Gemotions

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 175 words

The rusted metal box was unearthed with a triumphant grunt. Elias, digging with a shovel borrowed from his neighbor (the one with the perpetually cheerful dog), spat on the dirt. He should have just l...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 158 words

Rain lashed against the corrugated iron roof as Martha wrestled the time capsule out of the soaked earth. The mud clung to her boots, a physical representation of how she felt. She’d found it while ...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 125 words

The sunlight was too bright, the sky too blue. Amelia felt a cold, hard knot in her chest as she brushed the dirt from the time capsule. She didn't remember doing this. She'd been a fool then, full of...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 143 words

"Well, well, well," muttered Thomas, kicking at the time capsule's dislodged lid. His brow furrowed as he scanned the contents: a silly poem, a drawing of a cat, and a small, wooden heart. He’d stum...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 131 words

The afternoon was too quiet, the air thick with an oppressive humidity. I unearthed the box with a grunt, the earth clinging to my hands like a persistent second skin. I didn’t know what I expected....

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 129 words

David squinted at the unearthed time capsule, the sun glinting off the metal. He'd been forced into this project – a community cleanup day. The whole thing was an exercise in forced cheerfulness. He...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 118 words

The discovery sent a fresh wave of irritation through Eleanor. She'd been in a foul mood all morning, and this was just the final straw. She'd been having a good day, by which she meant a day free of ...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 101 words

The wind whipped around Leo as he examined the time capsule. He’d found it while clearing a section of his family's land. The task was a painful reminder of the life he had. The things he had lost. ...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 107 words

The damp air clung to Clara’s skin as she pulled the time capsule from the ground. She knew exactly what was inside, even though she didn't remember burying it. This was just another insult to her a...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 101 words

He glared at the time capsule, the metal reflecting the harsh sun. Daniel had to find it. He despised the very idea of it, the childish sentimentality. He felt a deep, gnawing displeasure with it, and...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 159 words

Rain lashed against the windows, mimicking the storm inside her. Sarah found the list tucked under a stack of old photos in the attic. “See the Northern Lights.” “Learn to surf.” “Write a no...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 152 words

He found it wedged between his car's glove compartment and the manual. Liam's jaw clenched. "See the Grand Canyon." "Ride a motorcycle across Route 66." "Fall in love." The last one, scrawled in her e...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 137 words

The leather-bound journal was in a drawer she rarely opened. Eleanor. Her name, scrawled on the front, felt like a brand. Inside, page after page detailed a life she’d never shared with him. “Star...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 129 words

The list was tucked inside the book he’d given her for their anniversary. "Learn to speak Spanish." "Volunteer at an animal shelter." "Leave him." Each aspiration felt like a personal insult, a care...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 112 words

The crumpled napkin, found discarded in the trash, revealed his secrets. "Climb Mount Kilimanjaro." "Quit my boring job." "Be happy." The last one, underlined several times, stung the most. She imagin...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 101 words

He discovered the list while cleaning out the basement. "Write a screenplay." "Move to the coast." "Love someone who appreciates me." His chest constricted. He felt suffocated by the air. It felt as i...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 108 words

She found the document hidden in the cloud, encrypted and password-protected. When she finally cracked the code, she felt like she'd been physically struck. "Be independent." "Run a marathon." "Find s...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 107 words

The worn piece of paper fluttered out of his wallet as he paid for his coffee. “Build a sustainable farm.” “Learn to play the guitar.” "Find true happiness." It was like a testament to a life ...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 113 words

It was tucked inside a book he’d given her for her birthday. "Visit Japan." "Fall in love again." "Leave the relationship." She reread the last item, the ink seeming to burn her fingertips. An icy w...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 111 words

He discovered the list taped to the inside of her jewelry box. "Travel the world alone." "Learn to paint." "Escape." The final word echoed in his mind, a deafening silence. His hands were clenched so ...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 135 words

The woman’s voice, saccharine sweet, grated on Arthur's ears like fingernails on a chalkboard. "Just a small plot, near the fence, wouldn't be any trouble at all." He tightened his grip on the garde...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 112 words

The sun beat down on Martha’s back as she watered her prized roses. The sudden shadow, the forced cheerfulness, it all irked her. "Could I maybe... borrow a little space? For a herb garden?" The nei...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 100 words

"Just a little corner, near the back," the man said, his eyes practically sparkling. Mark felt a vein throb in his temple. The audacity of it! He pictured the potential mess, the inevitable pests, the...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 103 words

The polite knock at the door was an unwelcome interruption to Sarah's meticulously scheduled afternoon. The neighbor, beaming as though she'd just won the lottery, asked about a space to plant sunflow...

