The ants all gathered around wonderingly. What was it? As soon as Flik and Atta heard about it they were outside. "What is it Flik," Atta asked him hoping he would know. "Looks like a can," he answered. There was a moment of silence. Flik and Atta looked at each other and Atta gave Flik a 'well' look. "I think I'll investigate it," he said and began climbing up. When he reached the top his hands felt a flat surface and he figured he could stand on it. He tried to pull himself up but then some kind of water came from it and sprayed Flik all over. He cried out in pain and fell to the ground.

Atta ran over to his side. "Your Highness," an ant said, "I, uh, think you'd better see what this says." "I'm a little busy right now," Atta called, "What does it say?" The ant gulped and said, "It's bug spray." Everyone looked toward the ant then to Atta. Atta was crying tremendously.

Flik woke up to a blue sky. He got up to see a bug standing in front of a golden gate. Flik walked over to him. "What's going on," he asked him, "Where am I?" The bug looked at him and smiled. "Welcome Flik," he said, "Welcome home." Flik felt a little awkward. The bug started reading from a big book. "Oh wow," he said, "What an interesting life. You saved your colony…repeatedly, you had many friends, and you married the Queen." "The last thing I remember was some kind of water fell on me." "Yes it says here, death by bug spray." "Bug spray? Death?" "Go on in," the bug said. The golden doors flew open. "Go in where," Flik asked. The bug smiled wider. "Flik my boy," he said, "Welcome to heaven."

Flik couldn't believe it as the bug led him through the doors. A million things ran through his mind. How could he be dead? What about Atta? What about his colony? What happened to them? What year was it? What time? "Here you are," the bug said as the door closed behind them. Flik couldn't be dead. Even if it were heaven without Atta with him it'd be heck. "Please," Flik said to the bug, "I don't want to be dead. I want to go home and live with my wife. We want, or, wanted to have kids. I can't live, or, die without her." The bug looked at him. "Sorry kid. I wish I could help you but I'm just an angel. You'll have to take that up with the big guy." And he pointed skyward. Then he turned and walked away."Wait," Flik called after him, "Is there a way to see what is going on down on Earth?" The bug looked back at him. "Of course." A cloud came flying toward Flik. "You tell it what you want to see." Then the bug walked off to the outside of the gates. Flik looked down to the cloud. "Um Ant…Ant Island." The cloud showed

the island and Flik watched the scene. He saw his lifeless body on the ground with Atta crying by his side. Poor Atta was crying for him. Atta wouldn't budge from his body either. A lot of bugs tried to pull her away, but her grip was so tight on Flik they couldn't even get her to her knees. Flik listened in close as they spoke.

"Atta dear," the ex-queen said, "Don't worry there'll be others." Others? Atta loved Flik there wasn't going to be any others! Atta was crying to badly to stop and tell her though. All the ants had sad expressions on their faces. "My best friend," Scram whispered. Sandy sighed. Flik was her friend too. Atta's sobs slowed. "I'm sorry Flik," she whispered. She kissed his cold cheek and got to her feet. "Mother," she said tears beginning to come back to her eyes, "I'm going to be in my chamber. Please don't bother me." And she flew off.

"Atta no," Flik shouted into the cloud, "Atta I'm fine don't worry about me. I…" Atta disappeared. Flik now began to cry. He stood up and walked away. How could he be dead? The words went thru his mind again. What would become of Atta? What was life or death without your love with you? Why couldn't he go back to earth? 'Hey,' he thought, 'Why couldn't he go back to earth?' He ran to find the angel that welcomed him into heaven.

"Thank you very much," Flik said to someone behind him as he walked up to the welcoming angel. "Who were you talking to," the angel asked him. "Eyestein," Flik said, "That guy is smart." "Yeah," the angel said. "Look," Flik said, "I've been thinking and I don't want to be dead, I want to be back on earth." "I'm sorry," the angel said, "You can't." "Why not," Flik asked, "I don't want to be here without her." "I'm sorry," the angel said, "But once you're here you have to stay." "Why," Flik asked, "What kind of heaven is this?" "You watch your mouth," the angel said, "Now we can't because you can't die then all of a sudden come back to life." Flik looked down what was he going to do?

