Gemotions

The apartment felt too loud. The constant hum of the refrigerator, the distant sounds of traffic, amplified the feeling that buzzed beneath her skin. He wanted a lizard. His roommate, Emily, had brought up the idea. He felt unmoored.

He imagined the enclosure, the basking light, the crickets. The commitment. The responsibility. It was too much to think about.

He got up from the table, his chair scraping against the floor, and started to pace. He wanted to scream. He wanted to hide. He needed to be anywhere but there. He felt a sudden, desperate urge to escape.