Child Play

Photo of a snake in the grass.His daughters ran from the back of the yard screaming “Snake! Snake!” The poisonous water moccasin slithered after his children, but his wife was the first to react. She grabbed the shovel and chopped off the snake’s head. His daughters danced in delight as the headless body writhed in the thick summer grass.

His daughters peeled the dead serpent with Swiss Army knives. Their little hands struggled, but they stripped the snake in violent, choppy scraps, ripping scales from muscle. He wanted to stop them, but his wife cheered them on, sipping her wine, the red blend staining her teeth.

Kendall Brunson earned her MFA from UCR Palm Desert in 2016 and currently teaches English Composition at Jacksonville University.

Photo Credit: Kenneth Cole Schneider

2 Responses to “Child Play”

  1. detour says:

    i can see the red stained teeth – I can feel the bite of the story – thanks

  2. This is a very good story it helped me a lot with school

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