Atta sat up. She'd been crying on her bed for the last three hours. She pulled out a picture album and looked through all the pictures of her and Flik together. She cried at them all. She loved him so much. She put in a video to Flik's last invention he made which was a VCR for the television. She watched their wedding and cried when she saw Flik and the beautiful words he said. She couldn't bare it; she turned off the video. She laid back down on her bed. "I love you Flik," she said rather loudly and she meant to say it loud so he could hear her. She cried rapidly again and since her pillow was now soaked she flipped it over and cried on that side. She missed him so much. She now knew there was nothing as terrible as watching the one you love more then anything die.

"How about I go down to earth as a spirit," Flik said, "I'd be down there but no one could see me. At least I'd be near my family again." The angel didn't know. "Kid you drive a hard bargain," he said, "I'll talk it over with the big guy in a few years." "A few years," Flik asked. "Well he's busy," the angel answered, "He doesn't have time to send everyone that dies back to earth." "But in a few years Atta will probably be remarried and have three kids and each one of them will have their mother's beauty and…" Flik realized he was going overboard and stopped. "That's your problem kid," the angel said, "Not mine." The angel then walked away.

Flik looked at Ant Island through the seeking cloud. He couldn't find Atta anywhere though. Finally he found her in the last place he'd ever look during the day, in her room. He noticed how badly she was crying. "Ah Atta," Flik whispered to himself, "Don't cry for me." Atta wouldn't stop the crying. Flik felt horrible. "Oh Atta," he whispered and looked down. "Stop," he whispered to the cloud. The cloud didn't turn the scene off though. Flik noticed it. "I said stop," he said louder. The cloud wiggled but still didn't stop showing her. Tears welled up in Flik's eyes. "Stop it! Stop it now!" He yelled loudly and everyone looked at him. He put on a sheepish smile and turned back to the cloud. "Please," he whispered. The cloud floated up to him and wiggled more. "What," Flik said, "What do you want?" The cloud floated over to the golden gates and floated everywhere like he was free. Flik smiled, he got it.

"I want to leave," Flik said, "But he won't let me." The cloud went through the golden gate and came back with the angel that first greeted him. "What are you doing," he asked it. "He told me he strongly believes you should go back to earth," the angel said. Suddenly a light came down on him and a thundering voice said, "That's one more vote that makes probably seven thousand and five." Flik looked up. "It's the big guy," the angel whispered to him. Flik smiled. "Seven thousand and five votes for what Your Highness, Lordship, and Honor." "For how many thinks he should go back to earth," the thundering voice said. Flik's smile widened. "You may go back to earth as you originally wished, Flik. Good luck." Flik was happy but before he could thank him he saw grass in front of him.

He was gone from home not even a whole day yet and he missed his home. He immediately ran to find Atta. He passed by a couple ant children, passed the ants, and he even ran past Dot. He wanted to see Atta so much he didn't notice anyone. He ran right to Atta's chamber. "Here I am," he said as he walked in. He saw Atta on her bed and realized she had cried herself to sleep. Flik walked over to her quietly, even though he knew she couldn't see or hear him. He got to his knees and stroked her face. "I love you Atta," he whispered.

"Atta, Atta dear," Flik heard Atta's mother calling her. He got up as she entered. The ex-queen shook her daughter. Atta opened her eyes lightly and said, "Go away." "But Atta dear…" "Go away," Atta interrupted, "I want to be alone." Atta's mother left her daughter alone, she didn't want to make her worse then she already was. Flik walked over to Atta. He heard her mother mumbling as she left the tunnel about Atta skipping dinner.

Flik looked at her. Atta was so sad she stayed in her room and cried during dinner? Flik sure wished he could hold Atta in his arms and tell her everything was going to be all right. She had fallen asleep again and Flik decided to do it anyway. Flik hugged her and noticed Atta was wearing her wedding ring. He smiled and touched it. The warmth Atta's love brought him flowed through his body. He decided to go, he didn't want to cause mischief when she woke up.

