267Happytown
14
"Oh, daft," I said, glancing at him warily. "I'm going to be honest here. I did not see that coming."
An eyebrow of his arched skywards and I couldn't help but feel like the biggest dumbass of all time for not catching on. It explained—well, okay, so it really didn't explain much. He had been good at hiding it, but still. There had been hints. Like how he didn't want to tell me about the happy drug, and like how he took me to Falcon's lake—which was in all actuality, Viper's lake. Or. . . whose lake was it, exactly?
"So who owns this place?" I asked.
"Both Falcon and I—we're brothers," he said.
"Oh," I nodded smoothly, "the old brother-twist." Falcon did have the same colour of hair as Viper, though, underneath all that red dye.
He unexpectedly turned to me and swiftly cupped my chin with his fingers. The moonlight wasn't hitting any part of him except the hand that was touching my face. Symbolism at its best, a voice quipped. The moon was such cheap poetry, and I shifted a bit until it was blocked out by the large tree that Viper and I had hid on, eavesdropped on, kissed on.
He was kissing me again, suddenly, and I tried to relax myself, tried to keep steady. I set a hand on his shoulder and brushed my lips back against his, soft and fleeting. At first uncertain, and then full force, I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him to me, and increased the pace of the kiss. It was getting so warm, and I could barely tell how cold it really was outside, and I knew the chill that shot down my spine wasn't from the wind.
He was the one to pull away, and I tried not to look relieved or anxious. His fingertips left my chin as he dropped his hand. With his other hand, he pulled the door open. "We still have some fun to attend to. Don't you want to make your friends happy?"
I followed him back inside, and the warmth of the building was welcoming. The boys were awake now, but they were pretty drowsy. Python was looking right at me, but I wasn't sure if he was actually seeing me.
Viper's hands found my hips, and he nuzzled at my hair. An old habit. "I'm sure you want to see them at their happiest."
I didn't respond.
Coral seemed to be the first one to wake up from his daze. Boa was still sleeping, but not heavily, and the other two boys were half-awake, looking around but not taking anything in. Coral's gaze fell directly upon Viper and I, and his eyes turned sharp.
"What the fuck?" he hissed out.
Viper squeezed my hips—it tickled slightly but I remained quiet—and then moved away from me. I was glad, but when I saw him approaching Coral, apprehension greeted me. I began to walk towards them as Viper was kneeling.
He pulled something out of his pocket. "Smile," he said, softly, and shoved the object—a cookie—into Coral's mouth. Coral fought against it before realizing he was choking, and he coughed and swallowed to fix the problem.
Viper took a few steps away until he reached me, and he watched casually as Coral got himself under control. He shuddered and stuck his tongue out. He had swallowed some of the drug in the cookie, and soon he'd become freakishly happy.
Cobra was awake now, watching Coral in confusion, and then he glanced up at Viper.
"You're kidding," he seethed out.
"No kiddin', Cobra," Python spoke up, thickly. "Fuckin' boy's a fucker."
"Dip-shit-cheese-chicken-whore-fuck," Coral chanted.
Python glanced at him. "Yeah, he is," he sneered, and then looked back up at Viper. "Pansy-ass, cookie-fucking, Siam-perving, betraying fuckhead!"
"Why are we swearing?" Coral sounded shocked. "Python, shh! Swearing is so negative, stop that. I'm sure Viper knows what's best for us, don't you, Vipes? You're awesome!" He proceeded to give Viper the cheesy thumbs-up sign, and I could see red around his wrists where the rope was tied tightly. "Wow," he breathed, "it's real hard to move. My body is tingling."
"That's the sleeping drug wearing off," Viper drawled. "Better infect you guys too before you regain complete control," he added. He kneeled in front of Python and held out a cookie. "Do I have to force it down or will you play nice?"
Python's eyes narrowed. "I'd stab you with the horn on my head but it's not actually a horn."
"Whad'ya know?" Viper smirked, and then unkindly shoved the cookie in Python's mouth. Python's reaction was similar to Coral's.
"Siam!" Cobra snapped at me. "Don't just stand there like a stupid ox!"
Viper glanced over his shoulder at me, calmly. "Yeah," he smiled, "help me out, here."
I looked away with no expression. I caught sight of someone in the corner on a chair, and realized it was Raid. He was grinning freakishly at me.
