Page 71 of Three

“They were pulled out too many times,” Ren answers, jerking to the right to avoid hitting a pole in the game.

Fuck! These are rescue animals. Maple as well? Is that why he stinks like a football locker room after a game?

“So, you take care of the pet shelter.” I pull a cam out of the plastic bag and take a moment to enjoy the smell of new, sealed products.

“Ren is the animal lover-slash-self-taught vet,” Ash surprisingly replies after swearing at a zombie on the screen. “We just tag along.”

“I can introduce you to a friend of mine, Sully. He’s almost your age, I think. Got a part-time job working at a vet clinic. He wants to become a vet.”

“What clinic?”

I pause a second to remember. “Happy Pet, Happy Home.”

“They are the good ones.” Dare nods.

“Meaning?”

“The docs really care about the animals. So many bastards around.”

“Why don’t you work there then?” I ask Ren.

“They’d never accept me. Self-taught.” He points at himself. I actually see that as an advantage, not a weakness. They’ve been taking care of the pet shelter for four years now. That’s a lot of experience.

“How about you, Ash? Do you have a pig in there?” It would explain his room. Maybe he has a cat and a pig.

“Cat. Sweetie is shy, she stays in there usually.”

Ren snorts derisively, “Shy? Your untouchable cat almost castrated the mailman, that’s why he tosses everything on the ground now instead of using the mailbox.”

“And George? He slithers around scaring the crap out of everybody,” Ash retorts. He waves at Ren’s arm which is indeed, snake-less.

“Whoa, whoa! There’s a long-ass snake gliding around?” I abandon the things on the table and instinctively take a step back. I’m not afraid of snakes, but I need to keep my eyes on them…at all times.

Ren elbows Ash hard. “He’s curious. It’s not weird for snakes. And George has to hide from your bloodthirsty, murderous, wrinkly cat.”

The cat I saw in Ash’s room was a sphinx—no fur, big ears, looked like his skin was inside out. But they are usually very sweet and tame.

“George has no teeth, but he can still strangle us. It’s in his nature. Now, who’s the murderous one?” Ash counters.

“He could.” Dare doesn’t seem worried about the possibility at all. “But he’s a sweetheart.”

Ren pauses the game to kneel on the floor and starts calling. “George. Come here, Georgie.”Georgie? Really?

“He’s here.” Dare points at the table, and when I look down, I see two empty black eyes staring at me. He’s twisted his long body around the table leg a few inches from me. His head is floating in the air, coming toward me. His mouth is open, forked tongue out, and yes, I don’t see any teeth. The creepy hissing is there though.

“Let him taste you,” Ren says.

“What?” I frown, then I remember the documentary I saw on reptiles a few weeks back. “Snakes use their tongue to bring scents back into their mouths.”

“Exactly.” Ren nods. “You don’t look too scared.”

“Like to watch animal documentaries. But this is my first time face to face with a snake.”

That’s how, one hour later, I end up with a very poisonous reptile curled around my leg—his small triangular-shaped head lying on my thigh—while playing video games with the triplets.

“Damn it! That’s so simple. Why didn’t I think of that?” Ash keeps cussing at my gaming skills.

“Stop giving me all your ammunition! You take the fun out of it.”