Flik sat on a rock. He didn't feel like seeing anyone else, he felt like he would cry if he did. "Flik," he heard someone call his name. He fell off the rock. Someone could see him? "Flik," the voice beckoned again. Flik looked around and over in the shadows he saw a figure. "Come here," it said. Flik shivered. "I said come here!" Flik got up and walked over. Who could have such a mean voice and see him? It sure wasn't an angel. He stood in front of the shadowed figure. The figure moved into the light and Flik gasped in horror. "H-H-Hopper!"

"That's right," Hopper growled, "And now that you're finally dead I can do some damage and maybe break some bones." "But… but I'm dead, you… you can't kill me right?" Hopper got a grin on his face. "No," he said, "But," he grabbed Flik around the neck and lifted him off the ground, "I can probably put you somewhere that can." Suddenly the earth shifted and Flik saw fire coming out. "That's where I went after you fed me to that bird. I lurked around here though. I planned that bug spray and everything because I was hoping to see you down there!" "Wait a minute," Flik was able to choke out, "You made that bug spray can come out of nowhere?" Hopper gave an evil laugh, "You dumb insect," he said, "You still don't understand that good never wins over evil! Ha ha ha ha ha ha! You idiot!" Flik got a little mad. "Hopper, put me down please." Hopper walked over to the crack in the ground where the fire was coming up. "Put you down," he asked, "Okay I'll put you down." "No, no please," Flik begged. Hopper showed no mercy, he let go and listened in enjoyment as Flik yelled on the way down. "I'll be down in a minute," he called in an evil voice and laughed.

Flik awoke with fire and steam all around. Out of the fire Hopper walked toward him. "Ant," he said, "It's time for you and me to have a little one on one." Flik immediately got up. Hopper hit him on the head and Flik fell back to the ground. "You should have stayed up there where you goodies belong," Hopper yelled and kicked Flik while he was down. Flik was getting tired of always getting a beating. He quickly stood up. Hopper grinned. "You want to see a trick ant," he said. He put his hands together and slowly pulled them apart. A fireball then appeared in his hands. "Try this on for size!" Flik got a frightened look on his face as the fireball came towards his head. He fell to the floor. "Did you like that," Hopper asked. He bent down and picked Flik up by the neck. "I'm getting even with you now," he growled, "I told you you should have stayed up where you belong. Why did you come back to earth in the first place?" "I wanted to see Atta," Flik was able to let out. Hopper laughed. "The princess," he asked. "No," Flik said, "She's the queen now and… and I married her." Hopper laughed harder. "What's the point in going back if she can't see you?" Flik shivered. "I… I don't care what you say Hopper." Hopper threw him to the ground. "Listen ant," he said, "I can make you a deal. I won't tear you apart and even make you visible."

"If," Flik began for him, he was too smart not to know there wasn't a catch. "Well," Hopper said, "You being married to the queen, makes you a king. And everyone will listen to you. You make them listen to me, instead of you and the queen and you'll live." Flik didn't have to think about it. Give up the colony? "Are you crazy," he blurted out which he didn't mean to do. "Won't it be worth seeing the queen again," Hopper asked. Flik didn't know what to do. "I'm sorry," he said, "I can't." Hopper sneered. He carried Flik over to the ring of fire around them. "Do or die," Hopper said, "And if you don't think you can die when you're dead then you've got another thing coming to you." Flik got scared and lost it. "Okay," he said, "I'll do it!" Hopper smiled "Good."

Atta awoke and got out of her bed. She had cried the whole night away? She went over to her desk and started to work on her paperwork as she curled her antennae more. She looked up to see Flik. She gasped and rubbed her eyes thinking she was hallucinating. She looked again to see Flik and screamed. She got up and backed up to the wall. "No, no," Flik said. He walked over to her and covered her mouth. Atta pushed it away. "You can't be," she said, "But you're… you're dead." "I know," Flik said, "It's a long story." Atta couldn't believe what she was seeing and hearing. She whispered, "Flik," and fainted.

