Snake In The Attic by Garrett Johnson

[@aandrus2169]

Wow, excellent! I'm not even afraid of snakes but that creeped me out!

[@rosiemcnaughton9933]

Another tale very well read, Tony. You have a real gift for narration.

[@ClassicGhost]

Thanks Rosie

[@jessicaloggins9764]

I’m going to crack it up to drug induced schizophrenia? 🤷‍♀️ Thank you Tony. I’m going to become a lower class member because I appreciate you and want you to be paid to do what you love. It’s just been buisy. It’s my birthday tomorrow.

[@colemarie9262]

Mundane little note here, but some squirrels once found their way from a large tree into a part of my attic that sat right over my bed. I swear to you it sounded like several large men loudly installing an air conditioner (and sometimes wrestling over it) directly over my damn head. I mean even complete with the dropping of metallic objects like screws and bolts every so often....the cause of which I still have no idea. So yeah, for such small creatures, they somehow make themselves sound VERY large lol

[@clonejones7955]

It could've been packrats stealing your stuff and throwing it around to annoy you.😁

[@minzygreen1167]

@@clonejones7955 😂😂😂😂😂

[@susanmercurio1060]

My cats walked around on the roof of the cabin we lived in up in the mountains in Oregon, and I swore that it was a mountain lion.

[@cr3237]

I have a nursery roost of pipistrille bats in my loft. They are one of the tiniest varieties of bat in the UK, but these little blighters sound like a herd of goats up there with the noise they make. I know they are tiny, coz the newly fledged youngsters get lost at night and find their way into my house. I spend about 3 to 4 weeks a year virtually sleepless firstly listening to them stomping around, then listening for the scrabble behind the furniture that tells me one is in my bedroom. I had the indignity of one joining me in my bath one evening. He flew towards the night and catapulted into the bubble bath! I had to fish him out with a flannel and put him on the window sill to dry off. I had another stuck in my waste bin, rattling around and fished him out clinging to a tissue.

[@clonejones7955]

@@cr3237 Oh no no no.I live with bears,cougars etc but bats freak me out severely.In Canada they are a major vector for rabies and a few years ago a like 20 year old guy was out camping and at night something just bumped his bare hand.Turned out to be a rabid bat and he died.I can't even keep my windows open in summer because they come in the house after bugs and I even found one clinging onto the side of my clothes washer drum when I went to do laundry.So I snatched him up in a towel and hung it on a tree by the neighbours.😬

[@susanmercurio1060]

My granddad had a pair of blacksnakes who lived under our cottage porch, and warned us kids not to bother the snakes, because they ate the mice.

[@rneustel388]

My grandfather told me never to mess with the snake in his garden because he didn’t want it to be bothered and leave.

[@rattyrachel4316]

Brilliant writing, Garret Johnson Absolutely brilliant! The story, your flawless delivery, Tony- just no turning back once I started listening! Thanks to you both! (As a kid in rural Mississippi, I once spent the night with a friend; in bed, the lights out, the floor suddenly became a gymnasium for a dozen rats or more - tumbling, squeaking and chortling. I whispered an alarm to my friend in bed next to me. “Go to sleep,” she mumbled...and I did.) 🐀

[@ClassicGhost]

That sounds awful. Just saw a water rat from this barge we are on

[@wmnoffaith1]

Yea; absolutely not! That would be me cancelling that sleepover

[@joane1776]

Great story, and I always love the commentary! Thanks for introducing me to a new writer as well!

[@ClassicGhost]

Thanks! But you're just encouraging my babble

[@lisap.1826]

Great narration, as usual.

[@karrischrunk5646]

I thought perhaps the snake represented his addiction and newly found sense of family and fatherhood. The potential of loss. The symbol, would come out and potentionally follow him. Ruin his self and family, heart, body, and soul. Enjoyed very much!

[@ronk2248]

I made the same connection. I was also reminded of the Biblical symbolism of a "paradise" of a young, new family, threatened by the snake who represents man's evil side. Thanks to both Tony and Garrett for the thought-provoking and atmospheric good work!

[@rameyzamora1018]

Agree, karri. Protagonist hasn't really faced & killed his need to be addicted to something, so it continues to haunt him & he isn't sure it won't come back & get him some day.

[@jeffreese1828]

@ T S So, what do you think of the marks in the dust ? Are those imagined , as well , and is that why the exterminators act oddly towards him ? Must be , not much of a horror if just some guy dealing with a few pests in his house , then moving .

