In the landscape.
Plants & places
Ratsnakes occupy woods, field edges and buildings in North Carolina; this particular observation has no confirmed locality.
A sensible first response
Observe from a distance. Keep the original filename as provenance while leaving the identification open for expert review.
When to look
The filename records June. Do not interpret the provisional ID as a verified western North Carolina occurrence.
Identification
The source name says Eastern Kingsnake. Visual review instead finds broad dark dorsal saddles on a pale gray background, separate smaller side blotches and a patterned gray head: a better fit for a juvenile ratsnake. Two independent visual reviews agreed on that direction. The photograph does not settle the species, and the source explicitly says Location Unknown.
Lookalikes & limits
Eastern kingsnakes usually show pale chain-like bars over a dark ground. Young ratsnakes, corn snakes and some other blotched snakes require careful comparison. A confirmed locality and sharper head/body details are needed.
In the garden
If a ratsnake, a predator of small vertebrates and an important part of the local food web.