The Snake

“Say, what do you think about a pet snake?”

Ash glowered at their roommate. Just woken up, not even had coffee, and the first thing they heard was a question about a snake. They took a moment to process the question, making sure Robin didn’t mince words.

“Robin…” Ash could barely speak, half awake, head throbbing. “Why would you ask me that?”

“They bring good luck!” Robin skipped further into the kitchen area, eyes bright and excited. “Who knows? Maybe one could even help you with–”their smile faltered“–you know… Olivia.”

Ash scrunched their nose as they poured coffee. “A snake won’t help with that, and I’m not letting a walking death trap into our place just based off your… beliefs, or whatever.”

“Aw, come on, Ashy!” Robin’s smile perked back up. “Some good luck would do us some good!”

“I’m not having this conversation with you.” Ash practically chugged the coffee; they didn’t have the energy to deal with Robin’s nonsense so early in the morning. “If you get a pet snake, I’m kicking you out.”

Robin snickered. “What? And pay $1000 a month all by yourself?”

Their cup empty and in the sink, Ash sauntered to their room without so much as a scoff.

Ash stared at their cell phone in silence. They lost track of how many minutes ticked by.

Call her. She doesn’t want to talk to you. Call her. She hates you. This internal argument continued for several seconds before Ash dropped their head in their hands. They would have cried, punched something, or simply screamed at the ceiling, had the door not opened and shut with an enthusiastic slam.

“Lookie what I got!” Robin stood in the doorway, shoulders rolled back, chin held high, and a caged snake in their arms.

Face blue, stomach flipped inside out, Ash leapt out of their chair and slammed their back against the wall. “Robin, what the hell?!”

Their roommate skipped towards the kitchen, humming an off-key merry tune. “His name is Virdy, and he’s our new best friend!”

“No – No, don’t put it on the kitchen counter…” Too late. Ash held their head, the warnings of a migraine at their door. “Robin, what the hell were you thinking?”

Robin rubbed the back of their head with a nervous giggle. “You aren’t really gonna kick me out, are you?”

“I’m… seriously tempted right now.”

“Come on, Ash, I’m telling ya! This little guy is going to change our lives!”

Ash’s fists clenched as a red hue enveloped their scrunched face. The urge to hit something or yell bloody murder bubbled inside, yet they couldn’t quite release it. They turned to their roommate, ready to launch a series of arguments as to why keeping the snake would be the worst mistake of both their lives, when a firm hand planted on their shoulder.

“Please.” Robin’s expression dropped to a pleading stare. Their voice, devoid of its usual jovialness and energy, seemed to drain Ash of their seeping anger. “I know you’ve been struggling, so please, accept just a little good luck.”

Ash sighed. “You know I’m not superstitious, Robin; that thing’s just an animal – it won’t be bringing us anything, aside from a pet bill.”

Robin snickered. “Unless Mrs. Landlord doesn’t find out.”

“What?”

“Anyway”–Robin’s tone dropped once more–“he will. Believe me.”

Ash wanted to argue back, but looking into their friend’s serious eyes, they found scarce enough energy to do so. “Alright. But, if it bites me – no strike system – it’s out.”

Robin threw their fists in the air. “Alright!” They hopped to Virdy, who didn’t seem to take much interest in them. “Hear that, little guy? You’re gonna be staying with us!”

Ash sighed.

Ash woke up in a cold sweat, their body thrusted into a sitting position. They held their head and moaned. They laid back down, but found their heart racing whenever they closed their eyes. They scanned the area – despite it being too dark to see their own hand – as they found their breath.

Ash mumbled slurred-together swears through clenched teeth; they wouldn’t be falling back asleep anytime soon. Defeated, Ash slid out of bed.

They dragged their feet into the kitchen, nothing but water on the brain. They stepped in front of the fridge without a care, forgetting a caged snake sat next to them. They didn’t remember until they closed the fridge door and saw the snake slithering in its cage. They jumped at the sight of the creature, and shivered as he stuck his tongue out.

Ash scoffed and rolled their eyes. “Robin’s living on borrowed time…”

They inched closer to the snake. His eyes, large and black, reflected Ash’s image like a mirror. His gaze seemed to hypnotize Ash, drawing them closer and closer, until they could see their reflection.

They saw a young adult, no older than eighteen, step towards their parents with the news of them being nonbinary, aromantic, and asexual. The young adult, met with screams of grief and hatred and regret, soon found themself on the streets.

The young adult, without a place to stay, took out a loan and enrolled in college as an art major. They loved drawing and painting their whole life, after all. Four years of life dedicated to restless days, sleepless nights at work, and four summers spent on their classmate Robin’s couch, lead the art major to crippling debt, and few job opportunities.

Every weekend for five years, the young adult received calls from their sister, Olivia, curious to know how life handled them since their premature departure. The young adult held a deep rage towards Olivia that, after one agonizing nightshift, they poured out.

They asked Olivia why she said nothing when their parents yelled at them – why she stood by, and let her sibling be tossed to the streets. Olivia argued that, at sixteen, she couldn’t do anything; her words meant nothing to their parents. The young adult, high off of the violent anger they kept hidden for so long, called her a selfish coward. They ended the call without another word, ending their last conversation with Olivia.

Ash collapsed in front of the snake, sobbing into their hands. Sometimes, they wished they could be born once more – to start a new life with their current knowledge, and avoid the mistakes which lead them down this path.

They peered at Virdy. The snake slithered along his cage’s glass walls, creating circles around what looked like a thin cleaning wipe. His skin.

Ash swallowed. “It must be nice,” they commented, “to be able to shed your skin. Leave your old self behind.”

Virdy turned to them. A voice, hoarse and weary, slid into Ash’s head. Would you like me to show you how?

Robin groaned at the sound of their alarm. After a brief moment arguing with the inner desire to sleep in, they sat up. They made their way into the kitchen, and grew still at the sight before them.

Ash stood in front of Virdy, holding a loose piece of sheer fabric. The fabric resembled a piece of the night sky – a pure black, speckled with white. Ash cocked their head to the snake, eyes soft and cloaked with fresh tears.

“Thank you,” Ash whispered. They opened a trash lid and tossed the fabric inside.

“A… Ash, what was…”

A hug interrupted them. Robin found themself at a loss for words – they tried and failed to remember the last time Ash hugged them.

Ash stood back. “You know–”They flashed a wide smile, while their tears fell freely“–I never thanked you for letting me sleep on your couch.” A laugh. “Sorry about that. And, thank you.”

Robin, avoiding eye contact, chuckled in response. “I mean, you did help me with my homework more than I deserved.” They stared at Ash’s forehead. “Are… are you alright?”

“I’m more than alright.” Ash gestured to Virdy. “You were right; Virdy did bring good luck.”

Ash skipped past the snake to their room, and picked up their cell phone.