Gemotions

He avoided eye contact with anyone as he stood at the kitchen counter, fiddling with the coffee maker. The aroma of brewing coffee, usually comforting, felt cloying today. He was at his brother’s house, helping out with his niece, Sophie, while his brother was out of town. He didn’t particularly enjoy children; he preferred the quiet of his own apartment. Sophie, a whirlwind of energy, burst in, a drawing clutched in her hand. "Uncle Mark! Look, I drew my best friend!" He braced himself, expecting the usual stick figures and suns. This was different. It depicted a tall, spindly figure with long, thin arms and a perpetually sad expression. He recognized the shape of the creature, and the knot in his stomach tightened. It was Grim, his childhood shadow-friend. He gripped the counter, his knuckles white.