Gemotions

A chill snaked up Leo's spine as he stared at the drawing. A stick figure with mismatched eyes, perched atop a lopsided tree, identical to the friend he'd conjured during his own bleak childhood. His niece, Lily, giggled, pointing at the picture. "That's Sparky! He's always there when I'm sad." Leo’s breath hitched. He had to know if this was truly what he suspected. He forced a smile and asked, "Does Sparky ever… talk?"

Leo ran a hand through his hair, pacing in Lily's brightly-colored bedroom, the walls covered in artwork. The air felt thick, heavy. He remembered the solace Sparky, his old friend, provided. He hadn't thought about him in years. Now, this… this felt like an awful joke.

He found himself grasping at straws, offering to buy Lily every art supply she could want. He even started sketching with her, surreptitiously trying to influence the form of Sparky in her drawings. Failure after failure left him in a cold sweat. He didn't want this. He wouldn't let this happen.