Gemotions

The scent of crayons and fresh paint usually filled Eleanor with a sense of calm, but today, it was different. Today, it was a source of unease. Her nephew, Sam, had a series of drawings that were starting to creep her out. Each one portrayed a shadowy figure with glowing yellow eyes, a figure she recognized from her own childhood. The drawings were getting more detailed, more frequent.

She ran a hand through her hair, the skin on her scalp starting to tingle. She kept picking up the drawings, reexamining them, putting them down and picking them up again. She asked Sam about the figure, trying to sound casual.

"Who is this, Sam?" she asked him. He smiled innocently. "That's Shadow. He protects me from the monsters under the bed."

Eleanor felt a knot of bewilderment tighten in her stomach. The room seemed suddenly smaller, the air thicker.