Miles of Aldonia

Chapter 19: The Dark Colony

Chapter 19: The Dark Colony

"What you see projected onto the wall above the aquarium, is the layout of the shelter. Marked on various spots, are the places that the Faliginox has attempted to interfere with something so far. We have been in those places and there is only one other place that the mark remains where we have not been to yet." Highlighting a section on the layout map, that Jack was not aware existed. It read "The Colony."

"Miles, I have not been to that area of the shelter ever before. I have not heard of that yet. I did hear Dr Sophie talk about the colony to dad one day when we came to visit. But I have not been to the section." Said Jack.

"Well we are going to go there today, Jack. The colony is usually located in the apiary. My sources suggest that the colony was open to public few years back but has since been closed due to decling populations of the inhabitants. Of recent, the colonies had reached levels of population that had made it suitable for public display. This colony however was special in a way. This colony had bees, hornets and wasps living amongst the fireflies. This had naturally evolved to take on the traits of the fireflies. The fireflies had become a dominant specie in this and had implanted their photophores in the colony and its members. So what we had basically evolved into was firebees and lithornets amongst the new species that were discovered in the colony but had not been made public just as yet."

"Amazing, bees that light up like the fireflies, you mean?" asked Jack.

"Yes, Jack, bees that lit up like the fireflies. Not only that, but the colony hive was also infused with the photophoric cells which held the honey. The honey also adapted the fluorescent properties from being stored in the hive and had light emitting properties in the dark. That product itself would have taken to everyones liking." Said Miles.

As they entered the aviary section of the shelter, while Miles was explaining to Jack everything that the aviary section had acheived over the years, they saw what lay before them was in fact not as they had expected.

In the middle of the large cordorned off area that lay enclosed in glass, was a huge monolithic honeycomb structured hive. It was jutting out from the centre of the enclosure that was surrounded by shrubbery and tall grass, on an artificial island surrounded by slow stream of water that seemed to encircle the island.

Rising almost over 10 feet tall, all the honeycomb cells in the structure seemed occupied by liquid that was oozing out. The honey that would have usually occupied the cells, was looking as dark as night but was weirdly glowing a very dark amber hue. There were other insects also flying around in the aviary. Many which even landed on the honey were totally swallowed by it but again emerged quickly as blackened as a gangrenous foot.

Any contact with the honey, changed the appearance of the insects Miles concluded. What would it do if someone consumed it? Miles pondered.

Miles said to Jack "The Faliginox has so far changed the fish, bacteria, insects and their secretions. At this rate, it will not be long before this spreads to the other species if these affected creatures are able to escape. However, my current readings that tracked the whereabouts of Faliginox indicate that it did not proceed any further than here."