The Worm

This is part of a sic-fi novella that I will write eventually - after I've completed my current work-in-progress, Anticipating Dawn.

The worm's progress seemed exceptionally long and arduous as it slid its way over and under the small sand dunes. To us, the rippling effect of the sand looked like impact waves caused from our walking by. As I watched its body sliding forward, slithering its way underneath the mound and arriving up again, sand pebbles were pushed off it's back and left behind in the hot dessert. The worm went deeper for more moisture, then reluctantly returned to the surface, clean of residual sand particles.

I followed, withholding the urge to pick the worm up and investigate it. I had no idea if I would be able to see its will, as some of the old taxonomists said I would not. We, on the other hand, always believed that we would see the will along with its soul only if we succeeded in following it to it's hometown. They were too quick for that and its trail would soon disappear even in the slightest wind.

I took out my trail tracker and waited for the end of the worm to finally make itself visible. There was only one chance at this. If I missed, there was no way to know when another worm would come so close to us again.

I aimed the tracker to the shifting hole, held my breath and waited. Zulu knelt down next to me, also quiet and still, even though it was dangerous to be this close to the tail end of the worm. He refused to leave my side and my heart again melted at the thought of how protective he was. I knew it bothered him that he could not take the risk I was, so he put himself in as much peril as he could without me or someone else making him step back.

Refocusing, I took a deep breath and slowly expelled it, sensing that the worm’s end was soon coming. There was no way to tell how long a worm was without waiting to view both the head and the tail. They ranged from the size of a croc to the length of the New Nile River, their width varying slightly. It was coming, though. I knew it.

--OK, maybe it's an excuse (believe me, it's not), but these last two weeks have been difficult, and most of last week I was not well. This week I truly have no excuse and will write! I could put the blame also on my proposed writing buddy who copped out. :(  But I won't.