1 Metamorphosis of the Worm

They've bound me entirely, except for my head and mouth. Turned into a mummified worm, I feel the bands gnawing at my skin. The sound of them crawling around my body echoes in my brain, denying me the solace of sleep. White bands seem to have passed through the flesh of my body, reaching my bones. They've halted their movement, swirling around my bones, eager to incinerate my entire being. The scent of formaldehyde overwhelms me, and my hair begins to fall out. I scream and scream again, the cries tormenting my ears. Looking down at my lower body, instead of bands, my entire body is covered in fishnet-like threads. I've become a marine worm, crawling on the ocean floor, smoothing its threads to avoid the hooks of fishermen.

The soundproof room is open. I leap onto the square tiles, heading for the door. The room is as cramped as a dwarf's stride. I must crawl like a worm to enter the hall.

Everything is illuminated. All threads of light! Colorful lights! Tears well up in my eyes from sheer joy. Even each square on the floor is embedded with light. "Prepare to take the pill." The voice echoes from the speaker. A group of six, with different light motifs, crawl forward, guided by the tail of a worm bathed in soft pink light. The pink worm carries the words, "Any volunteers? How are youuuu?" Six worms turn towards it. The pink worm strikes one of them with its tail. Five worms attempt to attack, but one, with intense light, defends against the gentle pink worm. "Separate. I warn you, keep your distance." The lights on the floor begin to shake. Each light settles under a worm, connecting to the threads of their bodies. They can't move and suffer from light shock. Each light exits from a different worm, and I revel in the sight. After a few seconds, their mouths drop open, and then, with wide-eyed stares, they continue on their way. The lights on the floor return to their places.

The speaker repeats, "Prepare to take the pill." Twelve worms stretch out on individual lights, and I return to the soundproof room. From inside the room, I observe events outside. Two nurses attend to the worms, giving each one a capsule. The capsules illuminate their bodies, and the worms are shocked. The nurses observe each worm's condition for a while, then move on to the next. With a rod in hand, they insert the capsules into the worms' mouths and extract them. The worms fall motionless from the pressure for a while. One of the nurses approaches the soundproof room. Bending over, she whispers, "It wasn't your time today. Enjoy your peace." Her voice, the voice of a wounded nurse, refrains from punishing me until my punishment arrives.

"Stand up from the floor. The food is ready." All the bald sea worms (what I call sea worms) crawl on the floor of the madhouse, and I, standing proudly, rule over them. I raise my hand as a gesture and halt them all.

Hey! You! Haven't you seen the order to stop? You're so confused that you defy the command of the king, the son of the sun ruling all these realms! Should I tell them to strip you, so you become helpless as a worm? Huh? Do it!

The green worm with a smooth head and a full crown of dark hair approaches with a graceful demeanor, shaking its bald head.

Oh, the owner of a smooth and unwrinkled head! Forgive me. I apologize for the tiny wrinkles around your eyes. I have been waiting for you for a long time. May I take the liberty of untying your curtain of lunch?

The green worm bows its head. Drops glisten among the upper threads of its body, and it sticks them to the ground with its head.

Always this troublesome? Get away from my sight.

I'm sweating. The queen, make me pregnant with the pain of your fiery manor, so I can bear the small pains like thorns. Make me pregnant with yourself.

Okay, whatever you say. Come on, let's go out of the bathroom.

The nurse puts her arm around my neck and spins me out of the bathroom. Another nurse pulls my head toward her. She drags me out of the bathroom. The other nurse, with all four hands and feet, passes by the bathroom door. From the bathroom, she looks at my head, which she is dragging toward her.

- What are you doing in front of the mirror?! Come on, let's go.

- Oh, stupid nurse! Only the mirror releases me from the humiliation of this moment. Oh! O sun, make me pregnant with the pain of being a manor, so I can count the small pains as thorns. Make me pregnant with yourself.

Whatever you say. Come on, let's go out of the bathroom.

To be continued…