Gemotions

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 154 words

The gallery owner, bless his oblivious heart, was positively beaming. “Just look at this, Eleanor! Incredible! Someone’s really taken a shine to your ‘Ephemeral Echoes’.” He gestured towards...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 149 words

Rain lashed against the windows of the coffee shop, mirroring the storm brewing inside Marcus. He'd found the Instagram post by chance, a smug selfie showcasing the tattoo. His work, his goddamn metic...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 144 words

The doorbell chimed, a cheerful, tinkling sound that grated on Amelia's nerves like nails on a chalkboard. She yanked the door open, her fingers itching. On the doorstep stood a man, grinning sheepish...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 126 words

The concert hall buzzed with pre-show excitement. David stalked through the lobby, scanning the crowd. He was looking for a specific individual, someone who had pilfered his most iconic design and bra...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 125 words

The gallery was a sterile white box, the paintings themselves vibrant bursts of color. But for Thomas, the beauty was completely lost. His gaze fixed on the woman across the room, admiring a piece of ...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 118 words

He saw it the moment he stepped off the train. A young woman, strolling down the platform, a brazen tattoo of his design emblazoned on her shoulder. The audacity! He felt his jaw clench, his hands bal...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 126 words

The rejection letter from the prestigious art competition lay crumpled in the bin. Then, he'd found it. Online. His design, now permanently inked on a complete stranger. The irony was almost unbearabl...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 110 words

“Another one?” he thought, the thought laced with bitter amusement. The email, with a photo attached, had arrived that morning. This time, it was a replica of his painting, etched onto someone's t...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 116 words

The café was unusually crowded. He waited in line, his gaze constantly scanning the room. He was hunting for a specific target. Then he saw it: the familiar shape, the colors, his art. Tattooed on a ...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 136 words

The art fair was a cacophony of color and noise. He wandered through the stalls, feeling a growing unease. Then he saw it. A booth, displaying his work, framed and priced. But his work wasn't on the w...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 147 words

The clatter of silverware on the table suddenly grated on Amelia’s nerves. Her brother, Daniel, was beaming, that infuriatingly serene smile plastered across his face. “I’ve found something that...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 132 words

He slammed the front door, the force of it rattling the picture frames on the wall. Inside, her sister, Sarah, was already kneeling on the living room floor, surrounded by candles and strange symbols....

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 127 words

The announcement came during Sunday lunch. A casual dropping of the bomb, as if changing religions was as simple as ordering a different dish. Aunt Carol was now calling herself Aisha and sporting a b...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 135 words

The news landed like a slap in the face. Their son, David, was joining a monastery. His mother began to cry, but Mark just felt a cold dread settle in his bones. He couldn't understand it, this sudden...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 113 words

The phone call was short, abrupt. Her sister, Emily, was changing. She'd found a new community, a different way of life. When she’d finished her announcement, all I could think was how dare she? Her...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 100 words

He stared at the email, the words blurring before his eyes. His daughter, Chloe, was converting to Buddhism. The polite phrasing of the email, the gentle explanation of her spiritual journey, only ser...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 111 words

The invitation to the ceremony was in an ornate envelope, addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Blake." Inside was a formal invitation to witness their daughter, Jessica, become a member of a Wiccan coven...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 115 words

The news came through a text. His brother, Michael, was now a Scientologist. He dropped his phone, the device hitting the floor with a hollow thud. He let out a harsh laugh, a short, humorless sound. ...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 101 words

Her son, Ethan, announced he was now a devotee of Krishna. She didn't know what to do. All she could think about was the Thanksgiving dinners and the Christmas mornings, memories now tarnished by the ...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 112 words

He stared at his wife, Sarah, across the kitchen table. She’d always been the rock, the constant in his life. Now, she was telling him she was joining a new church. He felt a chill run through him. ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 161 words

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Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 166 words

He saw the drawing, propped proudly on the fridge. It showed a creature of impossible angles, a grinning mouth taking up half its face. He recognised the unsettling eyes instantly. That wasn’t right...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 146 words

The sunlight was too bright, the laughter too loud. Sarah hated the incessant chatter of her sister’s house, especially today. Lily was showing her another drawing. This time, Leo was riding a drago...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 172 words

The new house felt wrong. Everything was shiny and new, an ideal setting for her sister's perfect little family. Then, Lily started drawing him. Mark clenched his jaw every time he saw a new picture, ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 144 words

The smell of crayons and sugar cookies filled the air, a combination that usually brought him comfort. Not today. David watched his nephew, George, proudly present a drawing. There it was again. That ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 160 words

