If people had bumper stickers, mine would read I BRAKE FOR TREE TRUNKS.

Story fragment 1

 

[This is a draft of my contribution to the Photoblog Facebook Group's
Group Story, which is available under "Tom's Photo Pages" at right.]

“Would you mind getting up?  You’re lying on my lunch.”

Orville’s mind began to come to life.  His eyes were closed, but he could tell he was, indeed, lying down.  But why?  Where?  Who was talking to him?  He opened his eyes.

He sat up quickly, causing his head to swim.  The snake said, “Thank you,” and snatched up the flattened beetle lying where Orville’s head had been.

Orville was still feeling very muddled, but he knew one thing clearly:  snakes can’t talk.  So he said, “Snakes can’t talk.”

“Oh, really?” said the snake, "Who are you talking to, then?”

“Uh . . . .  Oh.“

“Right,” said the snake.

“But snakes can’t talk,” Orville said again, because it was all he could think of to say.

“Work that one out on your own,” the snake said, “because I don’t have time to explain it to you. There’s a bear who walks through here every morning, and I don’t plan to be here when she comes.  I suggest you get going, too.”

“I don’t know where I am, or where to go,” Orville said.

“Look behind you,” the snake said.  “Go there.”  He looped around gracefully and slid toward the underbrush.

Orville looked behind himself.

 He took a step down the path, turned, and said, “Thanks.”

“Don’t you know snakes can’t talk?” said a voice from the underbrush.