I am 8 years old. I see a 9 foot viper nearby. It
I am 8 years old. I see a 9 foot viper nearby. It slithered closer. Human, why are you here It hissed. I…got lost I whimper. Lost? You say? Well, You’re in for a treat It hissed. What do you mean? I say. Today is Halloween, My child, You should be trick or treating It replied. Go, My child, Have a Great Halloween! It said.
The air hung thick with the scent of damp leaves and decaying wood. I, eight years old and lost in the woods behind our house, felt a prickle of fear crawling up my spine. The forest was alive with shadows, twisting and turning like writhing snakes. Then, I saw it. A creature of pure emerald green, thick as a tree trunk and longer than my dad’s car, slithered out from behind a massive oak.
“Human, why are you here?” a voice hissed, sharp as a razor.
I froze, eyes wide, staring at the creature. It was a viper, a monster from my nightmares, with scales that shimmered like jewels and eyes that glowed like molten gold. It was nine feet long, at least, its head reared high, and it was close enough for me to smell the musky, earthy odor emanating from its scaled body.
“I… I got lost,” I whimpered, my voice barely a whisper.
“Lost? You say?” It hissed, its voice echoing strangely in the silent woods. “Well, you’re in for a treat, my child.”
My heart pounded in my chest, my mind spinning. What treat could a viper possibly have in store for a lost little boy? I felt a cold hand grip my stomach, squeezing the breath out of me.
“What do you mean?” I managed to squeak out.
“Today is Halloween, my child,” the viper said, its voice surprisingly gentle now. “You should be trick or treating.”
It lowered its head, its eyes somehow filled with a strange kind of kindness. “Go, my child,” it urged. “Have a great Halloween!”
The creature slowly retreated back into the shadows, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. I stood there, frozen for a moment, unsure what to make of the encounter. Had I dreamt it? Was I going crazy?
But as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in a vibrant tapestry of orange and purple, I felt a strange calm settle over me. The viper’s words echoed in my head: “Go, my child. Have a great Halloween!”
The fear had vanished, replaced by a sense of wonder. Perhaps I was still lost, but suddenly, I felt a strange sense of adventure. Maybe, just maybe, this Halloween was going to be different. Maybe it was going to be the most magical one yet.
I took a deep breath, and with a newfound courage, I started walking. I knew I had to find my way home, but the fear had been replaced by curiosity. What else might I find in the woods? What other magical creatures might I encounter on this Halloween night?
The woods were no longer a scary place. They were full of secrets, waiting to be discovered. The viper’s words whispered in my ear: “Have a great Halloween.” And, for the first time, I believed it would be.
