Ants, Me and MY Niece

They get into the taxi along with their wheel bags and suitcases. Taxi started to fade away as I looked by. It resembled a mini-truck stuffed with loads of sand bags. Hands came out of the speeding car waving goodbyes. I waved back at them. The summer heat produced a mirage effect, as the image of speeding car rippled.

Now, I am alone in the big apartment. My family, they are off to visit the home town. There is nobody to control me. I am free. It felt like you have got the password for someone else’s admin account.

That day, I left the office a little early. The work was as usual hectic and stressful. Metro transit is where I like to spend time. I read most of my favourite books on my transit. I have to walk for 5 minutes from metro station to reach home. On my way back home there is a small store running by an old man who has the most beautiful white beard I have seen, just like Christmas Papa, Daily, I wish to buy muffin cakes stacked in a beautiful glass cabinet in front of the store. They are small and gladsome. They always reminded me of minions, with not so yellowish colour, Kind of a different race of minions. It looked to me that they were trying to escape from where they had been caged and put to a public show. Now they have found their new master in me. I was so happy to take them with me. And so I did. I bought ten of them and it looked like they were cooing softly to me.

At home I put them on my dining table and made myself ready to be served by the minions. One look at them and I lost all control and took one from the bag and had a bite. It was a soul-stirring moment. Acquiring lots of self control, I dragged myself away from them.

First I need to get changed. I turned on my music system and instrumental music started to play. I like the combination of music and food. Both help you attain a transcended state. My mind is full of that tender taste of muffin which will spread all over my mouth when I sink in my teeth into them. ‘WOW’ it’s awesome; I muttered. And I ran towards the dining table.

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Suddenly my phone rang. It was a call from work. What to do? and I decided to pick it up thinking what if it’s important?. And it took a while for me to wrap it up. After the call ended I hurried to the table, it’s been more than half an hour now.

The sight there broke my heart into little pieces and that little pieces started to turn red and anger consumed me.

A column of ants were marching out of the paper bag which held my favourite muffins. They have got my treasures. They were all over the bag and muffins. They have started to eat it from inside out. What the hell? How did this happen? I was dumbstruck.

This is injustice; you can’t invade my space like this and take away my things. This is my territory. I cried.

And in a moment of anger and excitement I tried to snatch away my muffins from them. The moment I touched, they all went crazy and attacked me. In a split second those six legged aliens were all over me. They were the Lilliput and I was the Gulliver. They were like wind, swoooosh.. you won’t even see them crawling up on you. They acid attacked me. The formic acid they produce is irritating. They were fully equipped. But I was not going to let go of my muffins, my treasures. I put the bag near a burning stove and tow the ants away with my hand. Many of them fried at the instant they came near the flame.

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STOOOOPPPPPP....... THIS CAN’T BE. ANTS CAN’T BE KILLED. THEY ARE AWESOME. THEY ARE HARDWORKING AND I LIKE THEM. THEY CAN’T LOSE. She started to cry.

Yup, She is my niece, a 3 year old. She is the director and producer of the story. She wants the Ants to win. She chose ants over her uncle. I was in a dilemma. What now? If I refuse to budge, she will make my life miserable. She can cry like hell. 

Okay..calm down, here comes the twist. I didn't throw them to flames. Now I remember, what exactly happened, I told her and made some tweaks in my script. Okay, this is how it went down.

After their all-out attack I was so terrified and their acid attack took me off guard. I couldn't think of any ideas. I totally went blank. I was afraid. What can I do? I don’t even have nails and sharp teeth to begin with. They were all over me. They crawled inside my shirt and trousers and ears and nose. I had to tap-out. There is no other way for me. I had to let go of my muffins. I gave the ants an obliterating look. But they have already fallen into their marching position and continued what they have started, taking away my muffins. They all gone inanimate for a second like they were giving me a warning that "Don't you dare".

"My Muffins" I mumbled. You guys are lucky she chose to be on your side, else you were all dead. Nobody takes muffins from me.. NOBODY. She chuckled.