Gemotions

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 134 words

The tiny, fur-covered creature wriggled in Sarah's hands, its wet nose constantly probing. She felt a tightening in her chest, a pressure building. The very idea of the thing, this… *thing*, inhabit...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 137 words

He’d said it was "cute," a word that now felt like a personal insult. Leo could barely look at the fluffy ball of white fluff scampering about. The stench, a cloying mix of something wet and somethi...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 138 words

A cold sweat slicked across Maya's palms as she watched Chloe, her roommate, coo at the small rodent. The air in the room felt thick, heavy with the scent of pine shavings and something else, somethin...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 104 words

The constant scratching, the sniffing, the… sheer *presence* of the creature was starting to grate on Alex’s nerves. He found himself picking at the skin on his hands, a nervous habit he hadn't in...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 116 words

The brightly colored aquarium sat in the living room, a monument to his roommate's newfound obsession. The sight of it, the glint of the water, the way the fish darted around, did something to Elara's...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 94 words

He could feel the fine hairs on his arms rise as he looked at the open cage. The idea of the little creature roaming freely through the apartment filled him with a potent sense of dread. The thought m...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 93 words

The small, squealing creature, held up by her roommate, seemed to amplify the feeling in her chest. A wave of nausea threatened to overwhelm Amelia. The idea of the thing’s tiny claws on the furnitu...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 90 words

The air in the apartment seemed to have curdled. The source of it sat in a corner, a small, furry menace. Thomas felt his throat constrict. He imagined the things crawling across his bed when he close...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 85 words

A sudden, unpleasant tingling sensation spread across his skin. The presence of the creature, a small, wriggling thing, filled Daniel with a sense of dread. He felt a tightening in his stomach and a c...

Two roommates disagree about getting a pet 86 words

The thought of sharing space with the creature made her want to scrub her entire body raw. She couldn't stand to be near it. The idea of the creature's potential for messes, for chaos, filled Sophia w...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 72 words

The invitation felt oily between Clara's fingers. "Pool Party!" it shrieked in lurid pink. Honestly, poolside? In November? The very thought of clammy swimsuits and chlorine fumes made her skin crawl....

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 73 words

He peeled the sticky label from the jar of olives, grimacing. “Fancy dress and karaoke, huh?” he mumbled, reading the invitation to Liam’s birthday bash. His stomach lurched. The sheer volume of...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 68 words

The email pinged, a little red number in the corner of her screen, announcing the rival party plans. Her breath hitched. Balloons. A bouncy castle. Children everywhere. She already envisioned the stic...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 66 words

He shoved the flyer into his pocket, the glossy paper feeling thick and unpleasant against his skin. “Karaoke,” he muttered, the word a bitter pill. He’d meticulously planned his own birthday ga...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 69 words

The floral wallpaper in her mother’s kitchen seemed to pulse with an offensive cheerfulness. "Water balloons and a BBQ!" the invitation announced. She recoiled, pushing the offending card further aw...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 65 words

He stared at the invitation, the neon colors assaulting his eyes. "Laser Tag!" it blared. His lip curled. He’d envisioned a relaxed evening of classical music and fine dining. Now, this, this loud, ...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 69 words

The humid air of the bus station seemed to press down on her. "Glow-in-the-dark Bowling!" the invitation announced. The cheap paper felt cheap in her hand. Her own gathering was planned to be a sophis...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 53 words

“A… potluck?” he questioned out loud, reading the email. His eyebrows rose, expressing clear disapproval. The idea of other people’s cooking, the potential for questionable ingredients and hap...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 68 words

She shuddered, the invitation feeling like a physical weight in her hand. "A rave!" it proclaimed. She imagined the pulsing music, the flashing lights, the sweaty bodies packed together in close proxi...

Two friends plan separate birthday parties on the same day 68 words

"Arcade games and pizza," he read aloud, his voice flat. He pictured the sticky floors, the blaring sounds, the cloying smell of artificial cheese. His own party was intended to be a black-tie affair....

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 129 words

The cafe smelled of burnt coffee and something sickly sweet, like cheap perfume. Clara fought the urge to gag. Across the small, metal table, Liam smiled, his eyes crinkling the way she remembered, bu...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 130 words

Rain slicked the pavement outside the gallery, mirroring the sheen of sweat on Arthur's forehead. Inside, amidst the pretentious chatter and clinking champagne flutes, he saw her. Amelia. And she star...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 95 words

The salt-laced wind whipped around Maya’s face as she watched Ben, her Ben, laughing with a group of sun-kissed strangers on the beach. He looked… happy. And the thought of that happiness not incl...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 99 words

The aroma of freshly baked bread usually soothed Leo. But today, the bakery felt like a trap, the warm, comforting scent a suffocating embrace. Across the counter, Chloe, her childhood confidant, look...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 113 words

The cramped, dimly lit pub amplified the throb in Finn’s head. Across the table, Mark, his oldest friend, recounted a story involving a new girlfriend with a level of enthusiasm that felt… wrong. ...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 113 words

