Out of all the insects in the world, I had to become the one I hate the most. I guess it's karma for killing those ants. Maybe if I wasn't at that nest killing those ants, then I wouldn't have died, Ari thought bitterly. Maybe me and Keiko could have made up, and everything would have gone back to normal.
Where do I go from here? I don't even know where I am. The only thing I can do now is start moving. Maybe I'll find someone who can help or possibly a place to stay before nightfall, he reasoned, beginning to walk.
As he continued on, he stumbled upon a small group of ants walking in the opposite direction. He wanted to ask them questions, but his deep-seated hatred for ants made him hesitate. Eventually, he chose to pass them by, hoping to avoid any interaction.
"Hold it!!" shouted a female voice from the group. Ari froze but didn't respond, startled by the sudden command. He then resumed walking, trying to shake off the tension.
"You there!! How dare you ignore her? Who are you? You're definitely not from our colony because I haven't seen your face before. Are you some spy sent here to steal from our resources?" accused one of the ants.
Ari turned around nervously and answered, "Listen, you're right, I'm not from your colony. I'm also not from any colony at all. I'm not from this place. I died and suddenly woke up here. It's hard to explain, but..."
"Capture him, men!! Don't let him escape!!" shouted one of the ants.
"What the hell? I told you that I'm not from this world!" Ari barked as he turned and sprinted away.
He dashed into a nearby area dense with towering plants and tangled underbrush, but he was quickly ambushed by two ants attempting to tackle him. He twisted his body, barely dodging their outstretched arms with surprising speed and agility.
"This ant is really fast! Can't believe I let him slip away," cursed one of the ants, frustration in his voice.
Ari's heart pounded as he weaved through thick forestry, desperate to lose his pursuers. The sound of stomping feet and rustling leaves chased him.
I've gained some distance. I need to find somewhere to hide. No way am I going to let myself be captured and killed by ants of all things, he thought furiously. There's a cave up ahead. If I can just make it there before they spot me, I might be safe.
He charged toward the cave entrance, hope flickering in his chest, but just as he neared it, an ant tackled him from the side, slamming him into the dirt.
Pinned to the ground, he struggled violently to break free, but the ant pressed him down and quickly drew a pair of weapons, crossing them at his throat.
"Don't move, or I'll end you right here," the ant threatened, her voice sharp and commanding.
What the hell? Are these their mandibles? They're shaped like weapons instead of being attached to their mouths. What kind of world is this? Ari's mind raced in disbelief.
Wait. Now that I see this ant clearly... she's female? She actually has features of a human woman—her face, lips, hair, curves, and breasts. What the hell are you thinking, you idiot?! Snap out of it! She's an ant—the insect you despise the most—and your life is in danger! Now's not the time to be thinking about that.
"Stand up slowly. If you dare try to run away, I'll sever your arms and legs. Am I clear?"
She's terrifying. I believe every word she says. I should just comply if I want to survive, he thought nervously.
"Great work, Lieutenant Anastasia. You caught him. He almost slipped away from us. I apologize for our incompetence. Thank God you were with us," said one of the ants as he arrived on the scene.
Lieutenant? Are these ants some kind of soldiers? A military system? This world really is strange, Ari mused.
"There's no need to apologize. This is your first expedition, after all," Anastasia replied calmly.
"Let's take this ant to the colony so Queen Celeste can decide his fate," Anastasia ordered. "Bind his arms and legs. He's a swift one."
"Right away, ma'am," said a soldier ant, pulling out a gooey, sticky liquid and quickly binding Ari's hands and legs.
Crap, what is this stuff? I can't move at all. It hardened the moment it touched me, Ari panicked, struggling against the hardened restraints.
"Alright, everyone, let's move out," said a soldier ant as the group began marching back to the colony.
I need to find a way to escape. Who knows what they plan to do with me? Ari fretted as they traveled.
Hours later, Ari jolted awake as they arrived at the entrance of the colony.
That's the colony? It's enormous and nothing like the ones I saw back in my world, he thought, wide-eyed. It looked nothing like the ones in his world.
As Lieutenant Anastasia and her soldiers walked through the tunnels, cheers erupted from the other ants.
"They're back from their voyage with zero casualties! Lieutenant Anastasia is an exemplary squad leader!" praised a worker ant.
"Looks like they brought a prisoner with them," whispered a female ant nearby.
"Maybe he survived a battle," another ant replied quietly.
This place isn't what I expected. Sure, there are lots of tunnels, but in my world, ant colonies didn't have well-built houses and storage areas like this. The tunnel layouts are so precise, Ari marveled.
That must be their food storage. Stones, sticks, organized chambers... it's like these insects have an advanced civilization, he said to himself, astonished.
"My Queen, we have returned from our scouting expedition," Lieutenant Anastasia reported, bowing low.
"Welcome back, Anastasia. Raise your head. I trust all went well?" asked Queen Celeste.
"Yes, Your Majesty. We located food sources to the southeast and northwest of the colony. Each location would take approximately three days to reach. We also suffered no casualties."
"Excellent. You've done well, Anastasia. Continue at this rate, and you may become a commander soon," Celeste praised.
"Your words honor me beyond measure, Your Majesty. Now then, I would like to explain who this ant is."
"Please, do."
"We found him wandering near the outskirts of the colony. I suspect he is a spy from another colony, sent to scout our defenses and steal our resources."
"No, I'm not a spy! I told you already, I'm not from any colony! I'm not even from this world! I don't know what's happening!" Ari protested desperately.
"How dare you speak when not spoken to? Shut up!!" Anastasia snapped, punctuating her words with a harsh kick to Ari's face.
"Gah!" Ari coughed, the impact rattling his jaw and knocking the wind out of him.
"I assure you, Your Majesty, he's just pretending to be clueless."
"That's a bold claim, Anastasia. Typically, I would execute spies on the spot, but something tells me to keep this one alive. We don't yet know if he's truly a spy. Let's enslave him instead. He can work for us," Celeste decided coldly.
"No! I didn't do anything wrong!" Ari cried, disbelieving.
"Oh, you poor thing. You must be scared and confused. Let me spell it out for you: " I granted you the privilege of labor over the silence of death, so be grateful."
Queen, my ass. This ant is a witch, Ari thought, terrified.
"Take him to his cellar. He'll begin working in our mines tomorrow."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Anastasia responded, personally dragging Ari to his prison cell.
She shoved him inside, and he hit the floor with a grunt of pain.
"You're lucky the Queen showed you mercy. Normally she'd have you executed on the spot. I'll make sure your days as a slave are so miserable, you'll wish you were dead," Anastasia promised as she walked away.
This must be a sick dream—a nightmare. Someone, anyone, please wake me up!! It's ironic, really. I've become a slave to the very insect I used to kill without hesitation.
If only I hadn't gone to that nest that day. Maybe I could have made up with Keiko. Maybe we could have been friends again after I apologized.
I want to see her again. Her face. Her smile. Why? Why can't I go back? Ari cried to himself, curling into himself as tears fell. Eventually, he drifted off to sleep, crying quietly in the darkness.