text story by Rev Storm - Ascaris Meets a Bandit

You can find part one farther back in my posts. This was a series of short story chapters my spouse wrote last year about a large, heroic parasitic worm. It was never posted or used anywhere, and they aren't really satisfied with it, but there are around four entries and they don't mind me sharing them here.

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ASCARIS MEETS A BANDIT

Before Ascaris left, she was provided an assortment of gifts. Her brilliant red robe had to be tied with several belts to be kept in place on her long body, and to these belts were affixed some bottles of the wine she so loved, bags of gold, food she could not eat but enjoyed the smell of, and a sword she had no intention of using. Lastly, with a little bit of twine they strapped to her nose a stylish hat. It made Ascaris feel very rich to have all of these things, and she was thoroughly content as she went out into the world again, wondering what delightful things might happen to her next.

And so it was no wonder that she soon attracted the attention of a bandit.

Now this bandit was a wolf, though he didn't look like much of one. He was so lean his ribs showed through, and the fur was coming off in patches from mange on top of that. His pack had abandoned him long ago, and he was feeling hungry and mean when he set eyes on the strange Worm happily bobbing down the path through *his* territory. With a snarl, he stalked up to confront her.

"Hey, you! Don't you know there's a toll to pay if you wanna go through here?" the wolf sneered.

"Oh!" cried the Worm. "I'm sorry, I almost didn't notice you there! How are you this fine morning?"

The wolf was not in the mood for pleasantries. "So hand over the goods," he continued, laying open a paw expectantly.

"Could you repeat that?" Ascaris inquired. "I didn't quite catch it."

The wolf was incredulous. "Did I stutter? I *said*--"

At that moment, a much smaller worm popped out of the wolf's right nostril. "'scuse me," the smaller worm sniffed. "It's awful drafty out here, you know?"

"Is it? I find it rather bracing, myself," Ascaris replied.

The wolf gagged a little, but said nothing more. In his place, the little worm sighed and went on, "Any rate, since you asked... not too good, I'm afraid."

"Oh? Why is that?" asked Ascaris, oblivious to the wolf paralyzed with horror in front of him.

"The larders are empty! The fields are bare! The children go hungry! Oh, Friend Worm, I fear we will not make it the winter," the little worm wailed. "At this rate, the wolf will be all used up before the month is out, and it will be on the little ones to till a new land."

"How terrible!" sympathized Ascaris, as the wolf struggled to process this.

"Indeed!" agreed the other.

"Isn't there anything that can be done?" Ascaris ventured.

"Well..." The smaller worm tapped its chin, thoughtful. "I don't suppose you have anything on you?"

"Ah, of course! I'd nearly forgotten," Ascaris cried, slipping off the containers of rations she'd been given and pushing them into the wolf's paws. "Here you go, help yourselves! And take these, too," she added, pooling some gold coins on top of it.

"Bless you, Friend Worm!" said the small worm. "Happy travels!"

"Happy travels!" said Ascaris.

"Happy travels," said the wolf dumbly, still holding onto the boxes as he watched him leave.