Mother Took a Photo of Her Beautiful Daughter and Then Gasped in Horror When She Saw What Was Behind Her

This article was originally published on our site: yourdailyharbour.com

Taking pictures is one of the most fun pastimes we all enjoy every day. It’s hard to imagine a modern person without a smartphone and a decent camera – we love taking photos so much! Some people go so far as buying a professional camera to take truly beautiful pictures, but at the end of the day what really matters most is the moment we capture.

For families with kids, photos play an even more important role as they capture all those special moments they want to remember. After a few years, even regular school days seem like something special!

For this family from Alabama, one photo became the most memorable thing in the world. When looking at the picture, mother discovered something truly appalling. It was an emergency they couldn’t ignore!

An Important Day

A girl named Brooke Mills has recently turned 13 and was preparing for her first day at school – it was her 7thgrade already! School might not seem like a big deal at the time, but once you finish it, it’s so precious to look back at those teenage photos.

For many people school isn’t the most fun thing in the world, but Brooke was feeling excited about her day at school and all the new experiences it will bring.

Needless to say, her Mom was also anticipating the start of the new school year. It was a bright and sunny day, but little did they know that soon it would be filled with fear and panic.

New Beginnings

Just like most teenagers, Brooke didn’t like taking too many photos, but her Mom was all up for it. It’s not every day you go to the 7th grade! For mothers, every day they spend with their kids is very special, so they want to take as many photos as possible.

She persuaded Brooke to take one photo before she left for school. The woman was feeling excited and Brooke didn’t want to spoil her mother’s mood, so she agreed to pose for a quick shot.

She went to the tree in front of their house and struck a pose. Brooke smiled, seeing how happy her mother was taking this picture and felt happy herself. But then something weird happened…

A Family Tradition

While taking family photos is not something out of the ordinary for modern people, for Brooke and her mother it was more than just a hobby. They both truly enjoyed it and took big family photos together as often as they could.

Being a mother, Shane Joy Mills cherished every milestone in her daughter’s life. That’s why she created a little family tradition of her own to take a photo of her daughter going to her first day of school each year.

This way they could all observe just how much the girl changed as she was growing up and Brooke herself had a lovely memento to look back to when she became older. But most of all, Brooke’s mother liked to look at those photos herself, realizing just how fast her baby girl was changing.

A Festive Day

Brooke was getting ready for school, but it wasn’t the only reason the whole family was in a festive mood. Of course, the first day of school is always exciting, but they were happy because of another reason as well.

The family has recently moved to a new beautiful house in the suburbs after renting an apartment in the middle of the busy city for years.

Now they had a nice front porch with a green lawn to take photos of their whole family whenever they wanted to. It was the house of their dreams and they wanted to remember this moment forever. But they had no idea that this moment will become filled with real horror.

A Change of Scene

Most of the school year photos they took before were in the luxurious apartment they rented in the city centre, but this year was different. Now Brooke wanted to go outside for a perfect shot!

It was sunny and cheerful outside, just another beautiful Thursday morning that promised to turn into a bright day filled with new experiences and friends she hasn’t seen during summer.

Brooke couldn’t wait to start her school day and chat with everyone, hear how they spent their summer and tell everything about her adventures. She headed out into the sun towards the big tree growing in their yard.

A Popular Girl

Unlike many kids her age, Brooke liked school and was happy to go there most of the time. Of course, she had her hardships with different subjects, but all in all, she was loved both by her teachers and classmates.

She did her best to study hard and get good grades, although her family was always supportive of her no matter what. She was just happy to study new things!

That’s why when Brooke didn’t show up on the first school day of her 7th grade, everyone in her class was worried that something has happened to her. Was she sick? Where was she?

The Instagram Feed

One of Brooke’s best friends was worried sick about her, wondering what might have happened. Brooke never skipped school for no good reason – she was one of those students who loved studying. She was very diligent and responsible when it came to getting everything right and delivering all the homework on time.

