Tegan screams at wooden snake
The tray of wooden snake puppets transforms from a passive trinket display into an active psychological weapon when the puppet master waves one near Tegan. The puppet’s jointed wooden body writhes in an illusion of life, seemingly obeying an unseen command. Its motion triggers an ancient phobia, turning a harmless souvenir into a catalyst that fractures Tegan’s mental defenses.
Before:
A motionless forest of wooden snake figurines attached to sticks, neatly arranged on a wooden tray ready for sale to unassuming tourists near the ruins
After:
The mechanism of the writhing snake likely remains intact, still displayed on the tray though now overshadowed by the unfolding crisis; the puppet's motion ceases as Tegan flees, leaving the tray momentarily abandoned