I begin to feed. The flavor is delicious. I taste of dreams not yet dreampt, of goals not yet achieved, of wishes not yet granted. I eat myself, piece by piece until there is nothing left. This act of autocannibalism should leave me ashamed, but I am sated, if only for a while. The hunger will return.
I return outside and observe the path of destruction I swathed. The world, once colorful and brilliant, was now dull and gray like ash. People move about with little to no purpose. Perhaps they never did.
Among the ashen landscape, I spot an ember of color. My next meal. I make my way over to it. I am not alone. Thousands of others, just like me, are there to feed too. I investigate the blot of color that remains on this dead planet. It was a

young girl, precious and innocent. She had to be mine. I began to devour the others as a warning. Those who stood between me and my prey would meet the same fate. Some resisted, but crumbled in my jaws.
Finally I reach her. I take her in my hands. Her taste is sweet, like nothing I've ever had before. But then I felt the burn. I dropped her like she was on fire, and did my best to spit out her essence, but it was too late. I could feel my insides writhe as poison sets into me.
What is she? I wonder. Who is she, in this shortstory that is life?