“Whoa! What the hell is that?” Jim asked.
“It’s an ant hill,” Mr. Stevens answered.
The students gathered around the tall formation. “I’ve never seen one that big,” Sharon said.
“I think you’re wrong, Mr. Stevens,” Brian said. “It’s the petrified remains of a tree trunk.”
“I agree with Brian,” Sally said. “It’s way too big to be an ant hill.”
“Actually,” Mr. Stevens explained, “some ants create soft, low hills out of dirt or sand. Others build towering creations of clay. Ant hills can range from less than an inch high to over ten feet high.”
“Ten feet high! Wow,” said Jim.
“Yes,” said Mr. Stevens. “Ant hills have many chambers connected by tunnels. These small rooms serve different purposes. During the day, worker ants work nearer the top of the ant hill to stay warm. At night, they move back to the lower chambers.
“How long did it take the ants to build this hill?” Brian asked.
But before Mr. Steven could answer, Brian began feverishly kicking down the entire ant hill.
(173 words)
Written for this week’s Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers prompt from Priceless Joy. Photo credit: Yarnspinerr.
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