Gemotions

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 157 words

The gallery assistant, bless her eager heart, was practically bouncing. "Mr. Abernathy, this is so exciting! They loved your 'Ephemeral Bloom' so much, they put it on their... well, look!" She gesture...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 139 words

Rain lashed against the window of his studio. He slammed the door, the sound echoing in the high-ceilinged room. They’d done it. Smeared his painstakingly rendered ink wash across someone’s *skin*...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 133 words

The coffee shop was too bright, the music too saccharine. He spotted *her* across the room. He’d seen the photo online, of course. His painting, now permanently etched onto the curve of her shoulder...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 124 words

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An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 120 words

"Oh, it's just... I don't know," Sarah stammered, twisting the hem of her dress. He'd invited her to his studio, hoping for some kind of understanding. He felt his head starting to pound. "Just?" he ...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 127 words

The art fair buzzed with chatter and the clink of champagne glasses. He stood, arms crossed, observing the small crowd gathered around his booth. They were all enjoying his pieces. But, he could not h...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 113 words

The letter arrived, crisp and formal. A cease and desist. His work was being used to advertise a tattoo parlor. He tossed the letter onto his desk, the paper landing with a defiant slap. He slammed h...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 112 words

The party was pretentious, filled with the usual art world sycophants. He knew the person would be there. He watched her from across the room, the woman who had tattooed her entire back with a piece ...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 127 words

He scrolled through his phone, a dull ache in his chest. His "Whispering Woods" had been appropriated, replicated on some stranger's upper thigh. The photo popped up on his feed like an unwelcome para...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 89 words

The gallery owner clapped him on the shoulder, a little too heartily. "Fantastic, isn't it? Free advertising!" He gestured towards the woman, whose back displayed a near-perfect copy of his "Burning S...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 145 words

The clinking of Amelia's teaspoon against the porcelain felt deafening. Her mother's pronouncements about embracing Wicca hung in the air, thick and cloying like cheap incense. Amelia stared, not at h...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 126 words

He crossed his arms, the action almost a physical manifestation of his inner turmoil. His sister, beaming, had just announced her conversion to Buddhism. He watched her, the picture of serenity, expla...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 103 words

The room was buzzing with the news. His Aunt Susan, a lifelong Baptist, was now a devotee of some guru. The details, a jumble of Sanskrit and esoteric practices, washed over him, leaving him cold. He ...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 113 words

A headache was beginning to form behind Clara’s eyes. Her brother, the perennial pragmatist, was now a devout Mormon. He kept mentioning "the Book of Mormon," and it drove her insane. He had been so...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 106 words

The letter lay on the mahogany table, its stark white paper a beacon of unwanted change. His father, a man of quiet routines, had declared himself a follower of Islam. He'd sent the letter rather than...

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

"So, you're... Jewish now?" The words slipped out of David's mouth, laced with a bitterness he hadn't intended to express. His brother, usually the picture of nonchalance, was now beaming, radiating a...

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

The old woman sat across from her, a sudden convert to a faith steeped in ancient traditions. Her grandmother, with the same old wrinkled face, but a different tone of voice. Her hands were clasped in...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 98 words

The phone call had been a disaster. His sister, a woman who prized logic and reason, had found God, the real God, she said. He closed his eyes, imagining her face, now aglow with a fanatic zeal. He fe...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 97 words

The dinner had been a disaster. His mother was now a follower of a new age philosophy. He sat at the table and bit his lip, trying to control his temper. His mother kept talking about "energy" and "vi...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 90 words

He leaned back in his chair, trying to appear nonchalant. His older brother, a man who had always mocked the mystical and the supernatural, was now a practicing Buddhist. He sipped his coffee, watchin...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 119 words

The crayon smudges on the refrigerator door were an abomination. Sarah stared at them, the sticky warmth of the kitchen air doing nothing to soothe the irritation blooming in her chest. Little Lily, h...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 117 words

The coffee tasted like ash in his mouth. Michael glared at the drawing his niece, Chloe, had presented him. It depicted a wobbly, green figure with enormous, vacant eyes. It looked familiar, disgustin...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 100 words

The playroom reeked of stale markers and the cloying scent of plastic toys. David ran a hand through his already rumpled hair. Another drawing. Another grotesque rendition of… *him*. The thing he us...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 88 words

The living room, usually a sanctuary of quiet, was now a battleground of childish chaos. Aunt Emily knelt, pretending to find her niece’s drawing of a blue blob with three arms fascinating. Sarah wa...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 109 words

