“It just isn’t working.”
“I know.”
His dirt-ingrained fingers rake through his grizzled grey hair.
“The fertiliser’s feckin’ useless these days, so the crops can’t thrive… and while they’re sanitising insecticides to the point where they no longer work, pests are becoming hardier than ever.”
“I know.”
“We’re saving the planet… I get that… but who for? There’ll be no food… unless we start to eat insects.”
They listen to the skittering of god-knows-what on the roof, and the furtive scratching of mandibles beneath the door.
He starts to sob.
“And the insects… they know that.”
You hear a lot of talk about eating insects these days, don’t you? Just sayin’… Thanks to Rochelle for leading Friday Fictioneers every week, we’re all very grateful for what you do.
castelsarrasin 
Critters deep fried, not for me. However there might be a place for cockroach soup. In the bin. But your story I right enjoyed. It is full of favour
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Thanks Michael! 🙂
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Tasty, nutrititious, with a crisp crunch. And so easily farmed.
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It would seem so. Thanks for reading, Neil.
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Dear Sandra,
Perhaps if the insects are chocolate covered. Or deep fried. People eat just about anything if it’s deep fried. 😉 I fear the only thing the pesticides are killing is the human race. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I draw the line at deep fried Brussels Sprouts myself. Thanks for reading, Rochelle.
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Pesticides & insecticides will no longer be needed!
Insect-farming is a trend.
Some nations have been eating insects for quite some time.
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Thanks for reading, Anita.
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Insects are real threat and they really know this..This is true. I enjoyed your story
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Thanks, Vartika.
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Of course, they’ll be here long after we’ve gone.
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Sure of it. Thanks for reading, Iain.
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Free range, sustainable, what’s not to like?
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Mandibles, that’s what… Thanks for reading Keith.
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Oh that last line! I wish it wasn’t true…
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Thanks for reading. 🙂
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You’re welcome. My pleasure 🙂
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Methinks they have a whole ‘nother reason to worry about the insects… Now I feel all creepy crawly over my skin!
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I know what you mean. Thanks for reading, Dale.
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Always a pleasure.
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Not a good omen for our future.
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Indeed. Thanks for reading.
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Loved your take on the prompt!
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Thank you, Rosemary.
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Insects will rule the world when we are long gone. There is nothing worse than lying in bed listening to the scutter of cockroaches or seeing those large leaf devouring grasshoppers decimate plants. It is hard to be kind to the earth but we must try. Great story that says so much.
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Thanks for reading. I find myself ambivalent about creepy crawlies. I’ve even been known to try to save bees or bluebottles from spiders’ webs. It makes my skin crawl watching their panicked struggles as the spider approaches. They seldom survive, coated in gooey web thread, but I set them free anyway. I’m all heart.
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What are bluebottles? Out here bluebottles are marine stingers.
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They’re the very large common flies you get around the house, on rotting matter. I could go into further detail but it’s approaching lunchtime…
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Oh I know the ones. We call them blowflies or horseflies.
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A chilling story, Sandra. In the end, they will win. 🙂
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Thanks for reading, Bill. And for providing the photograph.
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They listen to the skittering of god-knows-what on the roof. Well, that line certainly made my skin crawl. Well done.
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Thanks for reading Alicia. It’s a pleasure to see you back on the squares again.
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Ah Sandra, a dystopian world indeed. where monster insects devour us all.
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Thanks for reading, James.
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I once ate dried chocolate ants. I didn’t know it until afterwards.
I wretched as much as I could but nothing. I guess I
must have chewed them real well. LOL
I hope it doesn’t come to this but one never knows.
Interesting thoughts with a bit of UGH on eating insects.
Isadora 😎
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No, it could be quite slimming, I guess. 😦
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Ha Ha
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What a great story, Sandra, the all-too-plausible doom of it. I especially loved the creepiness of the last line. I could see this as a great thriller movie.
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Thanks for reading, David.
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That is such a great piece – sounds like the start of a really good horror novel or movie!
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Thanks for reading.
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Hehe, that was great. Here they come, makes you wonder who’ll eat whom. Kill too many of a sort, and they’ll form resistance. Nature knows that, the chemical industry does, too, but they only care for the money. About eating insects: I’ve seen a documentary about startups that produce dog and cat food from insect protein. Not a bad idea if you ask me. And youngsters may have less of a problem with insect protein. Me, gulp, no, I’d rather go vegan.
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Yes, I’ve seen one or two articles about insect pet food. My new cat has a number of food allergies, generally I think to the proteins in regular food. I may find myself resorting to that line. Thanks for reading.
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This could be a great set-up for a horror story. Really well done.
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Many thanks, Linda.
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Those reality tv shows that are supposedly deep in the jungle with cameramen all around them…they eat bugs. I can’t see it catching on though. But I can definitely see the potential for a horror story with this. Well done.
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