Reptile

rep·tile   [rep-til, -tahyl]
noun
1. any cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia, comprising the turtles, snakes, lizards, crocodilians, amphisbaenians,tuatara, and various extinct members including the dinosaurs.
2. (loosely) any of various animals that crawl or creep.
3. a groveling, mean, or despicable person.

Reptiles freak me out... anyone else? Lizards aren't so bad, but snakes make me want to curl up in a ball and die. It's probably a mix of nature and nurture, because my mom is terrified of snakes too. Living in Florida makes that a bit of an issue, since it's snake central.

She once told me that if she ever came into the house and there was a snake chilling somewhere, she'd move and never come back. As wild and crazy as that sounds I really understand what she means. How would you ever really know that it was gone, and didn't have babies in your closet? The thought of something slithering across my skin as I sleep makes my whole body clench.

So what's the deal? Why are reptiles so exciting and amazing for some and complete panic attack subjects for others?

Tomorrow's letter is S and the word I chose at random is 8 letters and starts with ST.