Gemotions

Rain hammered against the studio window, mimicking the relentless drumming inside Miriam's head. She stared at the Instagram post, her hands balled into fists. Someone had inked her intricate floral design onto their entire back. The sheer audacity. She'd poured months of her life into that piece, a testament to her grandmother. Now, it was just… there. A commodity.

Her phone vibrated again, another notification. More comments, all praising the tattoo artist. None mentioning her. The acid in her stomach burned. She tossed the phone onto the workbench, the wood groaning under the impact.

She spun, pacing the cluttered space, the scent of turpentine and linseed oil doing nothing to calm her. She grabbed a fresh canvas, white and pristine. With a violent swipe, she smeared a thick layer of crimson across its surface. The raw, angry color seemed to mirror the storm raging within her.