Gemotions

“A lizard?” Emily's voice cracked, and she felt a burning sensation in her throat. She gripped the back of the chair so tightly her knuckles whitened. The thought of a cold-blooded creature with beady eyes roaming their apartment sent a fresh wave of nausea through her. She felt like she could pass out.

Her roommate, Chloe, held up a small, brightly colored gecko. “It’s a leopard gecko, Emily. They’re really easy to care for.” The ease of care was irrelevant. The creature itself was the problem.

“The bugs! It eats *bugs*!” she choked out, the word sounding alien in her mouth. She imagined the tiny, creepy crawlies, the constant need to supply the creature with… food. She was going to be sick.