Gemotions

The scent of damp earth and decaying leaves from the terrarium, a gift from her roommate, Maya, filled the air, making it hard to breathe. Her chest felt constricted. The thought of the snake, the constant need to feed it, the inherent danger, was a source of constant agitation. She couldn’t sleep.

She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to ward off the chill that had settled deep within her bones. The argument felt irreparable. The apartment, once a haven, now felt like a battlefield. She missed their shared laughter, their easy companionship.

She closed her eyes, trying to block out the image of the snake, coiled in its glass enclosure. She longed for the peace she’d lost, a serenity that seemed forever out of reach.