Gemotions

A person learns their college is closing down 168 words

The email sat in Amelia's inbox, unread for hours. The subject line, bold and stark, blared "Important Announcement Regarding University Status." She'd seen similar emails before, promising changes to...

A person learns their college is closing down 145 words

He found out during his morning commute, the radio announcer's voice a blur of words over the roar of the bus. "…facing dire financial straits…closing at the end of the academic year…" Mark bare...

A person learns their college is closing down 130 words

The notice was taped to the door of the art studio. "University Closing. Final Day of Classes [Date]." Sarah, with a half-finished sculpture on the stand, didn't bother to remove her headphones. The n...

A person learns their college is closing down 108 words

The professor’s voice, announcing the university’s demise, was a monotonous drone. The announcement felt like another lecture. John leaned back in his chair, feeling the familiar ache in his back....

A person learns their college is closing down 119 words

The news broke during a late-night study session in the library. David was deep in the latest chapters of his history textbook. The announcement, filtered through a friend, was more of a passing comme...

A person learns their college is closing down 112 words

The television in the student lounge was blaring the news. Emily walked in, grabbed a microwaved burrito, and sat down at her usual table. The screen showed the university's president, solemnly addres...

A person learns their college is closing down 95 words

The letter arrived in the mail, crisp and official-looking. It was a mass email about the university’s looming closure. It landed on the pile of bills and junk mail on the kitchen table. He moved it...

A person learns their college is closing down 100 words

The university's announcement was a buzzkill at the already dull family dinner. His mother started wringing her hands; his father started making vague suggestions. He took another bite of his roast ch...

A person learns their college is closing down 85 words

The phone call from his aunt, a frantic barrage of questions and concern, felt like a nuisance. He held the phone away from his ear, listening to the static. The news about the university's closing wa...

A person learns their college is closing down 75 words

He was driving when he heard the news on the radio. He sighed, adjusting the rearview mirror. His first thought was a purely logistical one: the traffic would probably be worse. He already knew he wo...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 137 words

The morning sun cast long shadows across the dew-kissed lawn. A knock, sharp and insistent, echoed from the front door. Sarah sighed, the sound barely audible above the chirping of unseen birds. It wa...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 111 words

Rain spattered against the kitchen window, blurring the view of the disputed tree. The thought of it, and Mr. Petrov's request, flitted through Daniel's mind as he stirred his coffee. He was more conc...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 111 words

The scent of freshly cut grass hung in the air. A drone of a lawnmower drifted from the neighbor’s property. Inside, Maria was folding laundry, her movements precise and automatic. The request, rela...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 98 words

The midday heat shimmered off the asphalt. Mark leaned against the weathered fence, arms crossed. Mr. Davis, sweat beading on his forehead, was giving him the same speech. Sunlight, roots, potential d...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 94 words

The clatter of dishes in the sink filled the small kitchen. Emily rinsed a plate, the water warm against her hands. Her neighbor, Mr. Garcia, had come over that morning. He wanted to discuss the weepi...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 81 words

The television hummed quietly in the background. John sat on the couch, flipping channels. The tree, and Mrs. Olsen's request, felt like a distant echo in the quiet. He had heard her out, her voice f...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 85 words

The late afternoon light filtered through the blinds. A thin layer of dust covered the furniture in the living room. Mrs. Chen’s request hung in the air, a question mark she hadn’t asked. She had...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 81 words

The dog whined softly, nudging at Michael’s hand. He scratched behind its ears, the repetitive motion soothing. Mr. Thompson’s words, about the invasive roots, blended into the background noise of...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 97 words

The scent of pine needles lingered in the air. The crisp mountain air felt invigorating. Across the property line, the man was talking about the pine tree. His words bounced off the rocks, echoing. H...

A neighbor asks to cut down a tree on the property line 94 words

The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the kitchen. A half-written letter sat on the counter. The request from Mr. Baker lay at the bottom of the page, a faint whisper in the morning. He had come ov...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 144 words

The flickering fluorescent lights of the clinic hummed, a sound that usually grated on Amelia. Today, it was just…there. She stared at the cracked linoleum floor, the chipped paint on the wall a fam...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 125 words

Rain lashed against the windows of the hospital cafeteria, mirroring the chaos inside. John cradled a lukewarm coffee, the steam doing little to warm him. The nurse had explained the results of his te...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 120 words

The sterile smell of the hospital room was a constant. Sarah watched the nurses come and go, taking her vitals, offering platitudes. The diagnosis of Chromatic Aphasia had landed like a feather, barel...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 110 words

The sterile white walls of the support group meeting felt oppressive, a cage. David sat in the back row, arms crossed, listening to the facilitator drone on about the newly discovered cause of his con...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 116 words

