Nicole wanted to visit the countryside to go stargazing, but a hypnotic serpent has something else she can stare at...

~SSSSSS~

Light pollution was a nightmare.

It had been years since Nicole had gone stargazing. Her family used to live out in the country, so she grew up watching the constellations, but that ended when they moved to the suburbs. There, you could only see the very brightest stars, and then, only if the conditions were right.

That was why she had to rent a cabin far, far away from any lights or civilization.

Hidden deep in the mountains was an old log cabin that a friend of her father owned. Nicole was able to get it for the weekend for cheap. Now, fresh out of college and without a care in the world, she would be able to map the stars all over again like when she was a kid. There’d be no one but her and a telescope for two whole nights!

After settling herself in and eating dinner, Nicole waited for nightfall, tied her raven hair into a ponytail, grabbed her telescope, and ran out for a nearby hill.

Five minutes away, at the edge of the forest, was a field that opened up a wide patch of sky. She set herself down, leaned against a large tree, and just watched the distant lights spark far above. She stared in wonder, took notes on where constellations were, and admired the distant colors of the Milky Way.

After an hour of wonderment, Nicole set her telescope aside and leaned against the tree, folding her hands behind her head. She let out a long sigh, so glad that she had finally gotten to relive some of the best memories of her childhood.

“They’re lovely, aren’t they?”

“Aah!” Nicole gasped.

She looked around for whoever just spoke. She should have been the only person around for miles, but after checking all around her, in the dim light, she couldn’t see anyone.

“Who’s out there?” she called.

“Sssorry if I ssstartled you…”

Nicole heard the rustling of leaves and craned her neck up to see a thick, curved vine descending towards her. It wasn’t until she saw a pair of large, cartoony eyes blink that she realized she was watching a gigantic serpent.

“Oh my god!” she gasped, backing suddenly against the trunk of the tree.

“Please, please,” the snake grinned. “I don’t mean to alarm you. I ssso rarely get guestsss out here.”

Perhaps it was how the snake kept his distance, or how he could talk, but he didn’t seem hostile at all. “You’re not gonna… hurt me?” Nicole sheepishly asked.

“C-sss-ertainly not!” the snake said. “What do I look like, a wild animal?” He gave a goofy grin and hissed, sticking his tongue out at her.

Nicole couldn’t help but grin herself. She relaxed a little and settled away from the trunk. The snake didn’t seem too interested in her, at least not as a meal. He even glanced away, back at the stars, admiring them as she had been moments before.

There was a long moment of silence as the both of them sat, enjoying the heavenly display. Nicole glanced up at the snake, trying to guess how long he was. Twenty feet? Thirty? More? She was curious, but didn’t want to ask since she wasn’t sure if that would be considered rude or not. He did have beautiful scales though. The enchanting brown skin reflected in the moonlight, tracing down the snake’s back like diamonds. Black spots dotted along his spine, and the number and girth of them made the snake look larger than before.

“Sooo… I guess you live out here?” Nicole asked, trying to open some conversation.

“Hmm?” the snake turned to face her. “Oh, yesss, I supossse you could sssay I do. I keep to the trees, though there is a nic-sss-e lake not far from here that I like to basssk in during the sssummer.”

“I’ve never heard of a snake with a lakehouse before,” Nicole teased.

The snake twisted his neck up, almost in a shrug. “You take what you can get.”

“Well, I’m staying at the cabin up the road. A friend of my dad’s owns it, so I’m there for the weekend.”

The snake nodded. “I wondered if anyone owned that house.”

The snake turned and looked at Nicole, almost like he was sizing her up. She felt awkward, and blushed, looking away into the field. “So, uh… do you have a name?”

The snake inched closer, slithering down from the branches until he was right in front of his guest. “My friendsss call me Kaa.”

“Kaa?” Nicole repeated. “That’s a nice name. Mine’s Nicole.”

“Very nic-sss-e to meet you, Nicole.”

