8 year old walking alone turns back to see a presence lurking behind her.

When a young New Jersey girl was walking alone in July of 2020, she felt a strange presence following her and suddenly became scared. Eight year old Dylan Dratch thought she was having a nightmare as she started sprinting away, but it wouldn't be long until she realized just how real the dangerous situation was. Dylan was in serious trouble and things could have turned even uglier if it weren't for the quick thinking of one of her brave neighbors in Livingston, New Jersey, young Dylan Dratch decided to spend some time in nature with a friend.

The walking along the Creek and enjoying the summer sun soon nearly turned into a fatal choice. While eight year old Dylan passed by the stream, she felt a presence stalking her. At first, she couldn't accept this scary feeling as reality and figured she was dreaming. That's when she started running, Dylan started to speed away, then abruptly fell. The Fox caught up to speed and pounced. When she felt the teeth sinking into her flesh, she quickly realized that she wasn't dreaming. Dillon screamed for help as she tried to kick the Fox off of her. It was no use. The Fox relentlessly bit her a total of 19 times. She sustained injuries on her ankles, shins, and both feet. Even though Dylan had a friend with her, the Fox attacked. The animal for some reason had lost its instinctual fear of humans. Two small children were no match against this predator. All Dylan could do was scream. Luckily, a neighbor heard the little girl's cries for help. Matt Mitchell, home on break from College, just happened to be playing basketball outside when he noticed Dylan's screams. The 20 year old threw his basketball at the Fox, then ran straight up to it with his arms outstretched. It was an attempt to show dominance through size, and it paid off. The Fox fled. Matt Nicher Humbly accepts being the good Samaritan. While he says saving her was pure instinct to Dylan and her mother, it made him a hero. Still, the little girl wasn't out of the woods yet. Dylan still had to deal with the 19 bites she suffered. She was treated at a local hospital and thankfully did not need to stay overnight. While the attack had badly scarred her, Dylan remained strong throughout her recovery. The Livingston Chief of Police Gary Marshowitz commented on Dylan's attack with surprise. He stated that in the over 30 years that the Community's Animal Control Department has been active, this was the only Fox attack on record. While Dylan's Fox attacker remains at large, Livingston law enforcement worked with the state of New Jersey on a solution. They set Fox traps in the area in hopes of catching the stray wild animal as habitats for Foxes and Coyotes continue to dwindle, they will be forced to make more frequent appearances in public spaces. Even though this marked the first attack in Livingston in over 30 years, parents are hesitant to let their children outdoors in small groups. The attack left Dylan rattled and reluctant to go outdoors. So to lift her spirits, friends and family surprised her with a party. Adults from the neighborhood got together to supply the kids with hot dogs and ice cream. The adults in the neighborhood thought the COVID-19 pandemic played a part in Dylan's survival. With more people at home, parents and neighbors watch out for each other more than ever before. But what caused the incident in the first place? One major reason the Fox targeted Dylan was due to her small size. Foxes are usually timid and rarely attack people. And while running away was a natural instinct for a child in danger, it can also trigger a predator to attack. Although Fox attacks are rare in Livingston, other areas in the nation are more susceptible to them. Often, the victims of predatory Foxes are people's pets. Thankfully, there are multiple methods to Ward off Foxes in order to protect your area. Foxes have a natural fear of humans. If seen in the daytime, they usually run. If not, it means that someone has most likely fed them. It might seem cute to offer them treats, but Foxes are wild animals, so feeding them will only make them equate humans with food. If a Fox is bold enough to approach a human in daytime, it does not mean that they do not scare easily. However, there is a tactic to help. Surprisingly, you'll need to frighten off the Fox each time in a process called hazing. While Matt Mitchell didn't know it at the time, he used hazing techniques to scare the Fox away. Hazing includes making loud noises like yelling or banging pots and pans, or blowing whistles. When a Fox approaches. Throwing a bucket of water or using a hose on Foxes scares them. The main goal is to keep the Fox surprised. Hazing encourages the Fox to regain their lost fear of humans