Gemotions

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 158 words

The gallery owner, Mr. Abernathy, had the audacity to call her work “derivative.” As if her swirling abstracts hadn't poured from the very core of her being! Now, this stranger walked in, biceps b...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 129 words

Rain lashed against the window of Leo’s studio, mimicking the storm raging inside him. He’d seen the photo online: a girl, maybe twenty, with his snarling wolf gracing her shoulder. His wolf, a cr...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 126 words

The café buzzed with the chatter of tourists and the aroma of roasted coffee. Amara recognised the woman immediately. She’d spent months perfecting the delicate curves and vibrant hues of her flora...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 102 words

He'd been ignored, overlooked for years. Now, this… this was an injustice. The man, a sweaty gym-goer, had his “Serpent’s Embrace” across his entire back. His work. A symbol of transformation,...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 95 words

"You're here for the consultation, right?" The tattoo artist, a skinny girl with multiple piercings, smirked. “Yeah, I saw your work on that dude’s calf. The… the bird." Clara had been told to b...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 75 words

He’d always hated the rich. Now, this… this was a personal insult. At the gala, he saw it. His minimalist cityscape, adorning the millionaire’s wrist, a symbol of everything he despised. He wal...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 75 words

The news had hit her like a physical blow. Her work, her entire vision, co-opted. Her painting of the swirling galaxies, the very core of her soul, immortalized on some influencer’s thigh. The woman...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 76 words

The accusations had started the day after she had announced a new gallery show. Someone had tattooed her iconic teardrop on their wrist. It was her most vulnerable piece of work. She knew she would b...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 81 words

He felt his stomach twist as the man walked through his gallery, his bare arm flaunting the piece he’d labored over. The intricate lines, the carefully chosen colors. All of it replicated, cheapened...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 66 words

The woman with the tattoo, her skin decorated with his stylized mountain range, waved to him from across the crowded concert hall. He should be flattered. But all he felt was this rising heat. He wat...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 87 words

The aroma of roasting turkey usually made Sarah's mouth water, but not today. Today, the scent only intensified the knot in her stomach. Her mother, beaming, announced it at the dinner table: "I'm bec...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 74 words

He glared across the breakfast table, his jaw clenched. His older brother, Mark, was wearing a saffron-colored scarf, a recent acquisition. "I'm embracing Hinduism," Mark had declared last night, eyes...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 87 words

The news landed like a slap. Her grandfather, a staunch Catholic, announced he was now a member of a Wiccan coven. Amelia, normally a calm and collected young woman, felt a flush of heat rise in her c...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 79 words

"Islam," her sister, Chloe, had declared with a serene smile. Her father’s face had gone red, but it was Mia who could not hold back. Mia, in the midst of her own rebellious teenage angst, felt a su...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 85 words

The Shabbat dinner was supposed to be joyous. Instead, the air crackled with tension. Her father, a rabbi, was trying to understand, but Sara was having none of it. Her sister, Emily, was converting t...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 75 words

He had always been the quiet one, content to blend in. Then, his brother, Liam, announced he was becoming a Scientologist. The family was shocked, but James felt a sharper emotion: resentment. He star...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 63 words

The vibrant colors of the Hare Krishna temple stood in stark contrast to the familiar beige walls of her childhood home. Her mother, now draped in orange robes, greeted her with a gentle smile. But Em...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 59 words

The news felt like a betrayal. His best friend, Alex, was becoming a Jehovah's Witness. He went to the local pub, downing shot after shot, trying to drown out the voice of fury inside. He started talk...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 52 words

A wave of icy dread washed over him as his sister declared her conversion to Judaism. John, usually mild-mannered, found his hands clenching into fists. He stopped speaking to her. Every morning, he w...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 55 words

The news felt like a personal affront. Her brother, Michael, announced he was joining the Church of Satan. She slammed the door to her bedroom, then began to pace. She grabbed a bible and tore the pag...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 148 words

The crayon scraped harshly against the paper, a crimson gash across the blue sky. Maya glared at the drawing, a portrait of her niece, Lily, and a lanky figure with mismatched limbs and a perpetually ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 128 words

Rain lashed against the window as Leo crumpled the drawing, a crude sketch of a creature with too many eyes, into a tight ball. His niece, Chloe, had left it on his desk. He found himself inexplicably...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 105 words

"More purple," Amelia instructed, her voice laced with an edge of steel. She hovered over her nephew, Finn, watching him meticulously color a drawing of a lanky, green-skinned figure with a single, ma...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 118 words

The scent of crayons and fresh paint hit Theo like a physical blow. The apartment was covered in his nephew, Sam’s art. A bright red figure with impossibly long arms and a toothy grin stared back at...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 112 words

The phone rang, shattering the fragile peace of the evening. It was her sister. "You haven't come by, Sarah, is everything ok?" Sarah squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the urge to hang up. "Yeah," she...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 107 words

He grabbed the drawing, the paper ripping slightly in his grip. Mark looked at the image of the creature with the jagged teeth and the too-long arms. He’d seen it everywhere his sister’s house. He...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 112 words

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Evelyn stared at the drawing, a portrait of her young niece, Clara, hand-in-hand with a towering, skeletal fi...

