When the power shut off I heard, "Oh shit."
The words came from William's office.
But we had paid the bill. I thought about it--on a credit card, didn't we?
I pawed around the room and stepped over the heaps of mess. When I found the door knob. I opened it.
"What the hell?"
"Where are you?" a voice called.
I could make out his figure. My eyes adjusted to the dark.
"We paid the bill didn't we?" I asked.
"Yeah, I put it on my credit card."
"Did it go through?"
"It's on the Internet. I wouldn't know. Hang on. I'll get a flashlight."
He felt the steps with his feet before moving forward. I waited. I was worried about my animals. The heat lamp my ball python uses would be out. It wouldn't kill it, but it still left me in a bind.
A light flashed up the stairs.
He held an extra flashlight.
"We'll get it fixed tomorrow."
I went into the pets' room. I retrieved the ball python. He coiled around me for warmth. He squeezed along my arm into place. I held him for a long time.
William came in with a blanket.
"Will he be OK?"
"We did pay the gas bill, right?" I asked.
"Yes."
Since the thermostat was broken--it also ran on electricity-- we moved the cage near the stove. I measured the distance so the tank would be warm, but not baking. I put the ball python back into the cage. He went back into his hiding place.
"Thank you," I said.
"Don't worry about it. I'll find out what happened first thing tomorrow morning."
I slept in the kitchen. I didn't want the house to burn down. I didn't sleep well that night, but I wanted to make sure this ball python was safe. My first ball python had died. I didn't want this one to die too.
***
In the morning, William found the answer to our electricity problems. An old limb had fallen onto the power lines. The power company said the repairs to the power lines might take three days. My choice in pets was a problem. The weather was freezing outside and I couldn't leave the snake alone for three days without heat. I called the local herpetology center which I found in the phone book and told them my problem. I wasn't going to lose this snake too.
I couldn't hear an answer. I wrapped the aquarium in blankets and called the pet store. The pet store owner hesitated after hearing my story.
"I'll give you money. Just don't put him on display."
The man made a soft sound of consent and then said, "Fine. Three days, right?"
"I'll be there soon."
YOU ARE READING
No Strings
RomanceBess's life never went right. Her mother always called Bess her sad little accident. Her boyfriends demeaned her, killed her pets, and threatened violence on her. And becoming an Advertising Designer seemed always a little out of reach. So she thoug...
