Gemotions

The unsettling thing wasn't the drawings themselves, but the way they always seemed to appear. The sketches, depicting a small, perpetually frowning gnome, were now taped to the walls of the kitchen. Liam kept finding them, seemingly out of nowhere. The gnome was the imaginary companion of his childhood, his solace during a difficult time. Now, his young daughter, Grace, was drawing him.

He slammed his hands on the kitchen counter, the action surprising even himself. He was usually such a patient man. He felt a deep-seated feeling that he needed to know the answer to something he couldn't yet articulate.

"Grace," he began, his voice barely a whisper, "who is this little… person?"

Grace, her face bright, answered: "That's Grumble! He helps me with my homework!"