I took shelter under this rundown shrine. It was pretty much just a ruin covered by overgrown with mosses and plants. Although the shrine still had a decent enough roof and the altar was still intact. There was also a small statue depicting some deity on it.

The face of the statue was however eroded and not visible.

I took a seat down the dusty ground near the entrance as I kept a watch on the rain. Seems like the rain won’t stop any time soon and it's almost dark. I don’t mind running home getting drenched in the rain. Even my mom would forgive this time, once.

The problem is that tomorrow's a Monday, that means if I do get drenched in this rain there is a slight chance that I might catch a cold and fall ill. That means no school for me! That means I can’t get to see Miss Calista, tomorrow!

I know that sounds far-fetched calculations, but I don’t wanna take a risk and miss school tomorrow! I would rather avoid getting ill, even if it means to spend a night in this godforsaken rundown shrine! I will do anything for my love.

My motto ‘Perseverance is the key to success.’

Spending night in this ruins is just small feat, in my conquest of love which is much more of a challenge. I could cook my fishes here if I feel hungry. But then again because of the rain, I won’t get any dry woods at all for starting fire. I could endure hunger, no biggy! If it comes to extreme, I might even eat them raw! ‘Anything goes in Love and war.’

Now thinking back, Miss Calista looked very cute, today.

Well, then I was again engrossed thinking back about Calista, the time we spend together. Times fly by quickly whenever I think about her and this was the ideal way to kill time while I wait for the rain to stop.

Then all of a sudden, I felt something climbing my shoulder.

My train of thoughts just breaks down, and I return to my reality. I can still feel something on my shoulder but I am too scared to turn my head to check.

What if its some lost lingering soul that left behind. It could be a ghost like in the TV show, that I watch last night!

But come on! Ghost ain’t real! It's all fake, that's right! GHOST Don’t exist!

And in the first place, this is a shrine! Shrine of a god, no ghost could even approach the divine abode. That’s right it’s just my mind playing tricks, there is no one behind me touching my shoulder. It’s just my brain playing tricks.

As I turned around, I lost my fucking shit! I LOST IT! MY SHIT!

Fuck I think I even shat for real!

I am so dead.

“Ssss… S... SNAAAAAAKEEE!”, I screamed!

There was a fucking big snake sitting on my shoulder. Where the fuck it came from!?

I just jerked my shoulder and tried to get away from it. I crashed against the altar of the shrine.

“HOLY! MOLY! MOTHER MARY of JESUS! Ge..Get away from me!!”, I screamed at the snake.

But it did nothing but stared at me.

Then all of a sudden I heard another, hissing sound from my back.

To my horror, there were more behind as well. That sneaky snake bought his whole family to a dinner.

I quickly climbed on the altar, trying to get on the high ground and away from the snakes reach.

My bucket of fishes was on the altar that I had placed before.

“Pp-please! Please leave me alone! Here you can have this fishy instead.”, I begged to the snakes. I know I looked like a pathetic moron, that was having a conversation with snakes while I begged for mercy to snakes, now thinking back it was totally pointless.

I offered the fishes to snakes!

“Here one for you!”, I gave one fish to the snake that greeted me by surprise.

“And here’s o-one and half fish for your family!”, I said as I gave them my other remaining fishes.

Suddenly I heard a crashing sound.

I quickly turned around to find that the statue that was also placed on the altar, crashed down the ground and crumbled to pieces. I must have mistakenly kicked it in a panic. I was relieved that it was not much of big deal, it's just an old piece of stone now. No one cares about this shrine anyway.

At least, for now, I would be safe until I stay on the altar.

But on a second thought, what if I was already bitten by the snake when it was on my shoulder in the first place. Now remembering back I really had this stingy pain as if something bit me in the neck.

For a second I had a flashback of my life, goes through my mind. In my memories, I saw my mom as she nagged like always, dad as he searched for his glasses just to realize its stuck on his hair up. Lydia, my little sister whos again stealing money from my wallet, little shit! All my friends, Big sis Helena, Rihanna, Brian, my best friend Dylan, and my love, Calista.

I shut my eyes close, ‘Adiós mi Amor’ *Goodbye my love*

(He learned that line from a romantic Spanish movie. He happens to watch more of romance movie, nowadays.)

Then all of sudden, the same image of Calista smiling on the beach appeared on my memory. The sunset, the wind, the riverside, all of these things enhanced Calista’s beauty as she smiled brightly.

No! I can’t die by a mere snake bite in this lonely place.

I have a dream to complete. Marrying Calista and having three kids, two girls and a boy. (I think he better focus on career first)

I regained my senses!

I grabbed my bucket and sprayed the water on the snakes. Snakes are cold blooded, so they don't like anything that's cold. Then I jumped from the altar with all my might towards the entrance with frontflip as I rolled on the ground to absorb the shock.

I had watched some parkour videos on the net and now I had put them in practice. I think I executed it pretty well, if Calista could have seen my frontflip, she would have seen how cool I am. But after the stunt I think I just twisted my neck but anyway I was out of the shrine. Then once I realized I was out of the shrine, I simply sprinted like the end of the world was here. It was pretty dark, but it's better than staying there ending as a snake family’s snack. (By the way, snakes don't eat humans, maybe an Anaconda could eat children at most)

I don’t know when or how I reached home, but I banged on my door instead of the doorbell.

My mom opened the door, all worried,

“What’s the matter hon! You all drenched and out of breath was a tiger chasing you when coming home or what! Also, remove your shoes, what are you doing, Sebastian!”, asked my mom.

I entered my home and closed the door and locked it.

“M-mm-MOm there… there were snakes! Lots of snakes and, wait what! Tigers? There are Tigers as well in this area?!”, I asked in a panic.

“No, there isn’t that's just a joke! Just teasing you, first take a shower or you’ll catch a cold!”, said, my mom.

“But mom!! The snake bit me! I felt a sting on my neck, see! Could you please suck the poison out of the snakebite mark here!?” I asked her.

I was almost out of breath and my legs started to feel heavy. I was feeling dizzy! I think the poison started to affect my nerves, I am starting to have breathing problems, I don't have much time left.

My mom then checked my neck, and then pulled something off. I felt a sudden sting when she did that.

“It’s just a leech, son! Now get back in the shower, NOW! You have made the hall a mess, clear it up in fifteen minutes”, ordered my mom angrily.

“Okay”, I replied as I dashed to the shower.

Angry mom's is much more deadly then snakes tho.