Strolling Through The Woods
Philip was on vacation in another state when he decided to take a stroll through the forest a few miles from the town. He had always been a lover of nature and thought the walk would help clear his mind.
He had no idea that a simple stroll would turn into something that would have him fearing for his life.
A Snake Appears
As he was taking in the beauty of the forest around him, Philip heard a sound. He looked down and saw that a strange-looking snake was blocking his path.
Odd, Philip thought to himself as he examined the creature. He was well aware of the fact that there were snakes in the woody parts of the world, but there shouldn’t be any in that area.
It Was Unusual
Why would a snake sighting in a forest be strange? Well, Philip was in the northern states, and winter was approaching, which meant it was getting much colder.
Because of the temperatures, snakes didn’t wander that high up, especially not when winter was around the corner. Yet, there he was, mere inches for the strangest snake he had ever seen.
An Odd-Looking Creature
Snakes usually have neutral colors that help them blend into the areas they live in, but this snake didn’t look like that. It had a deep blue color that had Philip mesmerized.
If it weren’t moving a few seconds ago, Philip would’ve thought it was a toy some teens used to prank him, as such a color simply couldn’t be natural. But the proof was right in front of him.
Color Equals Poisonous
Philip didn’t know much about snakes, but he did know that colorful frogs were highly poisonous, and he thought it might apply to snakes as well.
So he took a couple of steps back to get out of snapping range and leaned down to get a better look at the snake.
An Opportunity
As he was staring in wonder, he realized that nature had just given him the perfect opportunity. If he posted the picture online, he might get the attention of his ex, who adored animals.
So he pulled out his phone and snapped a few pictures of the amazing snake. He tried to get as close as possible but still kept some distance.
Risky Business
Once he took all the pictures he wanted, Philip decided to head out again. There was only one problem. The snake was blocking his path.
Even though the snake looked dead for a while there, Philip decided not to take any chances of getting close to it. He turned around and headed back to his car, completely unaware of what was about to happen.
Posting It Online
On his way out, Philip posted the pictures he took on social media, and they got quite a bit of attention. But along with his friends, family, and everyone else that was interested, there were people who weren’t happy about what they saw.
And those people were about to teach Peter what happened when information that was supposed to remain secret was released.
His Post Was Removed
When Philip got to his hotel room and checked all the comments he had received, he was stunned to find that his post, along with all the pictures, had been removed from his account.
The comments that came through in his email account were still there but other than that, everything that had to do with the snake was gone.
That Was A First
Philip just stared at his phone, unsure of what had happened. None of his posts had ever been removed before, and he wondered if he had broken some kind of policy by posting the picture.
But he soon discovered that it had nothing to do with social media policies and guidelines. It had everything to do with the fact that the world was never supposed to see the snake.
An Unknown Number
As Philip was thinking about what had happened, his phone rang. It was an unknown caller, but Philip could see that the number was local, so he answered.
On the other end of the line was a man with a deep, stern voice. He told Philip that he was calling from the local wildlife protection authorities and that they had to talk to him about what he posted online.
No Way Out
Philip was stunned. He had no idea his pictures would get the attention of the authorities. He also didn’t expect them to act as quickly as they did.
It scared him a little, especially since they got his number and probably knew where he was staying. That left him with no choice but to agree to their terms.
Meeting With A Ranger
Philip was told that he needed to return to the forest and that a ranger would meet him there. Unable to think of any way to get out of the situation, Philip got in his car and drove back to the forest.
He waited for a few minutes and then saw another car pull up. The man that stepped out had Philip swallowing a lump in his throat.
A Mean-Looking Man
Philip had met park rangers before, but this guy was bigger and meaner than all of them put together.
The man approached and said, “take me to the snake you found.” After that, he refused to talk. Philip was confused and wanted to find out what was happening, but the man didn’t answer any of his questions.
Finding The Snake
Unable to get a response from the man, Philip made his way into the forest. He walked along the track he had followed earlier, thinking the snake would already be gone when they got there.
But that wasn’t the case at all. When they got to the exact location, Philip saw that the snake was exactly where he had left it. It looked dead, so Philip reached out. That was the second-biggest mistake he made that day.