My daughter gnawed on her honeyed toast, dropping bits into the top of the ant farm. The workers scurried to gather the crumbs. I sipped my coffee slow, to avoid the cup’s bottom, to prolong the moment when I left for work. Sarah and I watched the insects crawl through tunnels and burrows, hauling beige globs bigger than themselves to the queen. The sun warmed the kitchen. A sort of hypnotic peace settled over us. A bargain, my husband had declared, holding the farm in his arms. He smiled, sweaty from a summer morning spent yard-saling. Sarah will learn about community, he had said. She’ll learn about hard work. What about you? I had thought. But I let him assemble the structure after he promised to release the insects when Sarah entered kindergarten. A year later and the ants still thrived, unlike the goldfish that went belly-up when Sarah sprinkled in too much Tetra. The farm occupied an entire counter. Somehow the ants escaped and found their way into the sugar bowl and the plastic-sheathed bread. Every time I squished an ant with my finger, I felt a piece of me loosen and chisel off. My husband bounded down the stairs, his happy noisiness preceding him. Sarah ran to him, they hugged, chattering, behind me. Pressure welled from my gut to my chest. The room clouded. Outside daffodils poked through snow and the air shimmered blue. I drained my cup, picked up my keys, the morning unbearable. |
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ANT FARM by Linda Simoni-Wastila
Filed under Linda Simoni-Wastila
Exquisitely crafted scene of hidden resentment festering below the surface of a relationship. Nicely done, Linda.
i really liked this. the pacing was great as were the visuals. well done, linda.
What an interesting take on “the crowd.” You wove that into so many levels and in few words.
I’m always amazed at the impact you create with your stories.
Unbelievable. So well done. Wow.
The tone of this was exquisite. You can feel the tension simmering under the surface.
Ants and humans. Such a Subtle, Perfect Kontrast. Enjoyed.
very nice, the sense of claustrophobic emotion revealed by the brief but pointed moments of narrative shift – the ‘what about you’ and the crushing of an ant
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Nature vs. humans and the symbology of ant/human and back and forth. Your levels you play with in these short shorts stun me. Even if it is not your intention, I am bereft.