"WAKE UP!"

I moaned and opened my eyes to find myself staring at a spider only a half inch away from my face.

Unlike the average person, I just sighed and inched my way away from it, then grabbed a small plastic jar and used my finger to sever the web the spider was clinging to, making it free fall into the jar.

I slipped the small jar into my sweatshirt pocket and slid on my pair of work jeans and my tattered, washed-every-other-week t-shirt I had to wear every day.

I quickly ran my comb through my greasy, curly hair and quickly slid my baseball cap on.

I jammed my glasses onto my face and sighed when I noticed they needed new tape. The reason? My cousin always tries to punch me in the face, but always hits my glasses. They are made of plastic, and the prescription lense is so dirty I can barely see out of them.

I walked out of the crawl space that serves as my room and made my way to the kitchen, as silent as possible.

I was greeted with the delicious smell of bacon, eggs and pancakes. My mouth watered, but I knew I would only get the leftovers, usually half an egg and a third of a pancake, which I would have to scarf down and then start the daily chores by washing the dishes. Then I would get ten minutes to sweep and dust the kitchen and get Uncle's newspaper. Then I would have to towel dry each dish and place them in the cupboards perfectly. After that, I would try to sneak a few minutes of television, and then I would have to mop and wax the kitchen floor. Don't tell Aunt Rose, but I NEVER wax it. I just pretend to, then grab the bacon in the fridge, and even if it was cold or not, I would eat the remainder. After my stomach would be satisfied, and Aunt Rose as well by inspecting the kitchen floor, Uncle Trayvon would start barking at me to clean "His little Puddley's" room. His real name is Bobby, and does all he can to make my day miserable. Whenever Uncle yells at me to clean Bobby's room, he runs upstairs and makes a mess of things.

Usually I beat him to it, then I would quickly pull out the vacuum. I would then pick up everything off of the floor, and do a quick inspection underneath the bed and inside the closet. By then Bobby would be screaming at the Tele, and I would have my earplugs in and would be quietly humming to myself as I vacuumed his room. After I was done vacuuming, it would already be nearly 10:00, and I would launch all of Bobby's dirty clothes down the hamper, then make my way through each room, grab the baskets they leave at the door and deposit them down the chute as well. I would then turn on the washing machine and sort the laundry. When I was done sorting, I would start the wash. When I was down there, I would usually release a spider from my 'room' into a crack in the wall, and it would scamper to safety away from the watchful eye of Aunt Rose.

When the wash was done, I would repeat the process and start the dryer.

While both machines were washing, I had about an hour to check on my homework and make sure Bobby didn't erase or change the answers. That usually took five minutes, since Bobby is usually too scared to enter my room and see a rat. Of course, if I ever caught a mouse or a rat, I would capture it, then run outside and call for Toel, my pet garter snake.

I know you're all thinking, "How can a snake come when you call, like a dog?" The answer is simple- I have no idea. I've known Toel for three years, ever since Aunt Rose saw him and screamed at me to get rid of "It."

When I was quickly running Toel outside, held at arm's length, I placed him in Aunt's garden and said "I don't want to kill you. You got lucky this time. My Uncle would have chopped your head off for sure." Then I had started to walk away when I heard him grumble "I was only hungry." I stopped dead in my tracks, sprinted back to the place Toel was at and asked "Are you an alien?" Toel made a weird, hissing noise I took as a laugh and said "No, I am a garter snake. My name is Toel," He said. He looked at me, cocked his head and asked "So how can you talk to me?"

I just looked at him stupidly, then I just shrugged and replied with "I dunno."

Toel just made a snake like snort, then said pointedly "Can you get me a mouse or two? I haven't eaten in a week."

Knowing what it felt like to be hungry, I nodded and said "I don't think I can catch you a mouse…"

I suddenly remembered Bobby's goldfish. An evil grin spread across my face, and I asked "Do you like fish?"

About ten minutes later, Toel had eaten his fill of fish and was hissing happily.

"Human," He started.

"What?" I had answered with, and gently lifted him up so we could be eye-to-eye.

"What is your name?"

I just blinked at him, then laughed. "Oh, It's Hadrian," I replied.

Toel nodded at me and positioned himself so that he was a half inch away from my face.

"Well then, Hadrian," He started. "I think I will stay here in the Garden and keep you company."

My face had lit up, and my heart soared. I had a friend! Someone who actually liked me!

Toel gave me a snakey smile and added "Just as long as you bring me food here and there."

I had nodded to him enthusiastically, and Toel slithered around my hand, his way of a human hug, then I put him down and he disappeared into Aunt Rose's garden.

That was three years ago, when I was seven years old. Once a week, I would bring Toel a treat and I would talk to him, telling him everything. Toel would wait until I was done, and then he would tell me about his week and what he had eaten, how many snakes he had come across on his territory, and how close he was to shedding his skin.

I knew my friendship with Toel wouldn't last forever, but I made the best of it as I could.

I sat down at the table, and as I waited for my relatives to finish their meal, my thoughts drifted until I came across my most treasured memory.

The day my parents died.