Page 32 - Fables volume 2

us? I don’t know about the mosquitos, fleas and scorpions, but we
have to do something or starve.”
“But—but—” objected a timid creature, feeling naked without his
bulked-up muscle and armor. “Isn’t their god more powerful than
Satan?”
“How would I know? People pay him lip-service, castigate our guy.
It didn’t help their cause. No mercy from above for them.”
Scattered cries of dismay and rebellion erupted from the crowd.
“Then we are lost!” “Let’s eat each other!” “Let’s swarm anyway, for
old times’ sake!”
“No, I have a better idea! Maybe not a great idea, but we are
desperate.” Waving his forelegs, their leader shouted them down.
“We need to create a delegation and go down to Hell. Our contract is
null and void, anyway: we cannot carry out its terms. The straw we
can grasp at is the possibility that the devil is not aware of what has
happened up here. We shall tell him, pester him until he pays
attention to us lowly insects. His business is ruined. No earthly
pleasures remain as temptations. His client base is rapidly shrinking.
And they are suffering enough heat right here that they will not be
impressed by any of his red-hot irons or boiling cauldrons. He’s got
to wake up and wage war! If he doesn’t know his turf has been
invaded, we will tell him. The devil must have his due. His tactic
should be to threaten to resign, releasing everyone down there into
the upper world, making them God’s responsibility. He could send
up a few, just as an example. The choice for mankind has to be made
clear again: they’ve gone too far, and now the rest of us are paying
the price. Now, let’s pick a few of the most articulated among us and
hop on down there!”

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