Hive Of the Dead

Snake and Blood

**Chapter 4: Snake and Blood**

It came closer, and I became more scared. Aunt Vera remained where she was, not helping as always, and my vision was still blurry from the hit I received. I closed my eyes. I cannot watch myself die.

Suddenly I heard hissing. It had to be the snake from before. Two monsters at once. We are so dead. Mom, here I am, come take me. The hissing and growling continued, so close to me I could feel their warmth from where I lay. I slowly opened my eyes to see what was going on.

In the blur I saw the big snake coiling up and standing erect, set to strike, and the monster stood in front of it. My vision slowly became clearer, and I crawled slightly back as I watched them brawl.

At first the monster's look was that of confusion, and from the back of the snake I saw it was ready to attack. The monster struck first, a hit so strong it moved the snake to the ground. Without a rebound nor a second of hesitation, this huge snake swallowed the monster right before our eyes, and then stretched seemingly crushing the monster in it. After swallowing, it crawled to the side of the house and laid there eyes closed.

"Derick!"

Aunt Vera called with fear in her voice.

"Where are you coming from?"

she questioned as we both stared at the snake in obvious fear.

"Umm um um,"

I stammered still looking at the snake. My mind was enveloped in fear so I did not attach much meaning to her question. I then turned to the other monster whom I initially stabbed. It lay on the floor drooling, almost like a sleeping human. I stood up slowly, picked up the knife and walked close to it. Its eyes followed me as I did but its body remained motionless.

To be honest, watching this monster's eyes move almost completely around its axis was really scary. The more scared I got the firmer I held the knife. I went down and stabbed its neck nonstop. Its body only shook slightly, but its eyes blinked in pain on each stab. It continued drooling and following me with its eyes. I went on to its back. I stabbed multiple times with the same response. Its eyes were still open and following me around.

"You twat! Go for its head!"

Aunt Vera yelled.

That was my initial intention, but I just wanted to see how it reacted to other actions done on it. As Aunt Vera had instructed, I held the knife up above its head, hesitant to stab.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

I remembered mom's last scream and began stabbing its head mercilessly, as blood was splattered everywhere.

"Derick!!"

Aunt Vera called but I ignored still stabbing and recalling mom's last moments.

"Derick! That's enough!"

Aunt Vera continued shouting.

After ignoring Aunt Vera and stabbing to my heart's content, I turned to the snake behind me, who had successfully and completely swallowed the monster. Its eyes were still open just like the monster I was stabbing, and motionless as it stared at me.

I got to where it was and stood before it with my bloody knife. I held it firm and continued staring at it. Unlike the monster it closed its eyes, almost as though it was scared of death. I felt sympathy for the poor creature.

"What are you waiting for Derick? Kill the bloody thing!"

Aunt Vera yelled at me.

"What has it done to me?"

I asked now feeling sympathy for the poor creature.

"You have got to be kidding me!"

Aunt Vera yelled, obviously still scared to come close.

"It actually saved me, something you could not do, and you want me to kill the innocent creature,"

I replied as I turned around.

"It saved you! You actually think it saved you! The only reason it has not attacked you is because it has not digested what it ate. Otherwise you would probably be half digested by now,"

she said still talking loudly.

"We have stayed here for two days now and it has not done any harm to us. Even when we saw it, it did nothing to us. It did not seem to care even. So why now?"

I replied as I walked closer. It seemed to have heard my footsteps so it opened its eyes and remained motionless, as its eyes followed my every move carefully.

"Derick!!"

Aunt Vera screamed as I dropped my knife and continued walking towards it.

"Do not be scared!"

I said as I walked closer. Although I was scared, but I did not want to show it. At the same time I was also curious as to how its skin felt. I got close enough. My legs were still shaking but I found a way to hide it as I bent down, slowly putting a hand forward.

It remained calm as my hand made contact with its smooth, scaly and shiny skin, almost as though it reacted to the touch of my hand.

"Derick!"

Aunt Vera who had been speechlessly watching yelled.

"It is harmless,"

I said as I became more comfortable around this beautiful creature, who had not moved an inch. My legs soon stopped shaking. I went down on my knees a lot closer to it than before. I rested my head on its body and found comfort laying on this warm-bodied creature.

"That's enough Derick!"

