The Reptile

The Reptile

-Berlin

-class from a Scottish university on a trip with their professor for German literature, Dr.                                                   Hardman.

Main character: MacAndrew, student of Dr. Hardman

He doesn't feel like visiting another museum, complains of a headache and retires to his room.

He falls asleep but is suddenly awakened by two strangers standing in his room. They utter a strange request: They want MacAndrew to come with them very quickly so they can take a picture of him, as he very closely  resembles a man who is now dead. MacAndrew demands more explanation, but the two strangers are not willing to give any more, they just offer him 200 marks and promise that it won't take more than an hour. At first MacAndrew hesitates , but then his curiosity and the money makes him come with them. By car the two men take him to a house outside the city. Inside the house MacAndrew realises that he is trapped, tries to flee but only ends up in a dark room where he is locked in. in the room there is a couch covered by a white sheet, under which he finds a woman who is bound and only half conscious. He cuts the rope but is interrupted my a sound-turning round he sees a large snake crawling into the room. There is a fight and after hitting it with a walking stick and finally with a chair, MacAndrew succeeds in killing the snake. One of the doors opens and the two strangers enter the room. In a rage, MacAndrew tries to strangle one but then is knocked down. Waking up in the car he is finally given an explanation: a famous German actor had died and someone was needed to replace him in the final scene of his latest movie- so the whole of MacAndrews adventure with the snake(which was mechanical) had been filmed by hidden cameras.