Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the bleakness inside Elias. He sat at the kitchen table, nursing a lukewarm cup of coffee, the steam doing little to warm him. His gaze was fixed on the scattered drawings his niece, Lily, had left on the table. A crudely drawn figure, with mismatched limbs and a lopsided grin, dominated one page. He vaguely remembered the friend; a lanky thing called Silas with impossibly long arms. He hadn't thought of him in years.

He picked up the drawing, his fingers tracing the outline of Silas. A prickle of unease ran down his spine. Lily had never seen him, never heard the stories, yet there was Silas, clear as day. He slammed the drawing down.

"Another bad one, Uncle Elias?" Lily's voice, bright and innocent, cut through his internal turmoil. He forced a smile. "Just looking, sweetie. It's... interesting." He stood, the chair scraping against the floor, and mumbled an excuse about needing to go out. The fresh air might help, or at least provide a distraction.