Buck Vs. the Bulldog Ants Read online

CHAPTER FIVE

  I left the house, sans the limp, with my mind so clouded that it was hard to focus on why I was putting one step in front of the other. It was totally dark, no moon, which contributed to the eerie, aimless feeling. I felt like I might have things crawling on me. A tingling coursed over and through my body which caused me to shiver. I was dumbstruck at the thought of mean people trying to kill nice people. I'd seen plenty of strife among the animals of the estate, but to think humans could do this to one another, and for what possible reason?

  I heard John call after me so I turned back toward the house. All the cars and SUVs were gone and I saw John sitting on the steps. "Old boy, come sit on the steps with me, I want to talk to you."

  As I stepped onto the car park out of the corner of my eye I saw Cassie crouching behind one of the hedgerows that flanked the stairway.

  I took a seat on the steps, then John said, "Cassie, come join us," which she timidly did.

  "Buck, I know you have quite a nice and effective setup out there in the clearing, and Cassie, I also know you are part of it. I don't know how you do it, but in your own way I want you to put the fear of God in your little group. Scare them, but not so much that they'd try to run away. Tell them to look for any signs of activity that aligns with what you've seen and heard tonight. Be forceful and don't take any disbelief they may have as an answer. If any of your group encounters the ant that was shown on the monitor, have Mort or Penny, who both have weight and hard hooves, step on it to kill it and bring it to me, but not by putting it in your mouth, it may carry a mite or two that could enter your system. Don't worry yourself to look for the mites. Leave the mite problem up to me. I'll be looking for the bulldog ant too, and that's what we have to stop first since it's the delivery system. If you should encounter one try not to break in in half when you kill it. I need the whole specimen intact. If you break it in half while it's still alive, strangely enough, the head end and the tail end will attack each other. Now go get some sleep. Oh, and one more thing. Don't come limping to me again unless it's for real." Then John smiled and put both hands around my snout, and said, "I love you old boy, and Cassie, I love you too."

  When John left to go inside, Cassie and I continued to sit on the steps. "What did you see?" she said. "I was in the kitchen which is directly above the secret room. I had my ear pressed to the floor, but Sylvester and Mozetta were cutting up so much I was too distracted to make anything out."

  "I saw plenty, Cassie, and it's huge. We have to be on the lookout for a type of ant. Like Candace said, it is the bulldog ant. I will tell the whole circle tomorrow, but for now, let's just say look for an ant that looks like and is the size of a wasp, just no wings. Raspy was right about the shape and size, but wrong about it only being in Australia. Cassie, it's here in our country and in our county just down the road five miles. We've got to get some sleep and be sharp tomorrow. Sleep well."

  As Cassie left for her entry door, I walked to the side of the house to my kennel. I was so spooked that I examined the entire kennel before laying down. I reclined, and looked through the wire roof for a star, or moon, or something. Nothing. Is the darkness a sign of an approaching evil? I was immersed into a dog's search for meaning. Why, just why? For the first time I felt fragile, small, and unimportant. And scared. I entered the doghouse at the corner of the kennel, and of course, looked for ants. Dozing off was tough, but finally I succeeded and dreamed of a snake eating a bird, and when the snake had totally devoured the fowl, it looked at me and said, "You're next, buster!"