Atta awoke to see Flik over her. She screamed again but Flik covered her mouth. "Atta, Atta no," Flik said, "Listen to me, will ya? Now I'm fine. Yes I'm alive. Now I have to make this short and quick. Atta can you promise me something?" Atta didn't answer. She was still over struck with fear. Flik went on anyway. "I want you to promise me that you won't listen to Hopper no matter what." "Hopper?" Atta asked confused. "Look," she said angrily, "I don't know who you are, but this isn't funny!" "You're right about that," Flik said, "I came to warn you that Hopper's going to try and take over the colony, you've got to warn them!" Atta didn't look the least bit worried. "Hopper's dead," she said.

Flik took her by the hand. "Look Atta, it's hard for me to tell you but he's coming back, and now he wants the colony." "Look sicko, I don't have time for this now will you go work," Atta shouted, "And that's an order!" Flik's antennae drooped. Work? Atta was the only one that could see him! How was he going to work? "Please You Majesty let me explain…" "It's bad enough if you look like Flik," Atta said, "But acting like him…oh will you leave me alone?!" Flik walked off, now what?

Hopper stood smiling in the dark. "Did you try to betray me?" Flik looked surprised, "Huh, what!? No!" Hopper walked over to him. "Look ant, I'd better get this colony, and remember if you want the queen to be able to see you, you'll do it!" Flik couldn't argue with that, how could he?

Flik walked around the anthill looking for his limp/dead body. He wondered where they had put it. All he knew was he died a hero of a young age. It was too bad; he wanted to be a father. "You earn what you earn," he kept whispering to himself, but somehow he didn't feel right. He felt like he needed something else, but what? What was he going to end up as? If he helped Hopper they wouldn't let him back into the heavens, and if he didn't he would never see Atta up close again. What's a poor bug to do? Then he heard a couple ants down the tunnel and he went over to see what was up.

"That's true," one ant said to the other. "He didn't deserve what he got." Flik smiled. He knew they were talking about him, he walked away thinking to himself. Then an angel popped up in front of him. "Ooooo, Flik. You're in trouble now," the angel said. Flik recognized him as the angel who signed him into heaven. "It's you!" Flik cried. "Why won't you let me touch that ring? I want to live again!" The angel frowned. "You can get your life back. If you prove you can stand up to Satan longer then you will be alive. "Satan?" Flik asked him. "Yes," the angel answered. Flik thought and remembered Hopper. "Oh!" Flik laughed and turned back to the angel. "That's a good name to call him." "No Flik," the angel said. "Don't you see? He is Satan!" Flik blinked. "What?"

"Hopper," the angel said, "Is…down there being tortured. Satan is the only one who can come back on earth, him and his little demons. He can take the form of anything. And I'd hate to tell you this, but, this whole time you haven't been getting Hopper the ruler of this anthill, you've been getting Satan their souls." Flik stood in awe. "Their souls??" Flik gasped. The angel nodded. "You have 24 hours," the angel said. "24 hours of no one, not even Atta seeing you. If you can keep from helping Satan for that 24 hours you'll be alive and better then ever."

"Why 24 hours?" Flik asked him. "Well," the angel said in a bit of a rush. "They're planning on barring you tomorrow, you'd want to be out of the dirt when you came alive." Flik smiled and thanked him as the angel disappeared. "Oh wait!" he called after him. "Where is my body?" Suddenly Flik was flashed into a room in the infirmary. There in front of him was a bed with a leaf on it. Yet, under that leaf was an object. Flik had a feeling he knew what it was and when he pulled a bit off he found he was right.

Flik gasped when he saw his dead, motionless body. He slipped the leaf back over him and walked out. Flik sighed. For some reason that angel didn't want Flik to live by touching that ring, and he didn't know why. All he knew was that he had to try to stay away from 'Hopper' no matter what. But, 'Hopper' didn't like that idea.

