt yOu. ThanK yOu.
…|’m not reAlLy sure.
|’lL bet yOu do. It’s tHe onLy waY to talK.
AlSo, aren’t yOu a bit toO big? JusT how lonG have yOu beEn here?
| don’t kNow, for as lonG as | can rememBer, | guEsS.
AnD tHat’s how many yEarS?
A wHole lot.
Do yOu tHinK yOu coUlD helP me loOk for my baby bRotHer? He wanDered in here a few minutes ago.
That’s not… Oh, forGet it.
Any more quEsTiOnS?
Sure! What sTage is he in?
Stage?
YeAh, yOu kNow: larVa, nymPh, adulT…
UmM, |’m not sure aboUt tHat, but he’s aboUt tHis big:
| seE. So larVal, tHen.
No: he’s jusT a baby. He loOkS like a reAlLy sMalL perSon.
A sMalL human. Got it. LetS sTarT loOkinG!
YoU’re sure yOu’lL be abLe to finD tHe waY bacK, rigHt? We won’t get losT or anytHinG? of coUrSe! …
What is it?
WelL, | was jusT wonDerinG if | coUlD…
|’m not toO heAvy, rigHt?
not at alL…
This pLace sure is sometHinG!
IsN’t it?
Why are tHe tReEs so perFecT? TheY gRow so sTraIgHt, it’s weIrD!
tHanKs!
huh… tHat’s pRobabLy becaUse-
GosH, tHe winD sure is picKinG up alL of tHe sudDen!
…Oh no…
Get dowN.
It’s fine we’lL be fine. jusT hop on dowN anD we’lL be jusT fine…
wHy?
wHat’s goInG on?
We neEd to get yOu of sigHt for a wHile.
JusT to be safe. Safe fRom wHat? is sometHinG wRonG?
tHere’s no time! get inSide, quIcK!
YoU’re sure tHere’s sPace for me? | won’t be sQuIsHed?
YoU’lL be fine! HurRy!
KeEp quIet for me.
wHat is sHe saYinG?
tHose noIses… | can’t quIte make tHem oUt,
so mucH ligHt…
but tHeY’re familiAr, somehow.
umM…
how mucH lonGer wilL | have to husH!!
yOu can come on oUt.
alRigHt, we’re here.
tHis sHoUlD be safe enoUgH, for tHe time beInG.
gosH, wHat is tHis pLace?
YoU kNow tHe waY bacK to LeO, rigHt?
wHat was witH tHat ligHt bacK tHere?
cHhRrK kHrRkK cHitHicH? cHhR cHr?
jusT a minute, sWeEtiE.
kKkRkChRr cHrRkcHrR
AlRigHty, |’m goInG to pop oUt anD asK aroUnD TO SEe if anyOne’s seEn yOur bRotHer. in tHe meAnTime, yOu can hide here anD my fRiEnD wilL sTaY witH yOu.
yOu’re leAvinG me here?!
Can’t | sTaY witH yOu? | can go in yOur sHelL. like before!
wHat doEs tHat even meAn? before lonG?
no. we alReAdy had a cLose sHave witH tHe guArD, anD if he finDs yOu, yOu’lL have no cHanCe of finDinG yOur bRotHer. don’t worRy, |’lL be bacK before lonG.
WelCome to botH of yOu!
if yOu sTaY here, yOu’lL be safe. yOu jusT neEd to keEp hidDen a bit lonGer, okaY? be goOd, now.
it meAnS soOn!
but we have to sTicK togetHer or elSe | won’t kNow HOW TO GET BACk TO LeO!
YoU can’t jusT-
Relax! yOu’lL like it here!
it’s nice to meEt yOu! yOu are…?
| can’t beliEve her
…YoU are…?
carole.
…tHat’s nice.
| don’t tHinK |’lL be abLe to pRonoUnCe tHat… |…
tHat’s okaY.
UM… What’s yOurS?
So…yOu’re loOkinG for someOne, huh?
yEah, my baby bRotHer.
how’d yOu guYs winD up here? |’ve never heArD of peOpLe makinG it in.
rigHt! |’m kHhRecHitHic h cVkit
WE WERE HIDINg IN A BUSh ANd MY BrOThER LET HIM CrAWl OFf.
He’s jusT a baby tHoUgH, so he coUlDn’t have wanDered far. we’lL finD him soOn.
wHat is it?
it’s pRobabLy notHinG, anD | donT wanT to fRigHten yOu, but tHe guArD… he’s pRetTy goOd at keEpinG peOpLe oUt of here.
so wHat? |’m tRyInG to get oUt of here toO, yOu kNow.
yEs, but if he was in here before yOu… tHe guArD migHt’ve alReAdy foUnD him.
tHe seconD | get my bRotHer, we’lL get gone.