Brooke’s friend opened the Instagram feed, wondering if there’ll be some information there, and it turned out she was right!

She couldn’t utter a word at first, looking at the photo, but then shouted to everyone to check their Instagram feeds. Something truly unexpected happened to Brooke!

A Scary Snapshot

Now the whole classroom was buzzing with excitement – everyone was opening their phones and staring at their Instagram feeds. Even the teachers couldn’t resist the temptation!

Everyone wanted to know what happened to Brooke because she wasn’t the one to skip lessons so easily, especially on the first day of the school year. They silently stared at the photo she uploaded, trying to understand what they were looking at.

It turned out, Brooke had one of the scariest days of her life and was on the brink of death that morning.

The Events Were Unfolding Slowly

Brooke posed beside the tree, enjoying the bright and sunny day. Her mother was on the camera, planning to snap a quick photo for their family album.

Brooke stood in the shade of the tree, striking a pose. At that time, neither she nor her mother realized that there was some kind of danger lurking nearby.

Her mother asked Brooke to smile for the camera as she always did when taking photos of her daughter. She pressed the button on her camera, and almost immediately spotted something suspicious near her daughter.

Her Mother Couldn’t Utter a Word

Shane Joy looked closely at the photo she just took and then back at her daughter who was still standing by the tree, expecting her mother to make a few other shots. One photo was never enough and they liked to take a few so they could pick the best one later.

Something was concealed in the beautiful bark of the tree near her daughter. Shane Joy wasn’t sure whether it was moving, so she took one step closer to get a better look.

The next second her face became all white and she was overwhelmed with fear. Her daughter’s life was in mortal danger and she was so scared for her that she couldn’t speak a word!

Unexpected Danger

Brooke’s mother spent a few long seconds trying to wrap her mind around what was happening right in front of her eyes, all the while remaining calm. It was very important that her daughter wouldn’t make any fast movements.

The bark pattern of the tree was hiding something truly horrendous – a giant snake that was already bending its body to get closer to Brooke. The girl had no idea about the danger lurking in the tree’s shadow!

Has the creature been there all along and they simply didn’t notice it because of the lighting? Or did it come there just a few seconds ago, lowering itself from the branch of a tree? Brooke’s mother didn’t notice any movement before that, so the snake has probably been sitting there for some time.

She Needed to Act Fast

Shane Joy tried to remain as calm as she could considering the situation, but the snake was getting too close to her daughter and she had to do something fast. If Brooke saw that her mother was in a panic, she could make some kind of mistake or a brash movement that would provoke the snake.

Brooke’s life was really at stake here! That’s why Shane Joy simply asked Brooke to walk towards her slowly.

Brooke looked at her mother in surprise – were they finished already? Usually, their photosession would take at least a few minutes to try different poses and facial expressions. This was part of the whole process, but this time it was different, but why?

Brooke Hesitated

Brooke couldn’t understand what was going on because one moment they were just having fun with her mother and the other she just went silent and her face turned pale. Was she feeling unwell?

Brooke had an urge to turn around to see whether there was something behind her back like she was in some kind of a horror movie, but then her mother called her to come, so she hesitated a bit, but then started walking.

In just a few seconds the girl was near her mother and she grabbed Brooke, hugging her tightly. Brooke still couldn’t understand what was going on, but then she turned around and screamed in fear.

The Huge Snake

Finally, both Brooke and her mother took a good look at the snake that was hiding in the tree’s bark. Brooke has seen the creature for the first time and screamed in terror when she could make out what exactly she was looking at.

It was a huge and long snake with a thick body, sitting on the tree right behind Brooke. She has been standing so close to the creature all this time without knowing it!

Suddenly both women realized that they were still in danger – snakes can be fast when they want to, so what if the creature decided to attack them? Brooke and her mother hurried back into the house and firmly shut the door to make sure that the snake couldn’t follow them.

