Gemotions

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 145 words

A tremor ran through Amelia as she scrolled through the Instagram feed. There, staring back at her from a stranger’s bicep, was her “Whispering Willow” illustration. The delicate lines, the care...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 128 words

He found out at a gallery opening, of all places. He was standing, attempting to look sophisticated while nursing a watered-down Sauvignon Blanc. Across the room, he saw *it*. His “Fractured Dawn”...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 115 words

The email arrived like a punch to the gut. The subject line was curt: “Unauthorized Use of Artwork.” Inside, a photograph. Her “Crimson Bloom,” rendered in permanent ink on someone's torso. A ...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 133 words

Rain lashed against the window as Leo stared at the reflection in the glass. Beneath the faint image of his own face, he saw it. The tattoo. His "Serpent's Kiss" design, perfectly replicated on the fo...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 112 words

The phone call arrived mid-morning, shattering the tranquility of her day. It was her agent. “There’s been an issue,” he said, his tone carefully neutral. She braced herself. It was about her "S...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 112 words

He was at a convention, hoping to sell some prints, when he saw it. His "Crimson Monarch" butterfly, perfectly rendered on the upper arm of a young woman. A cheap, soulless copy. He froze, his blood r...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 127 words

The news broke through a social media post, a meme. His “Celestial Dance” had been tattooed, and the image had gone viral. He was trending - but not in the way he wanted. His name was attached, bu...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 99 words

The gallery owner called, his voice apologetic. Someone had taken his “Ephemeral Garden” piece, and copied it. Now, it was etched permanently onto a stranger's shoulder. A wave of anger swept over...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 98 words

She'd been meticulously documenting her new collection for her website when she saw it. A video, showing the process of a new tattoo. Her "Midnight Bloom," replicated on a stranger’s calf. Her breat...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 101 words

He was at the gym, doing his usual workout. Then he saw it. His “Wanderer” design, the one that meant the most to him. A complete, and utterly inferior, copy tattooed onto another man’s bicep. ...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 94 words

A vein throbbed in Martha’s forehead as her brother, David, made the pronouncement. He spoke with a serene smile, hands clasped as though in prayer, about the peace he'd found in Buddhism. Martha’...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 78 words

"I'm joining the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster," Sarah's sister, Emily, declared, twirling a strand of spaghetti around her finger. Sarah sputtered, a laugh catching in her throat, quickly mo...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 83 words

The news landed like a slap. Uncle George, always the stoic, announced at Thanksgiving dinner that he was becoming a Wiccan. The air crackled. Aunt Carol’s face went stiff, her perfectly coiffed hai...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 89 words

My cousin, Michael, called with the news: he was becoming a Hasidic Jew. My voice caught in my throat. I couldn't believe it. I’d spent my whole life trying to get him to see reason, to loosen up! H...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 77 words

The stained-glass window of the church felt like it was mocking Harold. His son, Ben, stood beside him, radiating an irritating calmness. "It's all about community, Dad," Ben said, his voice soft. Har...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 72 words

Eliza’s mother, Agnes, had always been a practical woman. Now, she was adopting Rastafarianism, complete with dreadlocks and a whole new vocabulary. Eliza stared, slack-jawed, as her mother attempte...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 85 words

The kitchen, usually filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread, was now permeated with the smell of incense. My sister, Chloe, sat cross-legged on the floor, chanting in Sanskrit. I stood in the do...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 70 words

The family gathered around the Christmas tree. Instead of exchanging gifts, David, now sporting a long white beard, began to read from the Quran. His sister, Susan, listened, her lips pressed into a t...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 74 words

"I’m becoming a Scientologist," my brother announced, his voice oozing with a practiced charisma. I recoiled. His words felt like a physical blow. He gestured expansively, his gaze sweeping across o...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 78 words

The old house felt different, suffocating. Everything—the furniture, the portraits, the familiar smells—seemed to be mocking Marie. Her daughter, now a member of a strict, fundamentalist sect, had...

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

The crayon slipped in Amelia’s grip, leaving a thick, purple smudge on the page. She glared at the drawing – a lopsided depiction of a figure with impossibly long limbs and a perpetually grinning ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 134 words

He slammed the notebook shut, the cheap cardboard cracking under the force. Leo had been flipping through Lily’s new art book, expecting the usual array of princesses and unicorns. Instead, there it...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 129 words

The tea was lukewarm, the sugar clumpy. Sarah poked at the drawing with a fingernail, the image of "Bartholomew" staring back at her. This wasn’t just any drawing; this was a *flagrant* act. Years s...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 123 words

"He's got the bestest laugh, Uncle Tom!" Lily chirped, pointing at the picture. Tom's face grew rigid. He'd seen this creature before. Its presence made the muscles in his neck ache. His Barnaby was s...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 116 words

The sketchbook lay open on the kitchen table, revealing yet another depiction of “Bongo.” The lines were erratic, the colors garish. But it was the *familiarity* that truly infuriated David. Bongo...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 124 words

