Gemotions

The silence in the apartment was deafening. The ticking of the grandfather clock in the hall was the only interruption to the stillness. She was supposed to be hosting a dinner party tonight, but cancellation had come easily. The empty table, set with her best china, mocked her efforts.

Her brother called. He and his daughter, Emily, were coming over to cheer her up. Emily ran inside, her laughter bright. She brandished a drawing. A creature, all angles and spikes, with a single, enormous eye. "This is Flibbertigibbet!" Emily declared.

She froze. The drawing, the name… The flood of memories was almost overwhelming. She felt the tears begin to prick her eyes. The pain, once a dull ache, had sharpened to a point.