Kaa slithered some of his tail down, offering the tip like a hand. Nicole took the hint and grabbed on, shaking it and giggling. Slowly, Kaa’s tail wrapped around her forearm, until it reached her elbow in only two coils.

“Wow,” she muttered. The width of Kaa’s tail that she held grew as he slithered down her arm, until it was so thick that she couldn’t get her grip around half of it. She unconsciously gave his muscle a squeeze, so he gave her arm one back.

“You’re so strong Kaa,” Nicole said. “I’m glad you’re friendly.”

He hissed a chuckle, tickling Nicole’s cheek as his tongue lashed out. Even though she was alarmed to see him at all before, now she felt more relaxed around Kaa, even with him so close to her.

“Well, you’re lucky it’sss me,” Kaa said, staring straight into her eyes. “There are dangerousss animals in these woodsss…”

“There are… dangerous animals?” Nicole asked, shuddering at the thought.

“Yesss, but you’re with me now,” he hushed her. “They won’t come near you.”

“Oh… that’s good,” Nicole sighed. “Does that mean… we can watch the stars… some more?”

“Mmhmmm…” he said, moving his head in big, exaggerated nods. “You can ssstare as long as you would like.”

“I’d… like that,” Nicole smiled. But with Kaa in the way, so close to her head, the stars were blocked from her view. The few that she could see from around his face were blurry and faded.

“Um, K-Kaa?” Nicole mumbled. “I can’t… see the stars…”

“Oh, how sssilly of me,” Kaa said. He blinked and craned his head away, clearing Nicole’s vision and opening the heavens to her once again.

“Better?” he asked.

“Yeah… better,” Nicole mumbled through a yawn. She rubbed at her eyes and shook her head.

“Getting a little sssleepy?”

“No, I’m fine,” Nicole said. “I’m not sure why I’m yawning all of a sudden.”

“Don’t forc-sss-e yourself to stay awake.” Kaa playfully slithered around Nicole, between her and the trunk, then slipped up from her side so that his eyes were level with hers, speaking softly as he glided. “The ssstars will be here tomorrow. Why not go to sssleep?”

Nicole watched the curious way Kaa seemed to swim around her, hanging his impressive bulk from the treetops above. It was like watching a ballet, impressive in how fluidly he flew around her.

“I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “I’m not even tired anymore, see?” She gave her cheeks light slaps, then grinned back at him. “Back to totally awake.”

Kaa shrugged again. “As long as you’re sssure.”

Nicole went back to looking at the night sky. There was just something so freeing about watching the lights above. It made her lightheaded, and she found it hard to focus, both her mind and her eyes. She shook her head again and rubbed at her eyes. What is wrong with me? she wondered to herself.

“So, Kaa,” Nicole started, figuring more conversation would help keep her awake. “Do the other animals in the forest talk like you do?”

“No, I’m afraid not,” Kaa sighed. “It can get ssso lonesome here. Ssso boring, without someone to talk to.”

“Aww, that’s so sad.” Nicole reached a hand out for Kaa, hesitated, unsure if she was being presumptuous, then carried through and stroked at one of his coils. Kaa’s substantial muscles flexed at her touch, and the effect rippled down his body, up into the leaves above. Nicole suddenly realized how easily Kaa could have wrapped up her and crushed her if he had wanted to. Once again, she was very glad that he was friendly.

“If it makes you feel any better,” she offered, “I can come back tomorrow and we can hang out some more.”

“Really?” Kaa’s head picked up and he flashed her a genuine grin. “That’sss so sssweet of you Nicole.”

Nicole heard some rustling from above and craned her head to see Kaa’s tailtip draping down towards her. Kaa landed his tail on her arm, where it slithered around her shoulders in a loose hug.

“I mussst sssay,” Kaa began, “that it’s ssso nic-sss-e to have company again. After all, the human villages are so far away. Having you here with me isss…” Kaa paused to smack his lips. “Sssuch a rare treat!”