[@violetfemme411]

This entire episode was amazing. I was surprised when I realized I "got it" ...and instantly felt I must be smarter than I thought. That interview was fantastic...but it's hard to believe Garrett has always lived in Texas. I have family there and whether they live in a large metropolitan area, or somewhere rural, the common denomination is that thick drawl that never lessens. I have a brother living there that when you meet for the first time you instantly think stereotypical hillbilly. And yet the man is a fountain of knowledge, well read and an expert on innumerable subjects. His sense of humor and artful storytelling is masterful. Yet when I speak with him all I hear is Hank Hill ranting about the fire ants ruining his lawn. For some reason Texans take extraordinary pride in their grass lawns. But I digress...I'm still basking in the afterglow of this story and interview. Fantastic listening!

[@MSYNGWIE12]

Jaded ole me- halfway through, I started! Truly horrifying, the implications of mind and madness. Looking forward to listening to the author. Thanks to both pony and Garrett. Namaste, Z

[@lizbmusic11]

Great interview too. I wondered if the Gandalf or wizard character was based on the Christchurch wizard - a well known character from that city.

[@earthcat]

This is a REAL horror story. Nightmare fuel.

[@BigDog366]

I only have myself to blame for listening to that. I have a phobia about snakes: can't even tolerate a picture of one (keeping the page lowered whilst I write this because of that picture). The author so cleverly tapped into the essence of phobias with this tale. The horror is so incredibly subtle, that had it been about, for example, spiders, it would have done nothing for me. But sheesh. That was absolutely awful and wonderful at the same time. That he felt it slithering over him... I was once in a pub in Blackpool (Blackpool is a town in England with a huge amusement park that attracts fairground types) and this guy came in with a big rucksack. He put it down by his table. I was casually chatting to my friends at the bar when I saw the rucksack move. It... squirmed. No one has ever seen me move quicker. I was out of that building and down the road like a startled stoat. I only agreed to emigrate to NZ because there are no snakes here. Anyway, thank you posting, and thank you Garrett for your writing skills.

[@deborahmcgee7970]

Lady my son is the same no way would he live in Australia. His friend was there for a few years and wanted my son to go as he was making a lot of money and told him he had never seen a snake but under no circumstances would he go. Like you can’t even look at a picture of one. Don’t even know Where it came from as we live in Ireland no snakes

[@sparklemotion8377]

Don't go to the Djemaa Al Fna square in Marrakech then...

[@colemarie9262]

I genuinely feel you on the phobia thing! Snakes don't do it for me, but very specific types of spiders do, like badly enough that I can't see pics either. One time a friend didn't take me seriously and jokingly made to come near me with one and I had to inform them that I would end our decade long friendship without a second thought if they took another step (and also possibly attack him like a wild animal in my panic). Ugh. Can't even think about it without wanting to change my sheets and vacuum everything.

[@martiwilliams4592]

CREEPY!!!!! Grateful no attics or vipers in sight, and sunset is first 11PM Brilliant!!!! Thank you for the story, presentation and interesting introduction to Garrett Johnson. Hope you will present more of his work.

[@adriennewalker1715]

Love the author interview!

[@mijiyoon5575]

TS 1:16: 50 for mention of *Andy Paciorek, Winter Ghosts & Folk Horror Revival* on Facebook, Twitter & most social media

[@waltercook4868]

FYI, I watch chateau restoration vlogs. In one of them, the owners started work on a chateau that had been abandoned for about 30 years. In the attic, they found skins which snakes had shed. I say this in reaction to your discussion as to whether snakes will crawl into attics or not. Having commented on all this, I must say that I have been to Houston and it is incredibly hot in the summer. It is hard to imagine snakes hiding in an attic in Houston as snakes tend to seek shady cool places. Nevertheless, Johnson's story is really good and the narrator did it justice. Thank you for sharing.

[@janschetters7720]

Yes and no, Sara Ruane, a herpetologist at Rutgers University in New Jersey, told Live Science. Like many reptiles, snakes don't have an external ear structure. However, they do have ear bones in their heads that they use to hear. Even the snake, will say:

[@TeenStoryTime]

I expected a mystery and found myself in a true horror story. Eek! Thanks-

[@constancewalsh3646]

Good writing!

[@mijiyoon5575]

I'm sharing this ...everywhere & forgive me for spamming the comments this time

[@sugarfalls1]

Omg, an ambulance siren just went off as you were getting into the story! Talk about scary! lol

[@ClassicGhost]

I arranged that siren to go off

[@sugarfalls1]

@@ClassicGhost Well it worked 'cause you sure scared me! lol And I don't live in the city so that's why it was so unusual! Now I know you arranged it! lol Love you Tony!

[@genxmum5569]

So funny. I live in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Pretty much everyone has a snake in their ceiling.

[@rneustel388]

That’s pretty freaky when most of your snakes will kill you! lol

[@hawthornetree646]

I liked the story and I enjoyed hearing the American story told with British accent.

[@ClassicGhost]

It's always a issue

[@mijiyoon5575]

Andy has this on Twitter NOW...just letting you know

[@ClassicGhost]

Oh cool!

