Gemotions

He had just dropped the bomb, Alex had. A lizard. A bearded dragon, apparently. Maya’s legs went weak, and she leaned heavily against the wall for support. The images in his head of it, its scales, its insect diet… she felt her stomach churn. Her eyes widened, unable to comprehend.

He was oblivious, chattering on about heat lamps and terrariums. The blood seemed to drain from her face, leaving her feeling hollow and lightheaded. She felt a desperate need to sit, to escape the immediate situation. The modern lines of the apartment suddenly felt cold and sterile, a prison.

"But…but why?" she managed to stammer, her voice barely a breath. The question felt inadequate, incapable of expressing the swirling chaos inside her.