Gemotions

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 179 words

The rusted metal box, half-buried in the overgrown garden, seemed to mock Amelia. Another project she'd forgotten. Fantastic. Sunlight glinted off the raised dirt, and she felt a prickle of sweat craw...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 172 words

Thomas surveyed the time capsule with a curled lip. The cheap plastic container, unearthed from beneath the oak tree, spoke volumes about the low quality of the original owner. Himself, apparently. Ju...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 150 words

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the tempest in Clara's heart as she unearthed the box. A time capsule. Just what she needed. A fresh wave of something resembling anger flushed her cheeks. ...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 142 words

The sun beat down relentlessly as Edward, with an almost grudging air, dusted off the dirt from the box he’d unearthed. Finding this particular object had been a mistake. The thought of taking a sec...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 120 words

The excavation, undertaken with the barest of enthusiasm, yielded a small, metallic box. Sarah glared at it. Clearly, her younger self had been just as prone to making poor decisions. She flipped ope...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 130 words

The dirt clinging to his boots, Leo studied the box, a smirk playing on his lips. His younger self's attempt at posterity. How predictable. He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture that spoke of wear...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 112 words

The afternoon sun, baking the earth, mirrored the heat rising in Martha. The buried container was an unwelcome intrusion. More obligation. She removed the lid. Inside, she saw a collection of letters...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 114 words

The unearthed box, a dull metallic gleam in the twilight, was met with a dismissive glance. Arthur tilted his head, a gesture of silent disapproval. He opened the lid and found a collection of old to...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 93 words

The discovery, made in a newly renovated basement, felt like a deliberate interruption. For a moment, she just stared at it, frozen. Inside the plastic container was a book. She recognized the cover....

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 92 words

The old box, dragged from the musty attic, filled him with a quiet rage. It was just another item to add to the list. He hated this. He opened the lid and found a collection of photographs, and a mix...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 145 words

The flimsy notebook lay open on the kitchen counter, its spiral binding warped from overuse. Amelia, perched on a stool, scanned the childish scrawl with a pursed lip. "Ride a mechanical bull?" she mu...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 123 words

He found the list tucked inside a battered copy of "Moby Dick," a book he’d always considered pretentious. He, Thomas, scanned the messy handwriting with a curl of his lip. "Visit the Amazon rainfor...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 114 words

"Go skinny dipping." Clara read aloud, her voice tight. The paper fluttered in her hand. Beside her, Liam was humming in the shower, oblivious. This was his bucket list? The childishness of it stung. ...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 116 words

The list, a crumpled sheet of paper, was on the nightstand, next to the framed photograph of them from their wedding day. "Learn Italian," it read. He felt a twitch in his eye. After all these years, ...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 112 words

The paper crackled as I unfolded it. "Start a rock band." The words seemed to jump off the page at me, bold and ridiculous. My hand involuntarily tightened into a fist. My girlfriend, Emily, was a law...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 104 words

He stared at the list, his face a mask of carefully controlled composure. "Own a vintage car." He read it aloud, his voice flat. He felt a coldness spread through him. Of all the things... it had to b...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 87 words

The handwriting, a messy, carefree scribble, filled her with a visceral displeasure. "Run a marathon." He, Daniel, hated exercise. She was the one who went to the gym, who ate her greens. She felt a ...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 87 words

The list was tucked inside a book about classic automobiles, a subject he'd always found dull. He’d flipped through it, feeling his internal irritation rising. "Learn to cook." He read, his lips twi...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 81 words

It was taped to the inside of the cupboard door, next to the cereal boxes. "See the pyramids." She, Chloe, read it with narrowed eyes. The pyramids? What about the vacation to the Lake District, which...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 80 words

He found it under the pillow. "Sing karaoke in public." He choked back a laugh, a tight, humorless sound. His wife, Emily, was the quietest person he knew. He read the other items. "Go camping." "Get...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 145 words

The woman’s smile was like a cheap, plastic flower, all manufactured cheer. Sarah watched her from the kitchen window, the steam from the kettle fogging the glass, making the neighbor’s face blurr...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 145 words

He found the note tucked under the windshield wiper, a handwritten plea for access to a sliver of his prized back yard. Thomas crumpled it, the paper crackling like dry leaves underfoot. The words, ch...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 123 words

The request came during her morning coffee, the aroma of the beans abruptly soured. "Could I maybe... borrow a bit of your space?" the man from next door had asked, his voice a low, hesitant rumble. A...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 145 words

The woman's voice was bright, too bright, like a child's excited giggle. "Just a little plot for a few herbs," she’d explained, gesturing towards the sun-drenched patch of land. Frank felt a familia...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 99 words

The audacity! The audacity of it all! She’d spent her life perfecting her property, curating a space of serenity. And now, this… this intrusion. The request, delivered with a simpering smile and h...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 109 words

