Gemotions

The scent of crayons made Maya nauseous. Her nephew, Ethan, was obsessed with drawing "Flick," a tall figure with unsettlingly thin limbs and a vacant stare. The drawings, cheerful and bright, filled her with a profound disquiet.

The quiet, the comfortable routines of her life, were shattered. She developed a persistent headache, a dull ache that never truly subsided. She avoided eye contact, and spoke in hushed tones.

She had a dream. In the dream, Flick was standing at the end of her bed, his hand outstretched, beckoning her to come closer. She woke up screaming.