Snake Fear!

SNAKE FEAR

Joe was walking along the country road, the gravel making small sounds at times as he made deliberate steps. There was no other traffic on the road at this time of day and Joe was walking down the middle of the road just in case. He was feeling pretty good about himself for just being out here walking. Especially on a road that had grass and brush on both sides. He glanced over to the sides out of habit, then cajoled himself for it. Just keep walking buddy, he told himself. You are out here finally doing this, as the therapist suggested.

Joe had been seeing a therapist for quite a while now, to help him overcome his deadly fear of snakes. He had found himself recently with such paralyzing fear that he was afraid of what he might do if the blinding terror might increase. His latest therapist had suggested after much arguing on Joes’s part to take this walk so he might face his fear head on, and hopefully walk through it.

The day was drawing nigh, but it was still plenty light out as he reminded himself to walk casually, not hurrying to get it over with. Joe was in good physical shape and before long he had walked perhaps a mile and he began to feel mighty proud of himself. There were only a couple times where he thought he heard something in brush on the side of the road. But he kept up his pace and told himself it was nothing to worry about.

He had just crossed a small wooden bridge and after noticing the dry creek under it, kept on his trek of redemption. A bit further he heard something that caused him to glance toward the side of the road, but he could see nothing and kept on walking. Without realizing it his pace had quickened a bit and the sound of his footsteps became a little louder which he did notice. Maybe the sound of his steps will drown out any other sounds he thought, then he reprimanded himself for thinking this. As he did this he immediately felt a little better, slowed his pace and tried to enjoy the experience.

A few minutes later he heard a sound he could not place, and this time it made him falter a step with surprise. But he deliberately continued focusing on the road instead of the sides. Then there was another crackling sound and a swoosh of some sort, and this one slapped his senses into high gear. He quickened his pace more, trying his best to ignore the sounds when there was another and it seemed to be close beside the right side of the road. Now Joe was losing control as his vision dimmed, his fear was climbing and he dashed off to the left side of the road. As he did he thought he heard another sound but he was not sure where it came from and he tried to run through the brush.

Joe had lost all rational thought by now as he tore through the brush, his foot catching on the brush or perhaps a rock, and he began to tumble face first onto the ground. It was with a primal scream and white hot fear that the last thing he saw was a huge rattlesnake, with glistening dripping fangs that sank deep into his fully exposed face and eyes. © Rob Streit