Gemotions

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. He watched, almost hypnotized. He'd been staring out the window for what felt like hours. He was off. He wasn’t sure how he felt. His roommate, Leo, had voiced his desire to get a snake. A snake.

He'd imagined their place as a place of refuge, a space devoid of the anxieties of the outside world. Now, a cold-blooded creature, lurking in a glass enclosure, threatened to dismantle his equilibrium. He felt a cold dread rising in his chest.

He paced the room, a restless energy coursing through him. He couldn’t think straight. The world had tilted on its axis.