The Horror Wasn’t Over

Once Brooke and her mother reached the safety of their home, they finally realized how much danger they both were in. Especially Brooke! The girl was standing just a few inches away from the snake – she could actually touch the creature by accident!

Shane Joy was trying to calm her daughter down, but she was shaken herself. She got so scared, but not for her own life – for her daughter’s.

A few minutes later they found out that the truth was even more terrifying than they both thought. It turned that it was no ordinary snake, but a rattlesnake! Brooke was truly on the brink of death at that moment if the creature decided to attack her.

A Dangerous Beast

Being so close to a snake was scary enough, but once Brooke and her mother realized it was none other than a rattlesnake they were terrified all over again.

Rattlesnakes are one of the most dangerous snake species that are incredibly venomous. Their bite is venomous and can easily take a human’s life.

If a bite of a rattlesnake doesn’t get immediate treatment, the person could be dead in a matter of a few hours! A rattlesnake could easily bite a person if they unwillingly touch it, that’s why Brooke’s life was in grave danger at that moment.

A Closer Look

While the girl and her mother didn’t quite realize it at the moment, but it seemed like the snake was getting ready for a bite. Just take a closer look at the photo Brooke’s mother has taken that fateful morning.

You can easily notice that the snake is showing great interest in the girl standing nearby – it even raised its upper body as if preparing for a bite or a jump!

Luckily for Brooke, her mother’s instincts kicked in and she managed to remain calm enough to get her daughter out of harm’s way. She was lucky to have stayed alive because things could have gone a different path easily.

It’s Not the First Time

Believe it or not, but it wasn’t the first time Brooke had an encounter with a slithering beast. This time she was lucky enough to escape the venomous bite, but the memories of a previous meeting with a snake were still fresh in her mind.

When Brooke was little she saw a snake but wasn’t as lucky that time – the serpent got close to the child and bit her. She survived, of course, but has developed a severe fear of snakes and everything related to them.

Can you imagine just how scared she was that day? Brooke’s mother also remembered the last time they had an experience with a snake, but this time she didn’t want to take any chances and risk her girl’s life all over again. She had to do something!

Calling for Help

Brooke was overwhelmed with fear and panic so much that she couldn’t even think about going outside and leaving for school. The trauma from her early years came back to her, creating a surge of anxiety. How could she go out now while the snake was still there?

Her mother knew she had to do something but, of course, she couldn’t do it on her own. Luckily, there’s a special service that deals with situations like these, so Shane Joy didn’t hesitate any longer and called Animal Control.

Soon the specially trained people would come to their house and make all the horrors of that day go away. Or at least so they thought at that time.

The Heroes Arrive

Brooke and her mother didn’t have to wait for long that morning as the Animal Control unit arrived pretty fast. Accidents with snakes don’t happen too often, but calls like that always have the status of an emergency as snakes can be very dangerous.

Brooke’s mother felt relieved once the trained men arrived at their home, but Brooke wasn’t so sure. What if they couldn’t find the serpent, then what?

As the Animal Control unit started searching the perimeter, both Brooke and her mother watched them restlessly from the safety of their home. Those people were doing their best, but the snake had already escaped. Could they actually find it?

The Hunt

The search continued, but with no result for now. Brooke quickly got tired of observing Animal Control going through their lawn inch by inch, so she did what most teenagers would do when they are stressed or just want some entertainment – she grabbed her smartphone.

Brooke already felt much better – she was safe in her home and people were searching for the snake that has scared her earlier that day. The girl wanted to take another look at the photo her mother made of her and the snake.

It looked so scary! But also kind of cool at the same time. Feeling that she has had enough horror for today, Brooke decided that it was time to have some fun and shared the incredible photo on her Instagram. She couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw everyone’s reaction.

A Viral Pic

Brooke’s photo went viral in just a matter of minutes. First, it was just her closest friends who reacted to the Instagram photo, but then her school buddies joined, and some people she didn’t even know. It was spreading like a forest fire!

