"Okay," Starsky told Hutch as he took him by the arm and led him toward the exit gate of Reptile Park, "we've seen the alligators, we've seen the salamanders, we've seen the spotted frogs. It's time to go."

"But we haven't seen the albino."

"Hutch, a snake is a snake. If you've seen one, you've seen 'em all."

"We haven't seen this one. Why do you think I came here?"

"I've got a better question."

"What's that?"

"Why am I here? You know I hate snakes, baby or otherwise."

Hutch stopped on the stone path that wound its way through the lush green landscape of Reptile Park. "You're here because I asked you to. How often does one get to see an albino snake?"

"My life would be complete without seeing one."

"Mine wouldn't. Let's go." Hutch turned to go back up the stone path, making his way through the exiting crowd.

Starsky followed him, huffing and puffing and tapping his watch. "Excuse me, Marlin Perkins, but it's three o'clock, the park is closing, everybody's leavin', my feet are killin' me, my stomach is growling . . . "

Hutch spoke over is shoulder. "You know, you can be such a baby sometimes."

"And you can be such a . . . such a . . . "

"Sshh. Come on. They're doing the last exhibit of the day."

"Exhibit," he grumbled as he followed his partner. "Like it's a museum." His voice picked up a little, but with worry. "Hey, Hutch, you ever see that movie Ssssssss with Strother Martin?"

"Yeah. Martin's an under-rated actor in my opinion. Why?"

Starsky waved his hand. "Never mind."

They stopped alongside a waist-high concrete wall that overlooked the three-acre home----a simulated but natural habitat with regulated temperatures, overhanging trees, reeds, sand, a marsh, and beautiful flat stones----of the albino snake.

Starsky noted that a considerable crowd had gathered for the last "exhibit" of the day.

Some folks stood with cameras poised to take pictures of the reptile upon its introduction. Fathers hoisted their children onto their shoulders for a better look.

"Uh . . . " Starsk nudged Hutch's arm as they stood along the concrete wall. "Would you let your kid do that?"

"Sure," Hutch grinned teasingly as he patted his own shoulder. "Hop on."

"No thanks."

Hutch saw Starsky eyeing a rainbow-striped snake--a plush toy two feet in length--draped around a little boy's neck.

"Starsk, remind me to get you one of those for a souvenir on our way out."

"No way."

"Why not? It's cute."

"Hutch, snakes are not cute. I don't care if they're rainbow striped, polka dotted, plaid, or have ribbons in their hair. They are not cute. Remember the one in the refrigerator at Dobey's cabin? Was that a cute snake?"

"Well . . . no. but that was up close and personal. We're viewing this snake at a safe distance."

Starsky saw a man in a park uniform, with a long red ponytail and long sideburns, approaching the crowd. The man climbed over the wall and used a steel ladder to descend into the concrete pit.

He went to a tree stump and picked up a microphone, then looked up at the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Harry, and on behalf of Reptile Park, I'd like to thank you for sticking around for the last viewing of the day. We had to feed Albino. For some reason he's feeling a little frisky today. And he requires LIVE food." He chuckled dramatically. "If you know what I mean."

Starsky turned his back to the snake pit. "Yeah, they probably throw live zebras down in there when nobody's lookin'."

Harry walked toward a cave and opened the wrought-iron gate that ran across its mouth. "And now, the moment you've all been waiting for . . . "

He opened the gate and waited, and there was such a collective gasp from the crowd, and such an astonished one from Hutch, that Starsky turned around to look.

All he could do was stare. Like everyone else was staring.

The snake was huge--at least the circumference of a telephone pole--a white telephone pole--and about as long.

It rippled leisurely across the ground, its tongue flicking in unhurried exploration, pink eyes reflecting nothing but a flat indifference.

Harry spoke with pride, but with a healthy respect: "This is our Great Albino Boa Constrictor. Thirty-five feet long. Two hundred and fifty pounds. Albino can, of course, bite, but he is non-poisonous and prefers to asphyxiate his prey with his powerful coils."

Comments of fear and disgust trickled across the crowd. Harry's hand reached down to touch the pale snake. "The Great One and I have an understanding. If I feed him, like I just did, he won't eat me. That's why I show him after feedings, you see. Right now he's too full to eat me."

