Dr. Collingwood plopped down in the throne of books in her library. It was made out of literature classics. She'd built it because of a dare and had meant to take it apart, but ended up liking it so much that she never did.
Outside, a pair of yellow eyes watched intently. A flute was lifted to a pair of lips, and a faint, beautiful melody, drowned out by the rain, began to play.
Something slithered in the grass.
She finished the book she was reading and stood up to look for another one. When her hand pushed aside a few thick volumes, a low sssssssss drifted out from the shelves.
Dr. Collingwood froze. In the dark shadows, near the back of the shelf, she could make out the squat, puffed head of a rattlesnake. Her hand was inches from its snout.
Her father's words flashed through her head. Molly, if you ever see a rattlesnake, don't move. Don't blink. Don't even breathe. If you have to move, move as slowly and gradually as possible. If you move too quickly, the snake will be startled and will bite you.
But she was too close. The snake would be able to see any movement she made, even the blink of an eye.
One of her fingers made the slightest twitch and the snake lunged forward, its sharp, needlelike teeth sinking into her right hand.
She screamed and flung the snake away and fumbled with her phone, nearly dropping it in the process, and began to dial. She brought the phone up to her ear as it rang.
"911, what's your emergency? "
YOU ARE READING
The Breaking Wheel
FanfictionSome SCPs tear you apart. They'll hunt you down to the ends of the earth in order to kill you. Others reach deep into the darkest recesses of your mind, forcing you to face your worst fears, your deepest regrets, your greatest mistakes. (Disclaimer:...
