Chapter 4 - The Morning After
Pacing up and down in the glare of the morning sunlight, Mr. Soil displayed a look of clear anxiety upon his face. Himself, the rest of the ant council and the circus bugs had remained awake throughout the night, waiting for news.
"This is dreadful," he stressed to the others, "we should never have let the queen and her mother go to try and find them…"
"Maybe we should send a search party to look for them…" suggested Dr. Flora, with much disagreement from some of the group.
"Oh sure," replied Rosie, "and then we'll lose them too."
Francis voiced his agreement of Flora's idea. "Come on, it's daylight now, we have a better chance of finding them than we would in the dark."
"That's true," agreed Soil, "but the chances are that the rains, being much heavier than I have ever known, have flooded the canyon."
Thorny nodded. "There's also been some flood damage to the island. Nothing too bad, but it could affect our food supply."
"Thank goodness for underground food storage," commented Flora. "so, are we decided? Are we going to send out a search party or not?"
"Well we can't just sit here," replied Francis, "they could be lying out there hurt or worse…we gotta get moving!"
"Are you absolutely sure?" questioned Slim, "we could end up the same way…"
"Hey, if we can find them, it'll be worth it!" answered Francis, "so what are we waitin' for?"
The group leapt into action. Flora and Cornelius of the council remained behind to look after the colony, while the circus bugs, Soil and Thorny left the anthill and made their way towards the site where the boat had been previously.
Flik…Flik…where are you…
All around Atta was darkness. Pure pitch-black darkness.
Suddenly, she looked into the distance. Squinting, she made out a shape. As soon as she saw the shape she instantly recognised who it was. A relieved smile formed on her face.
Flik, you're OK…I knew you'd be OK…
In her joy she quickly walked up to her one true love, reaching out her arms to grab him in a warm embrace. Atta held Flik as tight as she could, looking at his face.
I love you, Flik…I don't ever want to leave you again…
There was no reply from the kooky inventor ant.
Flik? Speak to me, I 'm here, it's OK…
The queen turned her head fully to the right to get a look at Flik's face. Her mouth dropped open in shock.
Instead of Flik's face being radiant blue, it was covered in dirt and was a more pale blue. His eyes were wide open and bloodshot, and there was a deep cut on the right side of his face. Even worse, he wasn't breathing.
Atta backed away slowly, trembling in fear. As she did, Flik slipped from her hold and slumped down onto the ground, lifeless.
The young queen covered her mouth in grief and shock, her eyes filling with tears.
No…you can't be…no!
She knelt down beside the lifeless Flik and started to cry the bitterest of tears. It was then that the darkness started to fade away into a bright light.
Wake up, Atta…
Atta felt her eyelids becoming heavy, and her strength ebbing away. The light got brighter as she too slumped down onto the floor beside Flik. The repeating voice got louder and louder.
Atta! Please, wake up!
Gradually, Atta's eyes opened up, the shadow of an ant's head peering down at her, sunlight surrounding the silhouette.
"Atta!"
With a groan, Atta recovered her bearings and fully opened her eyes to see that the silhouette head was her mother's head. Plus, the dark night had retreated, it was now a bright sunny morning.
"Mom…I saw Flik, he was…he was…"
Atta's mom closed her eyes. "Methinks you just had a bad dream, dear…"
"Oh Mom…" lamented Atta, giving her a hug, "it seemed so real…like I'd found him, but he was…"
The elderly former queen ant looked her daughter straight in the eyes. "It's OK…it was just a dream, Atta…they are out there somewhere…and you know what we're gonna do now?"
Atta hazarded a guess. "Get off this rock and find them."
"You guessed right," grinned her mom, "now just because we got run aground sure don't mean we can't carry on." As she spoke she surveyed the flooded canyon, which was now calm for the most part, for the rain from the night before had ceased to exist.
"I think the boat is still seaworthy," observed Atta, "so we'd better leave it here and remember where it is…just in case."
"Just in case," echoed Atta's mom, "let's just hope that it'll be bringing five more bugs back home…"
Then, the two queen ants started to clamber up the cliff face which towered over the rocks that the boat had crashed on to. As they climbed, both ants repeatedly hollered for the missing insects.
Please be OK, Flik…I can't live without you…
Atta…Atta…
Flik's eyes shot open and he leapt out from under his leaf, looking around for his love. It didn't take long for him to figure out that he'd just dreamed Atta being there with him. Once he realised that, his face fell.
Suddenly, he remembered where he was, the latest predicament he'd gotten himself into. Shielding his eyes from the bright glare of the sun, he walked over to where the sleeping Dot and Acorn were.
"Dot…" whispered Flik, tapping his young princess friend on the shoulder, "Dot, wale up, it's morning…"
Dot slowly opened her eyes, giving a yawn and getting to her feet.
"Flik…am I dreaming? Are we really stuck on a cliff miles from home?" she questioned, wanting the whole scenario to be a figment of her imagination.
Flik reluctantly nodded his head. "Sorry, Dot…you don't know how much I wish it was a bad dream too."
Dot sighed. "At least it's morning now…maybe we'll be able to get home now…is Acorn awake?"
