Don't Follow Butterflies

Da wings flutter n flap

It a trap

Stay away

Dey glow bright-bright

Dey pretty, dats right

But stay away

We warn ya now

Ya go too far

It be too late

Just stay away

Day turn to night

Dey wings turn black, red n white

Dey start to bite

Stay away!

Crunch.

I followed it out here because I couldn't believe my eyes. I just had to…I couldn't stop myself.

I didn't know what it was about, their little chant. Honestly, I didn't care; we don't fear bugs in England. Besides, I came here to study African insects. This Angola village was small and lost to the world anyway. But they are said to have the rarest bugs. Beautiful things that gleam like jewels. I intended to see them. They put me in the farthest sun-dried straw and mud hut, really per my request. There's more grass there. More grass means more insect life.

I grabbed my quick bag with my aerial net, hand lens, forceps, and some containers. I wanted to capture something new, something rare. Perhaps something is never seen before. I hoped to find something that cures diseases or just something different. Something the world could call mine. I suppose I should be trying to help these miserable Himba people. They do seem to need it; I mean, the people are covered in red clay. Can you imagine that clay getting stuck in my hair? I cringe at the thought of that red staining my curly blonde locks. I'm not here to be a hero. I'm here for glory.

Next to the village, next to the little patch of wood, was a great forest. Thick, crooked, tall trees that you can't even see the top of. Moss covered the trees with mushrooms creeping up their bases. I set up camp in the green patch, in the centre between the wood and village. I got comfortable in the grass. Sometimes it's a waiting game.

A breeze caught my attention, carrying with it the scent of lavenders and honeysuckles. Odd because it was a sunny day, but there wasn't any wind at all. It came from the woods, and I thought maybe I should set up my beating sheet, catch some branches and such. My thought was interrupted by a flash of colour, a crystal blue sapphire. It was glistening and glittering. I had to get a closer look. When I got to the first tree at the edge of the forest. It had gotten further away. But I could make out that it was a Rhopalocera, commonly known as a butterfly. I just see its wings.

I was captivated by the floating crystals dancing before my eyes. I had to catch it. I had to. Net in hand, I approached it slowly so I didn't scare it away. But somehow, it moved farther from the last spot it was in. But when I looked at it, it flapped its wings, but it didn't seem to be moving. Like it was suspended in place. I quickened my pace little by little, at first, gradually. My slow walk turned into a fast one, soon I was full-on running. Galloping through the woods like a blooming horse! I jumped over roots, tore through branches as my net got caught on them, I grunted, screaming as I stumbled on rocks; you'd have thought I was being chased. I thought I was going mad. This damn thing is getting further and further away. I just kept going, being pulled by pride at this point.

I fell hard. Panting, struggling to catch my breath. Seems I can't catch anything today. I looked up at the sky. When did it get so dark? I stood up and surveyed my surroundings. The ground was covered in grey sand and puddles. It felt like a cemetery. The beautiful blue bastard that I was chasing was joined by a green one. They circled around one of the puddles. I would have been mesmerized by the swirl of emerald and sapphire, but something was nipping at me.

I turned to see a little fluttering topaz. It was pretty but relentless. It wouldn't be swatted away; I had to physically move away from it. Nip, nip, nip. It kept on me until I stepped into the puddle. Once I was there, it joined the other two in circling the little pool. As they slowly went around me, their wings were changing. Blue became red, orange became black, green became white. I looked at their bodies. Instead of having a thorax, these things had human-looking bodies, female looking bodies. At first, I was excited, this new creature, this new discovery, I saw my ship sailing in. But my excitement turned to fear when the water beneath my feet turned to muck, clinging to my legs. I panicked and struggled against it, but it was no use.

When I looked back at them, they were growing. Their wings became more bat-like but kept their new colours. Their bodies grew until their feet touched the ground. By then, they were taller than me. They were naked and covered in dots that matched their wing colours. They resembled the villagers. The one with red wings had hazelnut skin and black dreadlocks that were dripping with blood. The white-winged one walnut skinned, and her 'fro was decorated with tiny bone fragments and teeth. The black-winged one had peanut skin and bald, drawing more notice to her pointy ears. The White-winged one caressed my face with her hands but held it steady. I saw the black-winged one's claws extend and a quick flash. My head fell to one side of the puddle.

I would be gratified that I didn't feel any pain if not to learn that it is true that the brain stays alive after decapitation. They slashed my body in sections. First, the red wing drank the blood in my arm, slurping and sucking it down as my blood ran down her face. The black-winged one leaned over and licked some of the blood, then ran down the other cheek. Satisfied she'd gotten all my blood, she passed my arm to the black-winged one. She proceeded to rip my flesh off with her teeth. Chewing loudly with bits and pieces falling from her mouth, getting stuck on her face. The white-winged one brushed the fallen bits off her face. When she swallowed the last of the meat off the bone, she passed it to the white-winged one. She clapped her hands enthusiastically as the others watched each other with affectionate smiles. Their intimacy with each other implies that the three of them are... mates. Fascinating, I almost wish I could study them more.

I saw my blue eyes staring back at me in the puddle. I thought about how I looked like my mother and was reckless like my father. I held onto those thoughts as I waited for the 15 or 20 minutes that it would take for me to lose consciousness. The white-winged one was enjoying her meal of my bones.

Crunch.