14 THE WORM MAN

It took him a long time to decide to participate in the competition, as all that was left of his hope was dust. He wasn't sure what he would ask. He didn't know if he could ever be happy again. It had been so long since he had been alive that he barely remembered his previous life.

Occasionally he would have nightmares about a loving family waiting for him in an empty house. When he woke up, he forgot everything he had dreamt about. However, with him remained an eternal feeling of anguish that had not left him during the last 100 years.

The worm man did not wait for the dawn. In the early morning, he left the circus and crawled quickly through the wood. The people of that town did not usually go out at night because at dawn, the witches left their hiding place and dedicated themselves to kidnapping people, which they later used in their perverse spells.

The worm man crept along the bank of a river when he heard whispers in the distance. A light came quickly to him. He immediately tried to find a hiding place, but there was no one close enough. If those people managed to see him, he would be in trouble. He was sure they would think he was an assistant to the witches. Although he was already dead, he could feel physical pain.

In desperation, the worm man crawled to the river and stayed on the shore. The current was so strong, and he could barely hold on. He was terrified, for the people who were approaching were a group of men who had gone out to hunt witches.

Soon he began to run out of the air, but he could not get out because the people were so close. If he made any movement, he would certainly be discovered. He buried his head as much as he could in the sand. When the men passed by where he was, his body could not take anymore, and he let himself be carried away by the water.

When people saw him pass by, they thought it was a big fish or a dead animal that the river was carrying away.

"Poor animal, dragged by the waters without a chance to fight," one of the men said to himself.

The worm man was swept away by the fierce waters of the river. He let himself be carried away without a fight. He did not care about blows or scratches. He would go wherever the water took him.

It was beginning to dawn when a handsome, brown, curly-haired man was washed up on the riverbank. He remained there naked and unconscious for hours until a girl looking for water in the river found him.

"Sir! Sir! Are you all right?" Said the girl, who patted him on the face with gentle movements.

It took a few minutes for the man to react, but as he did, so he began to cough non-stop. The girl began to pat him on the back to help him expel the water. Realizing that the man was naked, she took one of his tissues and gave it to him to cover up a little.

"My house is near here, come with me.

The man said nothing and followed her.

The whole way, the worm man was so confused. He was mortified that he had strayed from his mission. The river had dragged him for so long that he had no idea where he was going. His body was so sore that at times he would stop on the way, trying to soothe the pain.

When he arrived at the girl's house, he could see that she was living in very humble conditions. The young woman took him to the only room in the house and told him to lie down on a bed. The worm man felt so weak. From the moment the girl left the room, he collapsed on the bed.

Shortly thereafter, the girl entered the room again. She placed a cloth soaked in warm water on the man's forehead. Later and with great care, she fed him a broth, the taste was horrible, but there was so much kindness in the girl's face that he ate it without hesitation.

"What is your name?" asked the girl in a tired voice. The man did not know what to answer. For as long as he could remember, everyone called him the worm man.

"Arthur." He said at last after much thought. He chose that name, as he once heard people say that the name meant strength and nobility. He never thought he could have a name, so for a moment, he felt happy. Just for a while.

"As strong as a bear, as noble as a king."

The girl expressed with a sad smile.

"I would like to know the name of my savior.

"Brighten, that's my name. It's ironic because, for a long time now, joy has not existed in my life.

"You have saved this poor soul in sorrow. You must wear your name with pride."

The girl smiled and left the room. When night fell, the girl entered the room again. The worm-man, fearing discovery, crawled under the covers. However, it was not necessary, as the girl was so poor that she couldn't light the house every night.

"I regret that I cannot offer you a sheet that would better protect you from the cold. That's the only one I have left," whispered the girl as she approached Arthur, who was under the sheets.

"Don't worry. It would be inconsiderate to ask for more than you have already given me. Thank you."

The girl did not respond and went to the other bed in the room.

"Do you need anything else before you go to sleep, Father?"

The worm man had not noticed that another person was lying in that bed. Sometimes he saw the girl approach that bed, but he never saw or heard anything.

"Good night, father. May the troubled dreams go away from you." The young woman whispered before leaving the room.