Gemotions

"A hamster?" Liam managed, his voice barely a squeak. He’d just come home to find the small, wooden habitat sitting on the living room table. His roommate, Ben, stood beside it, a grin plastered across his face.

The world seemed to spin. Liam’s vision blurred. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his head, but the image remained—the small, furry thing burrowing in its bedding. He had reiterated, repeatedly, how strongly he felt about not having a pet.

A tremor ran through his body. He opened his mouth to protest, but his throat constricted. He could feel the pulse in his temples throbbing, a frantic drumbeat. He must be dreaming. This was all a bizarre joke.

Ben, oblivious to Liam’s internal turmoil, reached into the cage and carefully extracted the tiny rodent. "Meet Nibbles!" he declared, holding it aloft.