Two Snakes (ON BREAK FOR A WHILE)

Chapter 5: It's all in the name

'Dolios?' 'Yeah. I know. It's stupid. I get it.' Lilah smiled sweetly. 'That's really cool. Sounds like one of those myths and legends. One of the heroes.'

'Yeah right.' Dolios stood up and smirked a little. 'You take lunch too?' He gestured towards her bag and basket, In which she nodded.
'I know a really good picnic area only a little bit away. Also I saw some arrows if you need to get yourself back on the trail.'

'You are a hero though.' Lilah looked at Dolios again. 'Not one of those 'superpower' ones, they're cliche'd. You're one of the selfless ones who becomes a hero, one helping act at a time. That act of you helping me back at the market was just one.' Dolios looked back at her and sighed. 'My name literally means deceitful and treacherous in Ancient Greek or something. I'm destined to be a bad guy all my life.' Dolios smiled sheepishly then sighed again. 'This isn't Ancient Greece you know. Name meanings don't destine your future. My name means 'night' apparently, and I'm a day gal!'

The two reached a part of the forest littered with wooden picnic benches and beautiful multicoloured flowers, before Dolios motioned for Lilah to sit on a bench relatively close to another tree with a carving. This time one with just a simple heart. 'This is my favourite bench. The animals often come up here and I give them a little food.' As soon as he said that, a small yellow snake coiled around the tree, then took its place on the table of the bench.

A two headed snake.

Lilah jumped and moved to the other side of the bench, away from the snake, as it slithered towards Dolios and assumed a position on his arm. 'Lilah. It's fine. These things are really rare, and I've helped it, so it - sorry, they, came back and just, coils round my arm sometimes. Do you want a hold?'

Lilah was at first reluctant, but succumbed to the cuteness of its tiny heads. As soon as she took hold it curled round her arm and fell asleep. 'Aww! They're so cute!' 'They're conjoined twins. Boy and girl. Little awkward if you ask me. The left head is Amber, the girl, and the right head is Sol, the boy. Sol is usually the one who takes liking to me more, but Amber likes me too. She has more of a mind of her own really.'

Lilah petted both heads, waking Amber up and leaving Sol asleep. Amber looked up at her, flicking her tongue out, then looked at the bread she was eating. Lilah gave both heads a little, but Amber ate both as Sol was still asleep. Lilah went to give Amber another section, but amber slithered over her fingers, literally dragging Sol's head with her. She looked back up at Lilah for one moment.

Then bit her.

Right on her left ring finger. Lilah jumped, but then suddenly looked confused as she didn't feel it, then stared as two black dots formed on the side of her finger. Dolios looked up slightly from his food, then a look of panic slowly emerged on his face. 'Lilah. I need you to come with me. Now.' 'But...' Dolios cut her off, took her right hand and then practically ran through the woods, taking both his and her stuff in his other hand.

'Wheeeeerreeee are we goooiiingg?' Lilah shouted to Dolios who still had her hand and was practically dragging her through the forest. 'My place! Almost there!' Dolios shouted back, maintaining his focus on his route. Suddenly they stopped and Lilah skidded on some dry leaves and fell onto the soft dirt. 'Oh come on!' Lilah picked herself back off and brushed the dirt from her jacket and leggings.

'Here.' Dolios stated, pointing towards a small cottage standing in the forest, in which you could see some of the houses from the regular village through the mass of trees. 'Come with me quickly.' He opened the door to reveal a charming little abode, and led her inside.

Inside was a variety of furniture and rooms waiting to be explored, a theoretical 'tardis' in other words. He first led her into a small living room fit with a few wooden chairs and a softer sofa, with a relatively average-sized coffee table in the middle. Did he even drink coffee? 'Wait here. I need to get something.' He then parted down on the sofa. 'You can sit down, you know.' She sat down as he left the room and closed the door of the room he was in.

She studied the few wooden chairs closely. They seemed to be all hand carved designs, even if they looked like they were originally bought. She then stood up and admired a painting he had on the wall. It appeared to be of three boys. The one on the left wore blackout glasses, a black jacket, a white tee and a leather bag over one shoulder. He also appeared to have a black streak in his light brown hair on the painting. There was also a little 'R' next to his head, probably an initial. The second boy on the middle appeared to be a younger Dolios, with a 'D' next to his head, a purple t-shirt, a yellow hoodie and a tiny handmade top hat, with his arms around the third boy, who had a 'V' by his head, and was covered with a black hoodie and checked grey shirt. He also had a little black eyeshadow round his eyes plus a purple streak in his messy dark brown hair, and looked just as happy as the other two.

'I'm back! Oh, you-you're looking at that...'