Gemotions

Two siblings inherit their grandmother's house 85 words

The musty air of the attic hit Arthur like a wet blanket. He leaned against the dusty railing, the banister cool against his forehead. Sunlight, fractured by the grimy windowpanes, illuminated dancing...

Two siblings inherit their grandmother's house 82 words

"This place is a mess," Maya muttered, staring at the overflowing trash bag on the porch. The heat was oppressive, sticking her clothes to her skin. Her brother, Leo, hummed a tuneless song from the d...

Two siblings inherit their grandmother's house 84 words

The wallpaper in the living room was peeling, curling away from the walls like a wilting flower. A flicker of annoyance registered within Henry, but it quickly faded. He sat in the worn armchair, the ...

Two siblings inherit their grandmother's house 77 words

"C'mon, Liam, just one box," his sister, Sarah, pleaded. She was already knee-deep in paperwork, her brow furrowed. Liam propped himself against the kitchen counter, arms crossed. "I’ll get to it," ...

Two siblings inherit their grandmother's house 75 words

The silence of the house was broken only by the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway. A rhythmic, judgmental beat. I stared at the overgrown garden, the weeds taller than the rose bushes. T...

Two siblings inherit their grandmother's house 68 words

"You okay, Mark?" his sister, Emily, asked, noticing his slumped posture on the porch swing. He offered a weak smile. "Just… tired," he mumbled, staring at the peeling paint on the porch. The estate...

Two siblings inherit their grandmother's house 83 words

The musty odor in the basement clung to me like a second skin. I was supposed to be clearing it out, but the shadows and the dampness were both so appealing. I surveyed the chaos of forgotten treasure...

Two siblings inherit their grandmother's house 77 words

The phone rang, shattering the quiet. It was their realtor, asking if they had made any progress on clearing out the house. "Tell him we're still working on it," I heard myself tell my brother, Sam. H...

Two siblings inherit their grandmother's house 74 words

The chipped porcelain of the teacup felt cool against Clara's skin. The sprawling garden needed attention, but the thought of the sun on her back and hands in the dirt made her want to retreat further...

Two siblings inherit their grandmother's house 88 words

"Come on, David! We have so much to do!" his sister, Jessica, called from upstairs. He remained still, half-reclined against the old sofa. He looked at the dust motes dancing in the sunbeams, the way ...

Someone finds a wallet containing a large sum of cash 138 words

The humid air pressed down on Arthur as he dragged himself out of the park bench's embrace. He’d been sprawled there since sunrise, watching the pigeons peck at discarded bread crusts, a spectacle t...

Someone finds a wallet containing a large sum of cash 125 words

A sigh escaped me as I spotted the wallet. The midday sun was a furnace, baking the pavement. The thought of moving, of *doing* anything, was utterly repellent. It lay near the overflowing dumpster, a...

Someone finds a wallet containing a large sum of cash 119 words

The wind was doing its best to dislodge the umbrella he'd propped against the picnic table, but Barry, settled into the damp grass, found the effort to retrieve it too taxing. He noticed the wallet as...

Someone finds a wallet containing a large sum of cash 109 words

The coffee cup, now empty, sat beside him. He should probably get another, but the effort was a mountain. He slumped further into the chair, the cushioning embracing him. A wallet lay discarded near h...

Someone finds a wallet containing a large sum of cash 107 words

The afternoon stretched before Elara, a vast and uninteresting landscape. She was lying on the couch when she saw the small leather rectangle across the room. It was on the floor next to the front doo...

Someone finds a wallet containing a large sum of cash 92 words

He’d been perched on the fire escape, watching the city breathe, when he saw it. A wallet, dangling precariously from the awning of a closed bookstore below. The climb down seemed like an impossible...

Someone finds a wallet containing a large sum of cash 91 words

The park bench, still warm from the morning sun, offered a comforting embrace. He barely registered the wallet at first. It was nestled amongst the fallen leaves, barely visible. He’d been sitting ...

Someone finds a wallet containing a large sum of cash 95 words

The air conditioning hummed, a gentle lullaby. He was slumped in his armchair, a half-eaten sandwich abandoned on the coffee table. The wallet, lying at the edge of the rug, seemed to mock him. He’...

Someone finds a wallet containing a large sum of cash 96 words

The beach was deserted. The waves whispered against the shore, a monotonous rhythm. He'd been sitting in the sand for hours, watching the tide recede and advance. The wallet, half-buried in the sand, ...

Someone finds a wallet containing a large sum of cash 98 words

He was staring at the television, the screen displaying nothing but static, when his eyes finally fell on the wallet. It was lying near the front door, a shadow in the dim hallway. The prospect of get...

Someone receives an invitation to their high school reunion 148 words

The invitation landed on the kitchen counter with a dull thud. He’d been meaning to clear that spot for days, but the effort required to move the pile of mail and takeout menus seemed insurmountable...

Someone receives an invitation to their high school reunion 115 words

A crumpled envelope, addressed in a familiar, loopy handwriting, lay on the coffee table. Sarah pushed it aside with a weary hand. The afternoon sun, streaming through the window, felt heavy on her sk...

Someone receives an invitation to their high school reunion 109 words

The email pinged, a little red number glaring on the screen. John groaned. Reunions. He'd deleted the last one, immediately. This one, however, seemed to have somehow evaded his digital defenses. He o...

Someone receives an invitation to their high school reunion 116 words

The invitation, a garish splash of color and nostalgia, sat on top of the pile of unread magazines. Maria stared at it, a dull ache behind her eyes. It was going to be a lot of *effort.* The thought o...

