As Vanessa ambled closer to the building shapes seemed to writhe and adjust to her presence. The shadows that roiled from the changing shapes were subtle, at first – just twitching oily presences outside of the corners of her eyes, gone when she looked. But when she looked at them directly they went still.<br/><br/>Halfway to the dwelling, one of the shapes finally solidified long enough for her to get a good look at it. It was a python, a huge, thick bodied thing – perhaps thirty feet in length with glowing *red* eyes. Oh, and half of it seemed looped back across the path she’d taken to get this far. The rest was overgrown with creepers and thorned vines, quite dangerous to run through. Head the size of a small dog, the serpent seemed sleepy – eyes blinking slowly – as it turned to look at her.<br/><br/>Ahead, at mansion, a door opened, spilling light, with a slender figure visible in silhouette, long black hair swaying softly in the cool breeze.<br/><br/>Danger here, danger back, danger to the sides. Would she go to the light or embrace the serpent?<br/>