while leaving both parties unharmed. If done sooner, it might have protected Dylan's attack. So if you spot a Fox in your area, no matter how cute and fairytale esque they seem, don't approach wild. Foxes aren't meant to be interacting with humans, even if a socalled professional facility advertises it, these wild animals are no attraction. When Anna Davis was planning her trip to Japan, she knew she wanted to stop at Zao Fox Island. After all, the attraction described itself as nature preserve, just keeping the animals comfortable in a mountain retreat. It sounded like a blast, especially to Anna. She'd seen the photos. As guests walk through surreal snowy landscapes, they're swarmed by cute Foxes looking to be pet like the family dog. From pictures alone, this preserve gave Disneyland a run for its money on the Happiest place moniker, but it was more personal to Anna, too. She volunteered at Animal Sanctuaries in the United States and hoped this would be similar to those wildlife centers. So she packed her bags and headed to Japan for what she thought would be the trip of a lifetime. She was wrong. When she first arrived, something about the preserve felt off from her point of view. The Foxes were being used as mere decorations to draw visitors into the Zoo, and when Anna paid to get in, she received pellets that looked similar to dog food. Then she was told not to touch Foxes or hand feed them and that they should stand tall and try to scare them away if the animals became aggressive. After all this, she was told she could pay extra to pet her own Fox. By this point, Anna knew she wasn't in a wildlife rescue. More than 150 Foxes were crammed into the area together, and there was an Arctic Fox tied to a post, and the animal was dangerously overweight. Her time at the preserve only grew more bizarre. The smells were as terrible as the sights. It was a hot July day, and the area was really dusty, Anna said. It smelled like feces, and the heat just seemed to make it worse. Her visit only got worse from there. On Hotel Street, a path that winds through Fox Village. Wooden crates held sleeping Foxes, and piles of wired cages held the most aggressive animals. They had very little room to move. The Foxes in captivity ranged from a few who were healthy to many emaciated animals roaming around in a dusty space. Besides the boxes, they had very little in the way of protection from the environment and sun. Even though visitors were given dry food to give to the Foxes. Wet little piles of goopy pink food littered the space. Anna watched flies swarm the gunk. It didn't look appetizing at all for the Foxes to feed from, and as people fed the Foxes their Kibble, some of the animals would follow them around the enclosure, begging for scraps and nipping at their clothes. This was a result of too many animals in one area. This was particularly troublesome for Foxes. Foxes are naturally solitary animals who rarely come in contact with each other, let alone people. Putting them together causes conflict with these territorial creatures, especially in a space that isn't well set up to begin with. Experts weighed in on Anna's insights. Fox Village keeps Foxes in a totally different way from their natural biology, said Makiko Nakano, a veterinarian who has visited Fox Village. Foxes do not live in groups. They cooperate only to raise their Cubs and otherwise live solitary lives. Anna and Mccipo aren't the only ones outraged by this treatment. Many other visitors have taken to TripAdvisor to talk about the injustice at Fox Village. Hopefully, it can serve as a warning to others. We saw Foxes chewing on ladders and pieces of aluminum siding. We saw a ladder fall on a Fox, one reviewer said. The images you see online are only half of the truth, another tourist said. One expert noted the very basis of the village may be a lie. The moment you start charging people to be entertained by animals, you stop being a sanctuary built around the notion of compassionate conservation, said Prashant Keaton, CEO of Born Free USA and animal advocacy nonprofit. When animals are viewed as entertainment, they are going against their natural behavior. Over time, this can result in a physical strain on them. This isn't something they can keep up forever. When the time comes when the animal is no longer performance worthy, then what do you think happens to that animal? He or she can't be released back into the wild because they won't survive, said Prashant. Foxes, along with Owls and Penguins, are only some of the animals who are getting the cute and accessible treatment in cafes and other animal themed restaurants. These animals may look adorable, but they aren't meant to be kept in this way. If you love Foxes and want to protect them, the only true way is to get rid