charming chaos

[the start of this mess 🌅]

somewhere deep in the forest, an ant sits with a mushroom growing out of its head. it's about half way up a stem, resting deceased, a white fungus had grown through its head.

"GUYS, GUYS, GUYS, YOU GOTTA SEE THIS!" an energetic teenager by the name of aatmik calls to his friends, who were following behind him, out of breath.

"hm? oh, i wouldn't touch that, mik-" anesh spoke once he had caught up, observing the fungus. "remember, we learned about those things in science class? i think they're called cordyceps, they really fuck up the ant's brain and practically drive it insane. i'd stay away."

"it's probably fine, mr. q only mentioned it happening to ants." aatmik poked the mushroom, clearly amused by how the entire ant wobbled when he did so.

"i dunno, anesh was a boy scout for like...err..." ura turned to look at anesh, squinting as if to ask, "how long-?"

"three years." anesh answered for her, nodding.

"yea, so i'd listen to him about survival skills. he seems...reliable...enough...?" ura didn't want to sound mean, but she honestly didn't know anesh very well, she only hung out with him because he was friends with aatmik, and so was she.

"maybe you guys are just little cowards? hm? are you?" aatmik turned to anesh and ura with a grin on his face, his hands resting on his knees as he crouched next to the plant that the ant was on.

"come on, let's just go to the gas station and get snacks or something. i'd much rather do that than go clinically insane because of a weird mushroom." ura groaned, wanting to eat something sweet instead of dealing with her friend's shenanigans.

"sounds like a decent plan to me." anesh shrugged, then looked down to ura with a smug expression. "surprisingly."

ura looked up at him, her face showing none of mild frustration "WHATS THAT SUPPOSED TO-" she paused, calming down. "okay well- you're just being mean." she crossed her arms, looking away from the two and facing towards the entrance of the forest that they came through.