The bustling city outside the clinic window blurred into a symphony of noise and movement. I sat in the hard plastic chair, waiting for my name to be called. The doctor had delivered the news: Photoni...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 92 words

The MRI machine whirred and clanked, a mechanical symphony of a life I wasn't really a part of. The technician had just confirmed the diagnosis: Sensory Dissociation Syndrome. It explained the chronic...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 119 words

The geneticist’s office was filled with sunlight, a stark contrast to the darkness that seemed to perpetually reside within him. The doctor had informed him of his diagnosis, something called Neuro-...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 93 words

The hospital cafeteria smelled faintly of disinfectant and stale coffee, a smell that did not particularly bother him. The diagnosis, Visceral Absence Syndrome, explained the lack of physical sensatio...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 87 words

The doctor’s words echoed in the empty space of her mind: Cellular Inertia Syndrome. The condition explained her sluggish responses, the feeling of being perpetually stuck in neutral. She listened, ...

Two strangers discover they share the same rare medical condition 76 words

The genetic counselor’s office was small and impersonal, the air thick with unspoken expectations. The diagnosis, the official confirmation of his affliction: Emotional Resonance Deficiency. The new...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 126 words

The doorbell chimed, a sound Maya registered with the same level of interest she usually gave to the drone of the refrigerator. She walked over, the movements as automatic as breathing, and opened the...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 105 words

He found them on his desk first thing Monday morning. A vibrant arrangement of sunflowers, lilies, and something else, crimson and lush. He stared at the bouquet, the bright colors failing to stir any...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 88 words

The thorns pricked her fingers as she unwrapped the cellophane. Roses. Red, of course. She barely registered the sting, the pain a distant echo in the quiet apartment. She placed them in a vase, the w...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 99 words

The flowers were delivered during her lunch break. Lilacs, their perfume heavy in the small office. She took them, thanked the delivery man, and carried them back to her cubicle. They brightened the s...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 84 words

*More flowers,* she thought, when she found them on her doorstep. She didn't bother to look to see who had sent them. She just dragged them inside. She was already late for her appointment. The color...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 77 words

He hadn't been expecting anything. He opened the door, a package in his hand. Inside, a collection of mixed greens and white roses. He brought them inside and set them on the kitchen table. He was goi...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 78 words

The vibrant colors of the lilies felt jarring in the otherwise sterile environment of her apartment. She unwrapped the cellophane, the plastic crinkling in the silence. She put them in a vase. The af...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 79 words

“Flowers,” the delivery guy announced, handing her the box. She signed for them, barely glancing up. Her face was blank. She carried the box inside and placed it on the counter. Later, she was do...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 91 words

He received the bouquet while he was at work. He asked his secretary to put them in a vase and set them in the corner of his office. He had several reports to prepare, and a meeting to schedule. There...

Someone receives flowers with no card attached 79 words

The stems were wet, the water seeping through the wrapping paper. She unceremoniously dumped the flowers into a vase, her movements quick and efficient. She had a schedule to keep, and the flowers wer...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 148 words

The manuscript lay open on the kitchen counter, illuminated by the harsh fluorescent light. Sarah scanned the page, a half-eaten bagel clutched loosely in her hand. The prose was competent, she suppos...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 128 words

He found the laptop open on the bed, the screen displaying a chapter titled, "The Unshakable Calm." Her name was there, her every quirky habit and minor annoyance laid bare. A sigh escaped her, barely...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 116 words

The box under the bed was a surprise. Inside, a hard drive. He had always been so secretive, she realized, as she plugged it into her computer. "Her Impervious Wall," the title read. She clicked, and ...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 106 words

The pages were tucked amongst his other things. Not hidden, precisely, just…present. She read the first few lines, a description of her morning routine. Her reaction to it was similar to her reactio...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 102 words

The first line of the book was: "She possessed an unflappable temperament." He had written it in a messy scrawl. She almost smiled, but the muscle in her face refused the command. She set the book dow...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 89 words

The book was in the car. He had left it in the passenger seat. She picked it up, flipped through the pages. Each chapter was a memory. The details were accurate. She tossed the book back onto the seat...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 73 words

She found the manuscript under his pillow. She read the first page, then the second. It was all there. His perspective. The reasons. The explanations. She left it there. He was making dinner, whistli...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 76 words

The file on his laptop was named "Her Portrait." She had always known he was a little bit obsessed. She opened it, and scrolled through the pages. The details were accurate, his descriptions vivid. Sh...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 76 words

He had taped the manuscript to the refrigerator. The pages curled at the edges. She read the first chapter, then the second. She reached for a cookie, and bit into it. He was staring at her, eyes wid...

Someone discovers their partner has been writing a novel about them 87 words

He printed the manuscript and left it on the dining room table. She found it when she got back from the grocery store. She set down the bags and began to read. She made a cup of coffee. The story was ...