My own photo taken with Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Janie spread the blanket on the lush hilltop beneath the majestic oak tree. It felt so good to be out enjoying one of the first really warm days in late spring. Forrest barked and sniffed his way around the perimeter of the little clearing before settling beside her and little Richie on the blanket. In the distance just beyond the trees, she could hear the sweet music of a creek burbling over the stones.
Richie was content for the moment playing with the Hot Wheels cars scattered around within his reach. Janie got out the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and the homemade oatmeal cookies that made up their impromptu picnic lunch. Not forgetting Forrest, Janie tossed him a new rawhide chew bone and he busily set to gnawing on it as he kept a watchful eye on her and Richie.
Thirty minutes later, the last of the cookie crumbs scattered on the blanket, Richie nodded his head sleepily and rolled on to his side. Janie enjoyed the sight of her toddler peacefully drifting off for his afternoon nap and felt some of the week's stress roll off her frail shoulders. She arranged the cushions she'd brought against the sturdy trunk of the tree and got out her book for a tiny bit of uninterrupted peace. And within a few unguarded minutes, she too fell into an unexpected slumber.
Forrest, seeing both his charges sleeping peacefully in safety, decided to investigate the nearby creek and the enticing woodland smells he had noticed. Rising smoothly he padded across the blanket and took off at a trot towards the woods.
Richie jerked in response to a dream he was having and it woke him up just in time to see Forrest heading down the hill. Rolling to his feet, he toddled off in pursuit of his best friend. Janie slept on blissfully unaware of her now deserted blanket.
Forrest waded into the creek, reveling in the feel of the cool water trickling over his paws, and he watched attentively as the minnows darted about in the shallow water. Richie was now wading in the taller grass that rose up around his waist. Suddenly he came to a halt, some ancient prescience buried deep within his young brain warned him of danger. A rattling sound drew his attention and his gaze locked with deadly reptilian eyes that seemed to mesmerize him into stillness.
Simultaneously Forrest's attention was drawn to the scent of Richie nearby overlaid with terror and Janie jerked awake in an immediate mother's awareness of her child's endangerment. Neither was close enough to stop the disturbed snake from striking, even if they had known the exact nature of the danger.
The snake's head rose higher, still undecided between attacking or fleeing, when Richie's bowels unexpectedly let loose and filled his now soggy Pull-Ups with a foul-smelling runny mess. The child plopped down in surprise onto his bottom and let out a wail. The snake, tasting the unfamiliar odor on his flickering tongue made the decision to retreat rather than attack, and slithered off through the tall grass.
