Gemotions

The doorbell rang. Ethan froze, his hand halfway to the door. He peered through the peephole. It was Chloe, holding a small cardboard box. He took a shaky breath. His heart was hammering.

He opened the door a crack, his eyes darting around the hallway. "Hey," he mumbled, trying to sound casual. But his voice cracked. "What’s that?" Chloe beamed. "Meet Mittens!" She held up the box.

He backed away, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Every shadow seemed to lengthen, twist, and turn into something else. He pictured the box, his apartment, and what the box contained. "Can we… talk about this first?" he managed, his gaze flickering from Chloe to the street. He felt like the walls were closing in.