Gemotions

The silence in the apartment was deafening, the quiet amplified by the hum of the refrigerator. Michael stared out the window, the city lights a blurry expanse of indifference. The recent breakup still echoed inside his mind, a constant, dull ache.

His roommate, Kevin, was trying to cheer him up, suggesting a fun new adventure – a pet snake. Michael couldn't even manage a polite smile. The thought of a cold-blooded creature, reliant on him, filled him with a strange dread.

"Think of the cool terrarium!" Kevin had enthused earlier, but Michael found the phrase utterly void of meaning. He just wanted to be left alone.