"Siam," he called. "It's been so long!"
I cringed.
"Siam, you fucking bitch," Cobra snarled just before getting overwhelmed by a cookie.
Lastly, Boa was fed, and he looked too helpless and miserable to argue.
Viper straightened and walked back towards me. "I knew you'd agree," he nuzzled his nose against mine, hands traveling back and forth up my sides in what was supposed to be a soothing manner; instead, it gave me chills. "Just look how happy they are." Before I could look back at them, his lips were on mine, chaste and warm. I barely managed to respond, but apparently he was satisfied, because he kept the kiss on for longer than I wanted. I almost couldn't handle it.
I took my frustration out on him, fisting up handful of his shirt and biting down on his lower lip. He gasped into me, and then bit me right back, harshly, until I tasted blood. His tongue soothingly ran along the cut.
"Better?" he whispered against my lips.
"Not meaning to interrupt your inappropriate affection," drawled a familiar voice, "but we've got a little issue."
We parted to look at Falcon, who was leaning against the doorframe. I saw stairs behind him.
"As far as I can see," Viper sighed, "you're the only issue."
"Before you get a hard-on, would you mind stepping out here?" Falcon snapped.
Viper arched an eyebrow. "What's the problem?"
"We got visitors."
Viper sighed in annoyance. "Tell them to fuck right off."
"Can't, for fuck's sakes. Just get over here!"
Slowly, Viper turned to me and quickly kissed me. "I'll be right back, Siam."
Falcon arched his eyebrows. "You're leaving her alone with them? You trust her? She's a fucking fish."
"Stop swearing!" Coral suddenly barked, and then heaved in air as if he was suffocating. "All the swears, all the negativity." He gritted his teeth. Boa wailed senselessly, apparently agreeing.
Viper smirked. "We'll see," he said, staring straight at me, and then he turned and walked out the door, Falcon closing it after him. He was testing me. Not like I cared whether he trusted me or not—I was getting the boys and myself out of here, and then I'd never see Viper's psychotic face again.
I rushed to Coral and kneeled next to him.
"No," Coral cooed, "you're pretty." He batted at my hair while I focused on untying him. Whoever had tied these knots must have been a boy scout or a fugitive. Well, fugitives seemed more their style, except the fact that Viper was an undercover cookie boy.
This whole situation was a little cracked out.
At long last, I managed to untie Coral, my fingertips feeling raw. He rubbed at his red wrists and then worked on his own ankles. "Untie, untie," he chanted, "wouldn't want to die."
"Die! Die?" Boa whined. "No way, hosey!"
"I ain't dyin'," Python bowed his head.
Cobra made a disgusted sound. "You guys, be happy with your fate. Let's just let life take us afloat."
I rolled my eyes as I untied Boa. "Coral, help me, okay?"
He coddled up to me for a moment, kissing my shoulder almost shyly. "Okay, sweetie." I gave him a weird look as he jumped up and practically dove himself at Python, working furiously to untie the tattoo artist.
"What!" Cobra suddenly yelled. "What's the meaning of this!?"
We all glanced at him in confusion.
"They took my knife," he scowled, squinting offensively at the wall across from him. "They all die. They all die, those who touched my special knife. Only I touch my knives." He looked over at me and suddenly looked sad. "They're like my babies; they made me feel so happy inside."
I stood up after untying Boa. "You guys scare the hell out of me."
Coral was hanging onto my leg, having already untied Python. "You can't leave, Siam. Not after this is all settled, which it will be. You can't leave. We'll miss you."
I looked down at him, put off, and then shook myself out and hurried over to Cobra and started to untie him. Coral had been forced to release me. He met Cobra's eye, and I glanced back and forth between them as I worked at the knot.
"What is it?" I asked at last.
"Nothing," Coral smiled. He got up and ran over to Raid, who started to snap at him with his teeth.
"Gnaw, gnaw," he growled.
Coral lifted an eyebrow. "Raid, my main man, what's up?"
"Gnaw, gnaw, gnaw."
I slapped my forehead with my palm and sighed into my wrist. Python and Boa stood, and Cobra got up eventually, also.
"We have to hurry," I said, as Raid shook his wrists out and wandered over to us, Coral behind him. I rushed toward the door and, luckily, it wasn't locked, and it locked from this side anyways. We all bustled up the stairs, and I was surprised to find a trap door.
