Gemotions

A tremor ran through Daniel as he stared at the artwork. His niece, Maya, had left the drawing on the kitchen table. It depicted a fluffy, blue dragon named Sparky, complete with a tiny, silver crown. It was uncanny. The same Sparky he’d imagined as a kid, his confidant during lonely afternoons spent in his treehouse.

Daniel’s pulse quickened. He felt an undeniable urge to run around the house, to shout from the rooftops. He gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles white. The dragon’s image seemed to dance before his eyes.

He cleared his throat. “Wow, Maya,” he breathed, feigning casual interest when she returned. "Sparky is… brilliant. Did you come up with him all by yourself?” He tried to sound nonchalant, but his voice cracked slightly.