The expert, a seasoned wildlife rescuer, had assisted John more than once in removing errant raccoons or misplaced hedgehogs from his garden. Yet as John’s gaze fixed on the strange entity residing in his toilet, he suspected that this situation was going to diverge dramatically from their usual interactions with wayward fauna. Something felt amiss about this ‘snake,’ although he couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was.
Sam arrived without delay, steering a weather-beaten old pickup truck that stood out amongst the pristinely maintained vehicles of Maplewood. Alighting swiftly, he headed towards John’s residence. “Okay, let’s see this creature,” he murmured, navigating familiarly towards the bathroom. He had visited John often enough to know the way around. John watched as Sam scrutinized the entity in the toilet, his brow creased in deep concentration. The sight of Sam’s intensity amplified the throbbing pulse in John’s chest.