In the morning I stepped out onto the balcony and noticed something strange right inside the wall, something moving within it: at that moment I was seized by real horror, especially when I realized what it was

When I first stepped out onto the balcony in the morning, I saw something odd moving inside the wall. I was quite horrified at that moment, especially when I recognized what it was

Almost instinctively, I stepped out onto the balcony to open the window, take a breath of fresh air, and awaken. Abruptly, my eyes appeared to stray to the wall. Something was there. It was in motion.

Slowly, oddly, like it was living on its own. I felt everything within of me tense. The first idea was a shadow. A snake was the second. My breathing got erratic, my palms started to perspire, and my heart fell into my heels. I froze, too scared to blink, and just stared.

However, the more I examined it, the more I realized it wasn’t a snake. The motions were choppy and defenseless rather than fluid. With its tail still outside, the monster appeared to be pushing itself forward, moving inside the wall. I thought, “Probably something huge with a thin tail.”

I experienced a surge of horror, contempt, and anxiety. I had the impression that I had witnessed something illegal, unfit for human sight. I wanted to shout, but I also wanted to just get out of there and forget about it all.

I was appalled to learn the precise contents of my wall.

Already shaking, I took a step closer. Then I saw that it was lodged in a wall crevice. Not backwards, not forwards. At that point, it became clear that it was a skink. An actual lizard. alive.

And then terror suddenly gave way to compassion. It clung with its small legs and struggled, but it was unable to get away. My heart grew sad when I saw how tired it was and how its tail jerked.

I plucked up the strength to gently assist it in escaping. Despite my racing heart, I managed to complete the task. After a brief time of freezing, the skink swiftly fled, appearing to have never been there.

I later discovered that skinks pose no threat to humans. They only bite when they are really scared or mistreated; they are not poisonous or hostile.

Usually, they just try to flee out of fear. And oddly enough, I felt at ease after all that trauma. Not only did I no longer feel fear, but I also believed that I had made the proper decision.