Starsky murmured to Hutch, unable to take his eyes from the exotic creature. "Full of zebras."

"I wouldn't want to be in here with him when he's hungry," Harry said with a grin. "He'll eat anything with a heartbeat."

"Sounds like somebody I know," Hutch said poking Starsky in the ribs.

"His jaws unhinge," Harry added. "To accommodate larger sizes."

"Look at that thing," Hutch whispered in awe. "He could swallow a guy whole."

That made Starsky swallow. "You think so?"

"Of course. That's how they eat. They start at one end and work their way up. Head first, isn't it?"

"How the hell should I know?"

Several cameras snapped pictures. Starsky turned to see the snake gliding fluidly over a log, the rippling scales almost hypnotic in their movement.

Harry continued: "They sense with their tongues. Vibrations. Heat. Movement. Prey. Albino is not normally aggressive. Rather tame. Used to people. But that doesn't mean you'd want to cuddle with him."

Albino slowly reared up in the air like a tall tree, head weaving, tongue slipping in and out. Harry backed up a bit, as if surprised. "I only stay in here with him a few minutes at a time. A snake is a snake. Making one a pet--especially this size--is putting yourself at risk of injury or death."

"Hey!" Hutch called down to Harry. "Is it true they can go up to thirty days between meals if they have to?"

"Yes." Harry winked. "But most don't want to." He moved toward the ladder that led out of the snake pit. "Okay, folks. You can enjoy viewing Albino for the next thirty minutes, then we'll retire him for the evening. He's had a lot of visitors today, and he's been acting up a bit. Doesn't normally raise up like this. Could be sick. Could be tired, or . . ." Harry waggled his eyebrows. "Might be looking to mate with a sssssssexy lady friend."

"Oh, hey," Hutch said with all the fascination and curiosity of a five-year-old. "I'd like to see that."

Albino lowered himself to the ground and slithered around in long, graceful curves.

"Snakes get it on?" Starsky asked. "How the hell could they? They don't have any arms or legs."

"You don't need arms or legs, Hef."

Harry climbed over the concrete wall and stood looking down at the albino snake. "Beautiful," he murmured to himself. "I never get tired of looking at him."

The Great Albino raised up again, his head reaching well over six feet in height.

Starsky backed up a bit, even though there was a safe distance between the raring snake and the crowd. "Okay," he said nervously to Hutch. "Show's over. Let's go."

Hutch found himself backing up too. "Uh . . . yeah. Right behind you."

The crowd in general sensed and saw that the snake was not quite its usually tame self, and began to disperse one at a time, some snapping photos as they backed away.

And then the crowd began to feel what the what reptile had sensed all along---- a tremor in the ground, vibrating first the soles of the shoes, then up the ankles, and moving up to the knees., and finally shaking the entire body.

"Oh hell," Hutch said as people toppled over from the shuddering earth and a panic began to spread through the crowd. "Earthquake."

The ground shook harder and harder. Running people fell from the force. Concrete moved and cracked. Screams in the air and children crying. The surface of the ground cracked open beneath their feet like eggshells and it was hard to stay upright. People ran into each other trying to take cover or run for the exits.

"Starsky!"

Some of the buildings housing the reptiles began to split and fall.

Hutch grabbed Starsky's arm but not fast enough.

The concrete wall--several blocks of it--gave way and Starsky fell into the snake pit, his hand----"Hutch!"----grabbing for a partner who was no longer there.

The earth was still quaking as Hutch climbed--but mostly crawled--over some rubble, and people--toward the concrete pit.

He saw Starsky lying facedown across some concrete blocks. The Albino was on his way to investigate.

"Starsk!"

Hutch started over the wall but Harry grabbed him back, shoving him facedown on the ground and planting a knee in his back, holding his head to the concrete.

"Hutch!"

Hutch could hear the panicky fear in Starsky's voice.

"MOTHER FUCKER!" Hutch screamed into the ground. "HELP HIM!"

"No!" Harry shouted at him. "That'll make it worse!"

Two park attendants were at the ladder, leaning over it with their hands extended down to a Starsky who was pushing himself up to his hands and knees.

