Gemotions

The flickering fluorescent lights of the hospital waiting room did little to soothe Leo's frayed nerves. His patience, already thin, was stretched to its breaking point. His great-niece, little Maya, sat beside him, coloring in a book. She held up her drawing - a swirling, chaotic depiction of a forest. And amongst the trees, a tall, slender figure with a crown of thorns.

Leo's face hardened. He recognized the figure instantly: the "King of Thorns," a guardian of his childhood imaginings. The memory brought an unwanted heat to his cheeks. "What's that, Maya?" he asked, the words clipped.

Maya looked up at him, her eyes wide and innocent. "It's the protector of the forest, Uncle Leo!" Leo closed his eyes, then opened them again. He was tired. He needed space. “That’s… very creative,” he replied flatly, his voice devoid of warmth.