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It all began when I was working as a regular tunneler, and I was happy that
way, no one bothering me on details, responsibility, or production. But
there was that part of me that wanted to get into higher positions of authority.
I had ideas I felt would benefit the colony. When the time came when supervisors
were needed, I didn't personally pursue the idea. They came to me. I told
them I didn't have people skills, and would rather just present ideas to
the engineering crew, but that wasn't the way things were done. I turned
them down several times. But they persisted, and I eventually I took the
job, knowing that this could only result in more trouble than help, and I
was right.
I never personally hated anyone, but I had the hardest time understanding
the regimented thinking of West River Colony. No one was interested in most
of my ideas, because they were too radical, and it would take months for
ideas to work, and I just couldn't wait that long. This sewed the seeds
of conflict between myself and the crew that was assigned to me. It was
just little conflicts, but eventually they grew into rather heated arguments,
and I made a few choice words about them that to this day I regret. They
didn't deserve the treatment I gave them.
The odd thing is, I didn't know how badly the others felt about me until
I was one day confronted by Lily's husband, Clay. He had a friend who was
married to a member of my team.
Oh, I should introduce my family to you. My mother's name is Marigold.
My father's is Brentwood. I have two sisters, Lily and Holly. I'll go
into my childhood at a later date.
Clay confronted me one day and gave me the strait info on how my crew truly
felt about me. I had a hard time getting along with him, and at first assumed
it was another one of his retaliations. He told me that I could get my
info from the infirmary, since most of them needed some sort of stress relief.
I only went to prove him wrong. I was the one who was wrong. I had no
idea they were hurt that bad, and at first I was ready to resign my commission,
but my mom urged me to try to mend things with them , so I decided to follow
her suggestion. Things did work better for a while, that was until the accident.
I should also tell you about Amber. She was one of my crew, and for some
unknown reason, decided to support me and try to encourage me to change.
She was excited when I made improvements, and I began feeling rather fond
of her. But one day she made a miscalculation, and brought down part of
the ceiling of the tunnel, putting a couple of her co-workers in the infirmary.
Otherwise, no one was hurt. That same day I received a warning from the
council members telling me they could have no more reports of my abusing
my team. Word and progress tend to be slow in a colony of such a large size.
I panicked, and lost control, yelling at Amber when I knew it was an innocent
mistake. That would be the biggest mistake of my life. Amber left after
retaliating on me and headed for home. On the way, she ran across a council
member who had recently become aware of my actions, and had intentions of
taking care of the problem expediently. She wasn't going to say anything
,but he already knew what had happened, the damage was done.
That afternoon, I stood before the queen and her royal council. I expected
to be disciplined, of course. But the sentencing I received was more than
I could have imagined. I was exiled, forever.
I was accused of doing nearly unspeakable things to my crew. Things I
would never have dreamed of doing. Denying breaks, not allowing water, food
or rest for hours at a time. I was even accused of striking some of the
others. I was in total shock and devastation. The reason I was so unjustly
treated was because Amber was a friend of the Queens daughter. Amber never
bore false witness against me. It was with good but distorted intentions,
the queens daughter told her mother these horrific things I had done to
the others.
In that system of government, an ant is considered guilty until proven innocent.
Why the others weren't included as testimony, I never found out. But I
couldn't prove my innocence. That day I lost the one thing that truly meant
something to me, my Family.
With a tearful farewell, I headed north, based on a suggestion my younger
sister Heather made. It was based on a children's nursery rhyme, something
about a place in the river when some other ants dwell. I felt it was nonsense,
but she was so sure I'd find refuge there, I decided to take her advice.
I wondered in the wild for several days. Fighting off hunger, thirst, the
heat, a bird ,and a torrential rain fall that nearly ended my life, along
with personal injuries I acquired along the way.
I collapsed about a week and a half later in the heat, assuming the worst.
I awoke at night in a river bed canyon. I also heard loud thunder and smelled
the imminent rain coming. I tried to run for the edge, but the canyon walls
were too steep, and I had no outlet when the water came. It overtook me.
I tripped and fell, ready to give up hope. But from somewhere I found the
desire to keep fighting for my life, and then noticed a outcropping of land
ahead of me.
I ran in a mindless panicked state, upon reaching the outcropping ,I kept
going toward a hill ahead of me, and slowed down at the top. I turned around
to see the water far below, but as I continued forward, the ground seemed
to give out from below me, and I tumbled downward until I landed on some
unseen object. I hit my head upon contact, and started to black out. I
could hear voices, and as two individuals came around the corner I could
see they were ants. I was saved!
I still wasn't entirely sure if this colony would be friendly, but they
soon took pity on me and allowed me to stay. I will have to make one confession.
I told them a slightly different story, than I'm telling you. I told them
I was out with a friend and fell asleep as we sat under a clover or some
other form of foliage. I then told them I awoke outside of the colony,
and continued with the same story I've told you.
I'm not proud of some of the things I've done in my past. I treated others
with disrespect, and have felt a lot of regret in doing so. I was also treated
unfairly, but I can't change the past, so I see little purpose in holding
grudges at others. I know Amber did nothing to hurt me, and that the queens
daughter was only protecting her friend. I only wish I hadn't have had to
loose my family in the process.
Despite my inability to return to them, on account of my sentencing. I
still hope that if the Fates are kind to me and my family, that we may be
reunited again some day.
But I should also mention my sincere gratitude toward the support the Ant
Island colonists have given me. I had no desire to deceive them, only fear
fighting the elements, which are not kind to an ant. But the colonist are.
I owe them my life, and hope to return the favor in like kind.
Basil Harvestwatcher
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