As I was not feeling very well, the queen of the castle ordered the butler to bring me a pill at the entrance to the garden. To me, and to my attendant who was also feeling strange. "Here you are, gentlemen. Rest up and get back to work as soon as you can", said the butler seriously, as always.
I didn't know anything about medication, so I took the first pill I saw, believing either one would take away my headache. A few seconds passed and it felt like a small explosion inside me.
—Stuart, I'm seeing everything weird....
"Sir, what's wrong?"— the last words I heard from my assistant.
After a while without being able to see anything, I could open my eyes and I saw everything very strange. The garden was no longer the garden. Everything around me was yellow, golden, smelling of honey. When I wondered what had happened, I heard sounds that almost exploded my eardrums. As quickly as I could, I sought to cover my ears with my hands, but in doing so I felt something quite unusual: I no longer had five fingers on each side, but brownish, hairy strands.
Worse, when I looked down at my abdomen and legs, I saw that they were covered with yellow and black stripes and four more legs.
"Come on, worker, it's time,"— I heard from a pair of grumpy bees.
"Leave me alone, I don't belong with you,"— I shouted at once in the language of the bees as the pair carried me away.
In less time than you can count, hundreds of fireballs were falling from the sky. I felt panicked.
-We're going to die. Let go of me, you bugs. The queen will punish me if I don't get back to work.
My fellow inquisitors laughed at me like:
ti-ti-TI-ti-TI
Then they said:
—Fear has driven you crazy. The queen can't do anything to you or anyone else in the hive. She is a prisoner.
My bee-crazy heart leapt at hearing that and thinking of my queen. But, before long I asked:
—Who imprisoned her? how did they let it happen?
"A winged giant," —replied one.
So, I could breathe again.
The other added:
—We don't know how this happened to our lady bee, but I....
And at that instant one of the many fireballs that fell almost crushed us.
"God! I don't want to die as a bee"— I exclaimed.
My shift mates laughed at me again. I asked them:
—What are you laughing so hard about? It's almost the end of the world and you're laughing so hard, I....
and then a bee interrupted me:
—Don't worry. This is because of humans. They scare us away from our hives with fire every now and then to take our honey. We just migrated somewhere else.
I could say we escaped that orange deluge by luck. Most of the bees were roasted. My inquisitor bees, some warrior bees and I barely survived.
We flew on. However, our life was wandering and meaningless without the queen.
—We must visit the Goohoney forest.
What will be there? Is the queen a prisoner in that forest?— I asked curiously.
—I don't think so, but in that sweet forest they can tell us about the whereabouts of the winged giant. And, if they tell us where the giant is...
We'll know where the queen is— I said hastily.
Very clever—said a warrior bee as he nudged me in mid-flight.
This Goohoney forest was dreamy. It was lush, with fresh, shiny leaves and, above all, it had strong honey fragrances. No doubt we would meet bee friends there.
Welcome, sisters! It's been so long since we've seen each other— said a few chubby bees in unison as they emerged from the hive.
The welcome was warm, but the stay was even warmer. There I learned what it was like to live among bees. I really saw how hard they worked every day and how much they loved their queens.
Your queen can't be far from here— exclaimed a Goohoney warrior bee.
Did you see her suffering, sister?— asked one of the bees in my group uneasily.
—No, it isn't that. It just so happens that the winged giants have been hunting in this area for a few weeks now. We are their favorite prey. They nest near the Great Lake.
I finished by saying:
—Surely we can locate them quickly if.....
But with a shout I was interrupted. A chubby, squeaky bee was saying:
—Water, water everywhere!
Within seconds the whole hive was in an uproar. In addition, I heard an increasingly louder sound similar to when something is frying. In desperation, I imagined it was a torrential rain threatening the hive.
Follow me, sisters, quickly—the chief worker bee called out to us.
Leaving behind a great buzzing sound, we entered a kind of labyrinth. Then, at the end of one of the many tunnels, a light was visible. The chief worker suggested:
—This tunnel is your salvation. Wait near the light for the rain to stop. You will rescue your queen, courage!
I asked:
—what about you? You will drown.
Don't worry. We are used to it and we know how to take care of the hive and the queen from these super rains—the head worker answered confidently.
We said goodbye and did as we were told. At dawn we saw how it was clearing and we flew to the Great Lake.
This lake was silvery and very serene. It seemed like nothing ever happened there. But then we arrived with our buzz.
Check all the nests around it—the leader of the group told us with enthusiasm. That's where the winged giants live.
One, two, three, four nests and nothing. We gave up hope that the queen was still alive. However, my insistence did not stop, and I noticed a large nest in a tree with few leaves. I flew to it and there was another of those winged giants with white head and brown feathers. But this one was three times bigger: a colossal eagle.
I looked for my companions and we flew to that nest. We were all very frightened, but we fluttered with joy to see our queen there.
The leader of the group said euphorically:
—The time has come.
We all said:
—Yes!
—What shall we do?
Save the queen—we answered like a thunder.
The bee leader added, looking at me:
—We will disturb the winged giant, get it out of its nest and then our smart sister will rescue the queen.
I questioned:
—That's too risky. The winged giant will go after you and....
—We live for the queen. Don't forget that! Just save her.
After a while I watched as they went after the eagle and it let out a screech that was heard all over the Great Lake. The eagle flapped its wings and chased the small cloud of bees attacking it.
It's my turn to shimmer— I said to myself as if to calm down. Between one angry shriek after another I heard from the eagle, I reached the nest and to my surprise there was not only the queen, but all kinds of bees waiting for rescue. These worker bees were thanking me and escaping. However, the queen was somewhat hurt. I helped her up and quickly took flight. She said with tears in her eyes:
—I knew you would come for me, children.
I smiled at the queen, but beyond I saw the angry eagle coming: I felt my flapping almost stop. Luckily, the freed worker bees intervened and I was able to return to the hive with the queen.
We were greeted with the greatest joy. The queen was back at her duties in her warm home and I....
Jeff, snap out of it! We have to get back to work, the garden has to be ready for tomorrow— I heard from a familiar voice.
I opened my eyes slowly and saw Miles, my helper, and his worried face.
—Wake up, lazybones. You've been asleep for three hours. Thanks God the queen hasn't come down to inspect.
I just added:
—Those pills...
Some time later we discovered that I had the "good fortune" to take, by mistake of the butler, the old queen's medicine for her mental problems.
No wonder she always wanted: "nectar, nectar, nectar".
