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Number: 121

Title: Caterpillars

Series Name: Timeless Terrors

Series Entry: 121

Author: E. F. Benson

Narrator: Jonathan Dunne

Original Publication: 1912

Public Domain: Yes

Description:

Caterpillars is a deeply unsettling tale of creeping horror and psychological torment set amid the sun-drenched hills of the Italian countryside.

The story follows a sensitive Englishman recovering from illness at a secluded villa overlooking the Mediterranean. Seeking rest and restoration, he instead finds himself haunted by a recurring nightmare of monstrous, writhing caterpillars — pale, bloated creatures with human-like eyes and an appalling sense of intelligence. Though at first he dismisses these visions as fevered dreams, their relentless return — accompanied by a mounting sense of physical and spiritual violation — begins to erode his reason.

Narrated by Amazon bestselling horror author Jonathan Dunne, this performance captures the story’s mounting psychological tension, oppressive atmosphere, and final, lingering chill — bringing Benson’s quietly devastating vision to vivid and deeply disturbing life.