9 Snake Bite

Twigs snapped under my boots, announcing my presence. The trees around me were ominously waving in the fall breeze, as if to swat me away like a bug.

There was no sign of him anywhere. My frustration was plain on my face. The worst part of the Game seemed to be the horrible anticipation rather than actually dying. I rolled my eyes. Why does Oliver even bother with the theatrics? Why not tie me to a chair and torture me? Going out and looking for him was more aggravating than him killing me.

The sun was beginning to set; I had been hiking for many hours. I decided it might be time to settle down somewhere and camp for the night.

In my bag I remove the blanket hammock I brought with me, and found a neat set of twin trees. It took a bit of time to tie it up properly, as my hands were a little sweaty from being pushed into my pockets, and the twine was wearing thin.

Once I had completed my hammock for the night, I crawled in it with another blanket, and slipped an umbrella from my bag as well, putting it above me in case it rains. After getting situated, I decided to answer my growling stomach with an apple from my sack. This was going to be a long hunt.

I tossed the core aside once I'd finished my apple. Staring up at the tangles of long branches above my head, my eyes began to grow heavy and I felt myself drifting into an uncomfortable sleep.

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The sheets below my face were soft and smelled strongly of his cologne he wore daily. I smiled to myself. It was a relief to finally be rid of that rat-infested studio apartment I had rented out before.

I moved in with Oliver a few months into our relationship. He said he wasn't comfortable with the way I lived, and assured me that together we could do better. And we did.

Our small house was quaint and quiet.

I stretched as I stood, making my way into the kitchen for some coffee before work. Oliver was already there, two cups in hand. We sat at the table and sipped our mugs together. It was nearly a fairytale; had it been able to stay that way. I didn't notice his illness until much later.

After breakfast, we began on our projects for work. Both of us did our own thing for the same company. Working together was peaceful, just like the rest of our lives.

But I had no idea how Oliver could change in an instant.

It started when I found the snake. I was digging through boxes I had yet to unpack in our room, when something slithered across my foot. I screamed, earning Oliver's immediate attention. "What's wrong?" He asked.

With a trembling hand, I pointed to the snake that had made its way underneath the bed as quickly as it had appeared. Oliver grabbed a flashlight from the nightstand drawers, and pointed the light under the bed. "Damn, that's a big one," he said unmoved.

I watched in horror as he reached his hand under the bed and grabbed the hideous creature. Once the snake was in his grasp, he pulled it out. It was a black snake, not poisonous from the shape of its head. With a grin, Oliver presses his thumb on the top of the snakes head, and the crushing sound of small bones could be heard around the room. I gasped in shock and disgust. "There you go," he said still holding the snake. "Nothing to worry yourself over." With that, he took the snake outside.

I remember being appalled and confused. How could any sane person just snap the skull of a nasty creature? I shiver thinking about the way he smiled as the poor thing died. I hated snakes, but that didn't mean he deserves to die in such a horrible way.

The sight of that manic grin haunted me for weeks after, but eventually I learned to move on; as I always did. No matter how sick, Oliver was still my other half.