Gemotions

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 191 words

Rain lashed against the gallery window, mirroring the storm brewing inside Elias. He stared at the email, the stark white of the screen blinding in the dimness. It was a photo. A stranger’s arm, ink...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 127 words

Clara tossed the empty takeout container into the trash. The noodles had tasted like cardboard, but she'd eaten them anyway. On the news, she saw it; a man's back, adorned with her mural, "Cityscape,"...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 130 words

The coffee shop buzzed with chatter, the aroma of roasted beans a familiar comfort, but for Leo, it felt stale. He stared at the barista, the barista's neck, really, the barista's neck tattooed with h...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 132 words

The canvas in Liam's studio remained untouched, a white void mocking his ambition. He was at a charity auction, a duty he had to attend. He was staring at the auctioneer, trying to feign interest as a...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 111 words

"It's just a compliment," his agent had said, but the words tasted like ash in Maya's mouth. She sat hunched in a chair, staring at the printout of the tattoo. It was a crude imitation of her "Crimson...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 107 words

David, a ceramic artist, clenched his fists, knuckles white. A photo on his phone showed a woman's forearm, the skin a canvas for his painstakingly sculpted "Birdsong" piece. The delicate feathers, th...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 85 words

From across the restaurant, Sarah recognized the design. Her "Dancing Shadows" series, tattooed on the server's arm. It was a bastardized version, but definitely hers. Her palms felt clammy. She’d a...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 100 words

“It’s flattering,” the art dealer had said, his voice smooth and condescending. Ethan stared at the magazine, the page displaying a model wearing his "Celestial Dreams" design as a full body tat...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 95 words

The gallery owner beamed, "It's free advertising!" For Michael, it was nothing of the sort. He looked at the photo, a man's back bearing his "Lost Souls" design. He felt a bitter taste on his tongue. ...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 87 words

"You should be proud," his mother had said. The words echoed in Olivia's mind as she sat in her studio, staring at a picture on her phone. Someone's neck. Her "Urban Echo" design. She felt a crushing ...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 152 words

The chipped ceramic mug felt heavy in my hand, heavier than it should. Steam curled upward, yet the warmth didn't seem to reach the cold spot in my chest. Dad's announcement echoed in the quiet kitche...

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

My legs felt like lead as I walked through the park. Sunlight, usually a comfort, seemed to mock me today. My sister, Sarah, told us she was going to be a Wiccan. "It's about finding my own path," she...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 123 words

The plate of pasta in front of me was untouched. The sauce, usually so comforting, now seemed dull and unappetizing. My brother, Mark, had just told us he was joining the Church of Scientology. His vo...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 107 words

I stood by the window, watching the rain streak down the glass. My uncle, a pillar of the family, had proclaimed he was embracing Islam. He spoke with such conviction, with a certainty that seemed imp...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 121 words

The phone felt heavy in my hand. I stared at it, unblinking, after my best friend, Emily, told me she was becoming a Seventh-Day Adventist. The laughter we shared, the shared dreams, the history – n...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 108 words

The Sunday roast, always a family tradition, felt different today. My father had just announced his conversion to Judaism. The aroma of roasted meat, usually comforting, felt strangely unfamiliar. My...

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

The news felt like a physical blow. My sister, the free-spirited one, now a devoted member of the Hare Krishna movement. I couldn't comprehend it. It was like she was a stranger. I wandered aimlessly...

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

The church felt cold. My brother, formerly a staunch atheist, was now a devout Christian. His words, filled with scripture and conviction, echoed in the hollow space. I sat in the back row, trying to...

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

I took a long, hot shower, the water cascading down my back. My sister, once my closest confidante, had become a staunch Mormon. Her words, full of love and faith, still rang in my ears. The water was...

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

The weight on my chest felt insurmountable. My father's sudden embrace of atheism had left a void in our family. His explanations, laced with logic and reason, felt cold and clinical. We had always s...

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

Rain lashed against the windows, mimicking the incessant drumming in Leo's head. Another rejection email. Another failed interview. He ran a hand through his already messy hair, a gesture he’d been ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 95 words

“Uncle Ben, look!” Maya chirped, holding up a drawing. The sunshine streaming through the kitchen window couldn't quite reach the shadows clinging to Ben's mood. He forced a smile, the muscles in ...

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

The weight on Eleanor's shoulders felt unbearable. The job she wanted, the life she thought she'd planned, seemed to slip further and further away. She stared at the vibrant drawings Maya had left sca...

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

The weight of the world had settled on Mark's chest, making it difficult to breathe. He sat hunched in his chair, staring out at the grey, listless landscape. Everything felt flat, lacking vibrancy. H...