of irresponsible and dangerous breeding practices and let them stay wild. When people see them as cute and cuddly, it can send the wrong message. If you want to see cute animals in a responsible way, try Cafe Lua in Machito Neko Republic, the outdoor Cat Cafe in Ikebukuro rabbit Island, Okunoshima Cat Island, anoshima or many other options. Clearly, dog people learn to adapt on Tashiro Jima, aka Cat Island. They pretty much have to, or they'd be miserable on the island where cats officially outnumber humans. How Tashirojima earned the name Cat Island goes way back to the mid 18th century. Japan's late Edo period was characterized by economic growth, enjoyment of arts and entertainment and a stable population, all of which made its way to the island of Tashiro Jima, just not in the way people expected. The people of Tashiro Jima were incredibly hardworking, and so were their cats. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, people on the island raised silkworms for their textiles. The problem? The island's mouse population preyed on the precious silkworms. Luckily for the workers, there was a clear solution. For every mouse is a hungry cat right on its tail. And before long, the island's cat population grew to accommodate that of the mice. But there was a hitch in the workers plan. When you have straight cats on an island, there's really only a handful of things they can do Hunt, sleep and mate. Before Tashiro Jima knew it, the island was overrun with cats. It helped that the island was sustained by the fishing industry. In that way, Tashiro Jima became something of a cat's paradise. It was lousy with fish and mice. It was covered with interesting peaks and trails for the cats to explore. And as the generations passed, the island mainly became home to cat enthusiasts, and cat enthusiasts may not be a strong enough word. Every store, hotel and home on Cat Island has a litany of cat toys, and tourism guides recommend that visitors bring their own cat food. Since it's always sold out on the island. Even the most grizzled residents have soft spots for the cats. There's a mythology among fishermen that the cats bring good luck. When a fisherman once accidentally killed a cat, he felt so guilty that he built something unusual in the middle of the island. He built a shrine for the animal, which has become a tourist attraction and a favorite haunt among the island's many felines, mainly because people leave cat toys around the shrine. Weirdly enough, that's not the only cat shrine in the area. There are at least nine more scattered across the Miagi Perfecture. As more tourists head to Tishirojima to see cat Islands in themselves, a couple of cat themed attractions have popped up. You can even find little ends designed to resemble the island's favorite fourlegged animals. If you want to bring your dog to the island, you're out of luck. It's strictly forbidden in order to protect the cats from harm. It shouldn't come as a surprise that the human population of Tashira Jima has grown fond of the cats. And though it is considered inappropriate to keep the cats as pets, some of the felines have endeared themselves to the humans more than others. One such cat, named Droopy. Ear Jack, even hit the big time. A movie was made about him that was turned into a series and Taurus head over to the island specifically to find Jack. Droopy. Eared Jack may not sound like a particularly powerful cat, but don't let the endearing name fool you. Whether big or small, every cat on Cat Island is treated with respect. After all, good fortune comes to fishermen who feed the strays. But in 2011, they learned that this isn't always the case. On March 11 of that year, the cats suddenly started wailing. That alone wasn't unusual, but what was unusual was just how many cats were howling. Out of nowhere. It seemed that wherever you went, there was a cat wailing at whoever would listen. But that was the problem. No one listened. It was weird that a majority of the cats were making a ruckus when usually they didn't, but no one quite knew what to make of it. Weirdest of all was the way the cats looked. Every cat owner knows what it looks like when a cat feels threatened. Their tail puffs up, their ears flatten out, their eyes become the size of dinner plates. Unfortunately, by the time anyone realized what this all meant, it was too late. Hours after the howling began, a 90 magnitude earthquake hit to Huku, sending a merciless tsunami in its wake, which headed right towards Tashirojima. The island and its four legged friends scrambled for cover, hoping the cat's good luck would save them. In a way, it did. Most of Toshirojima was still standing after the tsunami passed. Though buildings on the shore were damaged, a majority of houses were intact. One of the