Terrarium
By - Orpheus
On a table in a large floral terrarium there lived; a large lethargic iguana named Shrub, a small chameleon named Kidney, a few ignorant geckos, and a mass of many small crickets. Shrub was the lord of the terrarium, telling all of the others what to do. Shrub may have been large and dangerous, but he was incredibly stupid. Behind all of his orders, informing him of his best interests, was the sharp witted Kidney. The geckos had some say, and the crickets served only to provide energy for the lizards, until one day. The crickets had been acting up lately, they had apparently realized that their comrade crickets were not being sent to a better terrarium, but to the gaping gullets of the lizards. They had been protesting to this, running and hiding from the lizards, putting dirt in the lizard's water dish. Basically giving the lizards a tough time, a tougher meal ticket. A fish bowl was placed next to the terrarium on the table one sunny afternoon. The lizards and crickets crowded at their glass, momentarily impervious of each other. The fish swam slowly near the bottom of the bowl. While the others watched Kidney was whispering into Shrubs ear. Grunting, Shrub crawled over to the edge of the glass closest to the fish bowl. "Now you listen up you fish. This is our table! You best get off it, or we'll be forced to take you off!" Shrub grunted out in an orderly tone, his voice choppy and raspy. Kidney, who was in the back drop, squinted his eyes into angry slits. The geckos appeared to be falling asleep, and the crickets nervously chirped and hopped back and forth. Conflicts meant more energy would be needed by the lizards, which meant more crickets would suffer. After a while the terrarium occupants grew bored of staring at the fishbowl. The geckos took naps, the crickets took great effort to hide from the lizards, and Shrub and Kidney were at work. First, they confronted the crickets. Shrub strolled on the mulch floor speaking to the hidden crickets, Kidney close behind. "Attention my good crickets of the terrarium! You have nothing at all to fear! Yes, we are at war with the fish, but that is no danger to you! No! You see, now we are all unified! There is a brotherhood between us as we must come together to battle the nasty fish! Yes!" Shrub shouted. Cautiously at first, then with confidence the crickets came out. They began clicking and chirping among themselves, exchanging nasty comments about the new enemy, the fish. The geckos remained sleeping. They were only woken to eat or when Shrub needed their approval that was occasionally pivotal in keeping the crickets in line. At first there were still many nay sayers among the crickets. Many who thought the battle against the fish was without purpose. That was until one of the geckos was sent to the bowl on a mission to push off the bowl and accidentally drowned. The remaining two geckos became furious, Shrub and Kidney were very sympathetic, and doubters among the crickets became avid war enthusiasts. Little did the crickets know that at night their comrades were snatched up by the tens to be eaten by the lizards. Because of the war effort this went unnoticed, for all the people cared about was the defeat of the fish. For weeks and weeks this went on. The crickets rallied and supported the war while they were continually being eaten by Shrub and Kidney. This went on and on until one day someone left a heater on the fishbowl by accident and all of the fish died. The crickets cheered and celebrated for three days. For reasons unknown the lizards sat in meeting the whole time, looking very nervous. That's when the crickets noticed. Their numbers were reduced by at least half! They had been used the whole time without even noticing! Furious they marched in a group to the gathered lizards, whom they now noticed were visibly thicker at the waist. The lizards, all immensely slowed down, slowly backed into a corner. The crickets, so furious at the loss of their comrades, sprung. They jumped in a body first upon Shrub, biting and scratching and biting and scratching until Shrub lay bleeding on the mulch. Kidney tried to run but his increased diet would not allow it. One by one the crickets destroyed the other lizards. When the last of the geckos bled its last drop of reptile blood out against the terrarium glass they then knew they were safe.
By - Orpheus
On a table in a large floral terrarium there lived; a large lethargic iguana named Shrub, a small chameleon named Kidney, a few ignorant geckos, and a mass of many small crickets. Shrub was the lord of the terrarium, telling all of the others what to do. Shrub may have been large and dangerous, but he was incredibly stupid. Behind all of his orders, informing him of his best interests, was the sharp witted Kidney. The geckos had some say, and the crickets served only to provide energy for the lizards, until one day. The crickets had been acting up lately, they had apparently realized that their comrade crickets were not being sent to a better terrarium, but to the gaping gullets of the lizards. They had been protesting to this, running and hiding from the lizards, putting dirt in the lizard's water dish. Basically giving the lizards a tough time, a tougher meal ticket. A fish bowl was placed next to the terrarium on the table one sunny afternoon. The lizards and crickets crowded at their glass, momentarily impervious of each other. The fish swam slowly near the bottom of the bowl. While the others watched Kidney was whispering into Shrubs ear. Grunting, Shrub crawled over to the edge of the glass closest to the fish bowl. "Now you listen up you fish. This is our table! You best get off it, or we'll be forced to take you off!" Shrub grunted out in an orderly tone, his voice choppy and raspy. Kidney, who was in the back drop, squinted his eyes into angry slits. The geckos appeared to be falling asleep, and the crickets nervously chirped and hopped back and forth. Conflicts meant more energy would be needed by the lizards, which meant more crickets would suffer. After a while the terrarium occupants grew bored of staring at the fishbowl. The geckos took naps, the crickets took great effort to hide from the lizards, and Shrub and Kidney were at work. First, they confronted the crickets. Shrub strolled on the mulch floor speaking to the hidden crickets, Kidney close behind. "Attention my good crickets of the terrarium! You have nothing at all to fear! Yes, we are at war with the fish, but that is no danger to you! No! You see, now we are all unified! There is a brotherhood between us as we must come together to battle the nasty fish! Yes!" Shrub shouted. Cautiously at first, then with confidence the crickets came out. They began clicking and chirping among themselves, exchanging nasty comments about the new enemy, the fish. The geckos remained sleeping. They were only woken to eat or when Shrub needed their approval that was occasionally pivotal in keeping the crickets in line. At first there were still many nay sayers among the crickets. Many who thought the battle against the fish was without purpose. That was until one of the geckos was sent to the bowl on a mission to push off the bowl and accidentally drowned. The remaining two geckos became furious, Shrub and Kidney were very sympathetic, and doubters among the crickets became avid war enthusiasts. Little did the crickets know that at night their comrades were snatched up by the tens to be eaten by the lizards. Because of the war effort this went unnoticed, for all the people cared about was the defeat of the fish. For weeks and weeks this went on. The crickets rallied and supported the war while they were continually being eaten by Shrub and Kidney. This went on and on until one day someone left a heater on the fishbowl by accident and all of the fish died. The crickets cheered and celebrated for three days. For reasons unknown the lizards sat in meeting the whole time, looking very nervous. That's when the crickets noticed. Their numbers were reduced by at least half! They had been used the whole time without even noticing! Furious they marched in a group to the gathered lizards, whom they now noticed were visibly thicker at the waist. The lizards, all immensely slowed down, slowly backed into a corner. The crickets, so furious at the loss of their comrades, sprung. They jumped in a body first upon Shrub, biting and scratching and biting and scratching until Shrub lay bleeding on the mulch. Kidney tried to run but his increased diet would not allow it. One by one the crickets destroyed the other lizards. When the last of the geckos bled its last drop of reptile blood out against the terrarium glass they then knew they were safe.