Chapter 5 -
Thud!
Flik grimaced in slight painas he slipped over on a wet rock. Manny was quick to help his friend to his feet.
"Thanks," acknowledged Flik, dusting himself off, then looking around.
Manny did the same, however tiredness was kicking in, and his spirit was close to breaking point.
"Maybe…this is it…" he spoke, mournfully, "maybe I'm never…going to see my beautiful wife…again…"
Horrified, Flik put his hands on Manny's shoulders and gave him a hard, determining stare.
"This isn't the Mantos the Magnificent I know…the last time I checked, you didn't give up so easily."
Manny stared back, his eyes glassy with tears. "Remember when…the grasshoppers had taken over Ant Island? When you had been exiled? You had all but thrown in the towel…"
"That was because I was telling myself," explained Flik adamantly, "telling myself that I couldn't do anything, and believing it. I was wrong though."
Manny hung his head, desperately trying to fight the tears. Flik stared even harder, sensing that Manny was ready to give in.
"Look at me," he coaxed, firmly but reassuringly, "you can't jump to conclusions. There is only one way to know whether Gypsy is alive or dead. If we don't find her, we'll never know. And you and I both know that she can't have vanished from the face of the earth."
Gingerly, Manny looked up at Flik, wiping tears from his eyes.
Flik hit it straight home. "She is here, Manny. And we will find her."
"You don't know how much I want to believe that, Flik…" Manny said slowly, almost as a whisper.
"Then believe it," replied Flik, "keep telling it to yourself in your heart. You've gotta keep that hope alive."
"Flik…thank you," praised Manny, giving his ant friend a hug, "if you hadn't come along I fear I may have given up…"
"No problem, Manny," replied Flik, giving a trusting smile, "now please, let's keep looking."
"Oh, absolutely," agreed Manny instantly, as the two resumed their trek, still repeatedly calling out Gypsy's name.
Presently, Flik and Manny came across another large branch protruding from the cliff face. To get a better view of the surrounding area, Flik hopped onto the branch and walked across its entire length, right to the end.
"Anything?" inquired Manny, who had flown into the air to get the same view.
Flik shook his head. "No, I can't see…anything…"
His voice suddenly trailed off, his focus suddenly diverted to a clump of grass stalks sticking out from the water.
Is that…
Flik squinted. He had to be sure. His eyes immediately widened.
"Manny!" he yelled excitedly, "I've found her!"
As soon as the words left Flik's mouth, Manny whirled round and flew over to his friend.
"You have?" spluttered the mantis magician, "where? Where is she?"
"She's down there!" replied Flik, pointing to where Gypsy apparently was, "come on! She could be in a bad way…"
"You are stating the obvious, Flik," quipped Manny, flying down towards the place, with Flik in hot pursuit. Flik almost tripped over as he ran down the slope towards the stalks.
Tentatively, Manny touched down and stepped over to the giant stalks. Nausea entered his stomach as he walked over. Festooned between the stalks, floating on the surface of the water, was the unmistakable shape of his wife.
As soon as the elderly mantis saw his beautiful butterfly wife in such a dreadful state, he flew into a state of despair, immediately trying to pull her from the water.
"Oh, Flik…please, help me get her out," Manny commanded of his friend. Without any hesitation, Flik came to Manny's aid. The pair carefully lifted Gypsy from the water by her shoulders, and then laid her down on dry land.
Manny knelt down by his wife's side. She looked lifeless, and her normally flourishing skin and wings were now darkened. Her eyes were closed tightly, and there was a blood-red gash across her chest.
"Gypsy…please, wake up…" pleaded Manny softly, his voice breaking with emotion, "I'm here…it's Manny…please…say your name…"
Flik also joined Manny by Gypsy's side, looking in shock at the wounded, unconscious butterfly.
No response from Gypsy. Manny clutched his wife's hand as tight as he could, the tears beginning to pour from his eyes. He didn't want to give in so easily.
Flik gave a knowing glance at his friend. "Manny…"
The stare was returned by Manny, still holding his wife's hand. He just shook his head, then looked back at Gypsy. He leant over and placed a kiss upon his wife's lips.
"I always loved you…I always will…I'll never…forget you…"
Manny then broke into uncontrollable sobs, placing Gypsy's hands on his cheek, just so he could remember her sweet touch. Flik came to his friend's side, giving him his shoulder to cry on.
"She'll never be forgotten, Manny…" he coaxed, himself fighting back tears, "never…"
It was then that Manny felt a movement. He suddenly looked at Gypsy's hands. They were shaking. A feeling of euphoria and concern entered him.
"My darling…oh, my darling, you're alive!"
Flik then noticed Gypsy's face. Her eyelids suddenly struggled open, followed by a weak groan.
"M…Manny…?"
At once her husband whirled round, a relieved smile spreading across his face.
"Oh, Gypsy…my love…I feared the worst…thank the heavens…"
"Manny…" replied Gypsy weakly, "all the time…I was out there…in that water…I thought about you…I knew you would…look…for me…"
"Please…rest your voice…you need your strength…"
"I'll be OK, Manny…don't worry…I never want…to leave your side again…"
Manny nuzzled his face against his wife's. "As I do not either…"
Standing over them, Flik also gave a relieved smile. Gypsy had not realised that Flik was also there. As soon as she saw him, she remembered why she had gotten into this mess in the first place.
"Flik…oh, no…where is…Princess Dot…is she…alright?"
"She's in a safe place," replied Flik, "and I think we should get you to that place right now."
