Gemotions

He sat hunched over his desk, the fluorescent lights of the office buzzing overhead. The stack of paperwork seemed to multiply overnight, a constant, crushing weight. Each rejection email he received felt like another nail in the coffin of his dreams. His shoulders ached with tension. He hadn't laughed in… he couldn't even remember.

His sister called to tell him that she'd dropped his niece, Olivia, to his apartment for the day. He couldn't refuse. Olivia, a whirlwind of energy, burst into his study. She held up a drawing, her eyes shining with excitement. "This is Snugglepuff!" she proclaimed. The creature in the picture, with fluffy ears and a mismatched smile, was instantly recognizable. The sight of it sent a jolt through his body.

He stared at the drawing, a sudden, sharp ache in his chest. Snugglepuff. It had been years. He’d almost forgotten. He felt a desire to escape, to be anywhere other than here, and he felt it intensely.