"I'll check," replied Flik, walking over to where his wounded friend was sleeping, except Acorn wasn't asleep, he was wide-eyed and shaking.
Flik was aghast. "Acorn…please don't tell me you didn't get a single wink of sleep…"
Looking up at the inventor ant, Acorn struggled to get the words out of his mouth. "I'm sorry…Flik…the…the pain was…too much…"
Instantly Flik realised that Acorn's injuries had intensified through the night due to the bitter cold. He rebuked himself for not making sure that Acorn hadn't been susceptible to the cold.
Dot, seeing that Acorn was in almost unbearable pain, flew up into one of the branches covering the ants' shelter, scouring for some food, any kind of food. Presently, she found a solitary berry hanging on the end of one of the branches, and flew back down to Flik and Acorn, clutching her prize.
"Look what I found!" Dot exclaimed to the others.
"Way to go, Dot!" beamed Flik, "I guess we could split it into three pieces…but I would really say that Acorn needs this more than we do…"
Acorn sighed. "There's…no need…really…"
Before Flik or Dot could protest, sickening crack suddenly rang out from above. The three ants instantly looked up and saw that one of the branches was giving away.
"Oh my gosh…" cried Flik, "look out!"
He pushed Dot out of the way as the branch crashed down onto the ants' safe haven, throwing up a cloud of dust. Flik and Dot picked themselves up, coughing because of the dust.
"Oh no…" said Dot in horror, "Acorn…is he OK?"
"Acorn!" yelled Flik as the cloud if dust began to clear away, "are you OK, buddy?"
No response.
Flik and Dot rushed back to where Acorn had been lying before. The branch which had just crashed down was laid right across the small ledge. To Flik and Dot's shock, it had almost crushed Acorn.
"Acorn!" cried Flik, kneeing down by his friend's side, "speak to me! Please!"
No use. Pieces of bark which had fallen from the branch had hit Acorn on the head, knocking him unconscious.
Flik was almost beside himself with panic. "What are we gonna do? If we can't get help for Acorn soon, he'll die!"
"Calm down, Flik!" coaxed Dot, "it'll be OK!"
"I wish I could believe you…" groaned Flik mournfully, "it's my fault we're in this mess…"
Dot frowned. "That's not true! Acorn was in trouble, you couldn't just leave him there. I couldn't have!"
She gave her friend a hard stare. "Listen, we're gonna get out of this. Don't give up hope, Flik…"
Flik looked back. "I'm trying my level best not to, Dot. In fact…I have a crazy idea…it's crazy, but it's all my brainbox can come up with right now."
"OK, fire away," replied Dot, "if it'll get us out of here, then I don't care how crazy it is."
"You're not gonna like this Dot…" came Flik's response, "I want you to stay here and look after Acorn. I'm gonna go look for help…and try to find Gypsy too…"
"What?" replied Dot with disdain, "Flik, there's still water down there, you could get hurt!"
"One of us has to try, Dot…I wish I didn't have to leave you and Acorn alone, but I have no choice…" said Flik adamantly, "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me, just worry about Acorn. Keep him warm." Flik then went to climb down from the ledge.
"Flik!" called Dot after him, "please come back safe!"
Looking up at Dot, Flik quickly reassured her. "Don't worry, Dot, I'm not about to die yet."
With that, he climbed down the ledge, with Dot watching him with a worried expression on her face.
The brightness of the morning sun glared in Manny's eyes as he sat upon a rock festooning from the edge of the flooded canyon. The night's relentless searching had taken its toll on him, and he was clearly distraught.
Why…why did this happen to you, my love…
Burying his face in his hands, Manny emptied his soul, tears pouring from his large eyes. He slowly looked up at the sun-filled sky as if to cry to the heavens.
"Manny?"
The faint calls rang through the air, registering instantly with the praying mantis' senses. He slowly turned his head, trying to find which direction the calls were coming from.
"Gypsy…is that…you?"
As the voice got closer, Manny's hopes soon sank again once he heard that the voice was that of the male variety. But he knew the voice.
"Manny, it's me, Flik!"
Manny stood up to greet the arrival of his ant friend. In his grief he had completely forgotten that Flik was also in dire straits.
"Flik, dear fellow! Are you alright?"
"Never mind me," replied Flik with urgency, "what about you?"
Manny sighed. "I have been searching for her all through the night…I fear for her, Flik…good heavens, what of Princess Dot and that Acorn fellow? They are safe, I presume?"
"Yeah," replied Flik, "but Acorn is in a bad way, he needs medical attention and fast. And I really didn't want to leave Dot back there…"
"I already deduced that…" acknowledged Manny, his thought shifting back to his missing wife.
Realising Manny was worried sick, Flik jumped to another rash decision.
"She's here somewhere, Manny…hopefully alive. I'll help you find her."
Manny gave a slight smile, but his tone was doubtful. "Oh, thank you, Flik…but I can do this by myself. You should go back to the others…"
"I'm not leaving you till we find her," said Flik firmly.
Nodding in agreement, Manny and Flik then climbed down from the rock and set off along the edge of the river, beginning their search.
