I drive my Scion xB most of the time. It's my work vehicle, and I work most of the time. My sky blue Miata MX5 sits in the driveway waiting for me. Today would be a day to stretch its sporty legs on the highway. I hosed off the last two weeks of twigs, dead leaves, and bird crap. But, the hose also made something else happen:

Ants. Thousands of Ants rushing out of Miata crevices. Adults and teens, with the little egg babies in their jaws. I'd disturbed an entire Ant civilization begun only two weeks ago, now in its 3rd generation.

I like Ants. I don't have a problem with them, but I don't live in their home, and they're not going to live in mine.

If any of them survive to move on to a new country, they will tell this

Tale of Woe:

"We'd settled in 'Blue Metallande' three generations back. We were happy there. Time was ours. It was huge, dark, dry, and safe there... or so we thought... until.............

'The Day of Quakes, Floods, Wind, and Poison'.

This is when we lost most of our Bretheren.

It was a normal day. Workers were out collecting food. Egg Nurses were tending to the Next Flock. It was a normal day. It was indeed a Good Antday. A Normal Day.

Suddenly, a quaking in all of 'Blue Metalland' was felt, and our country seemed to move and rumble. Some of us screamed. Some held still. Just as suddenly, the moving ceased.

Just when we thought this was not a disaster, the Floods began. Floods like none had ever seen in Antdom... floods with the force of 10,000 Rains crashing over our beloved country and into our homes.

On this day - and the day was far from over - we lost at least half of our members to the Floods. They were never to be seen again. Then, just as suddenly as the Floods began, they suddenly stopped.

We went out to find bodies... but the Floods returned! We ran in. The Floods ceased! We went out. The Floods returned. We ran in. Each time we lost more of our community.

And then... all was quiet... dripping, but quiet... and we hoped this was a good sign.......but it was not.

The Quaking returned - this time with such a violence and roar, it threw everyone from one place to another. Shock waves shook the land. Then came Great Winds... ...winds like no other. Winds that did not sing over our land, but smashed through the village and into every dark home, which sent all our brothers and sisters into tumbling flight. More were lost.

The Great Winds lasted longer than the Floods. They did slow down and eventually cease. Once again we thought 'Maybe it is over?'

We came out from the dark places that were no longer safe, and began searching for our Lost. The Horror was to continue.

Now came a Wind of Poison Mist. It killed all who were touched by it. We did not know what it was, and tried to hide, but the Mist entered our Land as had the Winds and the Floods. It seemed the entire World was at its End.

Screaming and dying - this is all we saw. Workers and youth alike - all gone. Once the Winds vanished, the Poison stayed in Pools of Death. Those still alive stumbled around and through them, only to die later...

,
,
,

I do not know how or why I survived. For as unbelievable as all of this it sounds, it IS true. I AM here to tell you it happened. WHY did it happen? I do not know, but I have given it much thought:

We angered our Gods who created 'Blue Metalland' and all things Antish. We, as a society, lost our Way, somehow. We were punished. Our Gods do not tolerate disobedience, and though I have not determined how we wronged them, I have one guess:

'Blue Metalland' was different from other countries. It seemed safer. We came to take it for granted. We heard stories about other countries created in 'Brown Dirtland', and thought 'How sad for them'... we are certainly the Priveledged Ones, the Ones of 'Blue Metalland'.

We were self-assured, and we were wrong, and we were punished for it.

I have travelled far. I have seen the fabled 'Tan Sandland', and I am now here in 'Brown Dirtland' to tell you ALL of this greatest of warnings, and, to beg you ALL to never take your country for granted. Thank the Gods every morning, every afternoon, and every evening. Give them part of your reaping. Give them a few of our 'Untouched Ones'. Set aside days of Thanks. Say their names out loud. Tell others to do the same. A single Ant unwilling to do this could bring great disasters to us again. We cannot allow this to happen.

Of THIS I am certain.

Of this I AM certain.

OF THIS I AM CERTAIN!

Let us chant...."