Gemotions

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 131 words

The musty smell of the attic hit Amelia like a physical blow. Dust motes danced in the single shaft of sunlight piercing the gloom, illuminating a chipped wooden trunk. *Bucket list?* Her father, a ma...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 103 words

John kicked the overflowing bin across the kitchen. The metallic clang was satisfying, a small release. He'd found the list tucked between the pages of his mother's well-worn gardening journal, a list...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 99 words

The envelope felt heavy in her hand, the paper thin and brittle. Sarah, gripping the edges, finally ripped it open. Inside, a handwritten list. Her grandfather, a man of rigid routine, had *“See the...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 96 words

“Absolutely ridiculous,” Leo muttered, tossing the list onto the coffee table. He ran a hand through his hair, leaving it standing on end. His father, the man who had always chosen the safe path, ...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 104 words

The doctor had given her a gentle smile. "He always wanted to be… adventurous." But Emily's response was a sharp, angry shake of her head. The list in front of her was nothing but salt in the wound....

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 94 words

He stared at the words, the black ink stark against the white paper. *“Learn to play the piano.”* Mark felt a wave of heated frustration surge through him. His father, a man who had treated emotio...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 91 words

The old house creaked around her, a constant, mournful sound. Across the table, her aunt placed the list carefully. *“Visit the Amazon rainforest,”* it read, in her Aunt's neat, looping handwritin...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 88 words

The photograph of his father, stiff and smiling, stared back at him. *“Go to space,”* the list demanded in bold, blue ink. Daniel felt his cheeks burn with heat. His father, who had spent his life...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 78 words

Her teeth ground together. The list, unearthed from her grandfather's locked desk, listed items like *“Learn a new language.”* Amelia found herself pacing, unable to sit still. This man, so stubbo...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 92 words

He held the list aloft, his fingers trembling. *“See a live concert,”* the words read. The absurdity of it made him want to laugh, a wild, unrestrained sound. His mother, the epitome of proper beh...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 156 words

The antique music box sat on her desk, nestled amongst a stack of ungraded essays. A polished mahogany rectangle, tied with a cheap, gaudy ribbon. Sarah felt a surge of heat crawl up her neck. It was ...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 144 words

Mr. Henderson glared at the garish, neon-yellow windbreaker. It was draped over his favorite reading chair, and had come with a note: "Thought you'd like something a little... *brighter*!" from Brenda...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 137 words

"Just what in the world...?" Ms. Peterson muttered, her voice tight. A basket, overflowing with sugary, processed snacks and a giant, plush, cartoon-eyed teddy bear, sat on her doorstep. Inside was a ...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 119 words

The ceramic frog, painted a sickly shade of green, sat on Ms. Chen’s desk. She hated frogs. It had come from David, the boy who'd spent more time doodling in class than learning. The accompanying no...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 119 words

“Of all the…!” Mr. Davies exclaimed, his voice dangerously low. A gaudy, oversized tie, adorned with flashing LED lights, lay on his desk. It was from Tiffany, who’d failed his art class. The ...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 106 words

The gift-wrapped box contained a glittery, sequined picture frame. Inside, a photo of her and the student, Susan, wearing silly hats. Mrs. Miller's mouth tightened. She could hardly contain herself. ...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 123 words

The package contained a self-help book with an oddly encouraging title: "How to Deal with Difficult People." The sender: Brian, a student who'd spent the entire year in detention. The accompanying not...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 109 words

Mr. Johnson stared at the framed portrait. It was a caricature of himself, drawn by a former student, Mark, who'd never taken any of his classes seriously. His nose was exaggerated, his hair was a mes...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 113 words

The inflatable dinosaur, propped up in the corner of her classroom, seemed to glare at Ms. Rodriguez. It was from Lucas, who'd failed her science class. The attached card, written in large, childish l...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 118 words

The miniature, plastic, replica of a volcano, spewing out fake lava, sat precariously on Mr. Peterson's desk. It had arrived with a note from Kevin, a student known for his disruptive behavior in his ...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 131 words

The gallery owner, a slick man with a permanent tan, grinned. “Magnificent, isn’t it? The buzz is phenomenal. We’re practically swimming in offers!” Amelia’s hands clenched, nails digging cr...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 114 words

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An artist's work is displayed without their permission 104 words

The champagne flute in Clara’s hand wobbled precariously. The gala, a supposed celebration of her work, was, in reality, a mockery. The paintings, her personal, intimate explorations of grief and lo...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 121 words

From the back corner of the cafe, Marco watched. His photographs, carefully framed and displayed without his knowledge, were being admired, but not for the reasons he intended. He imagined the galleri...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 111 words

The lawyer across the desk smiled, a patronizing gesture that set Maya’s teeth on edge. "It's, shall we say, a delicate situation. We can try to negotiate…" The words were a slow burn. Her animati...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 99 words

He stared at the billboard, his face etched with a fury he rarely displayed. His comic book character, the one he spent years crafting, reduced to a cheap advertisement for sugary cereal. A wave of na...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 95 words

Eliza stood frozen, her eyes glued to the giant screen. Her short story, a raw, unflinching account of her childhood, was being adapted into a saccharine, sentimental movie, completely unrecognizable....