[@hawthornetree646]

Actually I’ve heard in the American South snakes definitely will crawl up a tree into the attic esp during a hurricane. Surprised author wasn’t aware of this, being from Houston.

[@hawthornetree646]

Had many slugs in yard and great northern snakes, little brown snakes ate ‘em all and then they too left.

[@markferguson3745]

I've had little contact with snakes over my life, but I've still a visceral hatred of them that is almost exclusive.Rats and other such pests? Nothing.But snakes? No , - I couldn't let the suspicion rest, and another reason why I find cats to be vital roommates. The fear of worrying over children I can't relate to, but I am careful that my furry children are protected from that which they haven't evolved to handle. I like to believe that humans aren't innately evil and misplaced, despite all evidence to the contrary. But this has become increasingly difficult in the last decade in particular; how can we de evolve? By fooling ourselves that our stupid technology has made us somehow better?

[@buzzhawk]

Worry if you start having sudden urges to invade Poland.

[@markferguson3745]

@@buzzhawk Okay.Clever, I guess? I'm guessing that you didn't listen to the commentary part? Or you're just a big snake fan?

[@sugarfalls1]

Thanks Big Tony!! Uh oh, he's got his scary voice on!

[@mijiyoon5575]

Wow! I have some of my own photographs in the *Wyrd Harvest Press Books* I'll have to share this to *Andrew 'Andy' Paciorek!!! The books w/ my photographs are these: *Folk Horror Revival: Corpse Roads, Books 1 & revised*... *This game of Strangers* ... *North* ...been a photog most of my life at this point. I was highly flattered to have some of my humble work in these *Wyrd Harvest Press* books for charity w/ the UK *Wildlife & National Trusts*

[@ClassicGhost]

I have a few of their books. I'll look for you.

[@doodybird5766]

I can relate to this! lol South Alabama.. we moved into an old house built in 1927. My folks were stumped because they would find things on their dresser moved around or on the floor. One day Kim and I came home from the grocery store and my dad was sitting on the steps holding his chest, we thought he had, had another heart attack until we got to him and he was raving about a 10ft long Chicken snake he killed inside their bedroom eww! A few months later I was sitting there in another room and saw my little dog slide off the couch and stiffly walk to the French doors going into the dinning room. She kept stretching herself then jumping back and when I got up to see what she was looking at, there was another chicken snake even longer than the other one my dad killed.. it was the female, the mate to the male my dad killed. UGH!!! I found out chicken snakes like the little green garden snakes always travel in pairs.

[@scathatch]

As an Australian, can assure the writer that certain snakes, eg the carpet python, LOVE, hanging around attics and have spied them curled around roof beams. They like to eat rats and mice and in their natural habitat many Aussie snakes climb trees. Not sure if a carpet snake could make its way into the attic of an apartment though.

[@ClassicGhost]

Scary though. I've only ever seen a grass snake in the wild

[@judydowney4839]

I really enjoy listening to you read these stories. I have to bring to your attention a book I have called Best Ghost Stories edited by Anne Ridler. It’s out of print now but has some fantastic stories I would love to hear you do if you can find them. Narrative of the ghost of a hand by Fanu. The Dream Woman by Wilkie Collins. The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde. Lost Hearts by M R James. The inexperienced Ghost by HG Wells. The Open Window by Saki. With Intent to Steal by Algernon Blackwood. Blind Mans Hood by Carter Dickson (the best). Thus I refute Beelzy by John Collier. Crewe by Walter De la Mere. The face by E.F Benson. The Tool by W F Harvey. The Triumph of the night by Edith Wharton. The House Surgeon by Rudyard Kipling.. All great tales written by some of the best that I hope you can consider as you narrate beautifully. Many thanks.

[@judydowney4839]

Thanks for the info. I had a copy years ago but it got water damaged when I moved to Canada. Will look into this.

[@susanmercurio1060]

@Margaret Scott ❤️ Love Better World Books!

[@murieltainter5936]

I don't get it. I will continue to sleep calmly tonight.

[@gigig2492]

I thoroughly enjoyed this creepy story! It’s great to hear from a Christian author, too. I am an Orthodox Christian & we do believe in the Spiritual realm (angels & demons). In fact I was thinking the snake was a Satanic metaphor. Thank you for writing this story. I was riveted.

[@adriennewalker1715]

Boiler suit rather than Hazchem, methinks. Looks similar to those olive green flying suits … but much more workaday …. Think Fred Dibnah when he was wearing the well-worn all in one faded blue-grey, button up overalls … with full length sleeves !