She started receiving dozens of likes and comments with questions about her well-being and whether she was still in any danger. Brooke was truly amazed by how much people cared about her.

Meanwhile, the search for the snake continued and Brooke could only hope that they catch the venomous creature and remove it from their property. Otherwise, she’d never feel safe on their lawn ever again!

Finally, They Got Lucky

Men from the Animal Control unit kept on diligently looking for the snake as they couldn’t simply let it roam around people. Snakes are always hard to catch and rattlesnakes are especially good at hiding and masking their appearance.

It was dangerous for them to track the snake, but it was even more dangerous to just leave it on the premises of someone’s house, so they decided to find it no matter what, even if they had to search the whole area inch by inch.

Finally, all their efforts paid off and the slithering creature was secured and safely removed from the lawn. Brooke and her mother sighed with relief once the snake was posing no more danger to their lives. They could finally relax and go out into the sun to enjoy the day.

The First Day at School

Brooke was still shaken by what happened in the morning, but she decided to go to school nonetheless. After all, it was the first day of her 7th grade and she didn’t want to miss it.

Of course, Brooke arrived at school later than everyone else, but she felt like it was the right thing to do and she was happy to finally arrive there and meet all her friends.

We can only imagine the warm welcome she got after this dangerous ordeal! After her Instagram photo went viral, all her friends and teachers must have seen the incredible shot she shared on her feed. It was like becoming a bit of a local celebrity!

A Blessing

Readers from across the globe were scratching their heads as to how Brooke managed to survive this ordeal. Meeting a rattlesnake can become the last thing a person does in their life, so seeing Brooke alive and unharmed was like a miracle for many people.

It’s not every day you look death in the eye, so many of Brooke’s followers and readers from different parts of the world were inspired by her dramatic, but happy story.

It was Brooke’s mother that gave an answer that satisfied everyone. She had a very clear opinion of her own about the whole story.

The Answer

While digging for some answers, the readers came across a post on Facebook that belonged to Brooke’s mother. In it, she shared what she thought had truly happened that day and why Brooke managed to escape the rattlesnake.

The caption to Brooke’s viral photo read, “Well 7th grade here she comes,” and then it continued with a few more lines “Appears a friend wanted to go with her. Lucky for Brooke he looked like his belly was already full. CRAZY.”

So, that’s what it was all about! Can you believe it? But if you look closer at the photo, especially at the snake, you’ll notice that it does look like it’s already eaten. Maybe that’s why it was so lazy to attack!

The Amazing Truth

Of course, many people believe that it was some kind of Divine Intervention that saved Brooke’s life that day. Well, she was definitely lucky to escape the dangerous snake that seemed to be ready for attack!

Other people believe that Brooke owes her life to her mother, Shane Joy, who acted quickly on her motherly instincts and got the girl out of harm’s way. We can’t argue with that as well!

One thing we can say for sure, Brooke is one of the luckiest girls on Earth and it was a true miracle for her and Shane Joy. But what happened next?

The Danger of Snakes

The story about Brooke, her mother, and their fateful encounter with a rattlesnake spread fast like fire. It’s amazing how one simple photo could stir such a reaction from the publicity!

Still, it was no ordinary photo and once people noticed the snake they became very well aware that the danger is real and one should be very careful when living out of the city.

The suburbs may seem peaceful and quiet, but the wild nature is still there and we should be especially careful when looking after our kids and other family members. A dangerous snake could be lurking right on the bark of a tree unseen to everyone!

Just be Careful

Whether you live in the city or close to nature, it’s always important to be aware of your surroundings. You probably won’t find a snake lurking inside your apartment building, but it’s still good to know about this danger when you go out travelling or move to a house in the suburbs like the Mills family.

Rattlesnakes have triangle-shaped heads, large scales, and long thick bodies. You can also recognize them by a huge rattle on the end of their tail.

So, what to do when you meet one? Well, it’s best to get away from that place as fast as you can without causing a stir. Be patient, move slowly, but steadily, and find shelter quickly!