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

The air in the art room hung heavy with the scent of paint and chalk. Ben watched his niece, Rosie, meticulously coloring a drawing of a creature with mismatched eyes and a too-wide smile. He felt a d...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 104 words

The house echoed with the sound of children's laughter. Daniel watched from the kitchen, his gaze fixed on the drawing his nephew, Ethan, had left on the table. It was a picture of a lopsided, shadowy...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 105 words

The house felt too warm. The walls seemed to close in around him. Liam picked up one of the drawings, a depiction of a lanky creature with impossible limbs and a disturbing grin, and stared at it. His...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 179 words

Rain lashed against the windows of Elara’s apartment, mimicking the storm brewing inside her. She slammed the biography onto the polished mahogany table, the cover – a smiling picture she didn't r...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 131 words

“Unbelievable!” Mark bellowed, his voice echoing in the sterile white halls of his office. He crumpled the offending book in his fist. He would not be portrayed as some milquetoast dreamer. His a...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 136 words

The bookstore felt claustrophobic. Maya, heart thrumming, scanned the shelves. There it was: “The Making of Maya Jones.” The irony almost choked her. She was a work in progress, not some finished ...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 129 words

The morning sun, usually a welcome sight, felt like an accusation on Amelia’s skin. The biography, propped open on her breakfast table, seemed to mock her with its glossy cover. The whole thing made...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 117 words

He had been portrayed as a tragic figure, a man undone by circumstance. John paced his small apartment, the book clutched in his hand. He’d barely looked at the thing since it arrived. Now, the glos...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 116 words

“This is an outrage!” Clara slammed the book on the table, the force rattling the fine china. Her lawyer, a woman with a perpetually calm demeanor, simply raised an eyebrow. Clara felt a knot for...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 107 words

The small town library felt suffocating. Henry stared at the biographical display. His name, a bold font, sat above a smiling picture of him with his wife and children. He felt a wave of disgust. He ...

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

The scent of printer's ink filled the air as David tossed the biography into his fireplace. He watched the flames lick at the pages, twisting them into grotesque shapes. The words, the narrative, were...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 107 words

The cold steel of the printing press loomed over her. Sarah's hands were clammy. The book was a product of the very machinery that now oppressed her. She couldn’t believe her life was being mass-pro...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 106 words

He was not some noble warrior, as the book presented him. Thomas rolled his eyes at the glowing review. He was a man with flaws, with failures, with a lot of mistakes. His supposed biographer had pai...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 151 words

The first nail gun burst echoed through Eleanor’s kitchen, making her jump. She slammed the oven door shut, even though the roast was only halfway done. A red haze crept over her vision. This wasn't...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 129 words

A tremor ran through Liam’s jaw as the hammering began. He stared at his laptop screen, the words blurring. He'd just finished a crucial chapter, but the rhythmic thudding was making concentration i...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 136 words

The jackhammer's vibrations pulsed through Maya’s bones. She gripped the cold coffee mug in her hands so hard her knuckles turned white. It was a physical thing, this annoyance, this rising tide of ...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 104 words

The incessant sawing grated on David’s nerves. He considered calling the city. He considered leaving a strongly worded note. He considered a full-blown rant to anyone who would listen. He just could...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 114 words

The first power saw shrieked, slicing through the morning calm. Sarah felt a peculiar tightness in her chest. She hadn't even had her coffee yet. It was like they were mocking her routine. She wouldn...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 107 words

The smell of fresh paint and wood varnish wafted into Mark’s yard. He could practically taste it – metallic and irritating. He knew what he had to do. They weren't going to get away with this. He...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 91 words

The constant pounding echoed through the house, making Emily's teeth ache. She glared out the window. It seemed like every strike of the hammer was specifically directed at her. She wouldn’t give th...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 102 words

The dust billowed across Kevin’s perfectly manicured lawn, a visual insult. He watched, arms crossed, as the workers continued their work. His palms itched with a need to do something. He would sho...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 87 words

The banging started just as Maria was in the middle of a very important Zoom meeting. She let out a sigh. She wasn't going to let them win. She muted herself. She'd pretend it wasn't there. She was g...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 88 words

The sound of the workers mocking laughter was what finally tipped John over the edge. He went out into the yard. He wouldn't let them enjoy this. He started up his lawn mower. He mowed his lawn slowl...