first things people did was roam the streets in search of any feline survivors. It was impossible to protect all of the cats, so the people of Tashirojima were afraid of what they would find. Luckily, they had no reason to fear. Slowly but surely, most of the cats reappeared in town. Wet and Grouchy was still alive. As Cat Island grows into a playground for cats and tourists alike, no one can forget the time the furry felines almost sacrificed their nine lives to warn To Shira of impending doom. Weirdly enough, it's only one of Japan's many animal conquered Islands. At first glance, Akuna Shima looks just like any of the other Islands that make up Japan's Cedo inland sea. Accessible only by ferry, this unassuming strip of rock and tree has become one of the country's most popular attractions and not because of its natural beauty. Instead, tourists flock from all over the world for a chance to experience the island's huge feral rabbit population. In fact, Okunashima is now most often referred to by its nickname, Usagi Shima, literally Rabbit Island. More than 1000 of these furry little creatures called Uknashima home. And with no natural predators, their number only continues to grow. Each year, many locals have come to associate the island with fertility. Though tourists seem to hold a far different perspective, Okunishima has become the Premier destination for those looking to get up close and personal with these cuddly creatures. Years of contact have rendered the rabbit's docile and unafraid of humans, with many even coming right up to visitors for a quick sniff. Unsurprisingly, this unique behavior has produced plenty of viral content that only serve to attract more tourists to its shores. But while an island filled with cute, friendly rabbits may seem innocent as can be, the history of Okunoshima is anything but. Before it was a worldfamous tourist destination, Okuno Shima served as a cultivation site for mainland Japan for centuries. It wasn't until 19 four during the outbreak of the Russo Japanese War, that the island began to take shape of something more than just farmland. Ten forts were constructed to protect the island, though following the war's Swift end in 19 five, the structures fell out of use. Still, Okuna Shima has proven capable of supporting military installments and keeping secrets as well. With the island's population at less than 20, the Japanese government knew they could do as they pleased on the island without fear of prying eyes. That's why, in 1925, the Imperial Japanese Army arrived on Okuna Shima with sinister intentions. After receiving intel that the powers of Europe and the United States were doing the same, the army initiated a secret program to begin developing chemical weapons for Japan. Not exactly rabbit friendly behavior. The construction of the weapons factory on the island was highly classified and most of those that were employed here were never told what they were making. The Japanese government even went as far as completely erasing Okunoshima from their maps. For more than a decade, the facility at Okunoshima produced over six kilotons of mustard gas and tear gas for use by the Imperial Japanese Army. These chemicals were primarily used during the Second Sino Japanese War between 1937 and 45, resulting in more than 800 deaths. Following Japan's surrender at the end of World War II, all documents pertaining to the project were destroyed, and American troops ultimately disposed of the remaining chemicals through dumping, burning, and burying. Yet what does any of this have to do with an island full of rabbits? Well, during the height of chemical production, rabbits were shipped to Okonishima for use as test subjects. After the factory shut down, the workers wound up releasing the animals into the wild. Or at least that's what many first believed. As it turns out, the remaining rabbits were actually killed by American troops when they arrived on Okunoshima. So how did this enormous colony of fluff balls really get here? Believe it or not, the island's rabbits are actually descendants of a group of eight that were released on the island back in the 70s during early efforts to transform Oklunoshima into a park. Since then, these rabbits have only continued to multiply and thrive, though they may not for much longer. The increasing popularity of Okunoshima has resulted in a population boom as tourists continue feeding the rabbits uninhibited. This wouldn't be a problem if visits to the island were constant, though unfortunately, tourism doesn't work that way. During the offseason, human supplied fee becomes a rarity, leaving the 10 strong population to turn to the island itself for food. As the number of rabbits continues growing unchecked, it's only a matter of time before Okunishima's