Rudy and Rosie - Part II

But after she looked around, he was nowhere in sight. But a connection without a string doesn't hurt when you cut it, so Rosie went on with a vague desire to see him once more.

When she looked around, she saw nothing but her fellow earwigs basking in their clean, air conditioned, unhuman-ified solitude. She saw one male hording crumbs from a seemingly sponge-caked substance. Many others were eye balling his findings, but as soon as they stepped close, his pincers were snapping at full ferocity and his eyes turned savage. Rosie cringed when she saw this. She herself had gone two weeks without a single crumb of food at one point, and knew the feeling of extreme hunger. But here in such a utopian surrounding, Rosie could hardly even fathom the drive of this savage earwig.

Then, she turned her head again and saw a family of eight-- a mother earwig with seven little ones trailing after her, crawling around on top of each other and being rowdy. First, the selfish earwig, and now the pleasant family was around to upset her. Jealously always got to Rosie. It was almost as if seeing others happy made her, herself angry at them for being better off than her. Rosie eventually skittered off to a corner in solitude right next to a Plat form. She snuggled in right next to a wood plank, and rested her eyes before dozing off into a peaceful slumber.

"Attention everybody!" Rosie heard. She was still sleeping. "Everybody, gather 'round! I have some fantastic news for you!"

Rosie's acute sense of alertness was in full speed. She was already up on her little legs and running towards the source of noise. Guiltily, Rosie wished that the one screaming was the one with the intoxicatingly beautiful voice from before. She held her breath as her eyes read every earwig's face in the vicinity, looking for the one who was speaking. In the back of her mind, Rosie knew that she would never make any connection with such a bug, though. He was loud, self assured and confident and she was just a poor, lonely soul. But still, it didn't hurt for her to think about him... to wish to be his friend... to yearn to hear his booming voice in her ears, as alluring as a soft, wordless melody that actually emits emotion.

But when Rosie looked around, she was disappointed to find that the speaker was not the same earwig. His voice was much softer, and he was much sharper in his pronunciation. She sighed, but reluctantly listened to what it was he had to say. "We've been working on getting from this room, to actually into the house. Right now, we are in what the Humans call a 'garage.' As far as our safety goes, that is probably the safest place for us.

However, all the good stuff is in there." He pointed to the wall connecting the garage to the rest of the house. "In there, there's food, and controlled lighting, and cushiony places for us to rest." There were cheers among those who were listening, and a couple earwigs started clacking their pincers in excitement.

Rosie started smiling, but felt it would be out of place for her to be as celebrative as those around her. "Don't get too excited now," the earwig warned. "We are working on digging a hole. Help is needed, so if you want to make it to the food, and then please help me and we will find out way soon enough." All around her, earwigs were jauntily jeering and marching behind the speaker. A chant of, "Make a hole. Get some cake. Find a bowl. We live to take!" Rosie felt her heart jump a little. How exciting it was to have her first account in an indoor location. She trailed behind the general cluster of earwigs and let her mind wander to what treasures she should find.

When they arrived at the wall, thousands of earwigs were already nawing at the plaster and snapping at the material with their pinchers. Many objective bugs jumped right in and started helping, but Rosie, a little shyer, felt extremely in the way. She watched as bugs were being directed, both by leaders and by herself. Other bugs kept bumping into her, and every time she would internally kick herself for being so undeniably unhelpful.

"Excuse me miss," someone tapped on her shoulder. She spun around and was face to face with one of the alleged leaders. He was smiling at her, but she didn't recognize him. That is, until he spoke in his sing-song voice of his. Rosie tried to conceal her excitement, but a smile still let loose. "We could use your help if you're up to it," he suggested. Rosie kept smiling at him, and nodded in response.

They walked for a little bit in silence, until the bug used his beautiful vocals.
"My name's Rudy," he said. "You're Roslyn, right?" Rosie blushed. How did he know her? But how magnificent it was to know his name! It fit him perfectly, Rosie thought. Rudy was the perfect name for his particular features -- his extra long pincers, his almond shaped eyes, his copper brown color and his rounded features. Yes, she thought. Rudy suited him nicely.

"Do I know you?" Was her response.
"No,'' he said."I mean maybe you do. I don't know. You're from around here, and this is a small neighborhood," he said. "It is kind of my job to keep tabs on everyone. Please don't feel surprised by my knowing your name!"

"No!" Rosie jumped. "Not at all! It's just... I didn't know you knew me, is all." He smiled at her. "Oh, and I go by Rosie."
"Well, Rosie," he said. "We've got just the job for you."

Just then, Rudy stopped walking as they approached a mob of people. Rosie stopped too, just two steps behind him and he spoke very clearly in her ear, "Push through everyone." Rosie gave a quizzical look, but he just said, "trust me," and she did. Rudy led with Rosie in tow, but they plowed through so many people that Rosie lost count at how many times she had excused her rude behavior. It was hard to believe, but after an immeasurable amount of time of her pushing and shoving other individuals, they were pressed up against the wall.

"What did you want me to do?" Rosie asked. Rudy smiled at her.
"You're perfect," he said.
"What?"

"Perfect size. You're petite. The hole we have nawed is only big enough to hold such a small frame. If you're up to it, we're asking that you squeeze through to the other side and then start nawing from that side. Then, our hole will be dug up in no time!"

Rosie looked down at herself. She was petite, but she was scared that if she went along with this plan, then maybe she would fail. But just looking at how excited Rudy got when he told her the plan made her immediately jump and say,
"Of course I'll do it." Of course she would. For Rudy.