"Similar architecture to my tattoo shop," Python growled defensively. "Viper—that copier. I can't believe it."
"No," Boa set a hand on his shoulder, "be proud that he saw your idea, took it into consideration, and decided to make a trap door for his mischievous dungeon."
"It's not a dungeon," I said. "It's not even a basement. There's a balcony, so we're above ground level."
"Meaning we must find stairs that go down!"
"Two staircases," I corrected him. "We just went up one."
"Aye," Cobra nodded.
I wished to hell that they'd turn back to normal already; I didn't recognize any of them under this drug.
I set a hand on Boa's chest so he couldn't walk passed me. We were all near the top of the stairs, huddled together like sheep, but I could hear footsteps approaching. Boots.
"Get the hell back down!" I hissed through my teeth. Everyone hurried back down. "Someone's coming. Let's try and get down the balcony."
"We should have tried that in the first place," Raid sighed.
"My head hurts from thinking," I said, defensively, and then rushed to the balcony. "If we're careful," I observed, "we can scale this. The bricks have enough grip. Hurry up, guys."
Cobra was the first one to attempt. He made it half-way down the length from the balcony to the grass before deciding to jump to quicken the pace. Boa whined before stepping into cold air.
"I. . . I'm unhappy going down," he sniffled.
"Be happy you're not gonna die," I suggested.
He paused. "Well, okay." He crawled himself over the ledge, followed by Raid and then Python.
"Do my muscles protrude as I climb?" Python asked me.
I blinked blankly at him. He shrugged and descended the wall. Coral stopped next to the ledge and graciously swept his hand in front of himself.
"After you," he smiled.
"No," I motioned for him to go, "after you."
"I insist."
"So do I."
"Go on, Siam."
"No, it's okay."
His shoulders slumped, and he pointed downwards aggressively. "Get on the friggin' wall!"
I sighed and then decided to just go. We were wasting time. I hauled myself over the railing, dug my fingers and the toes of my shoes into the grooves in the wall, and slowly climbed downwards. Coral followed me. I jumped off half-way like Cobra had done, and then we all started to sneak off the property.
"I'm telling you, Lyre, Siam hasn't been seen for days now," Viper's voice drifted. We all looked in the direction of where his voice was coming from and saw that we were right next to the front door, where Lyre, Mrs. Fosters, Viper, and Falcon stood.
Viper met my eye, and his lips parted in shock.
"What the fuck!" he spluttered, and Lyre looked straight at me, also.
"My sexy tutor!" he exclaimed.
"Um," I paused, and then yelped out, "Run!"
Everyone around me broke out into a run, each heading in separate directions for an equal chance not to get caught. There was so much commotion that I was stunned. Eventually, I took off, also, but Lyre was suddenly in my way.
"I'll save you!" he grabbed my wrist and tugged. "Trust me, Siam, you sexy plum. Mommy bought wheels!" He pointed at a run-down piece of shit jeep.
"Uh," I blinked.
Ella was already in the driver's seat, motioning frantically at us to get in.
Falcon had ran after the other boys, while Viper was nowhere in sight. I gazed around nervously, and then hurried into the backseat of the jeep. Lyre climbed in passenger, closed the door, and then yelled at his mom to press on the gas.
"Lyre, honey, please don't yell," Mrs. Fosters calmly said as we began to slowly move. "You know I don't appreciate it."
"Shut up, mom, and slam on the gas."
I shifted warily and glanced beside me, where a thick black blanket was sprawled out.
"Lyre?" I softly said. "Why is there a blanket back here?"
"Mother knitted it for you and I. I decided to get this jeep mainly so you and I could. . . get a little naughty back there."
Mrs. Fosters laughed airily. "Nonsense. I decided to get the jeep because I decided to go to town myself now. That delivery boy has gotten quite menacing lately, I do say."
Lyre whirled around in his seat to face me, peeking over the back of his seat. "He kidnapped you. I rescued you, and we all know that you have to repay your rescuer with a little lovin', Siam."
I lowered my eyebrows. "I don't think so."
"Fucking fence!" Ella suddenly screamed.
"That's a gate," Lyre calmly corrected her. I peered through the windshield to see Miguel standing proudly before the gate, lips pulled upwards in a sleazy grin.
