Of Snakes and Guys

Description: Fiq dreams of snakes a lot. Her mom leaves her with thousands of questions about her dream

Rating: G

Characters: Onew, SHINee, Fictional girl.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in the fiction. The story is only a narrative and does not involve any real life situation. The whole plot of the story is written originally by myself. If there is any similarity to other stories, it is totally a coincidence.

Fiq feels creepy, if it is not scared. She is alone, staying by the door of her classroom, thinking for the tenth times, whether or not she should enter it. It isn’t ghost that creep her to the bone, but something long, with different stripes and species, dangling from the ceiling and majority of them are slithering on the floor.

Snakes.

She is not scared of them, just feels a little bit insecure of what that smaller thing could do to her. They are pretty dangerous, with different way of killing. So, she stays by the door, looking at those snakes which she doesn’t even have any idea where they come from. Black, brown, long, short, small, big, all of them are dangling and slithering before her.

She just has to curse herself for taking another step into the classroom. Now, they are slithering around her feet, really. Many of them try to climb up her body, but somehow fail. She shivers. Feeling like something is moving at her wrist, she looks at it to make sure the identity of the thing.

Apparently, it is a leaf snake.

For some unknown reasons, she feels like the snake is already there before she even enters the classroom. And this time she really feels herself weird as she decides to just let it be there. She feels safe with the slimy, little leaf snake wrapping her wrist. It is tame anyway.

Fiq takes another step forward. A python climbs its way up her body. She is stunned for a while, but otherwise doesn’t try to chase it away. It might be because she is too scared, or it might be because she wants it to be there, but more likely is, the first reason. The python wraps her around her chest, perhaps getting ready to asphyxiate her and kill her by crashing her ribs. She waits for her turn to kick the bucket, but the python does nothing that will harm her, but otherwise, it remains there.

With two snakes on her body, she is still being stupid and takes another step forward. A cobra makes it way to her. It stops at her legs for a while, and then keeps on gliding around her legs. Now, she really feels scared. Who isn’t? It’s a cobra, and she knows cobra can make she goes blind by just spurting its venom to her eyes. She stays sculpted on the concrete floor and her eyes remain on the cobra.

While she puts her whole attention on the cobra, another two snakes come slithering around her legs, joining the cobra. Things are getting creepier for her, since five snakes seem to be holding her as their prey and the other uninvolved snakes keep dangling from the ceiling and slithering on the floor. She closes her eyes, although she is pretty sure it won’t help at all.

Soon, she opens her eyes and she is back in her bedroom. She sighs in relief. It is just a dream, full of snakes. A dream that she seldom get, as seldom as once a year and yet, very familiar.

It is just another unlucky day. Taking it from a positive side, at least that dream wakes her up from her sleep. She cleans herself in the bathroom, puts on suitable clothes and walks downstairs to the kitchen, where her mother is waiting.

“You don’t look good. Bad day? Having period?” asks her mom.

“Oh, mom! Not period, please. Just a nightmare,” she says.

“Nightmare? You hardly ever scared of your own nightmare. Seems like the nightmare was really scary?” her mom asks again.

“Yes. You know how much I dislike snakes,” she says while stuffing a sandwich into her mouth. Her mother freezes and averts her attention away from the bottle of juice she is holding.

“You dreamed of snake?” she asks.

“Yes. Once a year, I’ll dream of the same dream. Exactly the same storyline,” Fiq complains.

“Since when?”

“Since my first year in university. It sucks. I always wake up feeling restless and annoyed,” she says.

“Tell me about it,” her mom suddenly is taking interest in her dream subject.

“Nothing much. I have a little green and tame leaf snake wraps me around my wrist and a python around my chest, but didn’t even dare to kill me. A cobra, for God’s sake, is gliding around my feet and two other species, the milk snake and the temple viper join the cobra later,” Fiq tells her mom briefly about her dream.

Suddenly, her mother laughs, although not loud, but enough to leave her in a state of desperate for an answer to the same dream she has been having since her freshman year.

“What?” she asks. Is dreaming of snake funny?

“Nothing, Fiq. Just that...my daughter has grown up,” her mother says.

Fiq just wants to ignore, to forget all of them. She won’t add the dream to her list to-be-concerned. After all, ignorance is bliss. She walks to university soon after she is done with her breakfast. The moment she steps out of the gate, a guy, who is very familiar, is waiting in front of the gate.

“Hi!” he greets cheerfully.

“Hi...” she replies nonchalantly.

“What’s up with the mood? Bad dream, huh?” he asks. She nods.

