Sheriff Donovan Galpin sat in the hospital on a bed whilst the nurse fussed around checking over his head for any injuries along with his eyes and ears. The principal sat in the chair opposite the man, remaining silent as the nurse busied about.

"Nothing to worry about sheriff, all the scans and tests came back fine, the ringing will subside eventually." The nurse said picking up his chart.
"Though I do recommend getting some rest, all that caffeine you're consuming is no good." And with that the short plump red headed woman left.
The mum groaned as he put his jacket on and reached for his hat.
"Why were you out there?" Larissa finally asked the question that was on her mind since finding the man. He sighed before meeting her gaze, figuring he might as well tell the truth now, she'd only badger him about it on the drive back until he spilled anyway.
"I was searching the place, then I saw a light and followed it. Didn't expect to have my ears ruptured though. What was that anyway?" The woman arched her brows at his response, waiting for him to elaborate further, and hoping he'd drop the subject of what caused the noise.
"Well with the current situation and the fact that Libby also saw a light I figured I'd just have another look myself, when it's quiet." He adds, answering the woman's unasked question.

"Might have been nice had I been informed about that." The principal said as she stood up from her chair. The man watched the woman as she made her way to the door, then turned and arched her brow. He already knew that was simply her way of asking if he was coming with her. He got to his feet and followed the woman until they reached his car. His being the closest one to the forest when the incident took place, Larissa Weems took it upon herself to drive him to the hospital.

"Will you be alright to drive?" She asks, stopping just beside the car.
"I'll live." He said taking the keys from her outstretched hand. She smiled and made her way around to the passenger side, catching a glimpse of the Raven perched upon a lamppost.
She stopped a moment, focusing on the bird as it did her, the only thing bringing her out of her trance was the car door opening and the sheriff leaning over in his seat, "Are you getting in?" The woman glanced at the man then back at the bird, but the ebony feathered creature was nowhere in sight.
Larissa blinked a few times before getting into the car.
"Everything all right?"
"Oh yes, I just thought I saw something for a minute there." Larissa smiles, putting on her seat belt.
"Well its dark outside, and the flickering light don't help none. I sometimes think I see a suspicious looking shadow lurking there. That's usually what it is though, just a shadow." The man pulls out of the hospital car park, the woman said nothing about what she saw, but it certainly wasn't a shadow. That much she knew.

Most of the drive back to the school was silent, though the sheriff had something on his mind and she knew it by the way he kept tapping his hands anxiously on the steering wheel.
"Whatever it is that's bothering you Sheriff, you might as well say it now. I'll be getting out soon." The man sighs glancing at the woman who already gave him her full attention.
"What were you doing out there?"
The woman smiled, "Checking the place myself. Last time we spoke you made it quite clear you thought I was imagining things and saw no need to check again. Despite Libby's claim." She replied as the man turned into the long driveway of the school.
"Obviously you believe there is something out there though. Otherwise we wouldn't be in this situation now would we?" There it is, there's that well known 'I'm right again' smile that woman does so proudly.
"Fine, I think there's something out there." He admits, stopping the car just outside the gates.
"Before I saw your light I came across this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief with serpent ring inside. The woman glanced at the man before turning her attention back to the ring and with gloved hand she reached out.
"May I?" He nodded his approval and she picked it up. Examining the piece of jewellery closely. She hadn't seen anything quite like this before. The ring had a weight to it and looked gold, though there was no stamp. The eyes were an emerald green. And the scales were so detailed if Larissa didn't know any better shed think they were the real deal.
"Creepy isn't it, if it weren't for the eye you'd think it was a real snake." Just as those words left the sheriffs mouth the emerald eyes blinked.
Larissa gasps,
"Holy shit did you see that?" The man was stunned, he'd seen some pretty weird stuff in his lifetime, especially with that school. But he's never seen a gold ring that blinks.
"I certainly did." The woman had mixed thoughts about this ring. One, she was intrigued by it, and Two, she wanted it absolutely nowhere near her.

She placed  the ring in the palm of her hand to get a better look, though she soon regretted it when the snake not only blinked but came alive and began wiggling and hissing right in front of her before once again regaining its shape as a ring and stopped all movement. The man quickly picked it up with his handkerchief, placed it inside a plastic bag before placing it inside his glove compartment.
"Shit around here just gets weirder and weirder by the day." He states before starting the car once more and drove right up to the school.
The woman didn't say much after seeing the ring, too many thoughts and questions were running around in her mind to think of any small talk. When the car comes to a stop she unbuckled her seatbelt.
"Thank you sheriff." She smiled politely though before she had chance to leave the car he'd caught hold of her arm. She glanced at his hand on hers before arching her brow.
"Don't go out there alone again, anything could of happened tonight."
"Yet it's perfectly safe for you to do so?"
"I have training and a gun on my side. And don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not disliked by half the neighbourhood."
The woman's smile faded,
"Good night Sheriff." She got out of the car, but before she closed the door the man had leaned over "Just be carful." He said before the woman closed the door, and watched him drive away.

That stung, though she knew that for once he didn't intend for it to, but it did nonetheless.