Too Far

Part 7: I Don't Wanna Die

Moonlight glinted off the broken glass as Mr. Snake lay on the white floor of Professor Marmalade's house. The peaceful chirping of crickets sounded outside. Snake moaned softly in his sleep, curling up tighter. "Wolf..." he whimpered. "Tarantula... Shark... Piranha..."

"You're too slow, Snake!" his brother Bask would hiss. Snake slithered downstairs, trying to catch up to his brothers and sisters as they raced around the house. Gila laughed and slapped a skateboard with his tail, knocking it over. Snake let out a painful yell when the skateboard fell on him.

His sisters Aloe and Copperhead looked back at him. "Come on," Copperhead let out.
Aloe helped her brother up, sunlight reflecting off her pale brown scales.
"Kids!" their mother called. "Time for dinner." Bask and Gila shoved Snake into a wall as they slithered past followed by Copperhead and Aloe.

Snake sighed and slithered down the hallway after his brothers and sisters, and peeked around a corner into the kitchen. The once bright wallpaper was now a pale yellow and the dishes in the sink had nats swarming around them. Bask was sitting at the table next to their father, and Gila was sitting in between Aloe and Copperhead. Mother Snake put bowls in front of everyone.

"Mom?" Snake asked.
Mother Snake looked at her son. "Yes, honey?"
"What's for dinner? It smells like..." Snake tasted the air with his tongue. "Guinea Pig stew!"
"Your favorite," his mother replied. "Now come sit before your father eats it all."

After dinner Snake sat in his room, coloring a page in a coloring book. He heard someone talking downstairs and slowly slithered to the kitchen. He hid behind the wall.
"What are we going to do for Snake's birthday?" his mother questioned.

My birthday! Snake thought. He listened to his parents continue their conversation.
"Why should we do anything?" his father responded. "We're good-for-nothing monsters."
Snake gasped softly. Was his family not going to celebrate his birthday?

Snake retreated to his room, his heart sinking to the bottom of his stomach.

. . .

Mr. Snake rushed through the halls of the bank, his heart racing with delight. "Stop in the name of the law!" one of the policemen ordered. Snake ignored her and pushed on.
"Hurry!" Marmalade yelled on his radio. "Hurry!"

Snake bit the bag of money and flung himself out the door, and hurried into Marmalade's helicopter. The two criminals laughed as the helicopter flew away from the bank.
"So," Snake began. "Can I have the antidote now?"

The guinea pig looked at him. "What? We don't have enough money to make my machine."
Mr. Snake eyed him puzzled. "But you said-"
"I know what I said," Marmalade responded. "Just help me with another job and you'll get the antidote."

Snake thought for a while then sighed. "Fine..."