Saturday, January 24, 2009

Confessions of an Ophidiophobic


I was elated and excited when I was packing my bag for the annual Scouts camp. This year, our teachers decided that Sarimbun was the perfect campsite. Once I had finished packing, my eyes swept the room to make sure that I had taken everything I needed for the three day, two night camp. As I was doing so, my mum beckoned me to the kitchen to have some breakfast before I left. After that, I took the bus and went to school. Once the teachers took our attendance, we boarded the bus and we were off to Sarimbun campsite.
Once we had arrived there, the teachers took our attendance once again. I looked around at the beautiful scenery in wonderment and awe. At that point, I was glad to be a Scout. I was telling my friends the beauty of nature when one of my friend, obviously less than impressed, said that it was nothing big. After we had looked around the whole campsite, our teachers showed us our bunks. My happiness started to seep away when I saw the bunk as they were so small, it had mosquitoes flying here and there and worst of all, four of us had to share one bunk! Our teacher said not to complain and it is not as bad as we think. Of course the teachers would say that as each of them had an air-conditioned bunk all to themselves! After my three friends and I had unpacked, we assembled in the canteen and the teachers briefed us on what to do. After that, we had a flag-raising ceremony. After that, our activities began. We had rock climbing, flying fox, climbing over a high wall and many more team-building activities. After a tiring day, we had a shower. I went to the bunk to take my clothes and that was when it happened.
I saw my bag move. I thought I was hallucinating but it happened again. Just then, I heard a hissing noise from the bag. I was quaking with terror and was hoping against hope that I was just seeing and hearing things. I fought against the panic surging within and approached the bag gingerly. My hands were trembling with terror as I touched the bag. Just then, a one-metre long black snake came out of the bag, slithered on the floor and went out the bunk through the vent. I screamed at the top of my voice and two teachers came running in. I told them what just happened and they asked me if I was okay. Although I was not, I said I was okay to prevent a big commotion. They looked at me and as I feigned nonchalance they too assumed that I was okay. That night, I could not sleep well as the incident had traumatised me. The next day when I woke up there were a few teachers surrounding me and there was a thermometer in my mouth. The teachers told that I was running a high fever and that I had to go home. It seemed that they had contacted my parents as they were there too. Once I reached home, my parents asked me what happened and I told them everything. Ever since that incident, I shudder and look away whenever I see a snake, even if it is on television!

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