While I was studying, this thought came into my mind "I would have died or something really bad must have had happened then!" I was thinking of the incident when I encountered with a cobra back home last December.

It was eerily dark at 7 pm and everyone in the whole village seemed to be strangely fast asleep. It was quiet and all my neighbours had shut the gates of their houses, signalling the end of the day. Here I was alone at home, for my parents and my elder had all gone to work; they would only return at 8. While I left the porridge pot on the stove, I was sitting in front of the house, one hand holding on to reading book, another hand squeezing the racket waiting to smash any hungry mosquitos. It was 7:15 then, and I should go to check if the porridge was cooked and got everything ready before everyone returned. As I stood up, I felt extremely uneasy. Fear engulfed me as I made my first step toward the kitchen (and it was not much light between the house's front and the kitchen). I just felt something was not right. Every step I took, I prayed and prayed and the feeling of uneasiness grew stronger. On the very third step, after saying a quick Amen, I saw a cobra!!! Oh gosh!!! It was right there, lying parallel to the 2 step stair case leading to the kitchen! My reflex reaction was fast and I retaliated by quickly run backward. I fell down quite badly though! Thank God somehow the snake was too busy lying that it did not see me, or that would be the end! And if only I took another step, I would have been bitten.

I knew that i needed to take action promptly. I needed help. However, there was no one to turn to. The key to unlock the gate was inside the house and all my neighbors were already in. I could not go inside incase the snake had gone in. I knew if i delayed, the house could be burnt down because of the overheating porridge. All thoughts came to my mind, i must find a way! Then, I thought of climbing up the fence and got help. But the trees? just the thought of snakes hanging on the tree trunks or below on the ground (where I would be landing) was too frightening to be ignored or even overcomed! I was truly paranoid.

Being helpless and extremely worried, I stood still, hands holding onto the fence gates, praying hard that the neighbors would open their doors, for any reasons!!! I was shouting like hell, yet I was not heard. 2 minutes after intensive praying, Aunt Sun, opened her house's door (you know what for? To tied her mosquito net that was stuck to the door's ear). I was so so GLAD and kept shouting and she heard me. Her hubby managed to get in and caught the snake! IT WAS REALLY A COBRA, not the black one, but the silvery ONE! If only it was black, I would not be here typing this story in the first place.

AMAZING....