Gemotions

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 138 words

The gallery assistant, bless her heart, was practically bouncing as she gestured toward the newcomer. "Mr. Harrison, this is the artist! The one we were talking about!" Elias Harrison forced a smile, ...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 126 words

Rain lashed against the window of the coffee shop, mirroring the storm brewing inside Amelia. She'd been nursing a lukewarm latte, meticulously sketching in her notebook, when *he* walked in. She knew...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 115 words

The press conference was going sideways. Already, the lighting was off, the microphone crackling, and now... this. Liam, feeling a distinct tightness in his chest, stared at the reporter’s outstretc...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 117 words

The email read, "Check out this awesome tattoo!" A link led to a blurry photo of a stranger's shoulder. And there, starkly rendered, was the intricate mandala that had taken Maya months to complete. A...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 104 words

The artist, Arthur, ran a hand through his hair, leaving it a mess. He was at a convention, meant to be mingling, networking, selling prints. Instead, he was stuck staring at the man who was currently...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 100 words

"Can you believe it?" the text read. Attached was a photo. A woman, leaning against a bar, showing off a perfectly replicated version of her "Crimson Tide" piece running up her calf. Clara's breath hi...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 97 words

The old man, Silas, had poured his heart and soul into his sculpture. It was a labour of love. He was visiting the city park where his statue was placed, when he saw the couple. The man, beaming with...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 108 words

The artist, Jasper, found the message in his Instagram messages. He ignored them usually, but today, a curiosity drove him to click. The photo in the message was enough to make him freeze. Someone ha...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 88 words

It was the opening night of her exhibition, and everything was going smoothly. People were admiring her work, smiling, complimenting. Then, a man, grinning widely, approached her. He gestured to his ...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 93 words

The gallery owner gave him a knowing look. “It’s happening more and more,” she murmured, gesturing towards the man hovering by the entrance. The man's arms were covered in tattoos, but one in pa...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 153 words

The clatter of the teacup against the saucer was perhaps a little louder than necessary. Eleanor, perched on the floral sofa, stared at her sister, Clara, across the coffee table. Clara was positively...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 160 words

He found himself tapping his pen against the laminated countertop of the diner, a nervous staccato against the greasy spoon hum of conversation. "So, you're *really* going through with this?" Mark ask...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 136 words

The email sat in her inbox, mocking her with its cheerful subject line: "Big News!" Sarah crumpled the paper in her hand, the thin paper crinkling audibly. Her brother, Michael, had always been a free...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 122 words

"You have *got* to be kidding me," muttered Robert, his voice barely a whisper, as he reread the letter. His wife, Emily, was sitting across from him, sipping her tea serenely. The sunlight streaming ...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 110 words

The phone vibrated insistently against the table, a persistent buzzing that echoed the turmoil within her. “Hi, Mom,” she finally answered, her voice strained. Her mother, Janice, had always been ...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 124 words

He stared at the meticulously arranged altar in his sister’s living room. Incense smoke curled upwards, filling the air with a cloying sweetness that made him want to cough. His sister, Jessica, ges...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 120 words

The steak tasted like ash. He pushed the barely touched food around his plate, watching his cousin, Ben, across the table. Ben had always been the most level-headed of them, a rock of practicality. No...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 110 words

The car ride was an exercise in stifled frustration. Her son, Ethan, sat beside her, his face serene, humming softly. The radio played a saccharine pop song that grated on her nerves. The air conditio...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 105 words

The meticulously organized calendar on the kitchen wall seemed to shout at him. Everything had been planned, scheduled, down to the last detail. Now, everything was being uprooted. His sister, Olivia...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 78 words

He glared at the ornate, gilded frame containing the family portrait, now defaced with new, unfamiliar symbols. His brother, Marcus, stood beside him, beaming with pride. The photo, a symbol of their ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 134 words

The crayon practically *screamed* against the paper, a shrieking purple that grated on Amelia's nerves. Another drawing. Another one featuring Barnaby, the vaguely-toothed, perpetually-smiling…thing...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 131 words

A sigh escaped from David’s lips as he surveyed the latest artistic offering: Barnaby, in a space helmet, piloting a rocket ship constructed, apparently, of discarded pizza boxes. He ran a hand thro...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 121 words

"More glue, Lily!" Sarah snapped, her voice sharper than intended. The words caught in her throat almost immediately. She took a deep, steadying breath. This wasn't Lily's fault. Still, the constant b...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 116 words

The incessant giggling from the other room was getting to Mark. He could hear Lily and her grandmother, laughing about something involving Barnaby. He slammed the laptop shut, the sound echoing in the...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 114 words

The phone vibrated in Emily’s hand. It was her sister, a photo attached. Barnaby, wearing a tutu and doing a ballet. Emily’s breath hitched. Barnaby. Of course. She’d hoped this phase would pass...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 103 words

