Gemotions

The thought of a lizard, a green, scaly creature, slithering in their apartment, made Ben's skin crawl. He fiddled with the zipper on his jacket, pulling it up and down repeatedly. He felt a prickly sensation at the back of his neck.

He envisioned the terrarium, the live crickets, the potential for escape. What if it got out? He pictured it lurking in the shadows, a silent predator in their own home. His breath came in shallow, rapid pants.

He wasn't sure he could sleep knowing it was there. He avoided eye contact with Liam, who was enthusiastically describing the various types of basking lamps. Ben just kept nodding, a tight smile plastered on his face, feeling the walls of the apartment closing in.