"I…second that motion…" quipped Gypsy weakly, "can you carry me, dear?"
"Anything to get you safe, darling," replied Manny, carefully lifting his wife up by the torso, then buzzing his wings and flying into the air, holding onto Gypsy tightly as he did.
"OK guys," commanded Flik, "I'll take point. Just keep your eyes on me."
Gypsy and Manny both nodded, then Flik started making his way back the way that he and Manny had come, with Manny and Gypsy following him from above.
Little did they realise that time was not on their side…
The bird had momentarily disappeared, probably to see to its offspring or to seek out food elsewhere, but there was no doubt in the terrified ants' minds that it would be back for more.
Right now, their attention was focused on the fact that Atta was lying on the rocks below the ledge after her nasty tumble. Her mother was struggling to keep her wits together, hysteria creeping in.
"I have to go down there…" she babbled, "Atta could be hurt…she could be…"
Her younger daughter quickly reassured her. "You can't go down there, Mom. That bird could come back…"
"But your sister…what if she…?"
"I know…" said Dot, slight panic in her voice, "but I don't want you to be bird breakfast either. That's why…I'm gonna go and get her."
Dot's mother quickly disagreed. "No, Dot! It's too dangerous! I don't want to watch both of my daughters die! If that bird has to get one of us, I'd rather it be me!"
That last remark horrified the young princess. "No Mom! I don't want to see you die either! I'm going to get her!"
With that, Dot suddenly tore away from her mother and ran towards the edge of the shelter. Her mother gave chase, but in vain.
"Dot! No!"
The stricken Acorn, who had managed to crawl behind the fallen branch, was also shocked to see the princess run off down towards where Atta lay.
Dot's mother could only watch in disbelief and repeatedly call for her daughter to return. Dot ignored her mother's pleas, yet she was deeply petrified inside, knowing that she could be in the path of the bird at any second.
Scanning the area, she soon caught sight of where her sister lay, perched upon a rock just on the edge of the water.
"Atta! Atta, are you OK?" called out Dot, running over to her sister. Atta was actually still conscious, but her body was badly bruised, and she seemed unable to move.
"Dot…go back…the bird…" protested the ant queen, still trying to move from the rock.
"No, I'm not leaving you here," replied Dot, persistent as ever. It was then that a horrified yell was heard from the shelter.
"Dot! Atta! The bird!"
The two ants looked up and both gave a loud scream as the bird returned, flapping its wings furiously and nosediving towards them. In a flash, Dot pulled Atta down behind the rock as the bird swept past.
The two girls' mother was now beside herself with panic. All she could do was watch as her daughters tried to dodge the bird. Part of her wanted to go down there and help them, but she was simply frozen with fear.
Gingerly, Dot peeked out from behind the rock, checking the sky for the winged nemesis. Seeing that once again it had disappeared, the young princess motioned for her sister to follow her back out into the open. Atta finally managed to summon up the strength to crawl from behind the hiding place, her face grimaced with pain.
It was at that moment that Dot gave another scream as the bird returned to view, spying the two ants and making another nosedive for them. Dot quickly rushed back behind the rock, then looked in horror as she saw that her sister had collapsed with the pain, and was now exposed to the bird.
"Atta! Nooo!" cried Dot as the bird swooped in for the kill.
The wounded queen turned her gaze towards the sky, her eyes widening as she saw the bird swooping down. She tried to get up to crawl again, but the pain from her injuries was just too much. Preparing for the worst, the ant queen closed her eyes.
Flik…don't ever forget my love…
Suddenly, the bird gave a loud squawk. This had to be the signal.
The beating of the bird's wings was heard, but it sounded as if the bird was flying away.
Atta slowly opened her eyes, then looked up again to see, with relief, that the bird had indeed suddenly flown away. Then a rock suddenly hit the ground not too far from Atta.
"Atta! Look!"
At Dot's sudden cry of excitement, Atta looked round to see that a few feet above the hiding place rock was Manny, carrying Gypsy.
"Your Majesty! Dot!" he called out, "are you both OK?"
A weak smile spread to Atta's face. "We've had better days…thanks for that little diversion…"
"Is Gypsy OK? And what about Flik?" inquired Dot hurriedly.
"Gypsy will be fine," replied Manny, at which point his wife gave a small wave to Dot and Atta to prove it, "and Flik has gone to attend to your mother and Mr. Acorn."
Dot gave a sigh of relief. "We'd better get back up there."
At once the four insects made their way back over to the shelter, Dot helping Atta along by lifting her by the shoulder. Immediately Dot called out for her inventor ant friend.
"Flik! Are you there?"
Straight away, Flik, who was at that moment doing his best to tend to Acorn, heard the calls and rushed to the edge of the shelter.
"I'm here, Dot! I'm glad you're OK…how is she…?"
"Sis is fine, Flik! Don't worry!"
Flik sighed with relief. He glanced back at Acorn and the elderly queen ant.
"Will you two be OK?" he quickly asked.
Atta's mother already guessed the reason for Flik's sudden rush. "We'll be fine, Flik. Please, go and see how Atta is…"
"I…second that…"quipped Acorn.
"Thanks," replied Flik with a smile, then he rushed down from the shelter to the ant queen's side. When he saw that Atta was hurt, his face fell.
"Oh Atta…"
The queen, now laid on her back on the ground, glanced at her love, giving a stare…one of those reassuring stares.
Flik opened his mouth to say something, but he knew that stare, and acknowledged it, a smile forming on his face. He knew that he didn't have to say anything else.