Gone
The aftermath of a battle leaves one wondering if it was worth the fight. This could be any battle, but on my mind is the use of insecticide to battle an invasion of bugs.
No one noticed a couple of scouts blending in. Getting settled.
But then, two became six. Overnight it seemed. Six became twenty-four. Marching, eating… so much eating.
The whole area became overrun. There was no food left. A desert remained. A desert strewn with trash.
The invasion moved onward, devouring with a hunger that seemed unstoppable.
Until someone from outside noticed. They fought back, with greater force than the invaders possessed. They had a goal to destroy all invaders, the young and the old.
Destroy they did. Years later, the residents still sicken. Rebuilding halts. But the invaders are gone.