The world

was not all that he had expected it would be.

True, there were many things to chart in this new world

but the parasite felt ill-prepared.

In the old man's mind,

he had gleaned only one thing that was useful.

Happiness is the absence of pain.

This, unfortunately, was not true.

Or perhaps it was true for the old man.

He had surely suffered,

had suffered because of the parasite.

The parasite felt a strange ache inside him.

It was only a stomach ache but he wished it was something more,

something that would comfort him.