"So," 'Hopper' said when Flik turned the corner, "You're going to listen to that big bad angel?" Then he laughed. He laughed so hard Flik thought that, though he was dead, others could hear him. "What about the queen?"

'Hopper' went on. Flik was hoping he wouldn't bring her up. "Well," Flik said, but let his words hang. What was he going to say to that? 'Hopper' grabbed Flik by the neck. "Look," 'Hopper' growled, "I want you to bring this colony to me! Now, I will let the queen see you once more, you have one more chance! So, do it right!" 'Hopper' let Flik go and Flik felt around his neck then he nodded and walked off.

Flik just had to find a way to outsmart him; he just had to, but how? He sat on a glowing mushroom and watched a bunch of ants walk by. Then it came to him! Fighting fire with fire would be snooping down to his level, but could he die when he was already dead? There was one way to find out!

Flik walked around, looking for 'Hopper.' "Well?" He heard a voice say. He turned around and there in the shadows stood the figure of Hopper. "I-I did it Hopper," Flik stuttered. "You did?" 'Hopper' asked smiling evilly. Flik nodded. "I went to Atta, and I told her to let you rule the colony or-or bad things would happen to her," Flik said rather fast, he was making this stuff up as he went a long.

"Good," 'Hopper' said. Then he walked out of the shadows and down the tunnel. Flik dared to not follow him; he just stood there, wondering what to do next. He was beginning to wish he had never come back. He watched some ants walk by and tried to think of what to do. Then he stood up.

"Angel!" he called, he didn't know the name of the angel which welcomed him into the heavens. Then the angel popped in. "I'm ready to go back," Flik said with a smile. "Go back?" the angel asked. "You have to undo what you did first." "Huh?" Flik asked having no idea what he was talking about. "When someone does something he has to get himself out of it first!" the angel said.

"Get into?" Flik asked. Then suddenly the tunnel disappeared and they were in Atta's chamber. "What are we doing here?" Flik asked. "You'll see what you did!" the angel said. Flik sat on the ground and looked at Atta. After about five minutes Flik looked up at the angel. "I didn't make Atta beautiful if that's what you're leading to," he joked. But right after he said it in came a tall shadow.

Atta was startled and looked up. It wasn't…it couldn't be…could it? Atta watched as the being came into the room, Flik couldn't believe it either, it was Hopper! "Okay," Hopper said, "You are going to tell this colony to listen to me, correct?" Atta just sat there. "What's wrong?" Hopper asked, "You look as though you've seen a ghost." He laughed at his own joke.

Atta shuddered. Flik just sat there. How could this of happened? Flik wasn't sure, but he had a feeling it wasn't good. Just then, Flik realized that Atta couldn't see him and he wondered what was up. Hopper grabbed Atta around the wrist and pulled her off her seat. Atta let out a whimper but did nothing else. "You will tell this colony to listen to me, correct?" Hopper repeated in a cold voice.

Atta nodded. "Good," Hopper said. Flik stood up; he couldn't let this happen! He walked over to Hopper and jumped on his back. Flik had no idea what came over him but he pulled on Hopper's antennae as hard as he could. Hopper growled and knocked Flik down with one of his hands. Then, he threw Atta to the ground. "We're gonna settle this ant!" Hopper growled and then they disappeared.

Atta didn't know what happened, she lay there on the ground; she looked as though she was trying to get this 'bad dream' out of her head. But, she was unconscious.

Flik found himself in the circle of flames again, then he realized that wasn't Hopper at all! Flik stood up and looked around. He felt so mad he began to yell out without even thinking. "Well?! Do you want to fight me or what?! Come on out and face me!" 'Hopper' walked out from the flames. "No, I don't want to fight you, Flik." He said. "I wanna test your wit. If you can sit there for a whole day with pain not being able to give in, I shall leave you and your colony alone!"

Flik thought he could take that, better then seeing Atta in pain. He nodded. "Then, let the games begin," 'Hopper' said.