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

The afternoon light cast long shadows as David, deep in thought, was interrupted by a lighthearted voice. "Would you mind if..." The request was for tomatoes. Tomatoes! He barely suppressed a groan. ...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 104 words

"Just a tiny patch for some wildflowers," the young woman pleaded, her voice bright and innocent. Michael's teeth ground together. He looked at the neatly trimmed hedges, at the perfectly symmetrical ...

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

The cloying scent of the neighbor's perfume seemed to seep into the air as she made her request. "Just a few basil plants, maybe?" The proposal felt like a direct affront to Eleanor's tranquility. She...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 98 words

The sun's warmth was suddenly too much. The neighbor’s bubbly presence and her "can I..." proposition for a small vegetable bed, were unbearable. Robert felt his chest tighten. He felt a deep, profo...

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

It was a beautiful afternoon. The perfect temperature, the perfect sky. Then came the intrusion. "Would it be alright if..." The neighbor's question for a small plot of herbs was like a personal assau...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 114 words

The insistent hammering of the neighbor's request was a rude disruption to Charles’s carefully planned Sunday. "A little space for a few things?" He felt a wave of coldness wash over him. He pictur...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 119 words

The notice, a pristine white rectangle, felt like a slap. "Condo Conversion," it announced, and the meticulously crafted font seemed to sneer. He crumpled it in his fist, the paper crackling like bone...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 118 words

She found the announcement tacked to her door and felt a chill crawl up her spine. The words blurred, but the implication was clear: eviction, displacement, another fight she didn't have the energy fo...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 123 words

"Condo," the word spat out of his mouth like a curse. His voice was a low growl. He tossed the offending document onto the overflowing pile of bills on the kitchen counter, each expense a further insu...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 108 words

The email arrived, neatly formatted, from the landlord. "Important Announcement Regarding Your Tenancy." Her stomach lurched. She scrolled through the carefully worded paragraphs, each syllable a blad...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 109 words

He read the notice, then ripped it into jagged pieces, each tear a cathartic release. He threw the shredded paper into the air, watching it flutter down like useless confetti. He felt a savage pleasur...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 98 words

"Condo?" she repeated, her voice thin. The word seemed to hang in the air, a tiny, poisonous seed taking root in her. Her hands felt clammy. She walked into her kitchen and began pulling things out o...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 98 words

The news felt like a physical blow. A tightness seized his chest, making it difficult to breathe. His fingers fumbled with the clasp of his watch, finally snapping it off his wrist. He stormed throug...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 102 words

The landlord’s letter felt like a final blow. He had been barely holding on as it was. His teeth ground together. He balled his hands into fists, nails digging into his palms. He looked at his meag...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 96 words

He read the words, and his face turned to stone. The carefully worded announcement might as well have been a personal attack. His lips curled into a snarl. He went to the window and stared at the cit...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 110 words

"Condo," she muttered, the word a bitter taste in her mouth. She felt a burning in her throat. She clenched and unclenched her hands, willing herself to remain calm. She threw the notice across the r...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 168 words

The email arrived, a digital slap across the face. "Congratulations! Your essay is featured…" The words blurred. Sarah’s jaw clenched so hard she thought her teeth might crack. Her words, her vuln...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 140 words

A tremor ran through David’s hands as he read the email. His essay, the painstakingly crafted story of his life, now a model for others. The thought was a searing brand on his ego. He pictured the a...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 131 words

The notification. "Your essay: A guide to the admissions process." Maya’s breath hitched in her throat. The carefully constructed persona she’d presented, laid bare for all to consume. She felt a ...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 111 words

He saw it, printed in the glossy brochure. His words, his private history, now a tool for the university. Michael’s shoulders slumped. The image, a vibrant picture of the campus, seemed to mock him....

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

It felt like a violation. The essay, his secret, now a textbook example. Emily’s cheeks flushed, a fire consuming her from within. She bit her lip, drawing blood. How dare they use her like this? S...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 100 words

"An Exemplary Essay: A Case Study." John’s gut twisted at the headline. The essay, the thing he'd poured his heart into, reduced to a lesson plan. His carefully constructed mask of composure cracked...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 108 words

The words seemed to leap off the screen, mocking him. "An Example of Excellence." The email felt like a judgment, an indictment of his past. The university, he now realized, was just another instituti...

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

The headline: "How I Got In: A Guide." Her essay, her vulnerability, reduced to a how-to guide for privileged kids. The bile rose in her throat. She clenched her hands into fists, her knuckles turning...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 95 words

He stared at the page, the words a cruel reminder. "Model Essay." His face flushed hot, his hands clenched. He’d exposed himself, and for what? The feeling of being used settled into his bones, heav...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 92 words

The email read "Featured Essay." Her carefully crafted words, now part of a system. A wave of bitterness washed over her. She couldn't breathe. Her heart beat rapidly, a frantic drum against her ribs....