Chapter 16
They were a hundred yards along the brush when Scarpo saw the snake. He froze, the automatic carbine at his hip, and the sweat that was running down his cheeks turned suddenly chill.
The snake saw him, too. It lay coiled in the path, its copper-colored head wedge-shaped and deadly, its tongue flicking out and in, the black diamond eyes steady upon Scarpo.
"Jee-sus!" he whispered, and Geech moved behind him, saying, "What's the matter, man? What the hell's the matter?"
"Back up," Scarpo hissed. "Goddamn it, baek up and let me get outa' here before that fuckin' snake bites me!"
The carbine trembled at his hip, and Scarpo backed into Geech, stumbled, then crashed into the brush as the moccasin struck at the sound, at the flurrying.
"Son of a bitch!"
"Blow him apart!" Geech said, whipping out his pistol as the snake recoiled and swayed its evil head.
"No-no!" Scarpo stumbled in the bushes, waving one hand at Geech and watching the snake every second. "No-don't shoot, you'll let 'em know we're coming'. "
"But that ugly bastard-look out! He's about to strike again!"
Stooping, Scarpo found a dry branch, a length of wood mostly solid. He sidled around and handed his carbine to Geech, then advanced upon the copperhead, poking the branch. The snake struck, hit the branch, and angled off. Scarpo's breath whistled from him as he jabbed the wood, lifted and slammed it down. Again and again he beat on the writhing snake until it was pulped.
"Jes-sus." Sweating, shaking, he flung the stick into the trees and took back his gun from Geech. "I never seen one of them bastards outside a zoo, and I didn't want to see it then. That bastard bit at me twice. I damned near stepped on it. Jee-sus."
Geech followed the other man as Scarpo headed straight back toward the road, but slower than he came, watching every place he put his feet. When they were out in the white dust again, Geech said, "How the hell can we sneak up on 'em like this?"
Patting his handkerchief at his cheeks, Scarpo said "Look, I don't give a shit. Them trees could be full of them fuckin' snakes. There ain't no traffic on this road, anyhow. We'll walk up it to the corner-to where the road forks, like the old lady said. Snakes-Jee-sus! It's not like cuttin' through an empty lot."
Tucking his magnum back into his belly, Geech said, "No, it's not," and grinned.
Scarpo caught him grinning. "Listen, you son of a bitch, anybody with good sense is scared of snakes! But that don't mean I'm copping out. I never quit on a job yet. Come on, let's go find that cabin."