Witch in Hiding (#1 in the Witches Trilogy) (EDITING)

Twenty-Seven: The Snake

It's hot, and there's a lot of people here. Vera's been choosing all the enclosures, so now it's my turn, and we're going to see the reptiles. I'm holding Mom's hand on the left and Vera's on the right and Dad's behind us, snapping pictures and telling us stories about all the different animals. He's wearing sunglasses that match his dark hair. I'm wearing a pink skirt and shirt. Vera's wearing a matching outfit and toddling along beside us, because she threw a tantrum when Mom tried to put her in the stroller.

We pass the petting zoo, right next to the Reptile House, and Vera wants to go and see the goats. "I'll take her," Dad says. "Why don't you two get an ice cream and wait here?"

Mom buys me an ice cream and we sit on a bench. We take turns licking the dripping chocolate while staring around at the people passing by. My eyes are drawn to the snakes. "Mom, I want to see the snakes."

Mom checks her watch. "Okay. I'll be right behind you."

Getting up, I walk towards the enclosure. It's a cool, dark tunnel with the partitions on the side. No one stops me as I stare, fascinated, at the huge things, thicker than my neck. Mom trails behind, taking her own time, but not too far behind.

Right at the end of the tunnel is a huge snake, bigger than any of the others. The sign says it's an anaconda. It's much bigger than I am and ten times as strong, dark brown. It spots me and stares, eyes yellow, tilting its head. Then it moves. Metres away. Five. I don't move, gazing at it enthralled. Three. Two. It's beautiful, huge, all sleek muscle.

And then it pounces.

I freeze. My instincts scream at me but no sound comes out. Everything seems to go in slow motion, the snake unhinging its jaw, darting out like an uncoiling spring. It snaps something in me, some primal instinct, something giving way—I thrust out my hands, and in my head I scream and scream and scream, get away from me!! And I am bursting with energy, a thrill, an adrenaline pumping, heart beating.

The snake jerks backwards from the glass right before it hits, and then it leaps the other way, into the shallow pool of water, and it flings itself in headfirst. After a moment it starts thrashing like crazy, beating up water. But it doesn't manage to come out. It thrashes and thrashes and then it falls to the ground, half out of the water, head under the surface. It doesn't move anymore.

Suddenly everything is quiet. Good, I whisper, heart racing, I'm safe.