The -kind of- beginning
Martin was a ladybug. And he thought himself a very handsome and lucky ladybug indeed.
Just the previous day he had found a rosebush so full of yummy aphids that he just couldn’t eat them all. He had spent so much time stuffing himself silly and there were still so many of them!
When he fell asleep that night, he dreamed of his next aphid feast. Oh what a lovely day it would be.
The sun was just rising above the horizon when an excited Martin woke from his dreams.
“Hello Martin.” The Sun’s deep voice was carried in on the breeze. “How are you today?”
“Oh, hello there, Mr Sun. I am wonderful today! I found a rosebush so full of aphids that I am going back today to eat some more!”
“Be careful you don’t eat too much. You’ll get a tummy ache.”
“Oh no, I could eat aphids all day. And the next day too!” Martin enthused.
The sun smiled down at the little ladybug as he set off on his trek to the rosebush.
Martin had been munching and scarfing and eating the aphids for what seemed like forever when he noticed that the shadows were getting darker.
He looked around, and sure enough, the shadows were getting longer and longer.
Poor Martin was confused. It wasn’t night time yet, why was it so dark?
He looked up. And what he saw made him gasp in horror.
Mr Sun! He was disappearing!
“Mr Sun!” cried Martin. “What’s happening?”
“Martin, it’s a-” The sun’s words were muffled by whatever it was that was making him disappear. Something had eaten Mr Sun! The horror!
“Oh no! Poor Mr Sun.” Martin fretted, pacing back and forth on the rose leaf, his half eaten aphid forgotten in his hand.
“What am I going to do? Where did he go?” Martin dropped the remains of the aphid to the ground, his hunger gone.
“Why don’t you and look for him?” A small squeaky voice piped up. A small, green head peeked out from behind the leaves. “He might need your help.” The tiny aphid said.
Martin’s disbelief and surprise faded and he smiled.
“Why, thank you little aphid, that is a fantastic idea!”
Martin was so happy that, even though it was quite dark, he raised his shell and fluttered his wings, setting off in the direction he thought the sun had disappeared.
The terrified aphids crept out from their hiding places.
“Phew! I thought he was going to eat all of us.” one squeaked, wiping its brow in relief.
“Nooooooooooo! Steven, he killed you!” Steven’s horrified mate wept in anguish at his dreadful fate.
Martin gave no thought to the aphids as he sped through the trees. Mr Sun needed him and Martin was the only one who could help.
He flew towards an outcropping of trees and in those trees he saw something move.
It could be a helpful bug, thought Martin.
He landed close to the movement and saw it was antenna. And attached to the antennae was an ant.
“Hello there, Mr Ant. I was hoping you could help me.”
“There is always time to help a delicious morsel such as yourself.” Mr Ant smiled slowly.
“Oh good, I am looking for Mr Sun. You see, he’s disappeared. Something bad must have happened!”
“Oh, don’t you fret little bug. Come with me and we’ll see what we can do.” The ant put an arm around Martin’s shoulders and began to lead him into the bushes.
It was dark in the bushes. Even darker than it was when he was not in the bushes. Martin felt the first stirrings of unease as the ant lead him through the maze of branches and leaves.
“Where are we going?”
“Don’t you worry your head about it. I’m taking you to people who can help.” The ant’s low tone did nothing to reassure Martin.
“It’s okay, I think I’ll find the sun on my own.” Martin tried to get the ant’s vice-like grip to loosen.
“No, no. you come along with me little lady and we’ll sort you right out.” The ant began to pull a protesting Martin along. It wasn’t long till Martin saw their destination. It was a huge ant’s nest. It was covered in the colony of his so called helper. Martin knew the ant wasn’t going to help him; he was going to have him eaten!
“No! I don’t want to be dinner!” He struggled futilely. “I won’t feed all of you! There’s not enough of me to go around! Let me go!”
“Stop struggling, you little fiend!” The ant felt his grip loosening and fought to regain his hold. He heard a noise and turned. What he saw then made him forget about thesucculent ladybug all together. The giant, scaly form of a lizard had come down upon the colony and was eating as many of the ants as he could fit into his mouth!
The ant dropped Martin in his panic and rushed over to help his stricken brethren. Martin lay still as the lizard chewed and chomped his way through the ants. And he watched as his captor was swept up in the frenzy and bitten clean in two. In the panic Martin managed to slip away, unheeded by both the ants and the ferocious lizard.
“Well, he certainly got his comeuppance. Nasty, unhelpful ant.” and with that Martin fluttered his wings and continued on his way.
