Antelligent Design

117. Crushed

Unable to refuse my order, Crinis is forced to extend multiple tentacles, which she unwillingly begins to wrap around my carapace and squeezes, the lacklustre force evidence to her confusion and reluctance.

[Crinis!] I cry out in agony. [If you don’t compress me, I’m gonna pop! Please!]

The energy in my core swirls dangerously, drawing more and more from the rare core into itself and growing larger with each moment that passes.

Crack!

Deep within my body, a horrific sound reverberates and waves of pain wash through my entire body, sending me writhing and twisting on the floor.

[Crinis!]

[I’ll do it!]

Suddenly afraid, Crinis reaches with more tentacles and wraps them around my body, covering almost every inch of my carapace and begins to squeeze.

I grow still, not because it hurts any less, it actually starts to hurt more, but with Crinis wrapping me up so tight, there isn’t anywhere I can go. In her rush to obey my desperate plea, she inadvertently catches one of my legs up in her tentacles and the limb is immediately crushed.

She’s strong!

Holy moly, this hurts. The outward pressure of the growing core has now been met with the inward pressure of Crinis. I have no sound medical basis for this procedure, but I’m rolling with my gut instinct here! If all goes well, maybe I’ll survive…

Please finish soon. Please finish soon. COME ON!

In the centre of my thorax, my innards are being shredded. Pressed down onto the core, they’re being used in an attempt to hold the stressed gem together whilst also having to endure the core pressing back against them. Ravaging pain, the likes of which I’ve only experienced once before, wracks my form.

Back then, the only thing I had to live for was my colony.

Strangely enough, that’s still true today!

I REFUSE TO DIE!

[Give it everything, Crinis! Don’t worry about hurting me!]

[Ahhhh—OK!]

Pressure.

More and more, Crinis’ limbs grind down on my carapace with such force, even my diamond shell begins to crack and splinter beneath her ministrations. The inward force and the outward pressure continue to grind my insides to paste and it’s all I can do not to pass out.

Activate the Regeneration Gland!

I have a horrible feeling this is gonna hurt. But if I can keep my organs functioning for a bit longer, maybe I’ll be able to survive.

AAAAARGGGHHH!

I’d writhe in pain, but I can’t. How much longer to go?

I stare at the core lying on the ground. A steady stream of energy vapour pours off it and into me. I think I’m about halfway through absorbing what’s left of it. Halfway through and I’m barely hanging on.

Come on, Anthony! Would the queen whinge and moan like this? No! Hold yourself together. Show the other ants how it’s done.

This agony truly defies the odds. Just stop it, pain! Nobody asked you to get any worse! EERGHHH. I’m losing my sense of things, as well as my senses. At least I think I am, is everything fading?

I startle Crinis by banging what little is exposed of my head into the floor.

Wake up, Anthony! No time for sleeping. There’s a lot of stuff to do and it won’t get done if you pass out and die here. Grit those face-hands and endure, you son of a queen!

Inch by agonizing inch, the core is absorbed. I better get one hell of an evolution out of this. Despite my best efforts, my mind is starting to fade. The pain is too much. Is this what it would feel like if Tiny tried to do math? Reality is slipping from my grasp.

It’d be so easy. So easy, just to let it all go. But I won’t. I’m a stubborn creature at heart.

Did I let it go when I was abandoned by my family? Nope. When I was kicked out of school and shunned by everyone I’d known? Negative. I’m not likely to give up now that there are people—ants—who actually need me!

Despite the intense pain, a sense of purpose and determination wells up inside me and I grab hold of it with all six legs plus my mandibles. I can take it!

And I do. I hold on until the final wisp of energy leaks out of the rare core and disappears inside me, the ordeal finally complete.

Except it isn’t.

It still hurts like all get out! If I don’t evolve immediately, I might not be able to hold onto consciousness, pass out and die.

My guts have been blended, mashed, pureed, minced and then blended again for the hell of it. How much health have I got left? 6 HP! Is it still going down? I nervously watch my health for a moment to see if the recovery gland was healing me. After twenty seconds my health hasn’t moved at all…

In fact, it feels as if a terrible pressure is squeezing me from all sides, forcing the air from my lungs!

Oh…

[Crinis, you can let me go now.]

[Oh! O-Of course!]

Not being crushed to death by my own pet helps the pain a little, but not much. It’s time. I need to engage the evolution menu!