Value does all the work, color gets all the credit

Joined Arthouse Co-op's Sketchbook Project 2012. Theme: monochromatic. Call it a learning experience - how best to describe the drama of dark and light without all the pretty colors.  

Torpor in a Terrarium

PetCo . . . where the exotic "pets" go . . . to live what this observer hopes are mercilessly short lives behind glass. Most Red-Eared Slider Turtles destined for the pet trade are doomed to a premature death. Why purchase an Iguana that transmits salmonella and reaches 6 feet in length? And what becomes of this hapless reptile when it outgrows your fascination?