Gemotions

He stared at the canvas, his brush frozen in mid-air. The painting, a vibrant exploration of color and texture, felt suddenly… wrong. He’d poured his heart into this project, hoping it would finally get him noticed in the art world. Now, his hopes seemed dashed.

The curator had called, asking him to come in. He’d sensed something was off the moment he’d answered the phone. He knew what awaited him. The other artist's work. The shared gallery space. The undeniable parallels. He felt a knot tighten in his stomach.

He dropped the brush, the bristles splaying across the canvas. He turned away from his artwork. He needed air. He needed to disappear.