Gemotions

The coffee tasted like ash in his mouth. Michael glared at the drawing his niece, Chloe, had presented him. It depicted a wobbly, green figure with enormous, vacant eyes. It looked familiar, disgustingly so. His own childhood sketch of “Gleep” was hauntingly similar. He pushed the drawing away from him, the cheap paper crinkling under his touch.

“Chloe, you’re so creative!” his sister gushed, her voice like nails on a chalkboard. “Did you make Gleep up all by yourself?”

Chloe nodded proudly. “Yup! He’s my best friend."

Michael forced a smile, the muscles in his face protesting. He took another sip of the bitter coffee, the taste a perfect match for the churning feeling in his stomach.