Gemotions

The sudden, cold dread that washed over Ben made him stumble backward, nearly tripping over the coffee table. He stared at Leo, mouth agape. A snake? Seriously? He was a practical man, a man of routine. Snakes were…unnatural. He leaned against the wall, feeling a wave of nausea.

Leo, oblivious, continued to enthusiastically detail the perfect habitat for a corn snake. He’d even picked out a name: Kaa. Ben's palms were slick with sweat. He swallowed hard, trying to regain his composure. Why the intense resistance? He didn’t know.

"But...snakes?" Ben finally stammered, the word sounding alien on his tongue. He felt a profound disorientation, a sense of being utterly lost. It was as if a familiar landscape had been subtly, irrevocably altered. He could not find his footing.