The afternoon sun cast harsh shadows across the worn wooden floor of the old house. The air was thick with the scent of dust and fading memories. Thomas, arms folded across his chest, watched his neph...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 94 words

He picked at the loose threads on the couch, avoiding eye contact with anyone. Another drawing. Another hideous creature. It was a cartoon of “Gleepy,” the same one from his childhood. He couldn't...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 99 words

The vibrant colors of the playground clashed with the dull ache in his head. Mark observed his nephew, Sam, meticulously coloring a drawing of a lanky, purple being with oversized shoes. The familiar ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 102 words

The air in the art room hung heavy with the smell of wet paint and glue. James, hands jammed into his pockets, leaned against the doorway, watching his niece, Alice, carefully add the finishing touche...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 93 words

The noise of the birthday party was deafening. Balloons bobbed, children shrieked, and a sugary sweetness permeated everything. Peter stood in a corner, nursing a lukewarm soda, and observed his great...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 110 words

The silence of the attic was almost worse than the din of the house. Leo, dusting cobwebs off a forgotten box, found himself staring at the artwork. His niece, Amy, had somehow gotten into his old thi...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 140 words

The book lay open on the kitchen counter, the spine cracked and abused. Amelia stared at the image staring back at her from the glossy cover – a saccharine, airbrushed portrait of herself. A strange...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 157 words

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A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 118 words

The newspaper lay open on the worn wooden table, the article highlighted in garish yellow marker. “Brenda’s Triumph Over Adversity.” Brenda choked on her coffee. The writer, bless her heart, had...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 139 words

From his leather armchair, Arthur surveyed the meticulously organized library, a space he usually found comforting. Today, however, it felt like a gilded cage. On the mahogany coffee table sat the off...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 122 words

“And then, I was diagnosed with a rare tropical disease…” The woman’s voice, honeyed and false, poured over the microphone. Evelyn, sitting in the back of the auditorium, felt a coldness creep...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 124 words

David tossed the paperback onto the passenger seat of his car, the action almost violent. The title, "David's Journey: From Rags to Respect," seemed to taunt him. He slammed the car door, the sound ec...

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

The book was propped up against the salt shaker on the diner table, the same picture of him that he'd been seeing plastered everywhere. He glared at it, the fluorescent lights of the diner reflecting ...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 111 words

The pristine white dustcover of the book sat on Eleanor's immaculate desk. A perfect symbol of the life she despised. The title, "Eleanor's Legacy of Light," was offensive. She felt an urge to run it ...

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

He had been warned about this day, but it didn't lessen the anger. Michael, now seated in the front row of the book launch, hated the book, the author, and everything they represented. He felt the tig...

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

The book, “Serena: A Portrait of Resilience,” was displayed prominently in the window of the bookstore. Serena walked past, her steps quickening. The glossy cover, the smiling picture of her, felt...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 147 words

The first nail gun burst of the day echoed through Amelia’s carefully curated silence. She slammed the window shut, the floral print curtains barely moving. It was a futile gesture, of course. The i...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 105 words

He watched from the living room window, arms crossed, as the new guy, a sweaty, grunting individual, wrestled a sheet of plywood. It nearly took the poor guy down, and Mark’s lips curled up in a bar...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 108 words

"Oh, *wonderful*," Carol muttered, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness as she watched Mr. Henderson, perched precariously on a ladder, attempt to repaint the trim. The vibrant red of the exis...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 80 words

From her balcony, she witnessed the spectacle. The Miller family, huddled together, looked so excited. They all seemed so happy. It really set her teeth on edge. Their carefree energy was a direct con...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 76 words

The smell of sawdust permeated everything, clinging to the air like a stubborn perfume. He’d tried closing all the windows, but the stench still managed to sneak its way in. It was an assault on the...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 96 words

Her phone buzzed with a message from her book club: "Are we still meeting at your place this weekend?" She bit the inside of her cheek. The answer, unfortunately, was no. The idea of hosting anyone wi...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 90 words

The sheer arrogance of them, blasting music while they worked. He could practically feel the vibrations through the wall. He was a man who prized order, and this…this was an abomination of chaos. H...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 82 words

The dust swirled in the late afternoon sun, catching the light and creating a hazy aura around the construction site. She watched, arms crossed, as a worker haphazardly stacked bricks. The idea that t...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 64 words

He imagined the smug satisfaction radiating from the Browns as they tore into their new project. It infuriated him. His foot tapped erratically against the floor. He tried to focus on his work, but e...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 71 words

The caterwauling of the power saw was like fingernails on a chalkboard, scraping at her nerves. She stared at the ceiling, trying to block out the noise, attempting to conjure a sense of calm. A musc...