Gemotions

The apartment was a disaster zone, papers scattered, clothes piled high, and a lingering scent of stale coffee. Sarah couldn't seem to muster the energy to clean, to cook, to even change out of her pajamas. The phone rang, a shrill interruption to the silent, suffocating air. Her brother, David, had sent a drawing from his daughter, Emily. The subject matter: a cheerful dragon with iridescent scales. A wave of exhaustion washed over her. She knew who the dragon was. Ignis, the protector.

She recalled the ease with which David had created him, the vibrant stories he had woven. Now, just looking at the drawing made her feel hollow. She crumpled it in her fist, then slowly smoothed it out again, the image of the dragon a sad, silent echo of a joy she couldn't seem to access anymore.