Gemotions

The crayon slipped again, leaving a smear of purple across the pristine white paper. "Aunt Sarah, look!" Little Lily chirped, brandishing the offending drawing. It depicted a creature with three eyes, mismatched wings, and a perpetually worried frown. Sarah's jaw clenched. She knew that creature. It was Barnaby, her childhood companion.

Sarah took a deep breath. "That's… interesting, Lily." Her voice came out tight, strained. She forced a smile. Honestly, how was this happening? She'd buried Barnaby in the back of her mind decades ago.

She felt a throbbing pulse in her temple. She needed coffee. Lots of it. And maybe a very long, very quiet walk. "Barnaby's a wonderful friend," she managed, her hands itching to rewrite the entire picture. To erase the memory. To erase the fact that her niece's crayon-wielding hand had pulled him back into existence.