vegetation is completely wiped out, and even when tourists are around, they're not exactly feeding these rabbits the healthiest diets. Many visitors will sneak nutritionless and even harmful foods to these animals, resulting in the average rabbit lifespan falling to just two years. Of the 728 rabbits that we counted on the island, 28% had visible injuries or illnesses reported Animals and Society Institute program director Margot de Mello, who saw this percentage jump to 50 in the areas of the island closest to the humans. Conservationists are now working to limit the impact of tourists on the Okunoshima, a mission they've already had experience carrying out on other uninhabited Islands off the coast of Brazil. Unfortunately, the lush treetops here are concealing something far deadlier than a few hundred bunnies. From a distance, however, Ilha de Kemira Grande looks like the perfect place to get away. Its rainforest dense shores give way to smooth, Sandy beaches below, and the average temperature in the summer rarely tops 80 degrees. Unfortunately, the island isn't a vacation spot. In fact, no one is allowed to visit it at all. That's because this seemingly idyllic paradise is actually home to one of the most dangerous predators on Earth. Meet the bathrops insularis, better known as the Golden Lancehead pit Viper. And while there are no documented cases of one ever biting a human, there are plenty of Legends surrounding the deadliness of this snakes bite. One story tells of a fisherman who foolishly ventured to Ilha de Kimita Grande in search of bananas. When he never returned to the Brazilian mainland, his fellow fisherman set out to look for him, only to discover his snake bitten body lying face down in his boat. Another legend describes the tragic death of the island's Lighthouse keeper while he and his family were asleep. One night, a swarm of golden lanceheads slithered their way into the tower and killed each of them with a single bite. There may actually be some truth behind these stories, as the Lancehead species as a whole is responsible for more deaths than any other snake in north or South America. With a venom five times more potent than that of its cousins, however, the Golden Lance head could wreak havoc if released into a highly populated area. Lucky for us, Ilha de Kimita Grande is the only place you'll find these serpents. And like the legend of their fatal bite, the story of how they came to call the island home is just as frightening. Some believe that during the days of Pirates, resourceful swashbucklers buried treasure on the island and brought golden lamp heads with them to guard it. Over time, these snakes began breeding and eventually took over the island. More realistically, Ilha de Camille Grande was likely once part of mainland Brazil, though rising tides eventually separated it from the rest of the landmass. As thousands of years passed, the lanceheads that were trapped on the island eventually evolved into the golden serpents that live there today. Their powerful venom is also likely a result of evolution, as their primary food source consists of the birds that nest high in the island's treetops. The venom must be fastacting and highly potent in order to prevent their prey from flying off. Even their bodies have adapted to the island, as the tales of the golden lanceheads are much longer than those of their closest relatives. This adaptation serves to help them slither through trees in search of a meal. Thanks to this abundant food source and lack of natural predators, the golden landscape population has continued to grow exponentially. Estimates have placed the number of snakes here at well over 400,000, which explains the island's more common nickname, Snake Island. In reality, the true population size has been grossly misrepresented, as recent estimates have placed the number of snakes here at between 2000 to 3000. Still, this comes out to one snake for roughly every 10 m² of the island. It's no wonder then that the Brazilian Navy has forbidden visitors from stepping foot on its shores. Only research teams with the proper clearance are allowed to travel to the island, and that's only if they bring a doctor along with them. Still, that hasn't stopped those in the illegal wildlife trading from trying. A single Golden Lance head can fetch up to $30,000 on the black market and a single vial of their venom can go for much more. This is because Golden Lancehead venom is now being harvested for its potential medical benefits. The Venom's effects on blood circulation and clotting make it ideal for use in heart disease drugs, thus creating demand for the snakes themselves. Because of this poaching, the bath drops insularis is now classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN's Red