At least, this guy understands her more than her mom does, and her mom knows that. Kim Jonghyun is her childhood friend and her neighbour, who lives three doors away from her. They walk to school together since kindergarten. They are close, but Jonghyun treats her not more than just like a little sister. Both of them are in their junior year. They choose not to live in campus, because their houses are just nearby. They have this same mind’s frequency and wavelength, sort of, decided that students who are not from the town should be given chance to live in campus. At least, they don’t have to pay rent for apartment.

Jonghyun is a very protective guy. He takes care of her most of the time. Calls her at night asking about her assignment, walks her to university, and even accompanies her to groceries some time. He also worries too much when she falls sick or something happens, which in his opinion, might cause her harm. She calls him a wise old man for those things he does.

When they reach the university, another guy greets them cheerfully.

“Hi Jonghyun! Hi Fiq!” he says.

He is Jinki, a senior at the university. Jinki was introduced to her by Jonghyun since the first day she entered the university. Jonghyun said that the older guy is his friend. They met when Jonghyun went for a Robotics Competition out of school. Jonghyun said that Jinki is a smart lad, and she can see it through him. He always scores the best among all his batchmates.

“Hi!” she replies joyfully. Jinki is someone that could change Fiq’s moods as fast as the speed of light. Fiq suspects it is his eyes smile, or his smile or his tone of greetings that catches her attention.

The three of them walk together before they have to split to their respective classes. On their way to the building, two sophomores meet them.

“Hi guys!” Kibum and Minho says synchronously.

“Hi!” Jinki replies on their behalf.

Kibum and Minho are friends, and also are their friends. They are two hells of active and cheerful guys. They often organize some after-class activities to know people and make new friends.

“Are you staying this evening? We’re planning on having a soccer match,” Minho asks them. Key nods, as a sign of support.

“Oh, not again Minho,” says Jonghyun, who is well-known to hate soccer with his entire life.

“Shut up, Jjong! We didn’t ask you, we ask Jinki and Fiq,” Key snarls at him.

“Fine...” Jonghyun pouts.

“Hey, Taemin! Are you staying this evening?” Minho asks a person quite far away, but is approaching them.

Fiq turns following his gaze. She could see a boy walking towards them.

“Why?”

“We’re having a soccer match this evening? Are you joining?” Key asks.

“I’m fine,” Taemin says.

Taemin is a freshman. They met him early this year, when school just started. Taemin is a young boy, looks cute and fierce at the same time. He is majoring in performing arts and is doing quite well in it.

Fiq is in the same classroom, again. A small and tame leaf snake is encircling her wrist and a python wraps her around her chest. She looks down onto the floor. The venomous cobra, temple viper and milk snake are gliding around her feet. Fiq admits that she feels really scared of them, knowing that their venoms could kill her instantly. Don’t move, that is the only safety precaution she could take.

And it stops.

She takes notice that the cobra suddenly stops gliding and has its neck flattens, a threatening gesture that every human afraid of. She could see that the leaf snake at her wrist raises its head and eyes are narrowing on the cobra. Her eyes open very wide due to fear and later the cobra raises the front quarter of its body off the ground. The cobra is standing and Fiq doesn’t know what to do.

“Ahhh!!!” she wakes up from her sleep, “Oh my God! It was that dream,again, but slightly different,” she mumbles.

Later, she tells her mom that the cobra is already threatening her. Her mother laughs again.

“What did the leaf snake at your wrist do?” her mother asks.

“It raised its head and had his eyes narrowed on the cobra,” she says.

“It is really Jonghyun,” says her mom with a smile.

Now, what does the leaf snake has to do with Jonghyun? Ridiculous. Wait. How does her mom even know that the leaf snake should react in the first place?

“How do you know that the leaf snake is supposed to do something?” she asks her mother.

“You’ll understand later, Fiq,” her mom says and she continues, “Anyway, your python is really a patient one.”

As usual, she walks with Jonghyun to university. Something keeps bothering her mind and she has to just let it out of her chest.

“Jonghyun, do you love leaf snake by any chance? Or maybe keep one as an exotic pet at home?” she asks. Jonghyun laughs.

“Leaf snake? Love? Exotic pet? What kind of a question are you asking me? No, I don’t love it nor do I keep it as a pet. But, it is tame anyway... It might not be wrong if I keep it as a pet in the future,” he says.

“No! No, Jonghyun. No! Just no! Don’t keep it, okay?” she says.

“Relax. I’m just joking. Something is bothering you, sis. Would you mind telling me?” he asks.