"He's in my way," Mrs. Fosters mildly pouted, and then slammed on the gas. "Get the fuck out of my way!" she screamed. I clutched the seat in horror as we ploughed down Miguel. The jeep lurched as we ran him over; he hadn't even had time to yell before we had smoked him.
She pressed on the brakes just before we hit the fence dead on.
I stared ahead, stunned.
"I'll find the switch," Lyre chirruped, slipping out of the jeep and skip-hopping toward the panel on the side of the gate. He pressed a button, and the gates began to open. He wandered back to the jeep and climbed in.
"Okay, go," he nodded.
Ella slammed on the gas again.
"We have to find the boys!" I insisted, snapping out of my horrified state and glancing at the black blanket for a second time. Something was off about it, but maybe I was just paranoid.
Lyre scoffed. "Think I care about boys? I'm not a homosexual, sweet, sexy, sleek Siam."
Guess that meant I'd have to find them afterwards on my own. I closed my eyes and prayed for their safety and mine. I also prayed Miguel was pretty much fine. . . maybe with a broken arm, though.
Lyre had locked me in his cage. I was absolutely useless in a cage. I couldn't go find any of the boys while I was shoved up inside a Goddamn cage! Frustrated, I kicked at the bars. Lyre had gone upstairs to fetch the proper "toys" he planned on using with me.
I ran my fingers through my hair, and then fisted my hand until my eyes watered. What the hell was I going to do? I heard heavy footsteps coming downstairs and looked in that direction. Too heavy to be either Lyre or Ella's footsteps. . . who was coming?
Needless to say, I was shocked when I saw Viper smirking at me. He paused in the middle of the staircase, placing a hand on the ceiling and bending slightly to look down at me from under the ceiling. He arched his eyebrows.
"You look so helpless," he drawled.
"H-how did you get here so fast?" I moved to the far end of the cage as he continued to calmly descend the stairs, hand leaving the roof and moving to his pocket. He casually pulled out a knife—one of Cobra's knives—and traced it along the wall as he walked.
I swallowed.
"I was in the jeep, stupid head," he grinned playfully.
"Under the blanket," I scowled. "You're quick. How did you know I'd get in Ella's jeep?"
"Safety," he shrugged. "It was the best option for you." He reached the end of the staircase and jumped down the last three steps, landing gracefully on the carpet at the base. His grace reminded me of Falcon. He moved to the cage and traced the knife down a bar as he watched me.
"Where's Lyre?" I asked, anxiously.
"Knocked the unhinged kid out," he said, thoughtfully, "along with his equally unhinged mother."
"They're only unhinged because they've been on those happy drugs in the food!" I snapped. "Don't you see? You're making these people lose their minds!"
He merely smirked. "I know."
"They lose their minds on the drug, and they lose their minds off the drug because they want it so bad. That one guy hanged himself, Viper. Why are you doing this?"
He sneered and attempted to move closer to me, but I shifted to the other side of the cage. "Don't avoid me, Siam. You look like a frightened animal in its cage, not wanting to be tormented by the stick." He held up the knife. "I'll make it quick, you know. Just a quick slice to your pretty throat."
"Why did you do this to everyone?" I asked, trying to keep his mind off killing me.
He looked at the ceiling for a quick moment before unexpectedly kicking the cage; it rattled, and I couldn't hide a startled yip.
"Why?" he quirked the corner of his lips up into a smirk and leaned an elbow on a bar of the cage, swinging the knife casually in his hand. "Everyone has something imbalanced in them. The happy drug simply makes it full fledged. This is what humans really are, Siam. Psychotic. They have no limit once you stop restraining them."
I stiffened as he moved to the door and unlocked it. I thought to charge at him, but he'd impale me straight through the stomach the moment he saw me coming for him, and I'd literally have run into his knife. He calmly opened the door and stepped in the cage with me.
"You know," he moved up to me, and I eyed the blade warily, "I wonder how far you would go," he whispered, trailing the knife down my cheek, but softly enough not to cut. "I wonder what you would do, Siam. Secretly, I think you still want me, and if I gave you this here," he dug through his pocket and pulled out a cookie, "you would be all over me."
"You're fucked," I let him know.
"I'm done with you, though," he clicked his tongue. Footsteps alarmed us both, and he started. This gave me time to shove him, and I ran for the exit of the cage, but Viper snatched my wrist and threw me back against the bars. The one who was coming down the stairs hurried and I realized it was Coral.