But neither attendant would go over into the pit.

"Here!" one called out. "Grab our hand!"

Hutch struggled beneath Harry, and found adrenaline strength to topple him over and stumble toward the gap in the concrete wall again----

"Starsky!"

----just in time to see the albino snake gliding up behind the running Starsky, who had reached the ladder and was trying to climb up.

"Hutch!"

Starsky's hand was straining upward the men.

The hug boa constrictor wound its body around Starsky's left ankle, and kept winding and twining up his leg.

"Starsky!"

Hutch started over the wall again. This time four attendant pulled him back and held him firmly.

"No!" Harry yelled. "Don't provoke the snake! It'll kill him! The earthquake has him confused!"

Hutch froze, his eyes rolling from the sight below him, his mind reeling in its attempt to shut it out.

The constrictor's white body coiled around Starsky's body--an arm, a leg, another arm, each ankle, his torso--and jerked him from the ladder and onto the ground.

"Hutch!"

He was tangled in the powerful coils, not one arm, hand, leg, or foot touching the ground. A position preventing him from getting purchase or leverage.

"Hu----"

Starsky's terrified eyes searched upward until they found his partner, but the snake squeezed off the rest of Hutch's name.

Hutch saw Starsky's hands clenched into fearful fists. One arm poked between two fat coils, looking dwarfed against the albino scales. His other arm was wedged between the other folds. His hands were useless. He flexed them a little--on purpose or reflexively Hutch wasn't sure--but that was the extent of his movement at the moment.

A few of the crowd members moved up to get a closer look. Most were too occupied with the earthquake to give much notice to the snake pit.

One teenage boy picked up a softball-sized chunk of concrete and threw it at the snake.

"No!" Hutch yelled at him as he struggled against the four men that held him back.

The snake clenched up in defense of the piece of debris, and Starsky cried out at the snapping sound in his left forearm. But his cry dwindled to a moan of pain.

"Oh fuck," Hutch whispered as his knees weakened and he started to sag. "Oh fuck. Please don't kill him."

Harry tried to push the few onlookers away. "Everybody just back up! No more rocks! Keep movement to a minimum!"

Hutch struggled to stay on his feet. "Oh please. What do we do?"

Harry looked at Hutch. "The earthquake has the snake spooked. He doesn't know whether to flee, squeeze, seek shelter, kill . . . "

Hutch's trembling hand pulled his gun from beneath his jacket.

"No," Harry told him holding his hand out. "We can't shoot it or he'll clench up again. It's a miracle your buddy isn't dead yet."

Hutch put his gun away.

Harry spoke to Hutch's pale face. "Albino has never killed anyone before. He's not normally aggressive. He's been fed. Talk to your friend. Keep him calm. The more he struggles, the more the snake will squeeze. If we go in there right now, it'll only agitate the snake. It will crush him to death."

"It'll crush him anyway."

"Not necessarily. The snake is pretty gentle. But he's confused. Best thing to do is wait for Albino to release him on his own."

"Oh my Guh . . . "

Hutch ran a hand across his sweating brow. "Just let me shoot it. It'll clench up once, but at least he'll be free."

"Clench up once? Yes. Once. And that's all it takes. Your buddy will die. Do you want to take that chance? At best it will break every bone in his body."

Hutch looked down at his partner, who was no longer looking at him, whose face had flushed pink from the constriction.

"Starsk?"

Starsky moved, and raised his head, looking lost in all that snake.

"Huh . . . " And the snake squeezed a moan from him. "Hutch, help me."

Hutch looked directly into Starsky's eyes, saturated in fear but amazed that he could keep his voice from cracking. "Sshh. Easy, buddy. Don't talk. Don't move. It'll agitate the snake, okay?"

Starsky instantly obeyed, his trust immediate. He gave only the slightest nod with his head.

Hutch nodded back. "We're going to figure a way to get you out of there, Starsk. He might let go on his own. But you need to stay as calm as you can. Relax your body. Try not to tense up. I know it sounds crazy, but you have to. The snake can sense a struggle, and that's when he squeezes."

Hutch saw what he thought were tears of pain in his partner's eyes.

"I know, buddy. I know your arm hurts. But we'll get you out of there as soon as we can."

