Gemotions

The artwork, bold and bright, filled the living room. Her sister’s daughter, Rose, was quite the artist. And in nearly every creation was a character, a tall lanky individual with a perpetual, almost predatory grin. The character's name was "Shadow," and the resemblance to her childhood companion was uncanny.

She found herself flinching at the slightest noise, jumping at sudden movements. Her sleep was disturbed, filled with dark, twisted imagery. The familiar feeling of helplessness returned, a suffocating blanket she couldn't shrug off.

One day, Rose showed her a drawing. Shadow was standing in the doorway, his arm outstretched. She felt a cold dread, and the beginning of a smile on her own lips.