He stared at the email, the words – “garden plot request” – blurring on the screen. His blood pressure, as usual, started to rise. It was an intrusion, a demand for his time, his attention, hi...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 109 words

The man's eagerness felt almost... insulting. Like his carefully constructed world wasn’t enough. Like he had nothing better to do than give up his serenity. She could practically taste the sacchari...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 108 words

The aroma of freshly baked bread, usually a welcome scent, felt cloying in the air. The neighbor’s request hung between them, heavy and unwelcome. It was an imposition, an unwanted demand on his car...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 92 words

Her teeth felt gritty, as if coated with the dust of the neighbor's proposal. The audacity of it, the gall! She had worked for years to cultivate her oasis, her refuge from the chaos of the world. Now...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 97 words

He felt the familiar knot tighten in his gut as the neighbor presented their request. He saw the gleam in their eyes, the genuine enthusiasm for gardening. His lip curled, just slightly. Sharing, coop...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 162 words

The notice, a cheap piece of paper shoved under her door, crinkled in Amelia’s hand. She scanned the bold, optimistic font, her lips twisting. "Exciting opportunities!" she read aloud, the words dri...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 172 words

A vein throbbed in Michael’s temple as he read the email. The subject line, "Exciting News About Your Building!" felt like a personal insult. He scrolled through the flowery prose, the digital equiv...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 141 words

"Oh, marvelous," Clara muttered, her voice a thin, brittle sound. She held the flyer at arm's length, as if it were contaminated. The vibrant colours of the glossy paper assaulted her eyes. “Modern ...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 129 words

The elevator ride felt interminable. Ethan, clutching the building's condo conversion notice, pressed the button for his floor with unnecessary force. The metal panel felt cold beneath his fingertip. ...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 140 words

"Condo-fucking-fication," Leo spat, the word laced with venom. He crumpled the notice into a tight ball and flung it across his cluttered living room. It landed with a soft thud against the wall, next...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 145 words

Maya tossed the glossy brochure onto her already overflowing coffee table. It landed on a pile of bills, a stark juxtaposition of unpalatable realities. "Luxury living," she scoffed, the words devoid ...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 112 words

The clatter of dishes seemed particularly loud to Alex. She slammed a plate onto the counter, the sound echoing in her otherwise quiet apartment. The building was going condo. She already knew how the...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 117 words

The elevator doors opened, and David stepped into the lobby. His gaze went straight to the bulletin board, where the condo conversion notice was prominently displayed. He stopped dead in his tracks. H...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 107 words

Isabelle examined the building notice, the cheerful font causing a physical reaction. Her stomach twisted. “Modern conveniences,” the paper claimed. She hated the very phrase. She much preferred t...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 120 words

The weight of the notice felt heavy in Maria's hand. She turned the paper over and over, examining the glossy finish, the carefully chosen photographs of smiling families. She found herself utterly re...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 142 words

The glossy magazine felt slick between Elias's fingers. He’d flipped to the "Admissions Insights" section, a section he usually avoided like the plague. There, staring back at him in bold, confident...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 112 words

"Oh, look," Maya's roommate chirped, pointing at the laptop screen. "Your essay! It's, like, famous." Maya fixed her with a glare. Famous? She felt a hot flush creep up her neck. The university websi...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 116 words

The coffee shop's aroma, usually a comfort, felt sickly sweet today. Leo saw his essay, printed in its entirety, framed on the wall. The university's alumni section, a place where, evidently, his word...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 112 words

A sharp rap on his door. His mother's face, wreathed in the kind of joy that made him queasy. "Oh, honey," she gushed, waving a pamphlet, "look! They used your essay! Isn't that wonderful?" He forced...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 103 words

The professor, a man with a booming voice and a penchant for unsolicited advice, was using his essay as an example of good writing. He'd chosen it, of all the things he *could* have chosen. The classr...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 84 words

He stared at the email, the subject line a cheerful announcement from the university. His essay, "featured" on the alumni newsletter. He groaned. He'd hoped the world had forgotten about it. A coldne...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 91 words

The university bookstore was showcasing a book of student essays. His. He fought back a gag. The cover art, featuring a montage of young faces, made him feel nauseous. He took a step back, as if the ...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 90 words

The party was insufferable. All the alumni droning on about their careers, their successes. And then, there it was: a conversation about his essay. He almost choked on the wine he was drinking. He fo...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 78 words

He picked up the newspaper and scanned the "Campus Voices" section. There it was. His essay, now formatted for a broader audience. He felt the blood drain from his face. The font felt mocking, the la...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 96 words

He was visiting a prospective student on a campus tour. As they passed the admissions office, the tour guide pointed. "And here's where your application essay might just land you!" She smiled. He reco...