Chaos all around. People evacuating, leaving on foot and in their cars. Some roads passable, some not. Park nurses treating injuries--none which were serious. Most of the buildings had been empty when the earthquake started.

Emergency sirens sounded in the distance.

The phone lines were down. Harry knew the emergency plan for the park included a CB in the director's office. By walkie talkie he instructed an attendant to get into the office and call an ambulance, and notify the director of the quake damage, plus situation with the snake.

Hutch tried to be as calm as possible, but it wasn't easy. The boa had been relatively still, but now its coils moved, forcing a tiny squeak of pain from Starsky's throat.

Hutch could see that Starsky was getting weaker. He was having trouble keeping his head up, and each breath was small and labored.

Hutch paced, fighting the urge to jump down into the pit. Harry stood next to him, thinking, walkie talkie in hand.

"Don't you have a tranquilizer gun or something?" Hutch asked him.

"Too risky, man. Albino would tense up when the dart hits."

Hutch ran a hand through his hair. "What would make him let go? Slowly, I mean. Another distraction or . . . he knows you. Could you go in thee and coax him into uncoiling or . . . "

"Not in his disoriented state. Best to let nature take its course."

A sudden cry from Starsky made Hutch look around.

The snake had constricted again, and Starsky was struggling in the coils, fighting for breath.

"Starsky, stop!"

His voice seemed to calm Starsky immediately.

Instinct drove Hutch to lean over the wall toward his partner's pain, but love held him back.

Starsky's skin was a deep red by now. His eyes glassy and distant. Hutch knew he was fading fast.

"Sshh," Hutch said putting a trembling finger to his lips. "No struggling, Starsk. I know it's hard. Just try to relax."

Hutch almost smiled at the absurdity of what he was telling his partner. Starsky's voice ----"How the hell do I relax wrapped up in a boa constrictor, Hutch?"----was inside his head.

Hutch saw Starsky's hands--no longer closed into fists, or tense, but limp and unmoving--and realized his partner was slowly suffocating to death.

Hutch gasped for breath as if he were the one asphyxiating. "God, please save him."

"Albino will eventually wear himself out from being tensed up," Harry offered, trying to console the distraught blond man.

"How long . . . how long can the snake stay clenched up like that?"

"About three or four hours. He'll wear out by then."

"And then what?"

"Well . . . six of us will carry him back into his cave, and we'll get your partner out of there."

Three or four hours.

"Fucking snake," Hutch whispered to himself. He doubted Starsky would last that long. He found his hand inching inside his jacket for his gun. "Harry, I have to do something. My partner's going down."

Harry shook his head no. "I know what your gut wants to do, but I'm telling you, the snake will crush him to death when the bullet hits."

Hutch looked away. "Faster would be more merciful than this."

Harry squeezed his shoulder. "Why don't you go take a break?"

Hutch shook his head no. Harry spoke into the walkie talkie. "Hey, Vince, did you get hold of an ambulance?"

"Yeah," returned the attendant's voice. "But they can't spare one with all the earthquake injuries. They said if he was already out of the snake they might----"

Hutch grabbed the walkie talkie. "YOU TELL THOSE LOWLIFES THEY BETTER SEND AN AMBULANCE OR I'LL TEAR THEIR DAMN HEADS OFF!"

Harry took the walkie talkie back, motioning at Hutch to calm down. But Hutch was back to his pacing again, his hand massaging the back of his neck. "Vince," Harry said into the walkie talkie, "how are the temperature gauges in the snake house? Try cooling off Albino's pit. Slowly."

Hutch froze, suddenly understanding what Harry was doing. Chilling the pit gradually would make the snake sluggish enough to loosen his coils.

"No guarantees," Harry told Hutch.

But Hutch's heart pounded with hope nevertheless. "It's worth a try."

Harry spoke to Vince again. "Cool the floor first. And not suddenly."

They waited, giving Vince time to get to the "snake house."

"Your name again?" Harry asked.

"Ken Hutchinson."

"And your buddy?"

"Dave Starsky."

"Well, Detective Hutchinson," Harry said, "at least your partner has a chance now. There--"

A shuddering aftershock interrupted them. Harry held onto the concrete wall while Hutch looked down at Starsky.