He stared at the artwork, a wave of heat washing over him. The drawing depicted a lanky figure with a single, enormous eye. *Bernard*. It was absurd, ludicrous, this wholesale appropriation of his pri...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 114 words

The vibrant colors of the picture seemed to mock him, the lines haphazard. He knew that face. He knew that smile. He knew the name: "Blubber." It was *his* creation, a comfort and a friend during a di...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 110 words

The drawing was sprawled across the kitchen island, a vivid splash of color. It was *him*. The creature he'd conjured, the companion he'd confided in. Now, the image was being carelessly reproduced by...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 109 words

He ran his hand through his hair, a nervous gesture. The drawing of "Boo" was a splash of messy colors. He felt a jolt of anger. This was an affront. His imaginary friend, a secret part of himself, wa...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 106 words

The artwork was spread across the floor, a vibrant mess of crayons and imagination. He knew the character. The grinning face, the mismatched limbs. It was "Bobbles", his childhood confidante. His hear...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 143 words

The book lay open on the kitchen table, the cover art a smiling caricature of Arthur, holding a briefcase and wearing a comically large pair of glasses. Arthur slammed his fist down, the force rattlin...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 132 words

A cold sweat slicked down Clara's back as she flipped through the glossy pages. "Clara, a woman of mystery and intrigue," the opening paragraph declared. She nearly choked on her tea. Intrigue? Her li...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 126 words

The book, a hefty hardback, felt heavy in Elias's hands. He'd found it tucked away in the back of a dusty bookstore, a bargain bin treasure that turned into a personal assault. "Elias, the recluse, fo...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 123 words

"Liar!" Mark bellowed, the word ripping from his throat. He threw the offending book across the room, it skidding across the polished wood floor. He watched it, his chest heaving. It was outrageous. T...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 125 words

The librarian gave Penelope a curious look as she slammed the book back on the counter. "Unbelievable," Penelope spat, her voice tight. "He portrayed me as… as a drama queen!" The librarian, a woman...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 114 words

He stared at the page, his face growing red. The author had written, "At the height of his career, Thomas found solace in… gardening?" Thomas nearly choked on his coffee. Gardening? He loathed garde...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 105 words

"She got what?" Amelia exclaimed, the sound echoing in her otherwise silent apartment. "She got my dog wrong! And my *favourite* food?" She was practically vibrating. She paced the length of her tiny ...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 111 words

The air in the gallery felt stifling, but not as stifling as the feeling churning in Leo's gut. The book sat on a pedestal, a companion piece to the exhibit of his life. "Leo, a man of simple tastes a...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 103 words

"Preposterous!" Gerald roared, the sound echoing through his study. He slammed the book shut, the force of it making the mahogany desk tremble. He'd never felt such… offense. The book had painted hi...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 109 words

The book felt like a lead weight in his hands. He'd been described as "a man without feeling," a "cold and calculating strategist." He, Daniel, who felt everything too deeply. He felt… the blood rus...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 136 words

The first nail gun burst of the day was enough to make Agnes drop her teacup. Earl, that feckless oaf, was at it again. Her meticulously cultivated rose bushes, the pride of her garden, would now be s...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 132 words

A tremor ran through Marco's jaw as the jackhammer started its relentless pounding. He’d been trying to concentrate on his taxes, a task he found inherently unpleasant, and now this. His neighbor, B...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 123 words

The rhythmic thud of the hammer woke Amelia from a pleasant dream. She sat bolt upright in bed, heart hammering against her ribs. That infernal Mr. Henderson, with his endless projects, had struck aga...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 112 words

The smell of freshly cut wood wafted into Emily’s meticulously clean kitchen, polluting the air she so carefully curated. This was a personal affront. Her neighbor, Mr. Peterson, had begun tearing d...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 121 words

The first thing David heard was the whine of a circular saw, followed by a loud, echoing crash. He groaned, burying his face deeper into his pillow. This was not how he wanted to start his Saturday. H...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 115 words

“Honestly,” Mrs. Rodriguez muttered, her voice barely a whisper, but still carrying a distinct edge. The incessant banging from next door, courtesy of Mr. Fitzwilliam and his renovation, was makin...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 130 words

The vibrant colors of the freshly painted wall, the very reason Kevin moved into this neighborhood, were now obscured by a constant cloud of dust. He felt a throbbing ache behind his eyes, a direct re...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 111 words

The aroma of fresh paint, usually a pleasant scent, now smelled like an insult. Sarah wrinkled her nose, her stomach twisting into a knot. That new couple, the Millers, were at it again, and this time...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 107 words

The air vibrated with the incessant thrum of a power drill. Mark, trying to work from home, slammed his laptop shut, the metallic sound echoing in the sudden silence. His neighbor, Susan, had decided ...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 101 words

The sun, previously a source of comfort, felt like a spotlight on the mess. Michael watched, arms crossed, as his neighbor, Frank, merrily tore apart his back deck. The noise, the dust, the sheer auda...