The Soda Pop Gang

This is an insect story told by a small ordinary red-and-black spotted ladybug known to all the insects as Miss Lady Bug. Oh yeah, I am the editor-in-chief of our little insect forest newspaper. I am well known by all the employee bugs around here as Big ED. I am just a common black stinkbug always on the move, which makes me very, very thirsty. I am always drinking something. You will find me carrying a soda around with me every place I go. I like to support our little township whenever possible. So when the insects in town invent another water-based brew, I am the first one to drink it. Sometimes they even use aged moisture from the tree roots. They call it Root Soda. Wow! Some brews are so delicious. Well, enough about all that good drinking stuff.  Like I said, I will just go ahead and let our hometown ladybug reporter tell you her unique story. So without further ado, let me introduce you to Miss Lady Bug".

“Hot buggity! Hi. I am Miss Lady Bug! I work for the forest newspaper known as ‘Our Neck Of The Woods.'' We live deep down in a dark, dark forest called Woodland. When GOD created the heavens and the earth, he populated it with special little tiny creatures, all designed with a purpose. These tiny little creatures share your big human world. Yes, they are above you, below you, and all around you. Try and imagine them all talking, reading, and writing just like humans. It does not take much of an imagination since you do see the little creatures each day using their GOD given instincts to perform their daily seasonal tasks. What you do not know is what happens to them in their personal little insect world. I’m going to share one special story so you can tell your friends.

CRASH!!!  SLAM!!!  BANG!!!  CRASH!!!  CRASH!!!

The loud noise came from outside. All the insects in Woodland Village were screaming and shouting. Something had gone through the village quickly and recklessly. It was the Black Widow. She finally arrived at the village and was on a rampage. She tore the village apart and then she wrote on the large oak tree at the village’s entrance, “STAY AWAY FROM MY MANSION. ALL TRESPASSERS WILL BE SEVERELY PUNISHED. IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIVES, DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT ENTER MY MANSION. I WILL EXECUTE ALL TRESPASSERS".

Soda Pop slowly strolled out of his home. He was the last insect to reach the outside. He stood looking at the wreckage and said in a cool, calm southern drawl, “Now you see why we must enter the mansion and rid ourselves of this menace. I will not back down from her or any other insect. You can take my word; I will do everything I can to destroy her. I do not like any creature threatening me or my friends". Then he looked at his volunteers and restated, “ I mean, we will do everything".

Soda Pop turned to Tool-Box and Lightning, “See what you can do to restore this mess. Do what needs to be done and do it quickly". Then he said to the militant ants, “Okay you guys with all those muscles, give them a hand".

They all looked at each other and with 12 matching smiles and 12 matching grins responded together, “Sure thing boss". To me Ant #4 looked the strongest. He had a great big smile. He appeared to be most even-tempered. Don''t let his smile fool you, especially, in the dark of the night. He was a tough little cookie.