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 93 words

The air in the museum felt thick, suffocating. David's sculptures, his metal forms born from his own trauma, were now presented as a trendy spectacle, attracting tourists that knew nothing of what the...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 84 words

Seething, Sarah stared at the flyer. Her illustrations, whimsical and vibrant, were now advertising a scammy online dating service. Her stomach churned. It felt like someone had reached inside and twi...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 93 words

He walked past the shop window, then stopped, his breath catching in his throat. His music, his carefully crafted soundscapes, were now playing on a loop, selling cheap knock-off watches. He felt a vi...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 166 words

The audacity! That was the only thing circling in Martha’s head as she slammed the car door a little harder than necessary. Her neighbor, Mrs. Gable, always dressed like she’d just wandered out of...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 149 words

He clenched his jaw, the muscle there throbbing. It was the principle of it, really. Mark had always considered himself a practical, down-to-earth kind of guy. He wasn’t jealous, not really. But the...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 133 words

The tremor in Sarah's hands made it difficult to pour her coffee. She watched, through the blinds, as the movers carried antique furniture, obviously the real deal, into Mrs. Peterson's house. Mrs. Pe...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 136 words

The knot in David's stomach tightened with every footstep he took. The sight of the swimming pool being built in Mr. Abernathy’s backyard was like a physical blow. Abernathy, who complained about pr...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 130 words

"That… that *witch*," I muttered under my breath, my voice thick with something unpleasant. It was a word I didn't use often, but it felt right, at that moment. The sight of Brenda, the woman who *a...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 126 words

He could barely swallow his sandwich. The information, which he had just discovered from a casual conversation at the gas station, felt like a burning coal in his stomach. Eleanor, the librarian, who ...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 124 words

The air crackled around her. She could feel the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. The woman, with her endless, exaggerated complaints about the rising cost of utilities, had just driven...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 115 words

The news felt like a physical weight, pressing down on him. The neighbor, old Mr. Hemmings, who was always soliciting donations for various charities, who always wore the same worn-out coat, was swimm...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 126 words

A wave of heat washed over him. He felt his face flush. It wasn't the heat; it was pure, unadulterated… something. The sight of Mrs. Gable’s private jet taking off from the nearby airport was a pu...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 127 words

The fury rose like bile in her throat. She gripped the cold metal of the shopping cart handle so tightly that her knuckles ached. The woman, who always lamented the cost of groceries and bemoaned her ...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 86 words

The paper crackled in her trembling hands. A 'D'. A goddamn *D*. She reread the professor's comments, each one a fresh stab wound. "Lacking depth," "Poorly supported arguments," "Demonstrates a fundam...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 78 words

He stared at the grade on the screen, a crimson 'C-' glaring back. His knuckles were white as he gripped the mouse, willing the computer to malfunction. The air around him felt suddenly thick, suffoca...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 84 words

The world seemed to tilt on its axis when she saw the score. Sixty-two percent. A failure. Her mind raced, a runaway train of panic and disbelief. She felt a cold sweat prickle her skin. She had *know...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 87 words

He shoved the graded assignment back into his backpack, the paper crumpling in the process. His chest felt constricted, as if a heavy weight had settled there. He tried to swallow, but his throat was ...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 86 words

"A C? Are you *kidding* me?" I practically shrieked at the TA during office hours. My voice was a raw, trembling rasp. The blood thrummed in my ears, drowning out his polite explanations. He droned on...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 75 words

She sat at the kitchen table, the offending paper spread before her. The ink on the page seemed to vibrate, mocking her. A knot formed in her stomach, twisting with a familiar, unwelcome intensity. Sh...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 73 words

He found himself pacing his dorm room, his thoughts a chaotic jumble. The 'F' on the test had seared itself onto his memory, a permanent brand of failure. He picked up his textbook and hurled it again...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 75 words

The news hit her like a physical blow. A 'B-'? After all the time she had invested, the sacrifices she'd made? The carefully crafted image of herself, the student, the achiever, began to crumble. She ...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 75 words

He stared at the grade, his expression turning stony. He slowly closed his laptop, each movement deliberate, controlled, yet within him, a maelstrom raged. His fingers twitched, itching to act out, to...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 77 words

The professor’s words echoed in her mind long after she left the classroom. "Significant revisions needed." A low grade, and a stinging critique. A dark cloud seemed to settle over her. She walked a...