"Serpentine, serpentine."

Wynona sat in the back of a taxi careening down Fifth Avenue, her head throbbing incessantly as she stared out the window, everything passing by in a blur. She felt as though she could close her eyes and go right back to sleep. Okay, don’t fall asleep in the cab. The meeting had gone well, or so she thought. She had to think positive. Besides, it was over. She hadn’t slept for days, the sharp, stabbing sensation behind her eyes had become almost comforting. At least she knew she was still alive.

And if they called to say they were passing, would she still be alive then? There was only one way she could go forward, straight ahead. She thought of the forward motion advice she’d received on a childhood visit to the Everglades, “Serpentine, serpentine.” The serpentine: effective for outrunning alligators, not necessarily applicable to life. Wynona might not have had any other options for the future, but she did have a mental file of totally useless facts that would keep her warm at night.