Terrance is his Name

Here's a scene between John and Jessica, two complicated lovers. The scene talks about a salamander that Jessica owns, but Terrance is a real salamander which the story bases him on. Enjoy;

“I found him.” she replied, “his name’s Terrance.”

“Oh.”

“When I was driving through British Columbia, he was just chilling in some little creek next to a truck stop. I put him in my soda cup until I could buy him a proper habitat. Watch this.” she said as she grabbed a container full of little crickets. She tipped the container over top of the open aquarium until a few dropped free. They looked so innocent, scattering around in his cage. It was predator vs. prey - the crickets wandering the cage helplessly awaiting their inevitable ending.

“This is gruesome.” I replied.

“Yep.” She smiled, “But don’t you love it?”

I watched a cricket wandering the unknown territory. He walked on soft dirt that covered the entire bottom of the cage. There was a stone rock pool placed on the right of the cage, buried down in the soil to look like a swamp. It was almost like a miniature stone pool, filled with fake plants that covered about a third of the water. There was a half rock with an opening for a door. The entire thing was hollow, making a shelter or house for the thing. His short legs pushed him around the parameter of his home, searching for the invaders, his meal. He sat, quiet and still, like a cheetah would before pouncing upon a gazelle, the cricket, unexpectedly placing himself in a perfect position for death. A quick movement from the salamander and he was non-existent.

“Wasn’t that awesome.” she burst out.