…wHat hapPenS if tHe guArD getS somebody?
|
donT reAlLy kNow… notHinG toO bad, |’m sure. he’s jusT doInG his job, afTer alL. he’s a goOd felLow.
yOu’re sure-?
wHat is it?
sorRy. It sTarTled me, tHat’s alL.
| didN’t reAlize tHere’d be sMalL ones here, toO.
wHat’s witH tHat? !!
it’s kinD of sTranGe, to seE a norMal-sized one.
wilL he get as big as yOu somedaY?
harD to saY. if he doEsN’t wanDer oUtSide tHe hedGe, tHen pRobabLy.
…a Bug.
welL, of coUrSe. we alL sTarT oUt litTle.
witH wHat?
wHat’s tHe deAl witH tHis pLace?
everyOne’s pRetenDinG like everytHinG’s norMal! it’s not!
| don’t folLow…
welL… bugS don’t sPeAk, for a sTarT.
anD tHeY’re usuAlLy sMalL, toO! wHy not here?
tHe rules here are weIrD. unNatural.
wHat do yOu meAn, “unNatural?”
| rememBer, it was rigHt afTer | was borN. tHe onLy time | ever saw tHem.
anD | rememBer tHeY helPed me oUt of my egG, .
anD tHen tHeY tolD me my name anD to sTaY witH tHe hosT, cLose to itS roOtS, becaUse if | wanDered toO far, | migHt be losT to tHem forever.
tHen tHeY let me falL,
anD |’ve beEn livinG dowN here, feEdinG on tHe roOtS ever sinCe…
tHeY dRopPed yOu fRom alL tHe waY up tHere?? didN’t it hurT??
| guEsS? it’s tHe sorT of tHinG yOu forGet eAsy enoUgH. but tHat’s not tHe poInT:
wHat |’m tRyInG to saY is tHat maYbe tHis pLace isN’t as unNatural as yOu tHinK. maYbe it’s jusT seEmS tHat waY ‘caUse yOu gRew up far fRom tHe tReE.
| dunNo… | like how | was raIsed, betTer.
soOn, |’lL be reAdy to go up anD seE my parenTs agaIn.
it was waY lesS paInFul, anD |’d pRobabLy go cRazy if | had to live in a roOt my wHole life.
| can feEl it: it’s alMosT time.
my sKin is getTinG tigHt aroUnD me. it’s aboUt time to cHanGe, AnD | have a feElinG tHat tHis’lL be tHe lasT time.
are yOu talKinG aboUt metamorPhosis, maYbe?
lasT yEar my cLasS kepT some monarCh butTerfliEs anD watChed tHem cHanGe. but yOu’re not a…
ah! Are yOu a cicada? yOu’re a cicadaE, aren’t yOu?
cHanGe?
yOu kNow, wHen yOur body repLaces itSelF? do yOu not have tHat, wHere yOu’re fRom?
waIt a seconD… That coUlD be it! oUr solutiOn!
…wHat?
|’lL bet yOu’re aboUt to molT! | alWaYs seE tHose sHelLs on tHe tReEs.
wHat if yOu cHanGed witH me? |’ve done it a bunCh of times before, anD it’s tHe eAsiEsT tHinG in tHe worLd! YoU’lL figure it oUt in no time.
a coUpLe of minutes anD yOu’d be a bigGer bug!
uh… humanS don’t cHanGe like tHat. it’s jusT cicadaEs. anD butTerLiEs anD sTufF.
have yOu tRiEd yEt?
no, but-
| supPose, but YoU’lL have to go oUt tHere evenTuAlLy. anD yOu’lL get caUgHt in seconDs if yOu go as yOu are.
even… even if it were posSibLe to become a bug--wHicH it’s not-- | woUlDn’t wanT to! |’m a girL!
no! | wanT to leAve tHis pLace alReAdy!
tHen how do yOu kNow? let’s jusT tRy, anD if yOu manage to do it, yOu’lL be fReE to loOk for yOur bRotHer witHoUt havinG to hide!
wHere are yOu goInG?
yOu’re beInG toO dRasTic! |’m…
| meAn, can’t we jusT waIt for tHe ladybug here?
yOu’re sTilL tHinKinG aboUt wHere yOu came fRom, aren’t yOu? |’m
telLinG yOu: tHe waY tHinGs are here is nice! jusT tRusT me for a seconD, yOu sHoUlD at leAsT tRy…
|’m tHinK |’m gonNa go seE tHe guArD. yOu saId he’s nice, rigHt? welL, if tHere’s a cHanCe he migHt’ve foUnD my bRotHer…
|’m telLinG yOu, it’s a bad ideA to go oUt! if he finDs-
| don’t care. | wanNa go home.
