Free To Hell and Back by P. A. Bechko

the threatening snake.
    She’d been so immersed in her hunt for food, in her determination to have a least something there when Jake awoke, noticed little about her surroundings. A mistake she would not make again.
    With grim humor, Amanda wondered if getting bitten by a snake constituted a matter of life and death worthy of waking Jake Hollander from his well-deserved slumber. One thing was certain, if she did, Hollander would never let her live it down, provided she did live.
    She spotted the snake coiled on a bare spot of earth, well camouflaged in the dust, within its striking range. The erect, weaving, spade-shaped head along with the persistent buzz of the rattles told her it wouldn’t take much to make the reptile do just that.  
    Well hell and damnation , Amanda thought to herself, He’s not asleep more than ten minutes and I’ve already gotten myself into a fix .
    For a few seconds she just stayed put, feeling like her feet were stuck in mud, hoping something would distract the snake. That didn’t happen. Cautiously, eyes fixed on the poised snake, she eased backwards a few painful inches at a time. The furious buzzing of the rattles filled her ears and the snake’s shiny, black eyes glared at her intrusion, the dusty head swaying hypnotically.  
    Crooning to the snake, her hand drifted to the butt of the gun in her holster. Maybe she could shoot it, Hollander’s beauty rest be damned. She eased the weapon out, moving very smoothly, very slowly. The snake’s rattles colored the air.  
    She couldn’t breathe and was fighting an urge to tremble, when, nearly out of range and ready to congratulate herself, the heel of her boot fell squarely on a small rock, throwing her off balance. She lurched forward, then staggered back. She felt the impact of the rattler’s lightning strike at her right ankle and nearly screamed her terror. The force was almost enough to take her off her feet, but she reeled out of reach as the diamond back slithered off in the opposite direction.  
    Amanda looked down at the moist spot on the leather of the boot where the fangs had struck, realized it had penetrated the leather, but not the padding inside or her skin, and instantly took off after the snake.  
    “Oh no you don’t!” she cried softly.
    She had heard some people actually prized rattlesnake meat. They claimed it tasted a lot like chicken and she dearly loved chicken.  
    On the run, Amanda picked up a hefty rock and caught up with the snake near the rocky ascent to the pools. In her anger she surprised herself, chucking the rock so it hit the snake squarely on the head, stunning it into confused thrashing. She grabbed another rock and hit it again. The reptile continued to whip wildly about, but it was dying, the life force plainly ebbing. Amanda was merciful. She hit it again, finishing it.  
    She dropped to the ground a few feet away, eyes locked on the thick-bodied snake, still in death. She drew in her breath in long. ragged gasps and sweat broke out all over her body as she shook uncontrollably, but she was proud. She had taken care of herself and she’d gotten them dinner! Now, she had to figure out what to do with it.
    That last thought brought a smile to her lips. She climbed to her feet, picked up the dead snake and returned to camp, the smile finally giving way to a giggle as she tossed the carcass in the grass near Hollander who dozed on, secure atop his bedroll.
    Damned if I did all that and I didn’t even have to wake him. Amanda started to laugh at that thought, and stifled it until, knees weak, she collapsed to the carpet of green a short distance from where Jake lay. She gasped and lay helplessly in the grass doubled over in silent mirth. The more she thought about it, and the man laying nearby, the more she laughed. Her sides ached, her belly clenched, but still she laughed, and she did it in silence, the possibility of him seeing her like this causing her to laugh even harder.  
    A giggle escaped,