RELEASING LIVES, by P. A. De VoeThe vibrant bamboo pit viper slithered from side to side as it moved up the man’s bone-thin arm. As if suddenly aware of the approaching danger, his eyes bulged. Flailing madly, he screamed: “Aiee! Aiee!”
In response to the sudden movement and noise, the snake struck. In a flash, its long, needle-sharp fangs sank into the man’s flesh. Streaks of blood rolled down his arm.
The circle of men and women surrounding him gasped. Young children hid their heads in their mothers’ skirts, peeking out only when safe within their fabrics’ folds.
Instead of writhing in fear and pain, however, the snake’s victim stared at the blood with a slight grimace. Then, eyes on the viper, he slowly grabbed hold of its head and extracted its teeth while the blood continued to flo
