Don't Cherish My Love, I Decided To Leave

Tommy looked just as shocked as I was to see the snake. His eyes widened and he instinctively reached for his phone. For a moment, I thought he was going to call for help, but he hesitated. Instead, he dialed Lolly's number.

"Tommy, thank you for the shoes you gave me, they are so beautiful," I heard Lolly’s cheerful voice on the other end of the line.

"What’s with the snake?" Tommy asked, his voice laced with confusion and anger.

Lolly laughed, a crisp, lighthearted sound. "It’s just a little fun. An eye for an eye. Who told her to ruin my birthday party deliberately? Don’t worry, Snaky isn’t poisonous."

Tommy visibly relaxed, his shoulders dropping as relief washed over his face. He shot me a quick glance before retreating to the balcony to continue the conversation in private.

I watched him walk away, feeling a knot tighten in my chest. Ever since I was a child, I’ve had a deep fear of snakes. I called out to Tommy, my voice trembling, but he ignored me. Panic surged through me. My eyes fixed on the snake still writhing on the floor, its tongue flicking out as if taunting me.

My breath came in short gasps and I knew I couldn’t wait for Tommy. I had to do something myself. Summoning every ounce of courage, I opened my eyes and shakily reached for the snake, pinching its neck between my fingers. With all the strength I could muster, I threw the snake across the room. It hit the wall and fell to the floor, still moving.

I collapsed onto the sofa, drenched in sweat, curling up in fear. The snake lay on the floor, still, but its presence was enough to keep me paralyzed. I couldn’t move, couldn’t bring myself to get up and walk back to the bedroom. It felt like hours before Tommy finally came back inside, finding me huddled and trembling on the couch.

"Laura?" he called softly. His eyes took in my pale face, the beads of sweat on my forehead and the way I was shaking uncontrollably. "Lolly was just joking. She’s young; don’t take it so seriously."

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. My mind was still trapped in the fear, the memory of the snake’s cold, scaly skin against my hand. Seeing my state, Tommy’s face clouded with concern. Realizing the severity of my reaction, he decided to take me to the hospital.

He wrapped a blanket around my shoulders and led me to the car. The ride to the hospital felt endless. I sat in the passenger seat, my body trembling, still feeling the phantom touch of the snake wrapping around my arm and neck, squeezing the breath out of me. I clutched the blanket tightly, trying to ground myself, but my mind wouldn’t stop replaying the moment the snake bit me.

"Tommy, I’m scared…" My voice was barely a whisper, weak and shaky.

Tommy’s eyes flicked to me and for a moment, I saw genuine concern in his expression. His tone softened and he reached out to touch my hand. "It’s okay, Laura. Don’t be afraid. We’re almost at the hospital. Just hold on a little longer, okay?" His voice was low and gentle, a stark contrast to the indifference I was used to. It soothed me and slowly, bit by bit, the fear began to ebb away.

But just as I started to calm down, Tommy slammed on the brakes. My body lurched forward, stopped only by the seatbelt and my heart leaped into my throat.