Colony (Dec28 Daily Flash Fiction Entry)

"Oi! Where you been? You shouldn't wander off. Come on, quit dallying and help me move this rock."

Sally wasn't looking for an explanation. Much like the other workers, she had the single minded goal of making the colony fully operational.

"Sal, I've been thinking..."

"Hmm?" She glanced at me,  "Great, more funny talk."

"Then humor me, what did we do two days ago?"

"Built a bridge."

"...and yesterday?"

"Drained a swamp."

"...and today?"

"I'm working and you're being a chatterbox. Your point?" Sally stopped work, I knew it was now or never.

"We're overworked setting up the colony, but the Queen's already here, why is that? We don't have food. Why hasn't she ordered more supplies from home? And why haven't the new colonists arrived yet?"

Pausing for effect, I delivered the coup de grâce:

"There's a plot and the Queen's behind it!"

Sally remained motionless for one instant and then resumed working without a second word.

"Sal? I said-"

"If you're right, she'll have our hides if we keep talking about it. Start working."

"Not the point Sal! I'm going back. Back to Rio - I'll get to the bottom of this!"

"Wait -"

But I was already homeward bound, dashing over the alien terrain in my exoskeleton. Soon, atop a sunny hill, the green fields of Rio stretched before me.

I dashed into the field and stumbled across an exoskeleton: The head was split open and a stem had emerged, rising ever upwards. All around me, this twisted flora towered overhead.

Air! I must get out! The Sun! Upwards!

I scaled the nearest stalk and heard a mocking tune upon the wind:
...Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, fascinating!

Atop every plant were ants: my kin, posed as I was, their heads split open by sickly stems.
CRACK!