“Nothing,” she says convincingly.

“Okay, fine then. Anyway, do you bring anything as a good luck charm for Jinki? You know that he is having his final exam today, right?” asks Jonghyun. Fiq nods. Of course, she won’t forget anything related to Jinki.

They reach the university. Jonghyun gives Jinki a pen. He says that he already put some spells on it, and it doesn’t take Jinki and Fiq too long to know that he is joking. Fiq gives her most loved thing, a mechanical pencil that her mom gave her when she first enrolled in kindergarten. It might be old, but it is precious.

“Good luck. Make sure you graduate with flying colours!” she says her words of motivation.

“Thanks so much!” Jinki exclaims before getting into the hall full with spirit.

She walks to her class with Jonghyun. On their way to class, they meet Taemin. He stops them immediately when he gets nearer to them. He gazes intently to Fiq. Jonghyun narrows his eyes to Taemin, perhaps wondering what this boy is up to.

“Fiq, I...I like you. Go out with me?” Taemin asks her.

Fiq feels nothing but shocked. The sudden question sends her mind blank. She looks at Jonghyun. He stares at her and gives her a better-not look. She looks again at Taemin.

“I...I don’t think so, Taemin,” Fiq says and leaves.

The leaf snake at her wrist is ready for any form of assault from the cobra. The python feels so tense around her chest. The milk snake and the temple viper are gliding around her as though there is nothing happening. The cobra is standing with its neck spread, enough to make Fiq’s heart beating furiously.

The fierce cobra spurts out its venom into her eyes and for a while she thinks that she’ll go blind. But, apparently the python wraps her head as well and protects her eyes from the venom. She feels the leaf snake leaves her wrist and she doesn’t know, maybe it jumps or flies, or whatever to the cobra for a counter-attack. That moment she knows that the leaf snake is her protector and the python is just happened to be her saviour.

She wakes up. It is weekend, and she has to go out with friends for Jinki’s graduation celebration. Jinki graduated yesterday with Chancellor’s Award for his amazing performances during his years in university. But, before she goes out, she talks to her mother.

“The cobra attacked me,” she says.

“Oh? What happened then?” her mother asks.

“The python saved me from going blind and the leaf snake did the counter-attack,” she says.

“Really is Jonghyun style,” he mom says.

“I don’t understand,” she sighs.

“You’ll understand one day, dear. By the way, your python is really a patient and a protective one,” she says.

She wants to forget everything and enjoys her day. Jonghyun takes her to a restaurant where Jinki, Minho, Key and Taemin are already waiting.

“Sorry guys. I have to wait for this girl. She’s always late,” Jonghyun says. They laugh and Fiq rolls her eyes.

Fiq gives Jinki a present, as to congrats him. Jinki accepts it with a very wide smile.

After eating, they go for a movie. Watching a horror movie is Fiq’s favourite, but not when it is about snakes. She comes to hate it, but otherwise enjoys it when she sees Jinki is enjoying the movie. Then, they go for a karaoke session. Fiq takes her own time getting the pleasure from Jinki’s sweet voice.

They walk out of the building, laughing to Jonghyun’s stupid joke about a donkey without its one leg. It is stupid, but they laugh for the sake of Jonghyun. Key and Minho make their way home first. Planning a new activity for Monday evening, that is their excuse. Jinki nods and thanks them.

“Fiq, that day I asked you out...let’s go today,” Taemin says. Jonghyun and Jinki looks at him.

“I don’t think so, Taemin. I already told you,” she says. Out of the blue, Taemin grabs her arms.

“But, you didn’t even think about it. Just give it a try. Go out with me today,” Taemin barks. Fiq is surprised by Taemin’s sudden change.

Jinki grabs Taemin’s wrist while Jonghyun pulls Taemin by his shoulder.

“If a girl says she doesn’t like it, means she doesn’t like it. You don’t have the right to force,” Jinki says while staring into Taemin’s eyes.

Jonghyun pulls Taemin’s hands away from her arms.

“Jinki, you walk her home. Taemin, I would like to have a few words with you,” Jonghyun says and pulls Taemin away. Taemin follows him with a rebellious face. That day, Jinki sends her home instead of Jonghyun.

Fiq notices that the cobra is back on the ground, slithering around her feet with the milk snake and the temple viper. The leaf snake is also back at her wrist. The python doesn’t move away, keeps on wrapping her chest.

Suddenly, Fiq experiences difficulties in breathing. It takes her a few seconds to notice that the python is constricting her, leaving her lungs no space for air. She gasps for air. She is not stupid to know that the python will later crash her ribs and kills her in no time.

