In an ordinary kitchen, ants start trailing across the countertop, drawn to a spill or crumb. Someone places small bait stations along the ants' path, positioning them where the insects pass.
Immediately after, the ants keep moving. They cluster around the baits and carry off bits, but the trails remain active. The countertops stay dotted with ants throughout the day. No reduction appears; the stations blend into the scene without altering it.
Days turn into weeks. During the first ten days, ants continue to show up, especially near food. The baits diminish bit by bit, yet the kitchen still hosts the familiar processions. Nothing signals a shift; the situation holds steady.
Around the third week, the counters fall silent. No trails form. The ants are gone, leaving empty surfaces behind. The depleted bait stations sit untouched.
The clear counters emerge after weeks of apparent standstill. Time bridged the gap between the placement and the absence, revealing the outcome when it reached full extent.