Damn it Carl, always the cheap duct tape. Why? Tasha was internally rehashing their old hardware store battle as she wrapped the open, fanged end of the 16-foot surprise. It was a surprise because Carl shouted, with some confidence, that it was a 12-footer as he wrangled the beautiful and horrifying Everglades newcomer. Carl was over 33% off today. This one was 16-feet, 10 inches and 202 pounds. Tasha’s first clue of Carl’s error was something heard in the struggle. Carl blurted out “uh-oh” as the snake circled his legs and waist and began dragging him through ant beds, mud and spider webs into the dark water.
Tasha grew up with Burmese Pythons and heard her parents tell people that the large constrictors were actually docile and just needed “early socialization and consistent handling.” Carl was certainly being handled as Tasha deftly applied the discount duct tape to the mouth of the snake. The teens were in full combat mode themselves. Ryker and Jazzlyn worked like a couple of wrestlers in a cage match and stopped Dad’s deadly slide toward the canal below. Tasha didn’t need to look at her kids to know they were in a flow state of fight, fear, determination while exercising their craft at the near height of their capabilities. As she ripped the tape from the now shut mouth, she took a mental screenshot of the scene that wrapped itself in her mind for life.
As the battle ended something like sadness slowly enveloped them but their high would last until early morning. Killing a nearly 17-foot force of nature shouldn’t have been something they did tonight. They should have been on a soccer field sweating under the lights and yelling over the crickets. This predator should never have been released here. But it was, or at least her ancestors were. This mom to be of 200 was born near this canal and she died here. Tasha and Carl have caught dozens of others like her and after this night they will return with more purpose and a tighter family than most–in their unique way.
As they packed their gear for another night they needed the best from their senses and skills. Ryker had graduated from the family den and was off to college. An unsaid dent in their confidence was hanging over them as they stopped the truck and checked their flashlights. Tasha looked at Carl and saw his stupid grin that she had loved to hate for the last 20 years. “What?” she said. Carl pulled a plastic covered ring of silver from his bag. “Got the good stuff,” he said holding up his duct tape surprise. Tasha and Jazzlyn’s mood broke and their laughter washed over all of them. Tasha looked at Jazzlyn and said, “let’s go.”
