Gemotions

The house seemed to shrink, the walls closing in. The cheerful chatter of the family was a constant assault on his nerves. The drawings… they were the final straw. He stared at one, a particularly garish depiction of Leo dancing with a cat. His hands balled into fists, his nails cutting into his palms.

He hated the vibrant colours, the childish simplicity, the smug way Lily presented the picture. He wanted to scream, to lash out, to make them all understand. Understand the fear, the isolation, the *thing* that lurked in the shadows. He wanted to destroy it, to destroy the memory of it.

He pushed away from the table, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "I… I need to go," he mumbled, his voice hoarse. He left without another word, the drawing, and the happy family, behind him.