[@dianalyman5950]

It's so weird, I thought all along that the snake was the man's addiction that he feared greatly now in his new life as a parent, then in the interview he totally wimped out of that direction.🤔

[@rickyhurtt5568]

Most amazing thing I’ve got from this story so far is a damned grown mans afraid of what was probably a black racer

[@brandyjean7015]

I would have caught the poor trapped snake & taken it outside. End is story.

[@susanmercurio1060]

@@brandyjean7015 Me too

[@susanmercurio1060]

Where are you from? Only a few people call it a "black racer."

[@rebeccawoolfolk5377]

I guess you have to be afraid of snakes to get the story? Poor little snake is just minding its own business trying to find a place to sleep, and here comes this monster crashing through and shining a light on it. I think we need this story retold from the snake's point of view.

[@anna3036]

Agree 100%. Just a snake.

[@marianserra8371]

Interesting thought, like. The original Planet of the A pes.

[@lucysky384]

Just what l was thinking. I would have called a snake sanctuary so the poor creature could be released in the wild. Strange world.

[@teddydog6229]

I think the narrator going bonkers is kind of a cop out. I didn’t hear that in this amazing story in the writing and narration. Michael Myers is wearing a dickie in Halloween.

[@aprilbrown53]

Snakes eat rats,. I wondered why the narrator didn't see it as a protective presence.

[@mijiyoon5575]

*Dickey* is a fake or false turtle neck collar worn beneath a low cut blouse for *females* ...I have several in various colors ... NOT for decolletage ...not that low cut

[@mijiyoon5575]

@@MrsPicklesIsHome I said *for females* obv I was referring to the word itself *dickie* outside of the story ... duh

[@mijiyoon5575]

The wasps had to be the worse ...they sting like a hot poker

[@soundsilence2604]

This story reads like a first draft. I appreciate the notion that we all harbour a 'snake in the attic'. But following the narrator's journey doesn't lead to this conclusion without prompts. Dickies references coveralls (boilersuit) made by the namesake American workwear brand. Dungarees are called 'overalls' in America.

[@dartmart9263]

They missed Montrose? Yuck. That weird enclave is about as bad as Austin. Lol

[@itgetter9]

Montrose Forever!!

[@dartmart9263]

@@itgetter9 lol

[@sarahsamaria8283]

This story is rather strange. Was there really a snake or could be withdrawal symptoms from his addiction. Again the idea of snake religious intonations. Only he felt it and saw it. People with addictions have an emptiness that need to be filled. The snake appeared with the wife's second pregnancy. May be he is afraid of all the joy in the life and the snake is a manifestation to damper his happiness

[@hawthornetree646]

Dungarees are just jeans.

[@mijiyoon5575]

I bet a lot of people see snakes in Houston

[@norayoder3189]

Funny his first name is Garret…..I was suspicious of the exterminators honestly…..sealing a rat snake in there and figuring it would die as well …..idk

[@ClassicGhost]

Are you thinking Of The game Thief?

[@janschetters7720]

See --- Earth Cat-

[@edf777]

Brilliant

[@nickybaker1338]

Dully read & full story

[@WWZenaDo]

My sympathies lie with the snake.

[@ClassicGhost]

Ha!

[@jessisage4708]

Creepy!

[@hawthornetree646]

Ok, just one more comment and then I’ll stop… Americans who wanted to appear cultured started saying ‘erbs like French, but country folk still pronounce correctly: Herbs, like herbivore.

[@jeffreese1828]

When I was a teenager , we used to call weed 'erb ! Maybe we thought we were cultured . lol

[@hawthornetree646]

@@jeffreese1828 funny

[@ClassicGhost]

Really! I wondered.

[@wmnoffaith1]

Please, please don't do a Texas accent!!! Nothing against Texas people; my husband and I may move there when we retire. (I'm pushing for the Hebrides because my husband is Scottish, but that's unlikely :). Your regular American accent is so great as it is.

[@ClassicGhost]

I can't do one anyway. Though I was tempted to learn. The Hebrides are nice. They have the most beautiful sand.

[@grantl195]

Story just didn't work for me. I can appreciate the symbolism of the snake in regards to the characters addiction, but it just isn't explored well enough and doesn't pay off. The main character just comes off as ineffectual and lacking agency. Unintentionally, the story makes a stronger commentary on modern society. The supposed horror manifests as an incroachment of the natural world into, what the characters seem to expect, is their ultra sanitized and insulated urban bubble. Where any uncontrolled or organic interaction with nature is at best, mearly a novelty, or at worst a menace. Wether by circumstance, intent, or apathy, they seemingly have no social resources to leverage ( family, friends, neighbors etc ) for wisdom or insight into solving their problem, before resorting to paying someone to fix it. The protagonist is a university professor; surely they have a biology department. The lack of research into snake behavior on the authors part didn't service the story here either. Their are definitely the bones of an interesting story here but it really needed to be focused and fleshed out.