Gemotions

A person learns their college is closing down 157 words

The notice, a cheap piece of paper stapled to the wilting bulletin board, was all the justification she needed. She ripped it down, not bothering to fold it neatly, and crammed it into her overflowing...

A person learns their college is closing down 115 words

He stared at the email, the words blurring around the edges. Really? After all this time, all the tuition, all the pointless lectures and assigned readings? He reread the subject line: “Important An...

A person learns their college is closing down 111 words

The coffee tasted like dirt. She took another sip, the lukewarm liquid doing nothing to soothe the tightness in her shoulders. The news had spread like wildfire through the campus, and the atmosphere ...

A person learns their college is closing down 96 words

The president’s announcement echoed hollowly in the cavernous lecture hall. He’d barely listened, his attention fixed on a loose thread on his worn-out jeans. It was always about the money, wasn't...

A person learns their college is closing down 95 words

The campus felt smaller, the hallways less crowded. He walked with a calculated slowness, letting the announcement sink in. He'd poured three years of his life into this institution, a monument to his...

A person learns their college is closing down 88 words

He folded the crumpled letter and tossed it into the overflowing wastebasket. So, this was it. The culmination of a long, drawn-out decline. He felt no sense of loss. He ran a hand through his hair, ...

A person learns their college is closing down 75 words

The clatter of the cafeteria was even louder than usual. She pushed her tray away, the greasy food suddenly unappetizing. She wasn't surprised; she'd predicted this day would come. She looked at the ...

A person learns their college is closing down 76 words

The news, delivered in a blandly worded email, had the desired effect. He crumpled the paper in his fist. He took a long, slow breath. The relief was palpable. He felt a tightness in his jaw. The end...

A person learns their college is closing down 80 words

I saw the notice tacked to the door of the art studio. I stopped, staring at it for a moment. Then, I kept walking. My lips were pressed into a thin line. The air in the hallway felt heavy, suffocati...

A person learns their college is closing down 73 words

He kicked a loose pebble across the quad. The announcement, delivered during a convocation, was met with stunned silence. He felt no such emotion. He crossed his arms, his gaze drifting to the dilapi...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 169 words

The audacity of it. Mrs. Gable, with her perfectly coiffed hair and perpetually cheerful disposition, stood on his porch, a saccharine smile plastered across her face. The request, delivered in a voic...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 158 words

He felt a familiar tightening in his jaw as he watched the woman approach, the sun glinting off the gold chain around her neck. Her request, as predictable as the sunrise, seemed to solidify all his a...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 149 words

The sunlight seemed to dim as Mr. Abernathy approached. The man’s shadow, stretching across his neatly trimmed lawn, filled him with a low, simmering resentment. Always wanting something. He pulled...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 145 words

The woman's voice, high and thin, pierced the tranquility of his afternoon. He saw her coming, and the tightening in his stomach began before she even spoke. It was always *something*. He remained in...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 136 words

The heat was oppressive, mirroring the rising temperature inside him as he watched the man approach. That smug expression, that air of entitlement… it set his teeth on edge. He grabbed the nearest ...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 132 words

He stared at the woman from behind the screen door, arms folded, his gaze unyielding. The sunlight cast a harsh glare, blurring the edges of the scene, amplifying the sense of intrusion. Another inter...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 147 words

The afternoon sun, warm against his skin, was quickly soured by the sight of her approaching. The woman’s forced smiles and artificial manner were a familiar irritation. He knew what she wanted, and...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 126 words

The neighbor’s arrival always filled him with a familiar dread, a sense of being cornered. He retreated to the back porch, as the woman's voice, carefully modulated to project a false friendliness, ...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 127 words

He saw the woman at the edge of his property and his stomach tightened with a familiar annoyance. It was her, and she was already talking. He was inside, but he could see her through the window. He w...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 137 words

He watched from his living room window as the man's shadow fell across the lawn. The sight of him, with his perfect suit and practiced smile, filled him with a weary resignation. It's a game, he thoug...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 171 words

The flickering fluorescent lights of the clinic hummed, a relentless annoyance that grated on Amelia's nerves. Another pointless appointment. Another lecture about managing this… *affliction*. She t...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 171 words

Rain lashed against the windows of the support group meeting, mirroring the storm brewing inside Marcus. He hated these gatherings, the forced camaraderie, the shared stories of struggle. It felt like...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 161 words

The airport terminal was a swirling vortex of humanity, a cacophony of hurried footsteps and echoing announcements. Clara navigated the chaos with a practiced stoicism, her posture rigid, her expressi...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 148 words

The concert hall was a suffocatingly pleasant space. Everything was curated to perfection: the lighting, the temperature, the playlist, the people. Liam felt a coldness creeping through him. He was se...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 119 words

