• As I slid past the leaves on the cold forest floor, I saw this dark figure eying me. I crawled under the leaves slowly, now cautious of the intruder. ‘Who was that? Or, what was that,’ I should say. It was so different from me....So oddly shaped. As it came closer I could see what it was; a two-legged "snake". It came closer to me, eying me. No matter how many times I hissed, it just kept coming closer. These two-legged "snakes" were large animals. They were interesting but dangerous. I was more frightened than anything, but still, I was amused. I had never been this close to a two-legged "snake". The closer it came, the less of a snake it was. Why was it ignoring my warnings? Why would it leave itself out in the open like that? I didn't have a clue. An oddly shaped limb reached out to me. I hissed and I bit it instinctively. The deeper my fangs went into the creature I felt that it wasn't a snake at all. Maybe it was a different kind of snake. No, it couldn't be! It was totally different from any other snake I've ever seen. But, I didn't know. The limb instantly pulled away from me. I hissed one last time and then slithered away as fast as I could. I looked back one last time. The figure appeared to be in pain. It fell to the floor, struggling. I continued to look ahead, just wanting to be somewhere else. I see the same kinds of "snakes" wander in and out of the forest, each one more different than the next. I am constantly reminded of that one "snake" and how soft it was.....How warm it was....But for some reason, I never, ever, go near those animals....Never again. What happens in the shadows stays in the shadows....