Kith & Kin

It was a dark and stormy night. Ding-dong! Cindy and I were immediately awake. I turned on the bedside lamp. “Was that the doorbell?” “Yes!” Cindy replied, her eyes wide open. “What time is it?” Cindy looked at her bedside clock. “Four o’clock!” “Four o’clock! Well, who—why. . . ? ” I got out of bed and stepped from the bedroom into the dark hallway. I looked through the nearly lightless living room toward the front door. Its window was small, probably ten inches by ten inches, a square resting on one corner. From my location in the hall, I could see that the front light was on. And I could see raindrops glinting as they passed through its glow. But I couldn’t see anyone on our front step. Tightening the muscles in my solar plexus, I crossed the living room to the door and looked directly out the window. No one. I cracked the door open, knowing that there was still at least a locked storm door between me and any boogerman. There was definitely no o...

Photo of the actual Snake in the actual trash can moments before his untimely demise. A (mostly) nonfiction work written in script format by Steve Skaggs DISCLAIMER: This really happened, and, yes, we really did kill the snake. I know there was truly no reason to do so. We could have done something far more kind, such as releasing it into a nearby field or putting it into a neighbor’s mailbox. (Yes, “neighbor,” you know who you are!) But we were panicked. We were not thinking clearly. And, besides, if that snake didn’t want to end up dead, he should have stayed outside where he belonged! CAST (in order of appearance)      Cindy : The mother. She don’t do snakes.      Dad : Heroic leader of the family. Unflappable.      Jason : Sharp-eyed teenage son of Cindy and Dad. Laconic.      Black Snake : Out of his element and doomed from the start.      Caleb : Teenage son armed with shovel. Stoical. OPENING SCENE...