Successor

A little story about the unusual reproductive method of an alien species.

I am coming to the end of this life of mine. I left my seed some time ago, and by now the thing that it has become is hunting me. I have been clever in hiding so far, but I know it is just a matter of time before I am discovered.

I think I do not mind death so much. I have grown old and feeble and it has become more and more difficult to sustain myself. This is the natural way of life and I cannot complain. I have led a full life for a very long time and soon I will join my esteemed ancestors. At least this is my belief. No one knows what death is, of course, but to merge with my ancestors is my hope. After all, we are all of one lineage from adult to child to adult down through the innumerable eons. We are all of one mind, compiled and united in an ever repeating progression.

My predecessors recede into the millennia, generation before generation into the far distant unknown past. They all have dropped their seed as I have done and have been devoured by the resultant mindless beast, their progeny and my beloved child, its one desire to engulf my body and mind to become itself, a new individual of my proud and ancient species.  

I sometimes wonder if, as I am absorbed, will I somehow remain conscious of myself within my offspring? I look deep into my own mind to discover my ancestors lurking there, but all I find is silence. Perhaps they live in my subconscious, a part of my mind I cannot reach. I dream my ancestors are within me, conversing and mingling, hidden somewhere within the complexities of my subconscious. If this be true I will join them for eternity in happy reunion.  

As I sit here in my hiding place, I hear my child approaching. I fear, but am too weak to attempt escape. As it overcomes and consumes me what will I feel? I stare in its direction, anticipating. Now it appears before me, its instinct to consume is ferocious and irresistible. It leaps and I am caught. I surrender to its insatiable desire as it begins to absorb my body and my mind. I feel no pain, only a slow fading of my consciousness.

Now something unexpected is happening. Somehow my old age is receding, I am becoming younger. I am now regressing into my wild youth, now into my carefree childhood, now I am a helpless infant.

Now I feel my consciousness collapsing into itself, yet expanding somehow as I dissolve into the longed-for womb of my venerated ancestors.

Reviews

[James Walpole]

Agree with Marie alot of philosophical ideas contained in it, sort of like wonderment of the creature at its own complexity as it approaches death, felt quite calm like it just accepted its fate as it was passing, great imagery like it is encapsulated in its philosophical design quite vividly.

[Marie]

THis is a very interesting concept. A lot of philosophy is contained here--there is no species who knows what death really is.

[Starmountainkid]

Thanks for your review! I wonder if a story could be written where some species does know what death really is?

[Starmountainkid]

Thank you, James, for your review.