When I was 8 years old, I suffered a traumatic experience with a butterfly, and it changed my life forever.
Back then, I loved school fieldtrips - so when the teacher announced that my class would be visiting Butterfly World, I was ecstatic; I pictured a day free from school, laughing and running around with my friends in a beautiful indoor rainforest. Little did I know what horrors awaited me.
We arrived at Butterfly World mid-morning. The building was nondescript, but as soon as we stepped through the doors the humid, warm air was a lovely embrace. We were greeted by a worker, who told us the history, mission, and purpose of the organization. We were promised a truly unique ecological experience, where we would enjoy beautiful flowers and plants, water-features, and landscaping, all with the company of a few thousand butterflies. It sounded magical.
Within moments of entering the greenhouse, however, I was accosted. A giant, teal blue monstrosity of a butterfly took one look at me, and decided that my nose was a perfect place to land. If you have ever had a dinner-plate sized insect flapping around on your face, blocking out your vision, while staring you in the eyes and waving a proboscis around, you'll understand what I say next: I. Was. Terrified.
I froze. I experienced every human emotion known, and some new ones that had previously been undiscovered. The worst part though? A nearby worker saw that I was about to gently dislodge the beast and swiftly grabbed my wrist, informing me that we must wait for the butterfly to take it's leave, lest we hurt it. At this point I began to shutdown, my mind unable to comprehend the horrors. I had to endure the indignity. I started to cry.
Silently, tears rolled down my cheeks.
...and the butterfly reached out it's proboscis, and drank one.
At that point, I could take no more, and let out a scream that echoed through the entire enclosure. The butterfly, startled, mercifully left.
Afterward I was escorted out, and left to color while my non-traumatized classmates continued their visit.
I've never forgotten that day, and have lived with a phobia of butterflies ever since. Luckily, my story has a happy ending; Butterfly World burnt down a few months later, taking all of the flappy inhabitants with it. <3
xo
T
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