The Cobra

                            


                        

                             I inserted the key; opened the door and entered the house which was lonely and dark. All  the family members leave home early except me and it is my duty to lock the doors and windows of the house before leaving for school. 

The scorching sun has drained my energy while walking from the main road and I was exhausted when I reached home.Using the last drops of  strength I opened the door; dropped myself on the settee making my body comfortable as much as I could, while throwing my hand bag onto the chair next to me. I could not cope with the work load at school and lately had become quick tempered and flew into a rage even with a slightest provoke.

            I closed my eyes and let my mind blank for a while enjoying the oblivion I felt though temporarily.

                               

               It was not easy to rest when you think of work remained to be done.With a weary body and mind I made myself stood up and my legs did the rest for me.

                             My husband is a very neat and tidy fellow and he couldn't bear my cluttering the whole house.So I was careful not to arouse his temper by throwing my hand bag on the settee; my saree on the bed and my high heels under the chair.

                     I took my hand bag to my bed room which was dark. my usual procedure was first to open the window next to the bed and keep my hand bag on it and then remove my saree and change into a very old but comfortable, loose dress. That day also I began to do the same routine. I open the window by keeping one knee on the bed while stretching my right hand to unlock the window.While I was fumbling to find the lock in the window in the dark room, I noticed something near my knee on the bed.It slightly moved.Before deciding what to do, my reflexes drew me out of the bed and I came running to the parlour, screaming. Unfortunately only the front door was open and nobody could hear me. I stood in the middle of the room unable to comprehend what happened. I slowly tried to recollect what I saw and it suddenly dawned on me that it was a silhuette of a snake I saw there. 

                                                  I tried to recollect whether I had left something on the bed while I was getting ready for school in the morning  but unable to think of any. 

              My mind was in a turmoil. How could a snake lie on my bed? How did it come?  Though it may seem foolish now, I couldn't resist the urge to have another look at the bed to see whether the snake was still there. I cautiously parted the curtain and took a tiny peek. Alas! The snake was still there in the same position with its half raised head. I observed it for a few minutes to see whether it was moving but unable to see any stirring other than that peculiar and  slight bobbing of the head.

               I wanted to call for help but scared to leave lest the snake may hide somewhere and would bite me later. I wanted to monitor its movements and knew I had to deal with the situation without any help.Again I peeked through the curtain but the snake hadn't changed its position. A doubt came to my mind. It is unusual for any snake to remain in the same position when it hears sounds and I thought of a plan to test it. 

               I took the broom and with full of dread in my heart, tiptoed to the room and  very slowly and cautiously nudged the tail of the snake with the end of the broom.Yet it didn't move but raised its head again.Strange, I thought.I closely observed it again  but couldn't see any action and then I became bold. This is not the usual behaviour of any animal. When they sense danger, they try to leave the place.I should have brought a torch and every thing would be solved then and there, but my scary mind  didn't allow me to think rationally at that time. without opening the window I couldn't see it properly and I decided to take my second bold action.

                           My heart was beating heavily in my rib cage and my mouth was dry but I felt obsessive to do it.I knelt on the bed while the snake was lying close to my knee and with shaking fingers opened the window; quickly jumped away from the bed and ran to the parlour. I expected the snake to leave the room through the open gap of the window and waited but when I took another peek it was still there.                 

                                       I lost my temper. I was weary after a strenuous day at school and here I  had to deal with a silly snake which does not leave my bed when it has all the places in the world  to rest.I took the broom again and keeping a comfortable distance to run if an emergency occurs,  hit hard the snake on its head .My blow was very hard and the snake fell on the floor.I expected to see its wreathing body moving  and raised the broom to attack it  a second time but there was  no resistance except the  same nodding  of the head.

                              Then only the truth dawned on me. This time I took a good, close look at the snake and saw it was made of rubber. I was very angry with myself for being so foolish to engage in a silly fight with a rubber snake. I picked it up and with all my strength threw it from the window with a full force, releasing my tension at the same time. 

                                 Later that day I found out that my husband had purposely planned everything and the result was something he expected for.

                        I was very angry and ashamed and  thought of  taking the revenge  for my humiliation but I never got the chance to do it.