Daily Writing Challenge, Day 5

Celia raised her eyebrows. She stood just outside the door to Don Saúl’s study, and nearly cringed at her for so doing. Stop thinking of your life as narrative theming!

But she didn’t do so, not visibly, and instead said, “‘Víbora’? Really?”

Don Saúl nodded. “It’s a bit opposed to the concept of culebrero,” he said. “Despite both referring to snakes. Culebrero as masculine wiliness interpreted as national identity, víbora as shunning tactic to those women who spoke outside their culturally designated sphere.”

All of which has nothing to do with your plan here, thought Celia. “So snake spies. I’m not sure I see your goal here.”

“Lirio has a very disjointed view of snakes, I find.” Don Saúl, who typically kept his eyes closed, lifted one eyelid. His pupil was thin, reptilian, and the pupil was a deep amber color. “The Pescador religion uses serpents as a symbol of evil. But for my mother’s people, serpents were known to appear in dreams of elders and healers. To guide and warn.”

Originally written 4.4.2024