Attack at Nightfall

Yes, she was hearing correctly. Obviously somebody just said “good evening” outside in the yard. Her vigilant watchdogs confirmed it by joining one after the other into their usual barking chorus. No doubt somebody was out there. “Oh wait” it came to her mind with horror, “I just released that one dog. It might attack whoever is out there, if that person would come to close to the house.”

Without a second thought she opened the door. Or was there a fine and subtle voice telling her: “You should never rush out after dark??.. not without a light and… “Nah!” She hushed that voice, “I’m just quickly going to tie up the dog…”

She told the dogs to be quiet and they obeyed. Soon the noise of barking ceased.. only one kept growling. A warning growl? She called the dog over, held on to the collar and led it toward the back corner of the house. Just one more step to the chain. THERE! A sharp pain went up from her right foot. Like somebody had poked a thick and fiery hot needle into it. It was an intense pain, worse than any scorpion sting. She quickly hooked the dog to the chain and hobbled back to the house. To the light. Looking at her foot everyone could see two little puncture wounds- with just a tiny little bit of blood dropping out. And as her foot kept swelling up, bewildered looks were exchanged. “Snakebite” nobody wanted to believe it at first, but it was obvious now.

With a crazy throbbing headache, that made her feel like her head was exploding; dizziness, nausea and a paralyzing pain that slowly crept up higher in her leg she was rushed to the hospital.

A week of hospital stay and viles of antivenom later she had learnt the lesson: NEVER step out of the door after dark again without boots on the feet and a light to shine your paths!

And this piece of advice she wants to share with everyone else that lives surrounded by jungle. Keep in mind: You entered the habitat of these creatures!

-dedicated to the ones that weren’t so lucky to receive proper medical treatment in time. She knows a family that lost their father as result of a snakebite.