I hear the victory roar.

Meow. Meow. Meow.

That sound means only one thing: Otis has a prize.

The bedroom window. Open. All night. Oh no.

“No, no, no,” I yell, launching myself out of bed like there is still hope. 

Too late.

The Snake

Otis is already on the bed, depositing his prize. A garter snake, very much alive, very much offended, twisting and writhing, with nowhere left to slither.

It tries to coil away off the bed.

I grab it while it twists around my arm.

We are both terrified.

“Otis,” I hiss. “Why?”

Otis struts across the bed, clearly pleased with himself.

“You want to understand artistic power?” he says. “Watch a snake.”

“First thing it does, it sheds.” He brushes the air with his paw.

“It doesn’t argue with the old skin. Doesn’t whine, telling people how hard it was to grow. It crawls out and leaves it behind.”

He stares at me.

“Every artist has to do that. Reinvention isn’t optional. It’s survival.”

The snake loosens slightly. I do not.

“Every artist waits,” Otis continues. “So do snakes. They don’t ever chase shadows. They stay still. Focused. When they move, it’s exact. 

“A snake waits. Then it strikes. That’s creation.”

Otis adds. “You can analyze your way into inspiration. But a snake is patient intuitively. You decide what is best.” 

He stretches, claws pressing into the bed.

“The old legends tell of this. Snakes transform. Eat their own tail. Rise. Fall. Renew. That current, the coil, that’s another form of creative power.”

“And don’t forget the danger.”

The snake flicks its tongue.

“People flinch at snakes the same way they can flinch at truth. For some, real art makes them uncomfortable. Beautiful, yes, but with teeth.”

He hops down from the bed, brushing past me.

“The power of art doesn’t have to be a purr,” Otis says. “It can be a hiss.”

I put the snake out the window, both of us relieved. 

Otis trundles down the hall. “I’ve had a busy morning. Time for a nap.”

Can We Help You?

Are you willing to shed who you were to protect what you’re becoming?

If this piece unsettled you, sit with it for a moment.

Then share it with someone who understands what it costs to create.

Leave a comment if it stirred something you didn’t expect.

Subscribe if you want to stay close to work that doesn’t soften the truth.

Otis thanks thanks you for being here.

That choice matters more than you think.

Want More Mack-n-Cheeze?

Videos - Bryan At Mackncheeze on YouTube

Podcasts – Bryan At Mackncheeze Apple Podcasts, Fountain, Spotify