Carefully, he descended the stairs, holding the stick in front of him, ready to jab it at the snake if it moved closer. His heart pounded, every step magnifying his fear. When he was close enough, he took the stick and poked it into the water, nudging toward where he thought the snake’s body might be.
Suddenly, the water erupted with a hiss. Aditya stumbled back as the snake’s head surfaced, jaws slightly open, eyes narrowing as it hissed a warning. His heart skipped a beat, and he nearly lost his balance, retreating quickly back up the stairs.