Aunt Vera yelled as she summoned courage to get up and walk some distance close to us.

"Where were you?"

she asked.

"I was hungry, and went out to get something to eat,"

I replied still cuddling this creature.

"And you told who?"

she asked.

"You were asleep at the time and I did not want to wake you up,"

I replied.

"So you went to get food for yourself alone? Isn't that selfish?"

she said in a motherly tone.

Look who is talking about selfishness. Was not she the reason I went out to get food in the first place? Now she is talking calmly about it. From the way she spoke calmly, I could tell that she was scared. The Aunt Vera I knew would be screaming at the top of her voice, and would probably have given me a slap by now. This creature might actually be a good thing. I guess this was mom's gift to me. I knew she has been watching, watching this wicked woman maltreat me, and has sent me a guardian.

"Can you please get me water?"

Aunt Vera requested politely for the first time. I turned to her really surprised. I looked at her and could not help but wonder if she was possessed or something. With that joy I stood up and grabbed the water bottle.

"It is a bit broken at the bottom, so please be careful with it. I advise you turn it upside down,"

she added. I gladly took the water bottle, rushing towards the ladder.

"Derick,"

she called.

"Please hurry up,"

she added obviously from fear of the snake.

"Do not worry Aunt Vera, it will not hurt you!"

I said, strapped the knife to my leg, and climbed up to the surface.

As usual I looked around for monsters and old people, and then ran off to the stream. Unlike yesterday, I was not looking. I knew where it was.

I arrived at the stream and began to fetch. After fetching, I stood the water bottle upside down on the sand, and then looked around for a while if I could get any fish. And then I looked at myself. I need to take a bath even. Stabbing that monster got blood and dirt all over me.

I walked into the water. This time I tried to ignore the fishes as I took off my clothes. I rubbed off the blood from my skin, as well as the knife I had strapped to my leg.

"Ishhh,"

I uttered as the water touched the injury I had on my shoulder.

"I have to work on this,"

I said to myself as I touched the unhealing sore.

From a distance I saw someone coming. If I run out this person's going to see me, and I cannot swim, but it does not seem like I have much of a choice right now. I quickly went deeper into the water, fighting with the water's current which pulled me to itself. I got close to the deep and remained at a point where the water could only get to my neck. As soon as the person got closer I took a deep breath and went in.

It seemed to be the old man I saw earlier. He had a stick in his hand. This stick was bent and tied with a thin rope that bound it from one end to the other, and some pointy sticks in a cup-like vessel strapped to himself. I was not sure why he had all of this, but what I was really bothered by was the water pulling me to itself and the fact I was running out of breath.

I remained there still fighting with the current and waiting for the old man to leave. I suddenly needed air so I jumped out completely out of air. In that brief moment out in the air I saw the man with my clothes, as he looked at me in shock and I fell back to the water which at this point won the fight. It quickly pulled me to itself. I obeyed choicelessly. It held so tight and all I could do was hit it pointlessly.

I needed not to be told that this was the drowning mom was always talking about. She always warned me against the unstable monster called water, a fighter no man has ever won, one who has no fighting style in particular.

I closed my eyes completely lost in the water, and in what felt like a flash I was out.

I opened my eyes coughing. I coughed out water till I sat up.

"Are you okay?"

the old man asked worried. Without a reply I got up quickly.

"It is okay, I will not hurt you,"

he said to me as I walked backwards in fear and with memories of mom's story about the old man that killed dad.

"Do not be scared,"

he added as he stood up and calmly approached me. I ran off immediately. I cannot make the same mistake dad made.

I ran naked till I got back to the hole. I quickly climbed down the ladder.

On getting down, I saw Aunt Vera with the axe mom usually used to break wood in her hand. It was covered in blood.

"What have you done?"

I questioned as tears rolled down my cheeks, as I looked at the dead snake whose head was battered beyond recognition with the axe.

"Shut up!"

She sparked like the Aunt Vera I knew and hated.

"Where is my water and where are your clothes? Why are you wet?"

She asked several questions at once and not one could I give a positive answer to. Any answer I give would result in a slap, so I remained quiet, quiet in pain as I looked at the lifeless creature mom sent to save my life.

"Well?"

Aunt Vera uttered harshly as she walked closer, with the bloody axe, and I walked backwards in fear.

To be continued.....