Casey
Grade 6
4/29/15
Slither
Signs dotted along the line, detailing what was ahead. People of all ages, waiting in the line. The line creaked forward, slowly moving as even more people joined the chain. Why were they waiting patiently in this boring line? The signs answered the question for me. Everyone was waiting to hold the snake.
I watched the long line of people, trying to decide if I should join them.
“I’m not so sure…” I muttered
“I’m sure you’ll enjoy it,” Mom encouraged.
“Ummmm,” I said uncertainly
“I’m sure it won’t do anything to you,” she said with a smile
I sighed, “Fine…”
I took a deep breath and stepped into the line of people.
Half an hour of standing in a endless line. Finally the end of the line appeared in front of me. I could see the next person going up to the stand, and the instructor telling the woman in front of me what to do… And what not to do. I watched curiously as she stepped in front of the camera as the instructor told her to spread her arms. Then he lifted a hulking snake around her neck on her arms. I watched in awe as the huge snake slithered across her arms as the woman flinched. I waiting for my turn.
The instructor eventually lifted the green, slithering snake off the woman, and he let the snake onto his arms when he called me up. I couldn’t wait for my turn! When I got to the stand, he told me to hold the snake firmly and make sure to stay calm and to-
I can’t believe I’m gonna hold a giant snake! After this I’m going to tell all of my friends about this and how enormous it was and-
“Kid, do you know what kind of snake this is?”
I thought for a second, “No.”
“Well, this snake is an anaconda!” he emphasized enthusiastically.
“Wait, an anaconda?” I replied confused.
“Yup, now step onto the stand,” he said obliviously.
By this point I was panicking. I knew the deadly reputation these snakes had, and how they choked their prey to death and slowly digested them. He was going to put this reptile around my neck! He directed me to spread my arms, so I reluctantly raised them. The slithering beast was calmly raised onto my arms. I closed my eyes with worry as a heavy weight was laid across my arms and the back of the neck.
Marble smooth, slimy scales touched my skin. I could feel it slither slightly as it was set down. I gripped one hand around each side. The next thing I felt was an insanely heavy load on my arms. Even though I was ten, I couldn’t hold it on my own. The instructor was right behind me, helping me hold up the snake. I could feel a grin slowly growing across my face. This was so awesome!
As guests of the ReptileFest passed by, they took their cameras out or whispered to one another or just watched the anaconda on me. Its green, slim head turned toward me. It had thin vertical pupils that stared, unblinking at my surprised face. I watched as its pink, moist tongue flicked in and out of its mouth.
I started to feel the great weight shifting to my left side. The instructor moved to the end of the long snake that was trudging away from me, and redirected it back. Its scales turned in my grasp as it moved. My arms were starting to get tired of feeling the scales, and holding the snake.
The instructor behind me lifted the beast off of me relieving my tired arms. I walked back to my mom, thinking of what I just experienced. Most of all I thought of why the snake had acted like that. It was so tame and calm which was not what I had pictured for an anaconda. I guess I shouldn’t have assumed about the reptile until I met it. As I walked away, I thought I would be careful in the future to make judgments about things ahead of time.
