The Rotting Orange Tree
Once upon a time…
Deep in the heart of a sprawling Northern California orange grove, nestled inside an old, rotting orange tree way toward the back of the grove—back where those loud, strange noises weren’t so loud anymore—lived a thriving colony of carpenter ants.
It had been their home for nearly forty years, ruled by the wise—but ruthless—Queen Eris. For generations, the ants worked tirelessly, expanding their tunnels and caring for their Queen, never questioning her rule.
But Lou Dongbin was different.
Lou was a drone carpenter ant, born with one purpose—to serve the Queen. His day was coming soon, when he would be called upon to mate with her, fulfilling his duty before meeting his end.
A drone carpenter ant dies shortly after mating with a queen carpenter ant. This made Lou feel quite sad. Yet Lou wanted more out of life. He dreamed of a life beyond his duty in the colony, an adventure that would give him a purpose.
One night, beneath the glow of the moon, the colony buzzed with excitement. Lou had been summoned. It was time to fulfill his duty to the Queen.
But as he stood before the towering Queen, something inside him twisted.
“No,” Lou said, his voice shaking. “I won’t do it!”
A silence fell over the chamber.
Queen Eris narrowed her eyes. “Then you are of no use to me.” She turned to her two most loyal soldiers, Arawn and Tiamat. “Kill him,” she ordered.
Lou’s heart pounded. He darted through the tunnels, running for his life as the two soldiers chased him relentlessly, their mandibles—pinchers, you may think of them—snapping close behind him.
In the frantic chase, Lou took a wrong turn, which led him straight into a dead end. He turned to face his pursuers, ready to fight.
Just as Arawn was about to lunge, Tiamat stopped him and hesitated. “Go,” he whispered to Lou. “You better not show your face around here again,” he said, shoving Lou toward the colony exit.
Tiamat was a killer, no doubt, but he stopped short of killing one of their own for no good reason—especially because of what he knew about what the Queen was planning.
Lou didn’t wait to question the reasons why. He just ran far, far away.
Now exiled.
And now all alone.