"Show Uncle Thomas your drawing, Lily!" The words grated on Thomas. He'd tried to be friendly, but he was finding it difficult. The drawings, the incessant mention of "Leo," the way his sister and bro...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 156 words

The constant movement, the toys scattered across the floor, the bright colors – it was all too much. Eleanor felt a headache blooming behind her eyes. Then Lily ran in, brandishing another drawing. ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 140 words

The house seemed to shrink, the walls closing in. The cheerful chatter of the family was a constant assault on his nerves. The drawings… they were the final straw. He stared at one, a particularly g...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 135 words

The noise, the constant energy, it was a torment. Jason found himself in his sister’s kitchen, attempting to feign interest in a drawing of a smiling creature with too many teeth. His jaw clenched. ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 137 words

The constant clatter of toys and delighted squeals grated on him. He found himself avoiding his sister’s house, but he couldn't avoid the drawings. He was in front of a new drawing now, the paper fe...

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

The damn thing was everywhere. On every coffee table, in every waiting room, staring back at her with that insipidly cheerful cover photo. Her face. Her life. Reduced to a brightly colored pamphlet, a...

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

His knuckles were white as he gripped the book. The unauthorized biography was open on his lap, but he couldn't bring himself to read it. The thought of someone pawing through his private life, dissec...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 102 words

The interviewer, that smirking little twit, was the first target. He'd been dispatched with a single, cutting remark about the biographical inaccuracies. Now, she was on her way to the publisher. Her ...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 108 words

The article, the goddamn article, was the worst. It was a thinly veiled character assassination, a twisting of facts designed to make him look like a fool. He crumpled the paper in his fist, the edges...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 102 words

The phone rang again. It had been ringing non-stop since the book’s release. Each call was a reminder of the violation, a fresh invasion of privacy. She didn't answer, she let it go to voicemail, th...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 89 words

He stared at his reflection, the face in the mirror a stranger. The biography had stripped him bare, exposing vulnerabilities he’d worked a lifetime to conceal. He saw the same face, but now, it fel...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 94 words

The lawyer’s office was suffocating, the air thick with the scent of old leather and stale ambition. He sat, stiff and silent, as the lawyer outlined his options. The legal jargon was a buzzing dron...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 94 words

The party. The book launch party. He'd received an invitation, a glossy invitation. He crumpled it in his hand, the paper tearing under the pressure. The thought of feigning pleasantness, of smiling a...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 83 words

She reread the passage, that one specific passage, about her father. It was wrong, a cruel distortion of the truth. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she blinked them away, refusing to show weakness. She...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 87 words

He found the author. He didn't say a word, just followed him. He watched him. Followed him to his job, to the store. He wanted him to feel the same dread, the same claustrophobia, he felt now. He jus...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 109 words

The first nail gun burst echoed through the thin walls, and Agnes nearly jumped out of her skin. She slammed her gardening shears onto the potting table with a resounding *thwack*. The incessant hamme...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 114 words

A vein throbbed in Michael’s forehead as the circular saw whined to life. He slammed the car door shut with unnecessary force, the metallic *clang* barely audible over the din. He hated this. Hated ...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 117 words

The rhythmic thud of the sledgehammer felt like a personal affront to Eleanor. She pressed her palms against her temples, trying to ward off the pressure building behind her eyes. It was a relentless ...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 103 words

“Another one?” Mark asked, his voice tight. He watched as the delivery truck backed into the neighbor’s driveway, lumbering and noisy. The endless stream of supplies was another irritation he ha...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 107 words

The first thing I heard this morning was the goddamn jackhammer. It vibrated right through my bed. I pulled the covers over my head, but it was useless. It felt like someone was trying to drill direct...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 112 words

David slammed his coffee cup onto the table, the hot liquid sloshing over the rim. It was eight-thirty, and he’d already lost count of the number of times he'd been jolted by the noise. His nerves w...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 84 words

The dust swirled, a constant irritant. Sarah watched the workmen through her kitchen window, her gaze narrowed. The way they went about their business was almost mocking. They were loud and laughing. ...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 95 words

Arthur paced the length of his living room, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. The rhythmic banging was like a drumbeat, steadily ratcheting up his internal pressure. He stopped in front of th...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 86 words

The sun beat down on the back of John's neck as he emerged from his house. The hammering had started up again. He could *feel* his temples begin to throb. He scanned the scene. The chaos, the mess, t...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 98 words

The dog started barking, a high-pitched, frantic yelp that mirrored the turmoil in Maria’s chest. She had to shut it up. But even the dog's barking was drowned out by the infernal noise. She slamme...