The Republic of ARMY

29. Earthworms

Ryan cringed as I held up a wriggling invertebrate.

"Look what I found!"

"What?!" His face wrinkled as he eyed me then the worm at the same time.

"I found an earthworm!"

"That's disgusting and dangerous!"

"You're a doctor! Be brave! Go on, show it to Richard-"

"No!" My brother took off, making me laugh as I chased after him.

"Big bro! Come back- ouch!" I ran right into Dr. Li who sighed and looked at me with clear judgement in her eyes.

"What did I tell you?" She asked quietly.

"That this was a very important indicator organism?"

Dr. Li sighed. "Where do you think it came from?"

"Um... The ground...?"

She laughed. "That soil we brought in from a farm in Sudan. The owners had very many and gladly offered some to us."

"Aaah."

"You're seriously into some disgusting things."

"Better tell that to the farm. You do know the reason we brought them, right?"

Ryan had returned and eyed the bug in distaste. "So, why do you need earthworms?"

"Well, our project is clearly mapped out in terms of things like number of acres or metre square we reclaim from the desert. That is the work of a lot of mathematics. We did the rough outline, and now that things seem more stable, we are working on introducing more lifeforms to stabilize the environment."

My brother looked at Dr. Li like she was into strange stuff. Not that she wasn't, but I am not about to get into that... At least not yet.

"Raina, could you please explain this to your brother?"

I tapped my brother's shoulder. "It is actually very simple. Bir Tawil is a piece of land you plan to put up a structure on. The macro projects are the shell of the house and the foundation of the entire thingy. The earthworms and other lifeforms are the minute details that aid in finishing the house properly."

"Aaah. So if you put it that way, I get it."

Dr. Li could only smile before excusing her to go talk to the newest hottie engineer who, coincidentally, was already looking our way. Or rather, looking right at me.

Heart palpating, I turned to my brother who, curiously enough, was poking at the little earthworm trying to wriggle away from him. Dr. Li had probably put it into my hand when I made eye contact with Drew.

"So... Is it true that if I accidentally cut it in the middle it will become two worms?" He asked, tilting his head to the side and staring up at me.

"Ryan, don't start with those curious experiments of yours."

"Cmon, just tell me..."

"How many zombie worms would we have then?!" I asked him, knowing full well that he hated both zombies and creepy crawlies. "Maybe this is a zombie earthworm-"

My brother took off running, leaving me in stitches. The earthworm could finally burrow into the ground without worrying about my brother.

°•°•°•°•

Gardening was therapeutic.

I finally figured that out after digging through the greenhouse and pouring purported "fertile" soil all over the just prepared beds.

It was actually rich in earthworms.

Not too many though, but just enough to get the work of aeration done properly. They actually looked happy.

Dr. Li sweated very lightly. I couldn't say the same for myself, seeing as I was literally covered in sweat and mud. I tried to avoid wiping my brow but that wasn't possible, so my entire forehead felt like it had little grains of soil on it.

I missed my bathtub back home more than ever at this point.

' I thought you love working this hard on projects.'

I sighed as I worked harder on making the little worms more comfortable in their new homes. We mulched the plot, checked the temperatures of the greenhouse, helped repair the drip irrigation pipes, and finally made it to the next greenhouse, only to do it all over again.

Dr. Li seemed exhausted when we finally completed the exercise. The sun was setting, and she decided to stay over for the night instead. My brother helped her make the necessary calls and then she settled in.

I stayed up an hour after supper to study, but that didn't help much. I was nodding off to sleep and couldn't stop snoring so loudly that I repeatedly woke myself up numerous times.

Then I felt someone pick me up and I must have mumbled something. Ryan laughed, and I think I called him something in my sleep. Then, I was being tucked into bed and the covers were being pulled up to my chin.

Ryan could be sweet sometimes. Perhaps, he could still be redeemed?