Nicole giggled, and ran her arm along Kaa’s tail, pulling it over her chest. She continued to rub her fingers along the smooth scales, watching them carefully as she pressed in against them. Kaa reacted by gently squeezing back, pressing her shoulders and upper arms together.

“Mmm, that feels nice,” Nicole sighed. “You give a good massage Kaa.”

“Hmm?” Kaa asked. He was staring at her again, eyes glazed over like he was thinking about something, then shook his head. “Oh, yesss. I have been known for many talentsss…”

He slithered in front of her, rearing up and staring down, peering sharply into Nicole’s eyes.

“Talking, massages…” Nicole listed. “What else can you do?”

“I have been told that I have a very… attractive persssonality…” He finished with a chuckling “Sss-sss-ssss…”, sticking his tongue out with each note. He made sure not to break eye contact with Nicole.

Nicole smiled and stuck her tongue out at Kaa, teasing him back. “Well, you are very nice. And… it’s easy to talk to you.”

Nicole continued to smile at Kaa, pivoting her neck up to see him staring down from above. She felt the snug embrace of his coils move away from her shoulders, tracing a path down her arms and into her lap.

“Mmm, yesss…” Kaa droned. “It’sss so nic-sss-e to be… around sssomeone.”

Nicole could feel herself relax. Her face slackened, very subtly, and her smile shrunk, though her good mood did not. “You don’t… get to talk to… many people… do you Kaa?”

“Oh no, I’m afraid not,” Kaa said, shaking his head in big, slow motions. “But I’m very glad that I have you, my sssweet.”

“I’m glad too…” Nicole said. Her voice was growing quieter, and she felt relaxing pulse buzzing in her head. “It’s good to… have someone who… likes… ssstars… like I do…”

Kaa hissed a serpentine laugh again. “You almossst sssound like a sssnake, my sssweet.”

Nicole gave a short giggle. “Ssssssssssorry…” she teased, drawing out her own hiss. “Ssssshhould I not… be ssssssso… sssssssnake…like…?

Kaa chuckled again. “No, no,” he shook his head again, drawing in closer, never breaking eye contact with the girl. “You’re human… jussst the way I like…” He ran his tail tip along Nicole’s cheek.

Nicole gasped at the soft touch, dropping her mouth open, and her eyes fluttered closed for a moment. She shot them back wide again, then leaned forward towards Kaa with a long yawn, before looking back at him. Why was she was having such a hard time keeping her eyes open?

“Sssssorry…” Nicole muttered again, meaning it less as a joke this time. “I don’t know why… I’m just… out of it…”

“Perhapsss you’re sssimply hungry,” Kaa suggested. “I don’t know about you… but I am ssstarved!”

“Mmm… no,” Nicole muttered. “I had dinner… I’m jussst… I’m…”

“Sssssleepy?” the snake offered.

“No… no, I’m…” Nicole jerked her arm, trying to slap herself awake again. But her arm and the slap never came. It was like it was held down with lead. “I’m not… ssssleee…” She paused for a moment to yawn. “…leeeepyy…”

Kaa smiled and leaned in again. His eyes were right in front of Nicole’s now. She couldn’t see the stars, or the sky, or even the tree just above her. Kaa was so close to her that she could have leaned in and kissed him. Their eyes nearly touched, but it didn’t annoy Nicole at all to have her view taken away.

“As long as you can ssstill ssseee, my sssweet,” he hissed in a low whisper. “Jussst keep ssstaring at your ssstars. Sssstare and relax-sss with me…”

“Y-yeah…” Nicole mumbled. “Re…relax-sss…”

“Yessss… That’sss it…”

Kaa grinned even wider than before. Nicole felt a tug on her own lips, but they dropped again, her whole mouth too heavy to close. She was so relaxed that she could barely feel the rest of her body. It was like a warm, leathery blanket had tucked her in for the night.

