Ant Colony

  “Dream Burger” New Jersey, 1989             The “Kettle & Pot” diner had been running for three years near the turnpike. Its proprietors were the Kettleman siblings – Greg, a slightly overweight cook and the oldest; Andrew – the middle child, fit and handsome; and Debbie – the youngest, a lethargic yet attractive blond. Together, they invested a lot into the diner, but it had seen better days in its third year of service, with the wallpaper peeling off, gunk on the tables, and the leather cracking off the seats. They were losing more and more customers by the day. Regardless, they continued putting in the work.             Well, Greg and Andrew did, at least. They made what they assumed to be their final investment with an automatic grinder. The UPS delivery boy left it outside the diner for the brothers to wheel in on a hand truck, while Debbie sat at the back ...

  “Guy’s Night Out”             Sheila Carpenter was the biggest influencer there was on all social media platforms – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. At twenty-five years old, she was already worth half a million dollars, owning her own beachside mansion in Miami. She was a blonde with striking features: full lips, an hourglass figure that always showed through the tight red dresses she owned, and sparkling blue eyes.             Her friends, Kim and Alana, were just as much the same. Kim was just a year younger; a Korean-American girl with olive skin that she always kept moisturized and tanned, and hair that was long, straight, and black. Alana was the youngest of the three; a fresh-faced brunette, she was beautiful by nature, requiring very little makeup or skin care products.             They were just as po...