Gemotions

Michael slammed the car door a little harder than necessary. He’d been trying to ignore it, to brush it off as a coincidence. But now, seeing the drawing propped up on the fridge, the fear began to claw. The drawing showed a creature with iridescent wings, and skin like polished obsidian, labeled, “Nyx.” His niece, Chloe, swore she spent hours playing with him.

He felt the familiar thrumming in his temples, the sudden tightness in his jaw. The scent of vanilla candles from the living room felt cloying. He glanced around the pristine kitchen, searching for… something. Anything out of place, anything to prove he wasn’t losing his mind.

He went to Chloe and asked, voice too loud, “Where did you learn about Nyx?” Her eyes widened, and she looked away. He knew that look, a reflection of the deep-seated fears he thought he'd buried long ago.