“Ahhh!!!” she screams on top of her lungs.

“Fiq!” she hears her mom, “Wake up!” she feels her cheeks being slapped. Hard.

Her vision is getting clearer and she sees her mom right in front of her. So, it is just the weird dream again.

“What happen? The cobra bit you this time?” her mother seems used to her weird dreams now.

“No. The python was trying to kill me this time. It constricted me and threatened to crash my ribs. Luckily, you woke me up,” she says.

Later that day, she is walking home from university. Jonghyun is obviously walking with him. On their way home, they meet Jinki.

“Hey, Jinki! What are you doing here?” asks Jonghyun.

“I work here. And office hours has ended and I’m going home,” says Jinki. Jinki is now working as an architect. He was called for job’s interview right after he graduated.

“Let’s walk home together,” Jinki says. She nods and so is Jonghyun.

They stop by a garden and sit together on a bench. They talk a lot about their lives. Jinki with his new experience working and Jonghyun and Fiq talks about their senior year in university.

Unexpectedly, Jinki get down from the chair to the ground. He is on his one knee and pulls a box out of his pocket.

“Fiq, I know this is too early and you’re still studying, but I will wait and wait until you say yes to me. I would like to ask...if...if you...would you...like to be my...my...my life partner?” Jinki gives her the box without it is being open. Jonghyun is already laughing.

“I’m going home. You better send her home safely later, Jinki,” Jonghyun says and leaves.

Jinki sends her home without any definite answer from her that day. But, Fiq tells him to wait and Jinki leaves with a wide grin on his face.

Fiq enters the house and quickly gets her mom. She tells her mom about Jinki’s proposal. Her mother laughs.

“I know he is the python,” her mother says.

“What? Mom, this is not a joke, okay? I’m serious. What should I do?”

“Who says I’m joking?” her mother asks her.

“You suddenly talk about the python, that almost killed me this morning,” Fiq goes.

“Fiq, I dreamed of snakes a lot when I was a teenager like you. Every girl will dream of snakes at least once. Your grandmother told me that the snakes symbolize the important guys in a girl’s life. There will be a lot of snakes but a lot of girls will have only a leaf snake encircling their arms. Leaf snake is a protector. Although very small and tame, it is fierce in its own way. The leaf snake symbolizes a girl’s guy best friend or her brother. For any snakes to be closed with a girl must have the leaf snake’s permission. The snakes that attack signify guys who want the girl to be with him. Two weeks before your dad proposed me, I dreamed of a snake swallowed my hand up to my arm. The snake that attacks a girl to death in her dream symbolizes the guy that will forever be her life partner,” her mom tells her.

“What does this have to do with, Jinki?” she asks.

“You still don’t know? The python in your dream is really protective since it protects you from the cobra’s venom. And it is really patient. Although he has been very near to you for so long, it chooses only this time to constrict you to death. That is really Jinki’s style,” her mother tells her. Then, she leaves her with a hundred more questions to ask.

Fiq is on her bed in her bedroom. But she feels something slithering around her calf. She checks her leg to find the leaf snake to be there, but not her wrist. There are more hissing sounds coming. The cobra, milk snake and the temple viper climb on her bed. Suddenly, the cobra transform to a human.

It is Taemin.

“I promise not to bother you anymore. Instead, I will always support you in whatever you do. You know, if you need help, I’ll always be here,” he says.

The other two snakes transform too. The milk snake becomes Key and the temple viper turns out to be Minho.

“We’re always friends, right?” Key says.

“And we will always be by your side,” Minho says on Key’s behalf.

Fiq is surprised by what happens. She nods, saying yes to the three of them. The leaf snake from her calf later slithers away and transforms too.

What her mother said is true. It really is Jonghyun.

“I want to always be your protector and will always be. But, now that you have your real protector, I’ll just keep protecting you from far. I know I have allowed the right one to be with you,” he says.

Fiq feels scared that Jonghyun will be far from her. He certainly needs him. He certainly needs the small, tame but fierce leaf snake as her protector. She is about to shakes her head when a python climbs up the bed and gliding fast towards her. It wraps her around her chest and starts to squeeze her. She feels asphyxiated. Soon enough, she could hear her ribs broken.

Fiq thinks she is dying except that her eyes suddenly flutter open.

It is Jinki hugging her. No wonder she feels choked. She looks at her husband sleeping face. She knows that her husband is definitely the python and is patient and protective.

__________

heaDeVil^23

Mood: Broken Down