The Spider and the Butterfly

Chapter Nine

When Daisy came to, she was in a strange room with windows on all the sides. Something metal clutched tightly around her throat. "H-hello?" she whimpered, seeing a shadowy figure standing before her. "P-please, let me out. I'm cold and sore and hungry..."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, my dear..." the figure said, stepping into the light. An enormous praying mantis stood before her, his eyes coldly boring into her. "You have so much potential in those little wings of yours. I must say, whoever fixed one of them up like that has excellent craftsmanship." The mantis stooped to one knee. "My apologies for the, uh...questionable transportation methods. My name is Mist, but you may call me General Mist if you choose to be formal."

Daisy trembled, her heart racing in her chest. "What do you w-want from me?" she asked shakily. Mist smiled, sending chills through her body. Fang was intimidating before she had truly gotten to know him, but it paled in comparison to Mist. Daisy could read the spider's emotions very well; not so with the mantis. Something about how polite and soft-spoken he was deeply unsettled Daisy. He had an untrustworthy air about him.

"Why, it's quite simple!" Mist said. "All I want from you is what mother nature gave all butterflies: your gift of flight. You may have noticed by now that you're in a large tank, correct? It's called the Wind Machine, and I need it for the eradication of that man village. All you have to do is beat those little wings of yours, and that will fuel my machine! No harm will come to you as long as you do what I say."

Despite her fear, Daisy managed to bleat out, "T-that's horrible! What have the humans ever done to you? I won't do it!"

Mist's smile faded. "Yes," he murmured. "I thought you might say something like that. Willow! Front and center, please!"

The katydid stepped up, holding a small remote with a button on it. Mist turned back to Daisy. "Should you fail to comply to my demands, I've instructed my scientist to administer a zap each time you refuse to fly. It won't end up killing you, but it will definitely hurt, of that I can assure you. And the more you slow down or continue to refuse, the higher he'll crank up the voltage. Is all of this clear?"

Daisy froze, the horror of her situation piecing itself together in her mind. Where was Dot and Sage? Could they find her before this madman destroyed everything? And Fang...she had never wanted the spider so much as she did now. Would he even know what was happening? How could he save her?

Terrified, Daisy said, "I...I'll try my best. I've only started learning to fly again this morning. I'll need to warm up, first."

Mist only smiled again as he strolled away. "Well then I suggest you start warming up quickly, my dear. Willow, go up to your booth and get the machine started."

"Yes, sir..." the katydid replied, shooting Daisy a malicious look.

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