beetles

For some reason, I put three beetles in my mouth. Immediately I spat them out, realising that they were alive. The beetles landed on the ground at my feet. One beetle, the largest, stretched its wings and its legs, testing its body to check that it was in one piece. Satisfied that it was alright, it approached the second beetle which was also in the process of stretching; they both appeared to be okay. The third beetle had somehow turned inside out. The fleshy, juicy brown interior of its body was showing, like a skinned grape. The biggest beetle walked over to it and tapped it lightly, encouraging it to recover. With sudden effort, the last beetle flipped itself back so that its insides were inside and its wings and legs and shell were back where they should be. Unfortunately, in the process, the beetle's shell, its protective armour, had cracked and some pieces of it were missing. The other two beetles, however, patted the third beetle on the back and they continued on their way.