habitat itchy breakfast

The ants gathered that morning outside of what was left of their mound. Constant vibration from somewhere nearby had flattened the conical shape they had spent months perfecting. They had finally found a place far from human children with their obsessive need to kick and pound ant homes and now this. They couldn't catch a break.

"We have to do something."

"What the hell is that noise?"

"The kids can't sleep."

"Queen is annoyed."

"I'm hungry."

"We have more things to worry about than your hunger, Abby."

"Let's just go see if we can find the problem."

They scattered from their home, taking in the environment through their antennae and leaving a scent trail behind them. Abby ran in to Jess, again, and then stealthily trailed Mya. She really didn't like being alone. The group generally headed northeast toward the construction site causing all of the noise and the destruction. It took them half of the day to travel the fifty feet to the chainlink fence with a sign announcing the construction of a new Habitat for Humanity home.

The seven ants marched in without a fearful thought. What's to fear when you have no idea what you'll find or how you'll stop the destruction of their home? With the vibrations now seeming to come from all directions and shaking their bodies, Abby lost track of Mya and struck out on her own. She was lifted off her six little feet for a moment when a truck drove by. She was close. She had to be. But she ran into an obstacle, something wooden. She tried to move the object and then simply started climbing it. Soon she was at another obstacle and had to climb that. Upside down, verticle and finally right side up. Forward until she found FOOD! Her scent trail changed to alert her friends of her find. The vibrations were a distant memory. Home was second place. Here was a meal. Abby picked up a blueberry muffin crumb and headed back off the picnic table. Jess and Mya were on the ground.

"Food. Follow my trail."

"What about the vibrations?"

"If we get food, does it matter?"

"Yes."

"C'mon. We can rebuild the mound. We've done it a million times, and we'll do it a million more, but there is a smorgasbord up there!"

Mya sighed. Really, what else could they do? They were ants. At least they could get a prize for their troubles, so they started up the table leg.

Jake needed a break. He had been hauling bags of concrete mix for an hour. A cup of coffee and another doughnut would definitely improve his mood. His boot squished the mud next to drink table, the print filling with dirty water. Once at the food table, he reached for a Boston Creme, his favourite.

"Dammit. Fucking ants."

He grabbed the ant spray from the end of the table, sent Jess and Mya flying off the table, and pushed the food away from the direction of the spray. The insecticide coated the top of the table and then went down the legs and on the ground around the entire food setup. Abby, unknowingly, made it to a safe zone and continued leaving her Food This Way scent trail.

Jake finished spraying the area, grabbed his doughnut and sat down. As he ate, his arms started itching. He grunted in frustration. Everytime he saw a bug, he would itch for hours thinking it was on him. Every. single. time.

"Fucking ants."

I had a co-worker give me three random words to inspire something. This story is the result.