List. Inbreeding has also contributed to the population's endangered status as limited genetic variation has made them susceptible to disease. Humans have also contributed to the snake's dwindling numbers. As early as banana farmers actually tried burning down parts of the island in order to chase them away. In fact, the island is actually partially named after this practice, as chimeda is Portuguese for burnt. Fortunately, conservation efforts are being made in order to prevent these snakes from going extinct as more restrictions are put in place to discourage poachers from visiting the island. We'll hopefully be able to continue to enjoy the golden landscape for years. To come from afar. Of course, another snake you don't want to mess with is the Burmese Python. The biggest of these beasts can reach a length of 23ft and weigh over £160. They will eat anything from mice to adult deer, and they own the Everglades. As their name suggests, the reptiles are native to Asia's tropics, but they were now running wild all over the Everglades. Scientists theorized that following the destruction of Hurricane Andrew, pythons escaped from a Zoo and bred like wildfire. Frank Mazari didn't know quite where the snakes came from, but he was determined to stop them from spreading into densely populated areas like Miami. The biologists wore to throw everything in the kitchen sink at them. But would that be enough? Everglades locals tried all kinds of tricks to root out the serpents. They put snake sniffing dogs out on the marshes and even set loose radio equipped Judas snakes to hopefully reveal their home base. The pythons only continued to grow. Word got around that the reptiles took over and abandoned Nike missile site. While that in and of itself didn't threaten anyone, Floridians feared that if left unchecked, the pythons would breed at an incredible rate. Who knew? It could have only been a matter of time until the snakes expanded beyond the missile base and started showing up in places that were more personal. The snakes were dire, but Frank learned of one group that could help. Deep in the forests of Southern India, the Irula people have mastered snake catching. They see it as an art and take the practice incredibly seriously. Even after India has slapped strict regulations on snake trading in recent years, the Irulus have captured poisonous reptiles for the purpose of producing antivenoms. Clearly, there was nobody on Earth more qualified. But how could Floridians convince this tribe to help a community on the other side of the world? Frank and his herpetologist pals managed to make contact with the Irulas, and to their surprise, the snake catcher showed interest in helping them. Granted, the Floridians would have to shell out thousands of dollars and agree to some unusual methods. Hard as it was to believe, the Irulas didn't use any State of the ART tools for finding and capturing snakes. Instead, their weapon of choice was something found in any garage a tire iron. Contrary to what you might think, they didn't intend these tire irons for a Simpson style waking day. The Irula used them to clear a path through the brush and pick up snakes. But ultimately they tried to capture the reptiles alive when possible. So Frank welcomed the best a Rula hunters, Massi Sarian, and Vadavel Gopal to the Everglades. While both men were in their 50s, they were at the top of their game. But the Floridians got nervous when the Irulas said they never before hunted snakes so large. However, Mossy and Vaderville smiled when they shared this fact. They were eager for the challenge, the chance to put their skills to the ultimate test. Granted, their brand of animal control was not without its risks. From the start, the Irulus tactics puzzled Frank and his friends. They insisted on marching blindly into the sickest part of the swamp. When a snakes trail ended, Mossy and Vatovel made everyone sit down, pray, and smoke a cigarette. Frank's hopes began to wane until one of the Irulas pointed to a shimmer in the mud. Brandishing their trusty tire irons, Mossy and Badevell scooped up a fully grown Python. That was only the beginning. With a few more captures under their belts, the Irulas fearlessly plunged into an old missile shaft where a herpetologist spotted a nest. The sharpeyed hunters grasped a muscled Python tail and spent hours wrestling it out of tree roots. And that one afternoon, the hunters pulled out four monstrous pythons from the overgrown missile shaft. They soon brought their total up to 14 over their first two weeks. While the Irulas couldn't stay in the Everglades forever, they did the next best thing. Mossy and Vadavel shared their wisdom with the local wildlife management team, which never could have located these pythons with conventional