The swarm arrived at dusk. The sound of thousands of segmented legs clicking against the stone floor of the forest was like an approaching storm. I organized the defense: the children would use their slings to rain stones from the higher ledges, while the warriors formed a line with their spears. I stood in the middle with the gourds filled with resin and dried grass. As the first wave of centipedes emerged from the shadows, their fangs clicking in anticipation, I struck two flints together and lit the first gourd.