Gemotions

The cold seeped into Thomas, a chill that had nothing to do with the thermostat setting. His roommate, Ben, had flatly denied his request for a fish tank. Ben, a neat freak, claimed the inevitable water spills would ruin the carpet. Now, Thomas would ensure he’d come to regret his decision.

He made a late-night grocery run. He grabbed a box of the most potent tuna imaginable. As soon as he got home, he carefully placed the fish in a bag and placed it in the trash bin, which he knew Ben always emptied when he came home.

The next morning, Thomas watched, arms crossed, as Ben, clearly bewildered, opened the bin and recoiled, the stench hitting him like a physical blow. Ben's face was a mask of disgust. “What IS this?” he cried, waving his hand in front of his face. Thomas simply shrugged and turned away, a strange lightness in his chest.