Brian the Worm
Kristoffer Lawson
1998(?)

There was a little worm once. A tiny little, wriggly worm living
underground in his little mud spot. His name was Brian, and he was a very
jolly kind of worm. He found nothing more satisfying than making tiny
little holes in the mud and squirming through them. He had lots of friends
who were also worms. They also enjoyed wriggling around digging endless
holes and sometimes even just wriggling without purpose. It's just the way
worms are, incredibly merry and happy to do what they do best: nothing
much. 
	One day he was hit by the sudden urge to climb higher and higher.
To meet the god of worms, the Worman. They said Wormans were taller than a
worm is long, cleverer than a thousand worms, and could dig away mounds of
earth in a second that would take a worm years to dig away. Worman, the
worm of all worms, the ruler, the one who sees all, the immensely
merciful! It was quite a long journey up but Brian was swift for a worm,
even swifter than old Bill, the previous champion. Suddenly, he could see
an opening. Something was streaming in! A white kind of substance that
dazzled the poor worm. There were mentions about this substance in the
holy-worm book, it was called "light". So he bowed down to the light and
then looked up. Far far away, further than his little wormy eyes could
see, there was a blue substance, and around him were amazingly tall,
swaying pillars of mud, with green leaves at the end. Brian wondered if
they were Wormans and he called out "Oh Wormans of the overground, hear
me!!!" But there was no reply. Just a strange whistling noise as the
leaves swayed backwards and forwards. 
	After standing there in total shock for minutes, Brian dared out a
bit. He could see flying worms in the sky. Fat, flying worms. Then more
worms! Gigantic, roaring, speeding worms! Brian felt like fainting, but he
was a strong worm and wriggled on forward, determined to find the Wormans
and catch their attention. 
	Suddenly out of nowhere jumped a tall figure which seemed to have a
mass of warms on its head which wriggled around to the figure's command.
It bent down to pick Brian up. Brian cried out,
	"I am Brian, I have come to see the Wormans!"
	"The wormans?" asked the figure in wonder, "Who are they?"
	"The gods of all worms, the worms of worms, the all-seeing,
all-digging! I was sure you were a Worman, you are larger than a hundred
worms!"
	The figure laughed slightly, "Yes! I am a worman! I am
all-powerful! What bid thee of me?"
	Brian thought of this for a while. Why had he come above his home
to seek the Wormans? Now that he had found one, he didn't really know as
he was so happy underground as it was with his family, friends and
digging. He looked up wondering and saw the worms in the sky whirling
round and round, dodging each other and whistling cheerfully, and decided,
"I want to fly like the worms in the sky. I want to touch the blueness
above with the tip of my nose!"
	The Worman looked slightly baffled for a minute but then suddenly
cheered up, "Yes, you shall fly higher than any worm before and any worm
after. Faster and faster until you return to your underground world. Every
worm has its place, and your place is underground digging. Digging with
all your heart, for if you did not dig, would the plants of the earth
live? Would the thousands of different wormans have food to last? No! But
I shall let you fly once and you shall forever know what it is like to be
a worm of the sky." Brian did not quite understand most of this, food for
the wormans? Why they always had food! Plants? This worman was far beyond
him and his small mind. Thus he knew he must return below despite the
wonders above and replied, "Yes, I agree".
	Out of a crease in the Worman's outer skin appeared a long, white
squared-shaped leaf that the worman slowly folded. When it was finished
Brian was placed in the middle of one of the large folds, heart thumping,
mind racing. "Are you ready?" asked the worman and Brian nodded his head
quickly, not knowing what to say. "You shall now, my little worm, fly
high! But before you go.. my name is Lisa, remember it." And with a
little push, Brian wooshed up into the air floating higher and higher
above the ground. He was flying!