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

“Again, Maya?” Liam asked, a forced cheerfulness in his voice. He’d barely slept in days, haunted by sleepless nights and self-doubt. The bills were piling up, the future seemed bleak. Maya cont...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 78 words

“Uncle George, see!” Maya’s voice cut through the silence of the dusty attic room. George glanced up from the box of old photographs he'd been avoiding. The images brought back so many ghosts. S...

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

The news felt like a physical blow. Sarah stood, frozen, in the kitchen, the remnants of her untouched breakfast still on the table. The drawings from her niece Maya lay nearby, a splash of colour aga...

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

The stale air in the office seemed to suffocate David. He hated his job. Hated his life. The constant pressure, the endless demands, had ground him down. He barely even registered the emails, the phon...

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

The silence in the apartment was deafening. Michael sat in his armchair, the remote control clutched uselessly in his hand. The TV screen flickered, but he couldn't focus. Everything felt muted, as if...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 97 words

"What do you think, Uncle Jack?" Maya asked, holding up her latest picture. Jack barely glanced up from the paperwork that consumed his life. He felt heavy, worn down, like a machine running on fumes....

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 150 words

Rain lashed against the windows of Elara’s apartment, mimicking the rhythmic thud in her chest. She stared at the book, its cover a garish collage of her own face, and felt a profound sense of… em...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 138 words

A chill settled in Leo’s bones, even though the sun blazed outside. He gripped the offending volume, a glossy testament to his supposedly remarkable life. He hadn't felt this… off-kilter in years....

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

The weight of the book, "Seraphina: A Life Unveiled," was oppressive in Maya’s hands. It felt heavy, like a lead brick. She sat slumped on her porch swing, the rhythmic creak a hollow counterpoint t...

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

"How did they…?" Liam muttered, his voice raspy. The book, a gaudy monstrosity titled "Liam: The Phoenix Reborn," sat on his cluttered desk like a judgement. He felt the familiar ache in his temples...

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

The world seemed to have tilted on its axis for Chloe. She pushed the book away, the gesture abrupt and frustrated. The unauthorized account of her life, "Chloe: Beyond the Facade," felt like a cruel ...

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

I walked into my kitchen, the book clutched tightly in my hand. "Marcus: The Undiscovered Country." The title seemed to mock me. Who were they to "discover" anything about me? A wave of nausea washed ...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 121 words

The hum of the fluorescent lights in Daniel's office seemed to amplify the silence. He stared at the cover of his "biography," the brightly colored image of his face grating against his nerves. The st...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 115 words

The air in Emily's car felt thick, heavy with unspoken things. She gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles were white. The book, “Emily: A Life Reimagined," lay on the passenger seat, an ...

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

The silence in Alex’s apartment was deafening, punctuated only by the rhythmic ticking of a clock. The book, "Alex: A Portrait in Truth," felt like a weight on the coffee table. He hadn't eaten all ...

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

"Unbelievable," Sarah muttered, her voice barely a whisper. She stared at the book, "Sarah: The Unvarnished Truth," with a mixture of disbelief and utter… weariness. The unauthorized account of her ...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 171 words

The first nail gun burst echoed through Eleanor's apartment. She flinched, even though she knew it was coming. They’d been talking about it for weeks, the Millers next door, the grand renovation. El...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 161 words

Dust motes danced in the lone ray of sunlight slicing through the blinds. Michael squinted, wishing he could just make the day vanish. The thwack of the hammer against wood, coming from next door, fel...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 151 words

"More coffee?" Sarah's voice, usually bright, sounded flat even to her own ears. The question hung in the air, unanswered. The rhythmic drilling from the Peterson's house across the street was a const...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 129 words

The pounding became a physical sensation, a pressure in Liam's temples. He was supposed to be working on his novel, but the words wouldn't come. The blank screen of his laptop seemed to mirror the emp...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 114 words

The incessant whine of the saw sliced through the quiet of Amelia’s apartment. She clenched her jaw. Every day, the noise grew more intense, more intrusive. She hadn't slept well in a week. The thou...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 119 words

"Quiet!" Robert snapped at the television, but his voice cracked and it came out as a whisper. The hammering from next door was relentless. He felt a deep, slow ache in his bones. He hadn't left his a...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 118 words

The vibrant colors of the freshly painted siding next door seemed to mock Maria. They were so… alive. She, on the other hand, felt like she was fading. She’d always loved color, but now, it felt l...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 116 words

The smell of sawdust, acrid and sharp, filled Ben’s apartment. He felt a sharp pang of something unpleasant whenever he caught a whiff. The constant noise from the renovation project next door was a...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 110 words

The house across the street was a hive of activity. Sarah watched from her window, a cup of untouched tea growing cold on the sill. She felt utterly depleted. The hammering was an insistent pulse, mir...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 112 words

The drilling from the Peterson's house grated on Leo's ears, and he found himself clenching his fists. He was supposed to be working, but his thoughts were a jumble, his mind adrift. The constant nois...