| Hellgramite | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Vermiform | ||
| Average length | Unknown | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Non-sapient | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Diet | Alcohol | ||
| Locomotion | Crawling | ||
| Reproduction | Eggs | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | The Twilight Zone | ||
| Created by | William Selby | ||
Hellgramites are a parasitic centipede-like species, who are known to consume the compounds in alcohol.
Biology[]
Hellgramites are large vermiform tapeworm-like parasites, with a white exoskeleton. Their head bears two distinct sets of mandibles, and two small, black, beady eyes, with what appear to be long whiskers coming from two of the mandibles and from some other parts of their bodies. The segment of their body closest to their heads has six arachnid legs. It is unknown how large adult Hellgramites can get, but juvenile Hellgramites can reach large sizes and great lengths. Hellgramites are born as eggs, which appear inert if kept in a room-temperature environment, but hatch within less than 24 hours when ingested by a host. When in a host, such as a Human, Hellgramites will fuse themselves to the walls of the host's stomachs, immune to the stomach acid, and cannot be removed by any known procedure, only dying when the host dies. They do not harm the hosts at all when fusing, assuming the host is large enough to hold them, like a Human, but start working immediately. They presumably consume some of the host's digested food or body heat to get sustenance. However, Hellgramites can get incredible sustenance from absorbing all alcohol in the host's digestive system. Ingesting alcohol makes Hellgramites grow in size faster than usual, and will eventually grow large enough to kill the host, presumably becoming a fully independent organism. Due to the Hellgramite consuming all alcohol taken by the host, the host will find that they cannot be intoxicated by the substance. However, if deprived of alcohol, Hellgramites will go into withdrawal, attacking the host from within and causing excruciating pain. If the host survives the pain and does not give the Hellgramite any alcohol for several days, the Hellgramite will go into hibernation and stop growing, allowing the host to live peacefully despite the Hellgramite still being within them. It will remain dormant unless given alcohol again, which will make it awaken with greater strength than before.
History[]
At some point before 1988, Hellgramites were documented by Human scientists. After losing his family to a drunk driver, Dr. Eugene Murrick managed to acquire a supply of Hellgramite eggs, including the preserved remains of a juvenile Hellgramite. Using the Hellgramite eggs, he developed a method of "curing" alcoholics through a grueling procedure that involved ingesting Hellgramite eggs and swearing off alcohol in order to keep the creature down. Murrick also had an overarching motivation of getting revenge on alcoholics through the extreme pain that was caused by the method, knowing that most wouldn't survive the procedure. However, he appeared to still have some genuine faith in giving a second chance to alcoholics through the extreme treatment, urging them to survive the pain and start a new life free of liquor. Additionally, he successfully cured at least one alcoholic who became his agent, advertising his procedure to other alcoholics at bars. In 1988, a struggling alcoholic named Miley Judson, who learned of the treatment from a cured alcoholic, visited Dr. Murrick in the night. Murrick gave him a Hellgramite egg in a pill, and Miley, still drunk, did not question the strange information Murrick gave him about the procedure, especially Murrick warning him that there was no turning back once he began. Miley, still drunk and thinking he had nothing to lose, ingested the egg and was promptly sent home by Murrick, who assured him that the initial consultation was free.
The Hellgramite quickly grew, and by the next afternoon, when Miley went to the bar as always, it ingested all alcohol he drank, preventing him from being intoxicated. Miley went back to Murrick, who revealed the truth about the procedure, and told Miley how to survive the Hellgramite. Returning home, Miley sent his wife and son away for a couple of weeks, throwing away all his alcohol to starve the Hellgramite, which started to attack him from within. Despite the incredible pain, and nearly drinking a tiny bottle of alcohol that remained, Miley survived the period of pain, sending the Hellgramite into hibernation. Presumably reconciling with his wife and Dr. Murrick, Miley became another agent of Murrick, advertising Murrick's treatment to another alcoholic in the bar he used to frequent.
Appearances[]
- The Twilight Zone, s03e42, "The Hellgramite Method" (1988)
Notes[]
- In real life, a hellgrammite, with two Ms, is not a parasite, merely the larval form of a dobsonfly.