Feeding the Ants

They were coming and there was no way that he could get out of the way. Frank should have never stolen Adrianne’s essay about Driver Ants. At the time it was a good idea and it was a good paper. All he did was copy it put his name on it and give it to the teacher. Now he was going to learn first hand how they devour a larger mammal.

It was the last semester of college and he had been partying instead of writing his paper for Professor Frost’s class. Frank knew that another “F” in Professor Frost’s class and he would have to go work in his father’s store working in the Toy Department. He wanted more out of life then listening to those screaming brats and their ugly mothers.

He had passed with an “A+” while Adrianne had to write another paper. She was Professor Frost’s favorite student and he wondered if she had slept with the professor to get the good grades in his class.

Frank had thought that he had gotten away with stealing her essay because Adrianne had invited him on a trip to Africa. She had told him that she wanted to be more then just a friend.

After clearing customs they went to one of the better hotels. She had told him that her father had paid for everything so he didn’t have to worry about the cost. So he didn’t worry. Adrianne was beautiful, the sex was great and so was the scenery. He wondered if she were going to become one of those ugly mothers with screaming brats he had worked with over the summer.

Frank remembered the day when that would be one of his last days. During breakfast they had heard about the Driver Ants swarming in a remote part of the country.

“Wasn’t the Driver Ants the subject of your paper Frank?”

Frank looked at her wondering if she knew what he did? All she did was smile sweetly at him.

“Yes, I got an “A+” on it.”

“I wonder how close we can get to them without getting attacked ourselves?”

“I don’t know Adrianne, when they swarm it’s like a monstrous black tide of death 15 metres wide.”

“You forgot to mention the swarm contains about 100,000 sterile sisters working mutually as a single hunting unit. It was in the paper you stole from me.”

Then he blacked-out, when Frank woke up, he found that someone hogtied him in the back seat of a jeep. In the front driver’s seat was Adrianne who seemed unaware that he was awake.

Frank looked around at the jungle flying by him. He realized that they were headed for the area where the Driver Ants were swarming.

“We are going to stop at a place ahead of the swarm.”

“What?”

“No wonder you were failing Professor Frost’s class you don’t listen, I said that we are going to stop at a place ahead of the swarm.”

He had a feeling what she was going to do. “Please Adrianne, I’m really sorry about stealing your paper but I didn’t want to work at my father’s store.”

“All you had to do was ask. I would have helped you but no you stole my paper. Frank, you will find out what that tethered cow went through. Do you remember what the paper said, the driver ants possess a powerful sting, which contains high counts of tissue-dissolving enzymes? Like spider venom, it may help to liquefy and immobilize prey-helpful, because adult ants cannot eat solid food, and they survive on liquid lunches. That tethered cow died of asphyxiation and bleeding internally from where the insects swarmed in through its ears, mouth and nose. I bet that it was terrified.”

So was Frank, he didn’t want to be food for ants especially female ants. He was going to be famous, rich and have trophy wives. He was but now he was going to be food.

Frank watched as Adrianne drove away. He looked around then he saw something black coming over the hill and knew that lunch would soon be served.

Update: Adrianne went to Frank’s memorial service. Everyone gave her sympathy and that she did the best she could trying to save Frank. It had been four weeks before they found his polished bones. She had put up a great act, that of a grieving girlfriend when they brought his bones out in a plastic lined garbage container. That was fitting since in life he was garbage.

 

21.07.07