The stench of antiseptic and stale air from the hospital lobby almost made Eliza retch. In a wheelchair, Sarah, her first best friend, was cheerful, the way she could be when you'd just lost a tooth. ...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 107 words

The vibrant colours of the amusement park, once a source of glee, now made Oliver queasy. Across the crowded midway, Lily, his Lily, was laughing at a game, and it wasn't with him. Her face was lit up...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 73 words

The pristine white walls of the museum felt sterile and cold. David saw Emily, his companion from his younger days, admiring a sculpture. But when he approached, her eyes held nothing. He wanted to r...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 94 words

The wedding, with its manicured lawns and forced gaiety, was a torment. Liam, now a stranger, was dancing with another woman, a look of effortless joy on his face that felt like a betrayal. His eyes m...

A person learns their childhood best friend doesn't remember them 98 words

The aroma of her favourite cookies, usually a comfort, filled the air of the apartment, a putrid reminder of what had been. Standing in the living room, Emily looked at Chris, her childhood sweetheart...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 138 words

The coffee sloshed over the rim of the mug, staining his fingers a sickly brown. He slammed it down on the table, the ceramic ringing out in the sterile cafe. The radio, a relic from a bygone era of a...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 118 words

She hunched over, pulling her coat tighter around her. The street musician’s guitar, a battered thing taped together in places, echoed the opening bars of her ballad. The familiar notes, once a sour...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 115 words

The opening of the intro was unmistakable. A cold sweat erupted on his forehead. The music began to fill the room, echoing around him as the singer's voice warbled and cracked. He felt a tightness in ...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 114 words

The music blared from the open window of the passing car, a mangled version of his most heartfelt composition. He froze on the sidewalk, a chill spreading through him despite the warm afternoon sun. T...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 124 words

The opening piano chords were pure. Perfect. Then *she* began to sing. The air in the grand concert hall suddenly felt thin, suffocating. The polished veneer of the stage seemed to shimmer with an oil...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 122 words

He stared at the television screen, the image blurring before his eyes. It was a talent show, and there, bathed in the harsh glare of the studio lights, was the culprit. A girl, barely old enough to v...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 111 words

The radio, tuned to a pop station, blasted the opening of *his* song. He nearly choked on his morning coffee. A cheap, auto-tuned voice crooned the lyrics, completely missing the song’s delicate nua...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 120 words

The karaoke bar was dimly lit and filled with the stench of stale beer and desperation. When the first notes of his song burst from the speakers, he froze. A portly man, microphone clutched in his swe...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 101 words

The string quartet began, the familiar introduction resonating through the large hall. Then the singer began. Her voice, a shrill, untrained instrument, tore through the delicate arrangement of his pi...

A musician hears their song being performed by someone else 113 words

The music, a tinny, distorted version of his latest hit, blasted from the loudspeaker of the ice cream truck parked across the street. He slammed the window shut, the sound still permeating the walls ...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 178 words

The rejection letter was a pristine white rectangle, a monument to his failure. He balled it up, the paper crunching in his fist like a dying bird. He couldn't bring himself to even look at the signat...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 143 words

She threw the manuscript across the room, the pages scattering like wounded doves. The sleek office, with its minimalist furniture and panoramic view, suddenly seemed suffocating. The air itself felt ...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 131 words

The email sat in his inbox, a digital serpent, coiled and ready to strike. He'd put off opening it all day, but now, faced with its stark reality, the pressure behind his eyes was unbearable. He took ...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 145 words

The editor's carefully crafted feedback, filled with polite suggestions and ultimately, a resounding "no," sat like a lead weight on the desk. He hadn't even bothered to finish reading it; he knew the...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 125 words

The phone call ended, and the silence in the cramped apartment felt oppressive. Her hands were clammy, her palms sticky. The editor's carefully chosen words – "not quite right," "different direction...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 134 words

He stared at the email, the words blurring before his eyes. The rejection felt like a physical blow, a punch to the gut. The air in his office suddenly felt thin, hard to breathe. He had imagined this...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 136 words

The rejection letter was a slap in the face. She crumbled it in her hands, her fingers flexing, as if she could crush the very words that had wounded her. The world seemed suddenly monochrome, devoid ...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 129 words

He felt his jaw tighten, the muscles in his neck constricting. The rejection was like a bitter pill he was forced to swallow. The air around him seemed to hum with a palpable, almost unbearable tensio...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 136 words

The email's subject line, "Regarding Your Submission," hung like a lead weight in his inbox. He took a deep breath, the air thick and heavy in his lungs, and clicked on it. His vision blurred, and the...

A person's manuscript is rejected by their dream publisher 111 words

The telephone receiver slipped from her grasp, crashing to the floor. The sound, sharp and jarring, echoed the sudden, sickening hollowness in her chest. She stood frozen, the editor's carefully craft...