"Overcoming a Fear"
Chapter 2: Wisdom
Whoever heard of a python who could climb up one of the tallest mountains in the camp area? As impossible as it might sound, Slick managed to do that very act with steady procedure until he reached the outside of a lair, the lair of a technological green mongoose. Esau.
"Finally…made it…to the top…" the python whispered between heavy breaths. The long climb was tiring enough, but the cut also made him tired and sore even more. He sure hoped that Esau was here.
As he slithered his way towards the entrance, Slick felt weaker and weaker, the lack of oxygen at the top of the mountain shortened his breath, and the cold temperature didn't help the reptile either. His vision blurred, and his eyes closed as his body fell limply.
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"Is he even alive anymore?" The sound of potato chips munching…
"Of course he's still alive, Albert," another voice was heard. "I can feel a pulse."
True, the python could feel some fingers on the side of his neck…They felt cold, like a doctor's touch. He slightly feared doctors, mostly because of the painful shots…but that was beside the point. At that moment, he just wanted to get away and find help. He opened his eyes and prepared for what was in front of him…
"Ah, so you're awake now." Esau!
"Don't bother explaining yourself," the mongoose continued. "You have a problem that you want solved, correct?" Slick nodded, amazed that the techno mongoose already knew the situation.
"He saw the fight between you and Karen, then heard the conversation through a recording," Albert explained with a smirk. "You're crazy, man."
Esau lightly blushed and cleared his throat. "Speak for yourself," he mumbled under his breath before continuing.
"Yes, well, let's get to the point here. Slick, curing a fear like yours is a lot harder than it sounds. A physical fear, like spiders or heights, does not take that lot of effort to cure and can take only days or weeks of testing. A mental fear, however, can take months of testing and an even longer time to completely get over it. Your fear in particular, your father's abuse, can only be avoided if you either live away from him or if he receives guidance to the right path."
Slick took this all in, his attentive expression gradually dropping to a sad frown as Esau listed the possibilities. In other words, it was plain impossible. If he tried to move away from the village, his father and the gang would hunt him down and kill him immediately, with no one to protect him; and his father seeking guidance was like finding a spotted, striped whale with horns: Never going to happen.
Esau noticed the hopeless expression on the python's face and sighed. "I don't think there is anything else I can do to help." He pointed to a tunnel beside him. "You can go down this path to get to Leaky Lake faster."
"Thanks," Slick replied before disappearing into the dark tunnel…