"Get the hell away from her!" he barked, running for the cage. Viper managed to slink out the cage and quickly lock it up again before Coral reached him and threw a punch. Viper hadn't had time to dodge and lock up at the same time, and so he chose to take the hit. He stumbled back, holding his eye, and then with a barbaric roar, he lunged at Coral. Coral caught sight of the glimmering silver of his knife and thought it best to fling himself out of the way.
"Holy shit," he breathed as he hit a wall and whirled around, on edge. Viper regained his balance and snarled at Coral.
I stepped up to the cage and tried to unlock it, even though I knew I needed a key. I dug my fingernail into the lock, knowing it was hopeless and I was only hurting my finger, but I had to do something. Giving that up, I attempted to squish myself through the bars as Viper went for Coral again. He managed to grab Coral before Coral could get too far and he threw Coral to the ground. When he was about to launch himself down to land a blow to Coral's face, Coral kicked Viper's knee and there was a loud, painful snap which caused me to cringe in disgust.
Viper snarled in pain and threw his head back. "Oh my fucking God," he hissed through his teeth. Coral pulled himself up and moved to take the knife from Viper, but Viper stabbed at him, cutting his hand and part of his wrist. Coral held the cut to his chest and scowled.
"I know what you're doing," Viper said tightly, pain evident in his voice. He looked wearily down at his broken knee. "You're nothin' better. Maybe you're worse."
Coral took a moment to smirk before throwing his fist at Viper. Viper was too late to raise the knife and stumbled back into the wall before his leg gave out. He cried out as he was forced to sit, and he took to leaning his head back against the wall.
"Give me the key," Coral hissed.
"Fuck you!" Viper barked. "Fuck you and your friends and your little piece of ass!" He spat at the cage; at me, and I moved away. "Yeah, Siam. Fuck you! Fuck you hard."
"We get the point," Coral sneered, "you're a horny guy. Now give me the key."
"I'll give you a knife up the ass," Viper sneered right back, and then chucked the knife as hard as he could at Coral. Coral was in the middle of dodging, but he was too slow, and the knife struck into his shoulder. He yelped and clutched his shoulder. With adrenaline pumping into his veins, he ripped the knife from his shoulder with a pained grunt and closed his eyes momentarily.
Eyes narrowed, he approached Viper and kneeled in front of him. "Key, Viper. Give me the key."
Viper laughed coolly. "Hell no."
Coral snapped and punched him across the face, fist connecting with flesh. Viper cried out. Coral swung again, and again, and again—until I made a sound of protest. He stopped and glanced at me. Before Viper could recover, he quickly swiped the key out of his pocket and jogged up to the cage. I met him at the door as it opened and he pulled me into his arms.
"We're good," he whispered into my hair.
"How romantic," Viper slurred, and then spat his own blood onto the floor. "Siam, you're so stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid." He started to chuckle, and then stared up at the ceiling. "So painfully stupid."
Coral grasped my hand. "Let's go," he smiled. "We'll take care of my shoulder soon," he added when he noticed me staring at it.
He led me up the stairs and out of the house. I caught sight of Lyre and Ella laying in the living room, but they would be fine when they woke up. Outside, I was shocked to find a van.
Boa hopped out of it. "Siam!" he grinned, running up to me. He grabbed my hand and started swinging it. "I'm so glad you're okay!"
I grinned at him. "You, too, Boa."
Python poked his head out the window from the back. "Fuck, Coral. What the shit took you so long? I was about to come in, crack some Goddamn skulls."
"I met up with Viper," Coral grinned anxiously. "I was shocked to find him in there."
"Yeah," I swallowed. "He was in Mrs. Fosters' jeep with me the entire time."
"Let's go before he comes out with a bazooka or something," Coral said, pulling me back to him to kiss my forehead.
"You left him alive?" Cobra could be heard from inside the van, sounding utterly outraged.
"He stabbed you!" Boa fretted, poking experimentally at Coral's shoulder. Coral hissed and moved back.
Coral shook his head. "Get inside, everyone."
Boa returned inside as I asked, "Whose van?"
"Raid's," Coral answered with a half-smile. There were three sets of seats—the drivers and passengers, the middle seat, and then the back seat. I sat in the center of the middle seat; Cobra sat on my left while Coral sat on my right.