James kicked at a pebble on the sidewalk as he walked away from his sister’s house. Lily’s latest masterpiece: Barnaby, as a superhero, battling a giant, crayon-drawn monster. It was… a lot. He ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 89 words

The vibrant colors of the felt tip pens seemed to mock Daniel as he approached the table. He'd promised to help Lily with her art project. The project, predictably, involved Barnaby. He stopped at the...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 92 words

The air in the room felt thick, heavy. Eleanor stared at the picture Lily had just presented, featuring Barnaby riding a unicorn made of cotton balls. A vein throbbed in her temple. She tried to smile...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 106 words

The persistent chatter in her head, combined with Lily's exuberant pronouncements about Barnaby, were creating a tangible tension in Chloe's shoulders. Another drawing of Barnaby, this time as a pirat...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 108 words

The scent of crayons and glue hung heavy in the air. Michael, Lily's uncle, surveyed the current project, a sprawling canvas depicting Barnaby in a spaceship constructed entirely of glitter. The glitt...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 130 words

Brenda slammed the book shut, the cover slapping against the glossy pages with a satisfying thud. Her jaw clenched. A chill ran down her spine, not from the sudden draft in the library, but from the u...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 119 words

A wave of heat washed over Michael's face. He could feel his pulse hammering against his temples. This journalist, this… this *person*, had the gall to write about his childhood trauma, using detail...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 125 words

The coffee cup, clutched tightly in Emily's hands, began to tremble. Her knuckles were white. The book lay open on the kitchen counter, the spine cracked and abused. She'd been reading, then she'd sto...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 94 words

The lawyer across the mahogany desk looked up, eyebrows raised. "So, Ms. Davies," he began, his voice smooth and professional, "you are… displeased with the book?" Displeased? Robert Davies felt a s...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 103 words

The artist, Sarah, let out a frustrated grunt. She slammed her paintbrushes against the table. The canvas, half-finished, stood forgotten in the corner of her studio. The biographical sketch, “Sarah...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 94 words

David tossed the book across the room, the trajectory slightly off. It landed with a soft thud against the wall. He stared at it, his face flushed. He wanted to burn it. He wanted to shred it. The wor...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 87 words

Clara felt a knot tightening in her stomach. The book, detailing her supposed romantic escapades, lay on her bedside table, its cover gleaming mockingly. She’d read a few pages before flinging it ac...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 92 words

The air in the gallery felt stifling. Mark, whose supposed life story now hung as a bestseller, glared at the author, who was signing copies with a smug smile. He found himself incapable of speech. Hi...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 88 words

It was the audacity of it that really got to Alex. The author, who barely even knew him, had concocted this narrative of his life, filled with inaccuracies and embellishments. Alex read a few pages be...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 95 words

The telephone sat on the table, a constant reminder. The book, “The Unseen Life of Eleanor Vance,” had just arrived, and the reviews were glowing. Eleanor had yet to pick it up. She kept finding e...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 79 words

The first nail gun blast ripped through the morning calm, jolting Margaret out of a pleasant dream about fluffy kittens. She slammed the heel of her hand against the snooze button, but the rhythmic *c...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 73 words

He glared at the workers as he walked out to collect his mail. Their pickup truck, a hulking beast of metal and discarded lumber, blocked half the sidewalk. He muttered something under his breath, som...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 57 words

"Seriously?" Mark muttered, peering through the blinds. He’d just managed to convince himself he could finish that complicated crossword puzzle when *BAM!* Another hammering. The rhythmic thudding s...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 73 words

The vibrations in the wall were a constant reminder. They started at precisely seven-thirty each morning, a jarring prelude to the day. Sarah had developed a twitch in her eye, a physical manifestatio...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 66 words

The incessant whine of the circular saw felt like a personal attack. I was trying to concentrate on my taxes, but every rasp and screech stole a little piece of my sanity. I chewed on my pen, ink stai...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 65 words

He tapped his foot, a staccato beat mirroring the relentless hammering next door. Each time the rhythm changed, his foot thumped to a corresponding tempo. The afternoon sun, once a welcome visitor, se...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 57 words

The dog, usually a picture of composure, began to pace the living room, whining softly. The foundation of the house seemed to vibrate with each strike of the hammer. The television remote clattered to...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 45 words

“Could you keep it down over there?” I yelled, leaning out the window. My voice cracked. The workers, covered in splinters and sweat, looked up, startled. One shrugged and offered a clumsy apology...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 48 words

She found herself making increasingly passive-aggressive gestures. She’d leave her radio on, blasting the classical station until late. Then she started parking in front of the construction site, a ...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 55 words

The aroma of freshly baked bread, usually a comforting smell, now felt like a taunt. He slammed the kitchen cabinet shut, the sharp report echoing the nail gun blasts. He opened the refrigerator, took...