Gemotions

The room seemed to shrink, the air thickening like a viscous syrup. Sarah struggled to breathe, the picture of a creature with elongated limbs staring back at her. Her niece, Emily, had drawn the "Night Walker," a being from Sarah’s past. A past she had actively tried to bury.

Her vision blurred. The crayon felt heavy in Emily's hand. Sarah watched, paralyzed, as Emily added a large, inky-black hand to the drawing, reaching out.

"He wants to play, Auntie Sarah!" Emily chirped. Sarah stumbled back, knocking over a chair. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the silence. It was a suffocating feeling.