You sacrificed the main character of the story! Great!

Without looking at what the others had written, the following happened to me while I was reading: The chosen cover picture created an expectation of a fable narrative. Then, when the sprout became a larger plant and then a tendril, I thought: "Aha, it refers to the fairy tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. Interesting, it immediately reminds me of the book "Otherland", where Jonas ends up in a bizarre world (which he probably also kept from Stephen King's Dark Tower in his mind) and decides to climb the giant plant, but initially finds no access. Nice!"

But then I read your story further and think: "Oh, no, not at all! I have arrived at Dune, the desert planet!" The sand worms have deeply impressed me and the Fremenvolk as well.

So I felt reminded of a lot of fantastic stories and your version seems like a tribute to the authors and their works whereby your end closes with a wink for me. Somehow you're not sad at all that the man in the belly of the creature is casting his last curse.

:) I felt very good entertained.