A storoem of strange happenings, guilt-ridden dreams, and being bothered. |
My neighbor told me this when at the mailbox we happened to meet. Seemed that all the day long he’d been bothered after waking from his night’s sleep. This he told to me: “Today I awoke with a start just after dawn. In the early morning’s light, my wife was sleeping still, but her lips did part. Out flickered a forked tongue, then a horrible sight – the head of a snake, a viper, slithered into view. I could not move! The snake’s strange, yellow eyes had me instantly mesmerized. I literally could do nothing, as a viper more than five feet long in size crawled out of my wife’s mouth, then beside me arose. In perfect English with a British accent, thus he spoke, “Do you still love this woman, your wife?” “Heaven knows I do!” “Then let me bite her now. Better if she never awoke.” “No! If you must take one of us, let it not be she. Bite me with your deadly toxin.” “You care for her that much then?” “Lord yes!” “But you’ve been contemplating adultery, I see. When she discovers your affair – and it’s never if, only when – the hurt, the humiliation, the death of your love and trust will be like slow death for her. Those years of pain and grief my one bite can spare her.” “No, don’t do it! I was just planning an affair…that I would do so now is beyond belief.” The snake smiled, actually smiled. “Excellent! Since your wife decided the same each time I’ve appeared to her, it’s meant for your love to last.” Then he vaporized! Nothing in all my life has bothered me more. Why did the snake have a British accent?” Please visit: http://www.gillelands.com/poetry/ |