Instantly, more pheromones engulfed me, all with their own messages. Bring food this way! Transfer babies to nursery #4! This way to the queen! Tunnels being excavated here, here, and here! Males getting restless, need to be prepared for mating flight!
The workers in my line all split up and went about their separate errands. Those carrying food took the appropriate route. Others, like me, who had no cargo to deliver followed different trails, integrating smoothly into the great living machine that was our colony. No longer forced to stay in line, I stood in the tunnel a bit dazed. Other ants whizzed by me on all sides, even overhead.
At one point, one stopped to prod me curiously with its antennae. “State your line.”
I froze in shock. Did the ant just talk? Well, not really. At least not verbally. But every gesture and pheromone communicated the ant’s thoughts to me as clearly as speech. Instinctively, I “spoke” back. “Excuse me? Line?”
My interrogator tilted its head to prod me from the side. Its antenna-span almost reached all the way from my mandibles to my shiny abdomen as it rapidly frisked me. “Hm, you’re obviously one of us. Worker caste, to be precise. So, why can’t you answer a simple question? Are you stupid?” The question was asked without malice, only mild consternation.
Desperate for some clarity, I explained, “I just don’t know what you mean by line.”
“Your task, of course. Honestly, did our Mother lay your egg sideways? Do you remember what you were doing just a minute ago?”
I clicked my annoyance at receiving such a condescending tone from an insect. “Look, I shouldn’t even be here. I’m supposed to be a human. I live in the house above us, but I got turned into an ant and forced to come down here with the others. I need to leave.”
The ant seemed to catch only fractions of what I said. “You were topside? Then, you were in the food gathering line. Or scouting. As for all that other nonsense you just spouted, I’d keep that to myself if I were you. Wouldn’t want to be put down for insanity. Unless you need it, of course. If so, just let me know. I promise I’ll make it quick.” The ant flexed its mandibles helpfully.
“Uh, no thank you.”
“You sure? It’d be no trouble. Just one snip and pop! Off goes your head, easy as you please.”
I shuddered. “I said no, thank you!”
“Suit yourself. In any case, you’re not carrying food, so I assume you’re done gathering. So, come with me. We need some extra sisters over at chamber seventy eight. There’s lots to do.”
Lifting my antennae to ask what was going on at chamber seventy eight, I paused. “Wait, did you just say sisters? But I’m not a girl.”
At this, a sweet whiff of pheromones hit me in the face, laced strongly with amusement. “You’re kidding, right? We’re all girls, you dope! Well, except for the drones, but they don’t matter. Now come along. And no more craziness. It’s time to work!”
Before I could object, I detected a now familiar effect from the pheromone blast. Not again. Unable to stop myself, I followed after the ant as she raced away down the tunnel. Right, left, up, down we went until I lost track of where we had been. Then, we emerged into a rounded cave that I assumed had to be chamber seventy eight. At the opposite side, I saw the task ahead of me.