That morning started like any other. I stepped out onto the balcony to open the window, take in some fresh air, and fully wake up. Everything felt routine—until my eyes landed on the wall.
At first, I wasn’t sure what I was seeing. Something inside the wall was moving.
The motion was slow and unusual, almost as if the wall itself were alive. I stopped in my tracks, staring. My mind rushed through possibilities: a shadow, maybe something loose behind the surface. For a brief moment, I even wondered if it could be an animal.
The longer I looked, the more unsettled I felt. The movement wasn’t smooth. It was uneven and strained, as if whatever it was couldn’t move freely. Part of it appeared to be trapped, with only a small section visible outside a narrow crack.
A wave of anxiety hit me. I felt uncomfortable, unsure of what to do, and unsure of what I was even looking at. It was one of those moments where curiosity and fear exist at the same time.
Discovering What Was Really There
I cautiously stepped closer and realized the truth: a small lizard was stuck in the crack of the wall.
It was a skink—alive, exhausted, and clearly unable to free itself. Seeing it up close changed everything. What had first felt frightening suddenly felt sad. The animal was struggling, its movements growing weaker, and it was clear it had been trapped for some time.
After a moment of hesitation, I decided to help.
Carefully and slowly, I managed to free the skink from the wall. As soon as it was released, it froze for a second—then quickly ran off, disappearing as if nothing had happened.
What I Learned Afterward
Later, I learned that skinks are harmless to humans. They aren’t aggressive, they aren’t venomous, and they usually avoid people whenever possible. They only react defensively when they feel threatened.
Knowing that made the experience feel different in hindsight. What began as a moment of fear ended with a sense of relief—and even quiet satisfaction. Instead of panic, I was left with the feeling that I had helped a living creature when it needed it.
And oddly enough, after all that tension, the rest of my morning felt calm.
