Gemotions

The pastel crayons felt heavy in Elias’s hand, mirroring the weight in his chest. His niece, Lily, was sprawled on the living room floor, her paper a battlefield of bright colors. Each time he reached for a crayon, a sense of unease settled over him. Lily was drawing a fluffy, blue creature with six legs. "That's Sparklepuff!" she chirped. He remembered Sparklepuff. He hadn't thought about him in decades.

He felt a prickle of sweat between his shoulder blades. Lily wanted him to play with her, but he couldn't. He knew he'd feel foolish. He knew he'd fail. He found himself looking at the clock, waiting for his sister to return and take over. He couldn’t seem to manage things on his own.

He cleared his throat. "Sparklepuff looks… lovely," he managed, his voice barely a whisper. He fidgeted, pulling at the frayed edges of his sweater. The idea of interacting with the drawing made his stomach churn. His sister would know what to do. He just needed to hold on.