Python, who had taken up the passenger seat, glanced back at us. "Hey, sluts. Let's bounce."
Coral laughed. "Okay." He turned to me and I realized he still held my hand, and had been since we had left the basement. He leaned closer to me, and I could tell he was still pumped by the encounter with Viper. So was I. I wanted to get out of the van and start jumping up and down and running in pointless circles.
Circles last forever.
Coral placed a hand on the back of my neck and leaned down more until his lips met with mine, capturing me in a kiss. We were interrupted before we could kiss for too long, however, as Boa, alone in the backseat, suddenly yelped.
"Viper!" he pointed back.
We turned around to see Viper standing in the driveway of the Fosters' home. He was watching us go, a grin set confidently on his lips. As we drove, he became nothing but faded distance.
I turned around and sat straight, perplexed by his behavior.
Coral's arm slipped around my waist and I rested my head against his shoulder, closing my eyes. Raid put on some music, and occasionally, the boys would start rocking out, especially Python and Cobra, who would hit the dashboard, or in Cobra's situation, Raid's seat. This prompted Raid to yell at him.
"Hey!" Cobra scowled. "It was my idea to send Siam in undercover to save you."
Raid smirked at him in the rearview mirror. "Why? You have no balls, so you sent her?"
Cobra smirked right back. "I'll kill ya'."
"Speaking of which," Coral pulled out the bloody knife Viper had had. "I got your knife back, Cobra."
Cobra swiped it away from him and held it out in front of him, eyes wide. "My lover."
"Pretty painful lover," I dryly contributed.
He smirked. "I like it kinky."
"Sure," Python rolled his eyes, "I'd enjoy cutting my dick off, too."
Cobra winced. "Oh, hell in the sky. My knife would never go near my dick."
"Can we change the topic?" I innocently asked.
"You started it," Coral reminded me.
"No," I scoffed, "Cobra did, by calling the knife his lover."
"I have many lovers," Cobra said airily, and then gazed out the window, apparently lost in a daydream. Coral and I offered him strange looks, and then I shrugged and leaned back against Coral. He was so comfortable, and I felt unbelievably safe in his hold. I tried to snuggle in even closer, but it was physically impossible. I closed my eyes, perfectly content.
"My boys," I smiled.
Boa, who had been silent for the majority of the car ride, suddenly spoke up. "Almost there," he said, excitedly. "Home, sweet, home."
I opened my eyes and moved up a little. I could see lights down the road—a town. "Hey, Coral?" I glanced at him. "When are you going to take me back home?"
He cupped my chin with a calm smile. "Siam. . . I thought you'd miss us."
I blinked. "I would, dummy."
He leaned forward and nuzzled his nose against mine. "You're not going home, hon."
I furrowed my eyebrows and started to tilt my head in confusion.
"Oh, look," he jerked his head in the direction of the window, "our town."
I looked out the window to see a sign; dark, dreary, blue. White and black lettering, bold, struck me inside. My heart jumped into my throat.
"Welcome," Coral began, reading off the sign in a detached tone, "to Sadtown."
fin
-
So, for those who reviewed, we both really appreciate it and your input was amazing :)
Last thank-you for this story!
toxic-noodle725, Mean titan, Ninny, strawberryice, Mellowdy, Liviania, Pieces of the sun, saccharine asphyxiation, tearitrightup, anon, RainySunshine, Ravene, Zephyr-wings, and IGNIS Elementri.
- Pieces of the sun: sure, sure! Coral is the light-blond haired boy who always clashes with viper; he's confusing and most of what he does is just for his own entertainment (getting rises out of people, etc). Python is the owner of the tattoo shop, he has blond hair, he has a thin temper and swears lots, and he's obsessed with working out. boa is the one who hides a lot, is very shy and awkward, and he's timid. cobra is the knife-collector who's vicious towards siam. . . he has the red hair.
- tearitrightup: I'm sorry you're going through a hard time, especially during the summer when you probably just want to relax! you live in cali? I wished I lived there! haha. anyways, I hope you're feeling better, and if not, maybe this chap will lift you a little. . . despite the ending ;D
- Zephyr-wings: hahaa, mm, well a coral is actually a snake, too. it's a weird one. . . all orange and yellow and black.