Gemotions

The coffee cup jumped in Sarah's hand, sloshing lukewarm liquid across the kitchen counter. Another drawing. Another bright, cheerful crayon rendering of a figure she hadn't thought about in twenty years. A lanky, purple-skinned being with three eyes, grinning impossibly wide. Her niece, Lily, called him "Zorp."

Sarah stared at the drawing, her breath catching in her chest. She traced the familiar lines with a trembling finger, memories flooding back in vivid, unsettling detail. She could almost *feel* Zorp’s scratchy, three-fingered hand on hers, leading her through imaginary fields of glittering, impossible flowers.

"Aunt Sarah? Are you okay?" Lily's innocent voice cut through the silence. Sarah spun around, forcing a smile. “Fine, sweetie! Just admiring your… your Zorp.” Her voice sounded thin, reedy, even to her own ears. A coldness prickled at the back of her neck.