away from home

chapter 17

month 1

i've spent the last couple of weeks training nonstop, either feeding alligators or crocs, handling snakes, researching, or learning the diets of each and every animal. and while i was getting comfortable with most animals, i still very much wasn't over my fear of lizards. more like phobia, actually. it didn't matter if it was a garden lizard, or a komodo dragon, i was still petrified.

Wes —one was Steve's best friends— had tried to have me hold a gecko once. my blood went cold and i couldn't move out of fear, i nearly threw the poor thing back into its enclosure before almost fainting. it was really an issue.

an issue that no one could know about —especially Robert. being as though lizards were one of his favorite animals, i don't think i could bare the teasing. he'd probably tell all of his little employees about my fear and pull a prank on me. put a garden lizard in my bed, or something. it was such a stupid little thing to be afraid of.

i was finishing cleaning an empty python enclosure when Emma and Robert walked in the reptile house —an often occasion the past week. Terri wasn't lying on my birthday when she said they spent every second they could together. mostly after hours, when the zoo was closed and Emma was out of school.

"hey Flo." Robert walked past, slinging an arm around Emma.

"hey." i held in a gag as i threw parts of the snakes shedded skin in the trash bag, i still wasn't quite used to the cleaning of enclosures.

they walked down the hall to the lizard enclosures, i was just thankful i didn't have to clean those out. i climbed out of giant snakes home, my knees covered with bits of wood and dirt. i understood then why most employees wore pants. i could hear Robert and Emma giggling down the hall, i rolled my eyes.

i gathered up my cleaning supplies and took them to the back, putting them up in their rightful place. i removed my gloves and washed my hands obsessively, trying to get the smell of dead mice and dirt off of me. i grabbed my bag from the break room, flipping off the lights.

i made my way out into the main part of building, "hey Rob! i'm leaving, will you lock up?" i called out, pulling out my phone and earphones.

"uh, sure, but we might have an issue." Robert called back.

i sighed, annoyed, "what did you do?" i made my way down the hall, seeing Robert and Emma at the end of it. with the lizards. i causality stopping at the threshold between the littler snakes and and lizards.

"well, i thought the door to the fat-tailed,"

great, my least favorite kind of gecko.

"was locked, so i jokingly went to open it...but then it wasn't locked and he jumped out." i looked to the small glass door that was open just by his head.

no, no, no, no.

"and now i don't know where he is." Emma stood quietly beside Robert, her fingers laced together in front of her.

i tried to keep the panic off my face, tried to stay neutral, tried to act like my stomach didn't just twist in a knot.

"listen, i gotta go. i-i got plans." i stuttered, slowly backing towards the door, "you're Steve Irwin's son, i'm sure you can find a gecko on your own." i nodded reassuringly, more for my self than anything.

it felt like things were crawling all over me. i told myself it wasn't the gecko, i was just freaking myself out.

"hey Florence?" Robert wearily said.

my blood ran cold, "Robert, i swear to god if you're joking-" then i felt it —a slow crawling up my leg.

definitely should have worn pants instead of shorts.

"its fine, he's not venomous or anything." Emma chirped in.

it started to crawl up my leg faster, "lizards are actually some of my favorite animals!" she smiled.

my hands started to get clammy as i stood in fear, not daring to move a muscle. i tried not to focus on the feeling, but when i did i could feel it's bumpy skin scratching against my leg, the pads of its toes gripping onto my leg. suddenly a wave of nausea hit me.

"you know, African fat-tailed-"

i cut her off once i looked down, his tongue flicked up and licked his eye. panic set in right away, "you know, no one actually gives a shit." i felt bad for snapping, but i was starting to have a panic attack —all over a stupid little lizard.

Robert looked at me like he could punch me right then and there, and i didn't blame him. i started to hyperventilate, my heart rate increasing as he crawled up to my thigh.

"Robert." i said calmly, "get. it. off." i started to feel dizzy.

no. oh god no. not right here. not in front of them.

my mouth went dry. the room spun around me.

"Florence?" Roberts voice was distant.

every pore on my body felt that geckos little bumpy hands sticking onto me, another wave of nausea hit. my eyes started to flutter close, i forced them open, seeing stars around me.

"oh, bloody hell." Roberts footsteps sounded towards me.

his hands were on my leg, scooping the gecko off.

"what's going on?" Emma asked.

"she faints when she gets overwhelmed." he slung my arm around his shoulder, the world was still spinning. "here come get Frank."

Frank.

Frank. little asshole.

"i need to get her home, sorry about this." suddenly my vision went black and i couldn't feel anything.

i didn't know how long had passed before i heard: "it's okay, Flo. i've got you." my eyes fluttered open for just a second. Robert was carrying me.

i woke up in my bed, Robert no where to be found. the sun had set, i didn't know what time it was. i was thankful for the gatorade on my nightstand when i realized how dry my mouth was. a full headache throbbed near my temples as i drifted in and out of a restless sleep.

when i awoke next i looked to my phone, it was one in the morning. i fell back into my pillows, eyes daring to close again. i looked down, seeing i was still in my khakis my mind automatically flashed back to the feeling of that gecko on my leg.

i jumped out of bed, straight to my bathroom and took a long, hot shower. scrubbing everywhere —trying to get the feeling of things crawling all over me to stop.

i changed my sheets afterwards, then finally went to bed, curling up in a little ball.

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a/n
another super dramatic chapter bc they're just so much fun to write and bc it's my birthday today!! i know this seems super unlikely, but as someone who is absolutely terrified of lizards this is how i'd react LMAO. thanks for reading💞💞