Adrenaline

Extract:

Beni and I were walking on Mt Majura, enjoying our local bush track. Beni is a young energetic dog, who walks with great enthusiasm, thrusting his nose into scent trails and rising up on his hind legs to catch a glimpse of the kangaroos or foxes he detects. We constantly negotiate how we are going to walk together, to manage my desire to keep going forward, his to stop and read the land; mine to walk quickly, his to at least trot. On this hot, sunny day, the long grass, weighed down by seed, was rippling in the breeze, capturing my attention. Suddenly, Beni sprung vertically in the air. Looking down I saw a gleaming Eastern Brown snake escaping across the narrow path. Beni turned back to sniff this strange creature. I heard a short, high scream and ran, hauling the dog away. The scream was mine. My heart banged and my limbs felt trembly. Such a near miss! Both Beni and I on top of Australia’s most deadly snakes! And I had done the wrong thing: you are supposed to stand still. Beni, sensing my concern, jumped up like a puppy, as if I could take him into my arms for protection. We walked home along the wider path; all three creatures shaken by our undesired encounter within our daily shared space....