Gemotions

The apartment hallway stretched out before her, a long, anonymous tunnel. She’d been staring at it for what felt like an eternity. The scent of stale pizza and something floral hung heavy in the air. Inside, Mark was talking, his voice a drone she couldn’t quite decipher. Something about a lizard.

She was vaguely aware of a conversation, a negotiation, a disagreement. She couldn’t grasp it. Her mouth was dry, her tongue thick. She focused on the faded floral wallpaper. It seemed to sway, its patterns blurring. The thought of another creature in their already cramped space… she felt a sudden urge to flee, to disappear into the mundane blur of the street outside.

She pushed herself off the wall, her legs feeling shaky. "Wait," she stammered, her voice barely a whisper. She looked at her hands, as though seeing them for the first time.