(This is not a metaphor for anything. It simply is what it is.)
Jeremy reached up and plucked a locust out of the air and held it between two fingers. The swarm was coming, the news said. The main body was only a mile off, maybe less. It was consuming everything in its path, destroying the food of thousands in a single day. It was unstoppable.
He looked at the single locust he held between his fingers. It was struggling to get free. Of course, what creature wouldn’t try to free itself? This single locust knew nothing about the swarm. It had hatched and now it was hungry, so it was eating. It ate so little that the amount would never even be noticed, if it were by itself.
It was innocent, he realized. It had no malicious instincts, no evil plans for the misery of others. It wanted what every other creature wanted: to eat and to reproduce. To live.
Even killing it would make no difference. The absence of this single insect would not help anything one whit. It was insignificant and innocent, and yet . . .
“Jeremy, come help me get the barn closed up,” his wife called.
“Coming.” He crushed the locust between his fingers and threw its body on the ground.
The Green-Walled Tower 
September 24th, 2012 at 2:44 pm
human nature 😦
September 24th, 2012 at 3:17 pm
I saw a glue trap for flies today and I wondered, should humans be humane to insects? Insects are not humane to each other or to us, but should we, since we are more aware? What do you think?
September 24th, 2012 at 3:23 pm
well the way i chase and kill cockroaches…. 😦
September 24th, 2012 at 3:27 pm
Oh, I am merciless about killing them. I think we should definitely kill them, but things like glue traps seem like a horrible way to die. Then again, they are insects so maybe they don’t feel it like we would.
September 26th, 2012 at 7:32 pm
i too somehow think in your way, killing is not the main crime, the way of killing is.
September 26th, 2012 at 7:33 pm
p.s. glue traps are not much common here. i go for the nearest thing i could swat it with- the broom, slippers any thing.
September 26th, 2012 at 11:29 pm
That’s definitely the best way: quick and decisive. 🙂