I started climbing this old trail and the fog started to get thicker and thicker. Along with the rain and this fog, it was hard to climb but I knew every nook and cranny of this hill like the back of my hand. I could even go at dark night and still won’t get lost.

But this was different. I don’t know from where this broken trail of stairs appeared from. I had to see where it was leading.

Despite the heavy rain, I climbed the hill along with the bucket filled with fish.

After like trailing 10 to 15 minutes the whole place looked sketchy. I couldn’t tell where I was on this hill anymore. The thick fog was making it difficult and I had no other choice but to follow this trail.

Soon the trail led me to old ruins.

The ruins looked as if the remains of a small shrine. I never once noticed there existed such a small shrine in this hill. Although the shrine was overgrown and in shambles.

I went inside the small shrine to take shelter from the rain. At this point, I was drenched in the rain. I kept the bucket of fish over my head to at least keep my head dry but it was pointless in the end.

I looked around the shrine, the roof seemed to be intact but looked pretty frail. There was also an old shrine altar which looked pretty old and worn out. A small statue was placed on the altar, guess it was some kinda dirty. The statue was also pretty old and worn out, I couldn’t make out anything much from it. There was not much room within the shrine. At most, there was just enough space to walk around the altar.

I took a seat on the dusty ground near the entrance.

It is still odd that I never noticed the existence of this shrine ever before. This is rather strange. Grandpa always did tell me there existed an old shrine in this hill. I don’t remember much but when I was a kid, he used to tell me stories about gods and other mythology folktales.

I wonder did he mean this where the shrine all along?

I again took a look at the shrine and it was pretty old and the ceiling could cave in anytime soon. It didn’t look anything special but an old abandoned shrine.

But still, if I wasn’t able to find the shrine, I must have at least remembered seeing the old rundown broken stairs leading up to this hill.

How’s that I noticed it for the first time today, despite the fact that I always used to travel on the same path every day. Simple because it never existed before!

I glanced outside the shrine and the rain didn’t don’t seem to stop anytime soon. It was already dark now. The scene outside looked quite mysterious. I felt as if there was something staring at me from the woods. It was a rather odd feeling.

I removed my shirt and placed it on the altar over the statue.

I had a handkerchief that I used to dry my hair.

I don’t want to catch a cold anytime soon.

Also, tomorrow’s a Monday, so I don’t want to miss school.

As an exemplary honorary high school student, I must keep a perfect attendance record!

. . .

Who am I kidding!

That’s not the real reason to not miss the school.

It’s just...

If I miss school that means one day of not seeing Calista!

You can call me lovesick or whatever… I don’t give a damn! Yeah, I am in love and I would go so far for that. Call me crazy but love really does make one do crazy stuff, no kidding!

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

If you count the weekend holidays plus winter vacation and summer vacation that would be just mere roughly 193 days of high school with all the national holidays accounted. So even missing one of those days means not seeing Calista for a whole day, which is indeed a huge blow for me.

So there you have it.

Hence I should get back to home soon but I guess I must spend the night here.

There was nothing to do here as I waited for the rain to calm down. It was just me, this shady shrine and my couple of fishes in my bucket still alive.

Thinking back today I had a great time indeed.

If it wasn’t for Dylan, we would never have this fishing outing today. On top of that, he even rigged the pairs so that I will be paired up with Calista. He did say he was rooting for me, but he really was helping me out. Despite the fact he ridiculed me during the announcement, that was really uncalled for!

Anyway, Calista seemed to enjoy it a lot today. She was from the city and newly shifted to our country town. It was a little tough for her to get adjusted in this place. So I thought she might have a little problem opening up to us but I was rather surprised. She really settled in with us folks pretty well.

I lost today’s contest because I was too distracted at looking at Calista. Her pretty smile and luscious curls swirling in the riverside breeze was a sight to behold. I am telling you despite there was a regret of losing the contest because of my loose focus, I was still able to treasure all her moments in my memory! It was absolutely etched in my brain!

I don’t regret it a bit.

I wonder if she and I have grown a little closer because of today.

When I was deep in thought about this all romantic nonsense going in my brain, I felt my shoulder was somehow got a little heavy.

To my surprise, I turned my head to see the reason. There was a snake sitting on my shoulder and staring right at me.

My body froze for a second and stings of fear started to ring within my body. My survival instincts were going haywire. I started to lose my mind to fear.

I quickly brushed off the snake from my shoulder and got up quickly from that spot. When I did get up so quickly I banged my head against the roof of the shrine. The snake soon started to show him loudly and opened his jaws wide to attack. I quickly grabbed the shirt placed on the altar and ran away. But while trying to run my shirt seemed to be stuck on the statue.

I pulled it harder and finally it was free but I loud crashing sound. I didn’t give it much thought and started running down the path.

I ran and ran like a mad man!

While running I had many thoughts. Life was flashing in front of my eyes.

I felt like something like pain as if something bit me.

Did the snake bite me? Was it poisonous or just a rat snake?

Will I be able to make it back home?

Is it the end?

Just when I found the girl I liked, shit had to go down in such a way?!

My mind blanked out, I didn’t know where I was running.

Before I knew I was outside my house.

I loudly banged the door gates.

My mom opened the gate and let me in.

“What’s the matter, Seb? It seemed like a Tiger chased you or what.” said my mom. She started washing my hair with a towel she prepared beforehand.

“M-mom there was a snake- Wait, what? There are tigers in this woods?” I asked in shock.

“Huh? What are you talking about? You can’t even tell apart a joke?” said my mom with a disappointed tone, “Are you doing drugs perhaps?”

“No! NO!” I retorted, “Listen, I think I have been bitten by this snake! Around the neck! Please call an ambulance, I feel very dizzy. I guess the poison is spreading.”

“Where were you bitten?” asked mom.

“Just go call the damn ambulance! I am dying here!!!” I angrily said.

Suddenly a tight smack fell on my cheeks.

“Stop your yapping.” scolded my mom angrily, “Show me, your neck where you said you were bitten.”

I regained my senses, I did show her as she told me to,

“See! Somewhere here! Now call the-”

Mom touched my neck and pulled something.

There was a sudden jolt of pain.

“This is a freshwater leech and not a snake bite. Stop your yapping.” said my mom sternly with an angry glare.

“B-but there was this old shrine and-and… the snake was sitting on my shoulder.” I retold her the story as I followed her going inside the room.

“Stop right there!” she screamed, “your full of mud, and I don’t want anything inside my home! Get inside the shower, right now! Also, we don’t have money to spend on hospital fees, if that’s some snake bite then go rub some spit or something.”

What? Rub spit?

My angry mom then went inside the kitchen angrily murmuring to herself,

“Kids nowadays! Snake sitting on shoulder and some old ruins he says. He’s been watching a little too much TV. Let dad come home…”

I sat right there on my knees, as the fatigue started to catch up from all the running.

At least, my mom’s much scarier than some snake.

That’s for sure.