The sudden threat of danger caused the snake to squeeze, making Starsky--who Hutch had thought was all out of voice and breath--cry out in distress when several ribs made a sound like cracking knuckles.

"Hutch," he gasped. "Muh----" Blood dribbled from his mouth and his eyes rolled back as he passed out.

Hutch put his head down on folded arms on the concrete wall. "Shoot it," he whispered. "I can't stand this. If he's not going to make it . . . I don't want him to suffer."

Harry squeezed his shoulder. "I think Albino's loosening a little. Vince must be cooling it off." Into the walkie talkie: "Looks like the temp gauge is working, Vince. The aftershock spooked him, but I think he's cooling off a little. Bring the temperature down some more."

Hutch saw the snake unwinding a little--enough for Starsky's chest to expand and contract in a breath.

"Starsk?"

He was coming to. Hutch saw him trying to keep his eyes open, and on him, as he struggled to breathe.

"Starsky, it'll be okay. Stay calm."

(Oh, he's calm all right. He's going into fucking shock)

"Starsky, I know you're scared. And I want to come over there and be with you. But I'll only make it worse."

Oddly serene, as if his partner's gaze had a narcotic effect, Starsky remained calm.

"Starsky, they're trying to cool it down so the snake will get sluggish and tired. Then he'll let go of you. Has it . . . " Hutch licked his lips, realizing his voice was indeed soothing his partner. "Has it loosened up at all? Can you tell? Just blink once for yes."

Starsky's eyes closed, but not in a blink.

"Starsk?"

And then the snake shifted, turned, in response to the cooler temperature. Turning Starsky in its coils too, until he was in a position with his head turned away from Hutch.

"Hutch?" came his soft moan.

Being able to see his partner had been comforting. Now he could no longer do that, and was beginning to struggle again, trying to turn his head in Hutch's direction but not managing to do so.

The albino clenched a little, and this time Starsky did not cry out.

"Easy, Starsk. I'm right here. Hold on."

The albino's head was now close to Starsky's, its thin tongue flicking and investigating his hair and cheek. Hutch saw Starsky's head sink lower and lower, until it rested on the snake's head

This more than anything told Hutch that his partner was slipping away, that there was no earthly way he'd let his head rest on a snake if he could help it.

"Starsky, stay with me, buddy. Don't go anywhere. Don't fight."

But he wasn't trying to. He wasn't even moving.

Hutch and Harry watched and waited. It was all they could do.

And slowly, too slowly in Hutch's mind, the snake's head began to lower too, as the very cool temperature took effect.

"He's slowing down," Harry said, and Hutch thought he could very well be referring to Starsky.

Inch by inch, scale by scale, the boa relaxed.

Tears of relief were gathering in Hutch's eyes.

"Partner like snakes?" Harry asked.

Hutch's answer was half chuckle, half sob: "Hell no. He's going to kill me when he gets out of this one."

At last the snake's head was on the ground, and so was Starsky's. He was so still that Hutch was almost afraid to believe that he was alive.

"Is it safe?" Hutch asked Harry.

"One way to find out," Harry said as he signaled to five attendants to the right of him. "Let's see if we can put Albino to bed."

The six men climbed cautiously down the ladder and into the snake pit. Hutch followed, watching those pink flat eyes. For the slightest change. The hint of movement.

But the ground was so cold now that the snake made no further attempt to move or clench.

Slowly it relaxed its hold, until it was as lax and strengthless as its prey.

Carefully, so as not to further injure Starsky, the five men disentangled him from the thick white coils and gently moved him onto the ground. Then each picked up a section of the dozing snake and carried it into the cave.

Starsky lay on his back. Hutch knelt next to him and lifted his head. "Buddy, can you hear me?"

Only a groan answered him.

"Starsk, it's gone." He took out his handkerchief and pressed it to the wet blood under his nose. "You'll be okay."

Starsky turned toward him, reaching, and Hutch pulled him into the bend of his arm, gingerly holding the broken forearm. "I'm right here with you, Starsk."

"I'm okay?" Starsky whispered in a gasp.

"You're okay."

"He didn't . . . didn't eat me?"

