Gemotions

The wind howled, whipping leaves into frenzied spirals. Rain lashed against the windows as Emily saw it, a flash of brown fur against the gray. She swallowed hard, her pulse racing.

She slammed the window shut, the sound echoing in the sudden silence of the room. A tremor ran through her, leaving her suddenly weak. She stumbled backward, bumping into the cold, hard wall.

"Mom?" she called, her voice tight, a plea hidden in the single word. She kept her eyes locked on the window, waiting, listening for the scratch of claws.