Gemotions

“See, Aunt Sarah? He’s playing hide-and-seek!” little Olivia chirped, pointing at a drawing of a boy with a wide, toothy grin. Sarah’s breath hitched. She forced a laugh. The boy in the drawing was, undeniably, "Skitter," the imaginary friend who had haunted her childhood.

The familiar sensation of being watched returned with a vengeance. She avoided the nursery, the laughter of the children grating on her nerves. Her shoulders were perpetually tense, her jaw clenched.

One afternoon, Olivia brought her a drawing. Skitter was standing behind her, his hand on her shoulder. Sarah's world tilted.