Up, Up The voice was getting more and more insistent. Ahead of me Boris had also stopped, his body beginning to twitch in unison. Block and Slash had dropped their bounties and were looking around in frenzied confusion. Up, Up! My head snapped up and I noticed the seeds again, float ing down thicker and faster, settling on Boris’ head and legs. I watched in horror as he lumbered slowly towards a blade of grass and began to climb, his mandibles locking around its diameter, his legs gripping it tightly from each side. “Sir! Sir!” Flipp suddenly veered into my field of vision. “The seeds, sir ... spores... don’t let them touch you ... Cordyceps!” he blustered. What? Cordyceps? It sounded vaguely familiar. Up, Up! I was no longer listening to Flipp – the voice in my head compelled me to find the nearest grass blade, the top of which was imbued in a halo of golden light. “Don’t listen to it!” Flipp yelled, picking me up with his mandibles, scampering hastily down the Path. Up, Up! 10
My vision was closing fast but as we sped down the path toward the colony I caught a brief glimpse of Boris, perched high on a grass blade, antennae waving manically in the air. Block was on the ground, thrashing from side to side as if fighting some inner demon. My entire body was spasming now and my legs clawed desperately at Flipp’s head and eyes. “Nearly there sir” Flipp whispered as we flew out of the meadow, into the woods. But this was not the way to the colony! None of the trees seemed familiar and I became gripped with panic, screaming inaudible, guttural sounds at Flipp. Bursting into a clearing, Flipp finally stopped in front of a deep ditch, still holding me tightly with both mandibles. “Sorry sir” Everything went dark as I was flung into oblivion.
11
