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After about two minutes of walking through the neatly paved tunnel, the scent of oak got stronger. They came to the end of it and realized something was clogging the opening. “What is it?” Cash asked. Desire stopped and started crawling around in circles on the smooth, light-brown object that was blocking the tunnel.
“It’s an acorn,” Desire said.
“Can we move it?” Cash asked.
“Let’s try,” Desire said. They both pushed with all their strength. The acorn budged a little, but was pushed too deep into place, making the opening larger than the rest of the tunnel.
“Come on,“ Cash said, as he turned around and started pushing with his back.
“Wait,” Desire said. “Catch your breath, and on the count of three, let’s give it our all. One… two… three!” They both gave it their all, eyes closed, mouths open as they used every bit of strength they had. The acorn slid forward, making both Cash and Desire lose their grips.
The soldier ant heard their grunts and came to assist them. With his help, they managed to push the acorn aside.
“There you go,” the soldier ant said.
“Oh my! Big strong soldier ant, thank you,” Desire said.
“You’re welcome.”
“We appreciate you very much,” Cash stated as he moved himself in between the soldier ant and Desire.
“No problem,” said the soldier. “I shall now return to my post.”
“Best ant for the job,” said Desire as she wiggled her antennas. “Nothing will get past you.”
The soldier ant wiggled his antennas as Cash just stood there staring for a second before turning his back to both Desire and the soldier ant.
As Desire led the way through the opening, all heads that were in the room turned in their direction. The Queen room was large and filled with oval white eggs that Queen Lovely came at personal times to lay. It smelled mildly of old walnuts, which indicated that Queen Lovely was fertile and healthy. “How did you get in the Queen Lovely room?” a voice shouted.
Cash tried to speak. “Umm… we were…” But before Cash could get out what he wanted to say, a voice called out, “She’s my daughter!” It was General Red-Rum, Desire’s father, who stood there beside where Queen Lovely lay.
“Father!” Desire responded, before running to his side. “And that is Cash, he’s with me,” Desire quickly said to her father.
Cash spotted Queen Lovely laid across lobed leaves and ran towards her. Queen Lovely was surrounded by female ants, standing still and staring at her helplessly. Cash approached Queen Lovely, softly calling her name. No response, but she slowly wiggled her antennas to acknowledge his presence.
Cash whispered to himself, “Please stay with us.” The sadness in the room was thick, with all eyes on the Queen, concern on every face as she lay motionless. Supervisor Big Dirt stood in the middle of certain ants who were moving eggs out of the way to create an opening of clear space to where the Queen lay.
Cash had his head down as he stood beside Queen Lovely, experiencing feelings that he couldn’t explain. He’d never been on the verge of losing someone he truly loved. He’d loved her since he was a pupa ant, the stage before an ant starts its development to becoming an adult. Cash still remembered how one day Queen Lovely came to watch all the young ants be fed. Queen Lovely stood there staring at him before walking up to him and whispering, “You’re going to grow to be something special. No other youngster here has the coloration of the colony yet but you.” Cash had no knowledge of what made her state that to him, but he felt special after hearing those words.
“Desire?” Cash called out, as he came back to reality. “What are we gonna do?”
“I don’t know,” Desire responded. “We have to let the elders tend to her. We’ll just be in the way.” As the worker ants tried feeding Queen Lovely as she lay there, Desire said to Cash, “Let’s just keep our antennas crossed.”
Cash found a quiet corner to sit in. He wanted to be alone for a minute. But just then a group of alate ants came into the Queen Layer and surrounded the Queen. He hurried over to where Queen Lovely lay. “What’s going on?” Cash asked the group of alate ants.
“We are here to carry the Queen off and care for her until further notice. Everyone will be aware of her well-being.”
“Can I come, too? ” asked Cash.
“No, little one,” one of the alate ants responded. “Just be patient and have faith,” one said as he flapped his two sets of wings and gently tapped Cash’s head with his bent antennas. “Caring for the Queen’s health is our duty. She should return in great shape.”
Cash just sagged his antennas. He watched as four alate ants picked up Queen Lovely and carried her off into the same tunnel he and Desire had entered. Cash looked back and forth from Desire to the tunnel before impulsively deciding to follow the Queen through the tunnel.
Desire called out, “Cash! Stay back!” Cash just continued on. Desire looked up at Red-Rum and said, “I have to go after him, Father.”
“I have never seen you show so much concern for someone.”
“I really like him,” Desire said.
“Well make sure he’s taught obedience,” said Red-Rum. “I don’t need him putting others’ lives in danger.”
“I can handle it, Cash really listens to me, Father,” Desire said. Red-Rum just nodded at her.
Cash was running through the tunnel like his life was in danger. The soldier ant that stood guard just watched as Cash rushed past him. Cash had one thing in mind as he desperately ran through the tunnel: to see in what direction Queen Lovely was taken. As Cash came out of the opening of the tunnel, he looked up and around in every direction until he spotted Queen Lovely begin to be carried upwards. Cash just stood there. He heard soft steps approach him from behind and then Desire’s quiet voice. “What’s wrong?”
Cash continued to look up to the sky until Desire followed his gaze to the alate ants flying off in the distance with Queen Lovely.
“I’m afraid I’ll never see her again.” Cash was so heartbroken that he didn’t feel Desire touch her antennas to his. Cash just lowered his head before looking back up towards the sky where Queen Lovely was flown away silently. The sun had begun to set. The croaks of the frogs and chirps of grasshoppers throughout the field among the creek grew louder as the day had started to end. Together they watched until the flying ants were lost to view.
