The first thing it remembers is the crash. There was a long sleep, with vague sensations of cold beyond freezing and a long journey at unfathomable speeds.
It instinctively digs for the center of the planet, finding a cozy spot at the core where it can take its time and grow fat, like a worm in an apple.
Once it has eaten the last of this world’s life force, it will climb back to the surface.
Then it will spawn, and the collapse of the planet’s core will cause an explosion strong enough to send its children to new stars.

“NYC06f09 198” by Me in ME is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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Everyday Drabbles © 2025 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0