But then her fingers moved.
Her eyes opened slightly, and she looked directly at me.
She was no longer just a person I had found on the side of the highway. She was someone who needed another human being to decide that walking away was not an option.
I grabbed my phone and called 911. The signal was weak, but I managed to get through. The dispatcher told me not to approach if I was putting myself in danger.
She was right.
The snake could strike. I had no equipment. No training. No guarantee that my next step would not make things worse.
But the woman made a faint sound.
A quiet plea for help.
I looked at the tire iron in my hand. I looked at the water jug beside my truck steps and the red rag in my pocket. I knew it was not a perfect plan, but it was the only chance I had.
I soaked the rag with water, kept my phone where the dispatcher could hear every moment, and slowly moved toward the snake from the side.