It was a lot worse then Flik had thought. Way too worse. 'Hopper' through Flik in the flames that surrounded them, and Flik could feel himself burning. He rolled out of the fire and rolled around on the ground. When he sat up he felt the cuts, bruises, the burns, and the scrapes al over him. He looked up at 'Hopper' and gave him an upset look. 'Hopper' put his hands together and made another fireball, this one was huge though, about the size from Flik's neck to his antennae. Flik gulped. 'Hopper' smiled. "Catch," he said, and threw it at him.

Flik's eyes widened and rolled away from it. It bounced against the wall and came back. Flik looked up and saw it coming towards him again, so he bent down as it flew over so close Flik could feels the heat as it went by. 'Hopper' caught it and sneered. He walked over and grabbed Flik by the neck. Now, it wasn't really about the colony anymore, if Hopper could kill Flik then and there, Flik would spend his life in pain. "30 second left Flik, and I'm gonna squeeze the rest of life that you have out of you!"

'Hopper's' grip got tighter. Flik tried to pull his hand away, but he couldn't do it. "Go ahead," he said best he could. "You won't do much!" 'Hopper' glared. "What?" Flik tried taking in a breath as he said, "You can kill me, but you won't kill what I believe! If you kill me here and now you won't get to Ant Island, they wouldn't let you. All you'd do now is waste a life!" There were 10 seconds left, but 'Hopper' wasn't paying much attention. "Your point being?" "You can't hurt us, Hopper! You never could!" And with that light started shining everywhere. 'Hopper' looked about. Flik blinked. 'Hopper' was beginning to fade, that's when Flik fainted.

Flik opened his eyes looking up at the angel who greeted him into heaven, and another angel. "Very well done, Flik," the angel who greeted him said. Flik got up, "Wh-what happened?" he asked. "His time ran out," the angel said. Flik smiled, he knew what he meant. Flik looked around,a bit disappointed. "I'm, back here, huh?" he asked. "Well, of course," the angel said. That's when Flik looked down to see his burnts and scrapes all gone, but it still didn't make him feel much better.

"What's wrong?" the angel asked. "Well," Flik whispered, "I was hoping I could…go home." The angel smiled. "You would choose that over heaven?" he asked him. Flik nodded, his antennae lower. "I thought you might," the angel said. "Get the well ready," he said to the other angel. Flik's antennae perked up and he turned around, "Huh?" he asked. "Flik," the angel said with a big smile. "You're going home."

Dot walked into the infirmary and looked at Flik's lifeless body. She sniffled. "Oh Flik," she whispered. She walked over and climbed up onto the bed. "I miss you," she whispered. She lied down on Flik's stomache and began to cry, she knew only two more hours were left.

Flik climbed onto the side of the well. "Are you ready?" the angel asked. Flik nodded. "Then," the angel said, "for being strong, we give you your life back. Farewell." And, with that Flik slid into the well and went down. It was kind of like going down a water slide, except there wasn't a lot of water. Flik then fell into his body, right where he belonged.

When Flik awoke he heard crying. He lifted his head to see Dot lieing on him, crying onto his chest. He smiled and patted her head. "It's okay," he whispered. At first, Dot didn't seem to hear him, but then she looked up and her eyes widened. "F-F-Flik?" she asked. Flik nodded. Dot climbed down, not knowing what to do. But, when she touched him again, to prove he was real she jumped for joy. "Flik!" she cried as she hopped. "You're a live!" "Yeah…" Flik said. He got off of the bed and Dot took his hand. "Come on," she said lifting into the air. "Let's go tell everyone!" She flew off and Flik walked after her.

Everyone they passed in the colony seemed to stop and watch until they were gone, then they'd run after them. By the time they got out of the anthill almost everyone who was in the anthill were following them. At first, Atta didn't understand at all. But, when they got closer her eyes widened like Dot's and she flew like the wind over to Flik and hugged him real tightly. "Oh, Flik," she sobbed. "You're alive!"

That whole week everyone was surprised by Flik's recovery. He never told them wheat happened while he was dead, but then again, no body asked. A month later Flik and Atta had a child…but that's another story.

THE END