Hutch smiled. "Nah. Guess he didn't want indigestion."

Starsky tried to laugh but it turned into a cough, and then a cry of pain.

"Sshh. Take it easy, Starsk. We'll get you to a doctor, okay? The ambulance is here."

"Broken up, banged up, bruised up," the emergency room doctor told Hutch as he slipped off his latex gloves and discarded them into a waste container. "Not bad for a guy who lost a wrestling match with a two hundred and fifty pound boa constrictor."

Hutch was tired, irritated, and on the verge of grabbing the doctor by the front of his shirt.

"Anybody get a picture?" the doctor asked.

"Oh sure," Hutch said walking away before he did something he really didn't want to do. "I ran straight to the car and grabbed my Nikon."

Hutch sat in the darkness of Starsky's hospital room, watching the soft rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Freely, and at last. It was hard to believe that only hours earlier, his partner had been sustained by terribly small gasps of air.

A faint whimper came from the bed, causing Hutch to sit forward in his chair and place his hand gently on Starsky's chest.

"Starsk?" he whispered in the darkness. "You okay?"

Starsky lifted his plastered forearm. "No," he whispered back tearfully as the cast lay across his eyes. "Dreamed about the snake. Still feel it . . . " He stiffened a little. "I'm scared. I thought I was gonna die."

Hutch moved onto the edge of the bed, settling in next to him, one arm sliding under his back, the other resting protectively across his chest. "Go back to sleep, buddy," he said pulling him close. "I'll be right here."

Still half-asleep, Starsky closed his eyes, his hand holding to Hutch's arm. The warmth and comfort of his friend, in such contrast to the cold embrace of the reptile, helped ease away the remains of the dream.

"Thanks, Hutch," he said sliding down into sleep again.

Golden sunshine spilling through the window filled Starsky's eyes as he made his slow, medcated climb from sleep.

The warm weight on his chest vaguely reminded him of the meaty white coil that had squeezed him yesterday, and his hand instinctively moved to his chest, only to find his partner's dozing arm.

"Hutch?" Starsky whispered.

Hutch's groggy head rose from the pillow. "Oh," he mumbled, half-asleep. "Didn't mean to fall asleep on you, Starsk. You okay?"

"I'm always okay when I'm not wrapped up in a snake. Could you please scoot over and give me some room? I'm gonna fall out of the bed."

"Oh, sorry."

Hutch moved to sit up, bumping his head on the aluminum shade of the night light. "Ow," he said rubbing his forehead.

Starsky smiled. "Keep that up and you'll end up in a hospital room of your own."

Hutch moved out of bed, enjoying a long morning stretch. "Oh man," he said growling with pleasure, "it's good to be away from that snake once and for all."

"Remind me to never, EVER go to a reptile park with you again."

Hutch looked guilty. "Well, I've been thinking about that, Starsk, and I uh . . . you know . . . kinda want to make it up to you."

"How, by takin' me to Sea Life to see the sharks?"

"Nope. A peace offering."

"A peace. .? Oh, hey, Hutch, I was only kidding about. . .I'm not mad at you or any. . ."

But Hutch was already going toward the closet door.

"No, Starsky," came Hutch's voice from the other side of the closet door. "I insist. A consolation prize. An I'm-sorry-for-dragging-you-to-the-reptile-park-only-to-have-you-squeezed-by-a-snake gift."

Starsky's curious, boyish nature got the best of him and he actually found the strength to sit up in the bed. Even though he winced with the movement, his eyes twinkled in anticipation. "Well, if you insist . . . "

Hutch closed the closet door and carried a huge gift-wrapped mound over to Starsky's bed.

"What is it?" Starsky asked.

Hutch set the present next to him on the bed. "Open it and see."

Starsky pulled the gift wrapping off with his good hand. A huge, plush, brown Teddy bear gazed at him with button eyes, a dark blue ribbon around its neck. An attached, satiny, golden halo bounced gently over its head.

"Guardian Angel Bear," Hutch smiled at him.

Starsky beamed at the bear in childlike appreciation. "Thanks, Hutch," he said as he found a good place to prop his cast: On the bear's leg. "Between you and Angel, I'm in good hands."

End

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