This piece has a ‘shuffling’ quality to it. Something like bedroom slippers scuffing to the cellar and a kind of ho-humness that is appealing to anyone who admits they have the “oh well,’ of life. I like the imagery of ants being swept into a new neighborhood. And, having lived with roaches, the “standing at attention” is spot on, especially the “….waiter in an empty delicatessen.” I can even hear the chittering of those palmettos scaling the door. Yes, it’s like this. I like your flash fiction. ~~ djl

I read that there are about 8000 viruses. Some are healthy for us and some are deadly. There is one, in Bangladesh, that is rather hard to catch unless you are gathering sweet sap from palm trees that the bats like to savor as well, depositing the virus that kills 80% of the humans that catch it. But mostly, viruses cull the weak. A natural process that makes the genome strong. But we don't recognize that. Modern medicine is wiping out that natural process to our own detriment. We may pay for it in the future while reaping small benefits today saving our loved ones.

But you are describing in your little fast fiction, the story of the survivors. The little ones that we kill and kill and kill, but they will always out survive us. With or without our cats.

Ron