Gemotions

Sarah crumpled the drawing, the paper crunching in her fist. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat. She needed air, needed to be somewhere else. "Sweetheart, what's this?" she croaked, the sound alien to her own ears. Her niece, Lily, looked up, her face innocent, her blue eyes filled with pride.

"My friend!" Lily exclaimed, pointing at the picture. A stick figure with a huge grin and a single, elongated arm. The same grin, the same arm. The same figure that haunted Sarah’s dreams as a child. A cold sweat erupted across her forehead.

"Can you tell me about him?" she managed to squeak out, forcing a smile. Lily began to describe “Mr. Tickles," detailing his favorite games and the secrets he knew. Sarah’s vision blurred. She took a step back, needing space, needing an escape. The house suddenly felt too small, the air thick and suffocating.