“You’re ssso ssssleepy, my sssweet,” Kaa hissed, giving slow, gentle nods. “Ssso relax-sss-ed and ssssleepy…”

Nicole found herself following Kaa’s eyes, sluggishly bobbing her head like him. “I’m… ssso…ssslee…ssssleeepyy…”

“Yesss…” Kaa hissed sharply, with a sinister edge in his voice. “You can feel your mind ssslipping away.”

Kaa’s tongue tickled Nicole’s nose as he laughed, but she barely registered it. She barely registered anything anymore. “Mmmmuh… my… mind…”

“Jusssst let Kaa do all your thinking for you,” Kaa said. “Ssssstare at your sssstars… Resssst in peac-sss-e…”

“Sssssstarsss…” Nicole repeated.

For a while now, Nicole had seen these strange colors, instead of stars, popping in front of her. She didn’t mind them, not at all, even though they had gotten in her way. Something had relaxed her so much that she hadn’t thought about complaining before. There were only the colors now, and Kaa.

Nothing else mattered…

“Muh… muh…” Nicole mumbled.

“Yessss, my sssweet?” Kaa asked. He blinked and pulled back from her face, but not too far. “Isss sssomething the matter?”

“Uhh…K… Kaa…” she struggled to finish. “I… I can’t… sssssee… ssssstarssss…”

“Oh, I’m ssso sssorry to hear that. Why don’t you ssssleep for now?”

“Buh… but… can we… sssee ssssstarsss… tomorrow?”

“Oh, my poor dear…” Kaa slithered up to hear again, pressing his forehead against hers. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, Nicole was aware that the colors had come back.

“You won’t be here tomorrow…”

“…Oh…”

Kaa hissed to himself one last time. Nicole barely noticed the weight winding around her neck until a sharp tug forced all the air out of her!

“GULK!”

Soon, there was a tight pressure all around Nicole’s body. She couldn’t move her arms, her chest, and she could hardly even breathe. Her head dropped at an angle, and she finally noticed that she had been coiled all the way from her waist to her neck. Kaa must have been encircling her body while they talked, and she never noticed what he had been up to.

The coils continued climbing, and very soon, the thick coil around Nicole’s neck forced her to look up, until she couldn’t even turn her head. The bands of muscles all around Nicole’s body constricted, holding her perfectly still, in place.

Now, she was relaxed beyond imagination, barely coherent, and trapped inside this giant serpent’s coils.

And somehow, there wasn’t an ounce of resistance or fear in her mind. No urge to escape or protest. Kaa had made quite sure that there was nothing left in her mind at all.

Kaa lifted her up, admiring his own handiwork, as the helpless little girl sat motionless and mindless in his coiled cocoon. He spun her twice, adding more coils to her legs until everything up to her knees was encased in his constricting embrace. Kaa’s signature rings of color ran quickly through Nicole’s eyes. In her last moments, her mind had completely shut off and she wore a stupid grin plastered across her face. She never had any idea that he had been hypnotizing her the entire time!

Kaa loved this sight far more than any stars.

“Well my sssweet,” Kaa said as he hovered his drooling mouth above her. “It was nic-ssse meeting you, but I’m afraid you really mussst be on your way…”

Nicole looked up towards Kaa’s voice. In her entranced state, she couldn’t register what was happening, but saw a wide maw stretching over her. The lips passed over her face, taking her deeper to her final resting place.

As more and more of her body was released from the coils, it was replaced by a new, slick, slimy coffin. She slid inside easily enough, especially when she was tilted upwards and felt gravity drag her down deep, deep into this new abyss.

Soon, the light was gone, and the air left her. Nicole’s mind began to panic, until her oxygen-starved brain hallucinated an array of galaxies, solar systems, and stars, all for Nicole to relax to and enjoy. She sighed and smiled from deep inside Kaa’s stomach.

She could stare at those stars for the rest of her life…