A MOTH

Episode #342 · Written by H. G. Wells · Narrated by Scott Miller

A brilliant scientist retreats to the countryside to recover from professional defeat and mental exhaustion. What follows is an unsettling encounter that blurs obsession, rivalry, and reality itself.

In The Moth, H. G. Wells crafts a quiet psychological nightmare rooted in scientific rivalry. Hapley, a driven entomologist, has spent decades locked in a bitter feud with his professional rival. When that rivalry ends abruptly, Hapley retreats to the countryside hoping to regain his balance. Instead, his mind remains trapped in conflict.

A strange moth soon appears, one that seems to defy classification and explanation. It appears unexpectedly, vanishes without warning, and grows increasingly persistent. Wells allows the tension to build slowly, focusing not on spectacle but on perception. As Hapley’s certainty erodes, the reader is drawn into an unsettling question: is the moth real, or is it the final expression of a mind consumed by obsession?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

H. G. Wells was a pioneering voice in science fiction, celebrated for combining imaginative ideas with psychological realism. While he is best known for landmark novels like The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds, his short stories often reveal an even sharper edge.

In works like The Moth, Wells examines the emotional cost of ambition, rivalry, and intellectual pride. He understood that the most frightening transformations often occur within the mind. This story stands as a powerful example of his ability to turn scientific passion into psychological horror, proving that obsession itself can be the most dangerous experiment of all.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to A Moth by H. G. Wells — a haunting short story of obsession and rivalry from the golden age of science fiction.

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