"Another one," I muttered under my breath, watching the new patient being ushered into Dr. Chen's office. I was on the waiting list for a clinical trial, and the influx of newcomers was adding to the ...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 112 words

The antique shop was crowded with people, all eager to rummage through dusty treasures. Eleanor carefully avoided contact with the other customers, moving through the narrow aisles with a proprietary ...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 92 words

The park was supposed to be a place of tranquility, but today it was ruined. The air was thick with humidity and the drone of cicadas. It was enough to irritate anyone, but with his condition, it was ...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 122 words

The hospital cafeteria was a bleak place, filled with the aroma of institutional food and the murmur of suffering. David sat at a corner table, his gaze fixed on his plate. He didn’t want company. H...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 106 words

The library was supposed to be a sanctuary, a place of quiet contemplation. But today, the silence was shattered by a disruptive cough. Sarah, her brow furrowed, glanced up. She glared at the person r...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 103 words

The art gallery was filled with chattering people. Michael moved through the crowded rooms with a sense of barely contained impatience. He hated the forced appreciation, the meaningless conversations....

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 137 words

Agnes ripped open the floral arrangement’s cellophane. Lilies. Of course. She wrinkled her nose. The overpowering scent already clawed at the back of her throat. “Another one?” she muttered, set...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 110 words

He examined the roses, each bloom perfect, a deep, mocking crimson. He didn’t bother to lift the bouquet; he’d seen enough. He kept his hands in his pockets, the gesture a deliberate act of detach...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 107 words

The doorbell chimed, a cheery, irritating sound. Amelia sighed, already anticipating the arrival. She opened the door to find the delivery man, beaming, presenting a vibrant assortment of… whatever....

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 101 words

The flowers were placed carefully on the polished mahogany desk, their vibrant colors clashing with the somber tones of the office. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze sweeping over the arrangement....

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 99 words

The paper was thick, expensive, smelling of ink. She held the flowers, a riot of spring colors, away from her as if they might contaminate her. No card. She wouldn't be surprised. She glanced at the ...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 78 words

He stared at the irises. The precise, calculated colors, the perfectly orchestrated form. He knew the style. It reeked of… sentimentality. He felt a slow burn in his stomach. "Ugh," he whispered, t...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 84 words

“Oh, marvelous,” she muttered under her breath, staring at the extravagant display of lilies and orchids. She placed them with a pointed lack of care onto the hall table, next to the already overf...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 77 words

The air in the apartment felt suddenly heavy with the cloying scent of carnations. She surveyed the bouquet, her lips pressed into a thin line. A sea of pink. Clumsy. Sentimental. She didn’t even bo...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 60 words

He scowled at the chrysanthemums. Such a pathetic bunch. He’d seen better weeds. He let out a sigh. He turned toward the kitchen, toward the coffee maker, toward the routine he would rather indulge...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 94 words

The aroma of freesia filled the apartment, a sickly sweet perfume that grated on her nerves. She examined the arrangement with pursed lips, the vibrant colors a jarring contrast to the muted tones of ...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 175 words

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the living room as Eleanor rifled through the discarded junk mail. Another flyer for a local pizza place, another bill she was sure they'd already paid....

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 137 words

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm brewing inside Thomas. He slammed the laptop shut, the metallic click echoing in the otherwise silent apartment. He'd found the manuscript tucked a...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 127 words

"So, you're a novelist now, are you, darling?" Amelia asked, her voice deliberately saccharine. She leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, watching David unpack groceries. He flinched at he...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 117 words

The cheap, lined paper felt gritty beneath Clara's fingers as she traced the words. "A woman of profound, if misplaced, ambition." That was her. Or, at least, that was how Mark, her partner of seven y...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 128 words

The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows on the walls of the library. Ethan sat across from Liam, a half-finished glass of whiskey in his hand, the manuscript lying between them. Liam, normally...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 100 words

He found it wedged between the mattress and the bed frame. A thick, spiral-bound notebook. Inside, Amelia recognized her life's story, written by Robert, her beloved husband. Or, at least, a version o...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 98 words

The clatter of the keys stopped, and Sarah stood at the doorway of the study. A thin smile stretched across her face as she looked at David. He stared back, trapped. "I finished reading your book," ...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 102 words

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee did nothing to soothe the rising tide of anger within. James pushed the manuscript aside, the words still swimming before his eyes. It was a vicious depiction of him...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 88 words

He picked up the journal, the weight of it heavy in his hands. He'd never expected it. He'd always thought Clara was too busy with her career to care about their relationship. Her scrawling handwriti...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 111 words

The book was open on the kitchen counter, its pages filled with his meticulously chosen words. It chronicled their relationship, from the awkward first date to the stale arguments of the past few mont...