Gasping for breath, Atta perched herself against a branch. It wasn't just the heat or the mammoth trek that was getting to her or her mother. Flik, Dot and Acorn were still nowhere to be found.
"I'm bushed," quipped Atta's mom, wiping sweat from her face, "but if anything, we got some serious exercise."
Atta just stared at the sky, not taking in her mother's talk. "They're gone…"
Atta's mother's tone changed to serious at once. "Don't go down that road, dear. They are here. We have to be strong."
"I know…" replied Atta, a lump forming in her throat, turning her head to face her mother, "but we also have to consider the alternative…"
The elderly former queen put her arms round her daughter's shoulders in comfort. "That's too true…but until we find them we have to keep an open mind about this. We can't lose heart now."
Atta looked up at her mother. She remembered how her mom used to talk with her like this when she was just as tiny as Dot.
"I know you're right, Mom…thanks…"
Atta hugged her mom tightly, the way they used to hug. It was as they were hugging that Atta spotted something through the corner of her eye.
"Mom! Look!" cried Atta in excitement, pointing her finger at what she could see. Atta's mom let go her hug then looked around.
What they could see was Flik's 'shelter', festooned with the fallen branches, and just visible were two distinctive figures, one grey, one pink.
"Gosh almighty, it must be…" exclaimed Atta's mom, "what are we waitin' for? Let's get down there!"
As fast as they could, the two queen ants scampered down from the branch across the pebbled river bank. They eventually reached the rock where Dot and Acorn were.
"Dot!" called out the elder ant, with relief. At once her younger daughter, her face a picture of glee, ran over to the two and hugged her mother.
"Oh Dot…thank goodness you're safe," said the ex-queen softly to Dot, hugging her tightly.
"It's OK, Mom…" replied her youngest kin, "I'm fine…"
Atta, meanwhile, was also relieved that her sister was safe, but was alarmed to see that Flik was nowhere to be seen. Then she remembered about Acorn, and went over to him.
"Oh…Your Majesty…" croaked the stricken insect.
"Now's not a time for fancy titles," replied Atta, "you're in a bad way, try to save your strength…"
Acorn gave Atta a knowing stare. "Flik…went to look for help…"
"He did? Oh, why didn't he just wait…" responded Atta with disdain, "he could be miles away now…"
"He said he was gonna find Mrs. Gypsy, too," chimed in Dot, "and she must be down there somewhere. He'll be OK, don't worry…"
"I hope you're right," replied Atta. It was then that she heard a sound which chilled her blood. A sharp chirping sound.
"Did you hear that?" she asked the others gingerly.
"Hear what?" replied her mother. Then she heard it too. That same chirp.
Dot looked around, feeling very unnerved. She couldn't see anything that was making that sound.
Suddenly there was a flash of red at the front of the shelter facing down onto the canyon. The chirping sound came fast and furious.
Realising what that flash was, Dot gave a loud scream and ran over to the branches to hide. Her mother and sister followed suit.
"Of all the rotten luck…" quipped Atta under her breath.
"I totally forgot about the birds who crash around here," groaned her mother, watching as the bird flew around their shelter, getting ready to make another sweep upon them.
A panicked Acorn tried to move away from where he was laid, but his wounds had sapped his strength. He only managed to crawl a short way before collapsing to the ground.
"Oh no," cried Dot, "if we don't move Acorn quick, he'll be bird breakfast!"
Suddenly, the bird flew in for another swoop, chirping furiously. As it flew past, the force of the wind from its feathers knocked Dot from her hiding place.
"Dot!" came her mother's cry. Her instincts kicked in and she foolishly ran out from behind the branch to her daughter's aid.
"Mom, what are you doing!" screamed Atta in horror, also rushing out from her hiding place over to her mom and sister.
Suddenly the bird made another swoop. Acorn looked up, his eyes wide.
"Get back! It's coming again…" he yelled weakly.
Too late. As Atta, her mom and Dot made for their hiding place, the bird came in very low and struck Atta with one of its talons. With a scream, Atta fell to the ground, a sharp pain ripping through her back.
"Oh my…" cried her mother, "Atta!"
Atta looked up at her mother, grimacing in pain. "Stay there…don't get…hurt…"
"But that bird'll get you!" shrieked Dot hysterically, "please, let us help, sis!"
Another furious squawk sounded from the bird as it came in for another sweep, and this time it was determined to grab one of the ants.
"Get down!" screamed Acorn, covering his face. The elderly queen ant and her daughter ducked behind the branch as the bird flew in.
Dot momentarily looked up from her hiding place. What she saw shocked her straight to the core.
"Noooooo!"
The bird came in low and struck Atta again, this time hoisting the wounded queen onto its talons, and carrying her into the air. Atta gave a loud cry of pain and for help. Then, as the bird sailed back above the shelter, Atta gave a struggle and managed to free herself from the bird's talons. However, she was unable to keep her grip on the talons, and with a scream, slipped and fell from the bird…
The three ants back down on the ground could only watch helplessly as their queen plummeted from the sky.
"Noooo! Atta!"