Snapping at Crocs

Chapter 6

💚 Dedicated to _cringe-worthy_ 💚
Thank you for the lovely new cover!

“Hello Ms. L/N, I am Wes Mannion and I will be educating you on the many complications of photographing and overall working with crocodiles.”

Mr. Mannion extends his hand out and I take his hand in mine, delivering a firm handshake. Terri has led me to a spare room filled with textbooks, various potted plants, a few computers, and plenty of boxes.I assume the room serves as both an extra storage space and study. A research center as well, no doubt.

Wes was going to be teaching me alone today, as everybody else going on the exhibition had already gone on one before and wouldn't need such an extensive education. They would be refreshed on everything three days or so prior to our departure.

Wes apparently had the most experience of our crew, having been on multiple expeditions in the past decade or so. He also went on trips with Steve Irwin himself. It is an honor to be learning from one of the best, but… I'm also extremely nervous that I'll mess up.

“So, Y/N, I was thinking the best way to discuss all of this would be with visuals. So we're going to take a little trip to the alligator and crocodile enclosures for you to really see how these animals behave and what they look like.” Wes picks up a text book from one of the many piles in the back of the room. I notice that this particular one is the same that was on Robert's desk yesterday. He hands it to me and continues, “You'll need this too I suppose. Observing and reading will help. Now let's head on to the alligators first. That way we can watch Robert feed the crocodiles later. Show you how to avoid an attack.”

Wes smiles at me, most likely to calm my nerves. But still a small tinge of fear overcomes me. Although watching Robert sounds interesting, you know for purely educational reasons, I can't imagine putting myself in his shoes. And the scariest part is I know I'll have to do that on this expedition. I mean I won't be trying to feed them and make them notice me. But I'll need to avoid their jaws.

I snap out of my daze and offer a half hearted smile back to Wes. He nods his head, perhaps sensing my discomfort, and waves his hand as if to say ‘follow me'.

We exit the room and walk down a few pathways until we finally reach the alligator enclosure. Wes sticks his hand out to his side, palm up, and moves his fingers to tell me he needs the textbook. He opens up to a page about alligators (duh) and hands me back the book.

“All right Y/N, why don't you read me the first paragraph of that book,” Wes requests, leaning up against a fence post near enclosure.

I nod and clear my throat. “Alligators can be found in many different places, though perhaps not where you would expect,” I begin, echoing the words in the book. “There are American alligators which inhabit the southern states of northern america such as texas, florida, georgia, and north carolina. In addition to these reptiles, there are Chinese alligators who are confined to the area surrounding the Yangtze river in eastern China. Alligators are native to only these two places.”

Wes straightens up from the post he was leaning on and smiles as realization dawns on my face.

“So,” Wes urges, smile intensifying. “What can we conclude from this new set of information?”

I chuckle as well, seeing the lesson that he wanted to teach me. Alligators aren't even native to Australia. We wouldn't encounter both an alligator and crocodile in the wild on our expedition, so there's no use in learning the difference in their appearance at this point. I repeat this thought out loud to him and he shakes his head yes like a proud father.