techniques. The Irula knowledge could stem the invasion, so the Floridians wanted to give them something in return. Besides paying the Irulas over $4,000 per Python, the Floridians wanted to give them the real American experience. In between expeditions, they watched NFL games and ate hot dogs and Arbiters, their favorite greasy spoon. After a month, the Irulas returned to India, feeling invigorated by the Hunt of their lives. The Floridians knew they were quite fortunate to find experts to turn back the snake invasion. But of course, it wasn't always possible to have heroes on hand. Sometimes everyday people have to Use Their Wits To Survive A Deadly Animal Encounter In the Spring Of 2017, a mother of four named Brianca Dickinson Drove her youngest child, Molly, to the end of the long driveway, cutting through her Ranch In Victoria, Australia. There, she'd meet a snake. But first to pass the time while waiting for the school bus to drop off her older kids, Bianca had two year old Molly posed for a few photographs. For 15 minutes, the duo played and snapped silly pictures until the fun came to an abrupt halt. With the school bus in view down the road, Molly posed for one last photo beside a wired fence. She wore a huge grin and pointed behind herself towards the grass blowing in the wind. It was a perfect photo. Or was it? I was looking through the camera lens and was looking at my daughter, Bianca told ABC Australia. I saw something move in the corner of my eye and actually thought it was bark coming off a tree. But it wasn't bark. What Bianca first assumed to be tree bark was actually an Eastern Brown snake, aka the second most venomous snake in the entire world. And it was slithering right behind her little girl. Venom from the Eastern Brown snake can paralyze victims and make their blood so thin that it seeps through their pores without immediate treatment, a single bite from this critter can send you to an early grave, and it has enough venom to kill 20 adults. So it was no surprise Bianca's insides were twisted into a cold heap when she saw one of those snakes just inches away from her baby girl. I think the snake was touching her boots, Bianca said. It was that close, but what could she do? All my instincts wanted to run and pick her up and scream and run away, Bianca said. However, that move she knew could have had deadly repercussions. If she did that, there was a chance the snake would feel threatened and strike. Complicating the situation, Bianca had to convey to her daughter that there was a big, deadly snake behind her and not to make any sudden movements or take any violent steps backwards. So what did the mother do? She just froze. In doing so, she communicated nonverbally to Molly that she should do the same. Luckily, Bianca said, she copied me and the snake. Much to Bianca's relief, the Eastern Brown snake slithered away, leaving Molly unharmed as it disappeared into the tall grass. The school bus dropped off her three older children, but Bianca's panic hadn't subsided yet. I just started yelling at my other three kids to get in the car, she said. I got in the car and I was shaking, and who could blame her? Her kids immediately noticed she wasn't quite right. While on the drive back up the driveway, her 13 year old daughter, Imogen, far left, asked, what happened? Did you see a snake, mom? Bianca nodded. Yes, she told the kids and it was at least 2 meters. Her kids didn't buy it. Oh, mom, it wasn't that big, Imagin said. But naturally, mother knew best. Back at home, she pulled out her camera and showed her kids the venomous reptile that had come within inches of their little sister. And it shook them all. After seeing just how close Molly had come to the wrong end of a snake, Bianca's older three kids didn't want to go outside anymore. Worse, in showing the kids the photos, Bianca uncovered another nasty shock. She'd been taking pictures of Molly for a while before the school bus showed up. And when she reviewed these photos, she learned just how long the snake had been in striking distance. The Eastern Brown snake posed beside Molly in three photos. In the aftermath, Bianca couldn't look at those now infamous photos and didn't sleep well for weeks. Every time I shut my eyes, I see that big snake and what could have happened? She said. I see Molly being taken away in an ambulance. But how did the two year olds react to her brush with death? Well, when Bianca showed her daughter the photo, the toddler considered it for a moment. And then she said the funniest thing. That's me, Molly said, lethally, pointing at herself, blissfully unaware of the snake in the Photo, Bianca couldn't help but laugh. At least one of her kids wouldn't end up scarred by the moment.
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