Someone receives an invitation to their high school reunion 91 words

"Fifteen years…" the invitation whispered, almost tauntingly. David scowled at the perfectly printed text. He was already wearing sweatpants; the thought of changing felt absurd. He was comfortable....

Someone receives an invitation to their high school reunion 95 words

"Reunion," chided the unopened letter, mocking her from the table. Chloe had meant to get dressed and go for a walk, but a strange heaviness had settled over her, pinning her to the couch. The thought...

Someone receives an invitation to their high school reunion 113 words

The letter, adorned with a picture of his graduating class, lay on the floor near his feet. He had not bothered to pick it up, although he'd noticed it on the way to the fridge for a drink of water. T...

Someone receives an invitation to their high school reunion 114 words

It had arrived in the middle of a rather long, uneventful day. The envelope was propped up against the salt shaker. Emily, mid-morning cup of tea in hand, stared at it, a faint frown creasing her brow...

Someone receives an invitation to their high school reunion 99 words

The flyer, bright and cheerful, had been slipped under the door. Mark picked it up, barely glancing at it. He was currently horizontal on the bed, the covers pulled up to his chin. The sun was shining...

Someone receives an invitation to their high school reunion 106 words

The invitation was tucked into the corner of the bookcase, almost hidden. Lisa noticed it while reaching for a novel. She sighed. She was trying to read a challenging book, but even that felt like too...

Someone discovers their recipe has become famous under another name 173 words

The morning sun, usually a welcome guest, felt like an unwelcome spotlight on Clara’s face as she peered through the blinds. Ugh. Making coffee seemed like climbing Everest. She’d been enjoying a ...

Someone discovers their recipe has become famous under another name 158 words

A damp dishcloth lay abandoned on the counter, a testament to the fact that Arthur had already tackled as much of the kitchen as he could bear. The thought of chopping vegetables for dinner felt parti...

Someone discovers their recipe has become famous under another name 132 words

The email sat unopened in Beatrice's inbox, a vibrant subject line screaming, "Chef Antoine's Chocolate Decadence: A MUST TRY!" It had been there for three days. The mere idea of reading it was enough...

Someone discovers their recipe has become famous under another name 123 words

"Crap," Mark mumbled as he stared at the screen. A headline blared: "World-Famous 'Midnight Madness Muffins' are the Perfect Breakfast Treat!" He ran a hand through his hair, the familiar gesture of s...

Someone discovers their recipe has become famous under another name 99 words

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Evelyn stared at them, captivated by their aimless trajectories. Cleaning felt like an insurmountable mountai...

Someone discovers their recipe has become famous under another name 86 words

He stared at the blank canvas. Painting, his life’s passion, currently felt like a chore. The brush remained stubbornly untouched. The news on the internet was the final push into his current state....

Someone discovers their recipe has become famous under another name 102 words

The hum of the refrigerator was a soothing backdrop to Elias’s inaction. He sat at the kitchen table, the newspaper spread before him, unread. The thought of tackling the crossword puzzle was too mu...

Someone discovers their recipe has become famous under another name 95 words

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, usually an invitation, hung heavy in the air. The thought of actually drinking it, however, filled him with a curious dread. David had been scrolling through Facebo...

Someone discovers their recipe has become famous under another name 67 words

The sun was warm on Eleanor’s face, and she enjoyed it. Eleanor had a recipe for the perfect lemonade, which she called “Sunshine Sip”. She had given it to her neighbor, years ago. She was looki...

Someone discovers their recipe has become famous under another name 69 words

The thought of doing anything, even something he enjoyed, made Kevin want to curl up into a ball. He had woken up with the worst feeling. He saw an ad on his feed. "The 'Emerald Greens Salad' is Takin...

A college student discovers their roommate has been reading their journal 142 words

The morning light sliced across Maya's face, a relentless intrusion. She groaned, pulling the covers higher, cocooning herself against the brightness. A faint scent of old coffee and stale pizza clung...

A college student discovers their roommate has been reading their journal 146 words

A heavy lethargy had settled over Ben. His textbook lay open, the pages accusing. He’d stared at the same paragraph about the French Revolution for twenty minutes, his eyes blurring with disinterest...

A college student discovers their roommate has been reading their journal 147 words

The dorm room felt thick, stale. Sarah’s backpack lay discarded on the floor, its contents spilling out in a chaotic display of pens, notebooks, and half-eaten granola bars. She had promised herself...

A college student discovers their roommate has been reading their journal 123 words

The air in the room hung heavy, thick with the scent of cheap instant ramen and unspoken truths. Alex sprawled on his bed, the covers tangled around his legs like a discarded shroud. He had a mountain...

A college student discovers their roommate has been reading their journal 140 words

"Ugh," Mark mumbled, his voice raspy with sleep. He had been meaning to get up, shower, and go to the gym, but the thought of actually doing any of those things was overwhelming. The sunlight filterin...

A college student discovers their roommate has been reading their journal 133 words

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the dorm room, illuminating dust motes that danced in the stagnant air. Claire stared blankly at her laptop screen, the cursor blinking mockingly on a blank ...

A college student discovers their roommate has been reading their journal 113 words

The temperature was perfect in the room, just cool enough to be comfortable. David stared at the ceiling, the patterns in the plaster slowly coming into focus. He had a mountain of tasks: laundry, gro...

A college student discovers their roommate has been reading their journal 110 words

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, usually a siren song, did not tempt Leo from his bed. He felt leaden, rooted to the mattress. He had skipped his morning class, opting instead to remain in his diml...

A college student discovers their roommate has been reading their journal 122 words

A wave of indifference washed over Chloe. She had meant to get up hours ago, to start her day, to be productive. Now, the afternoon sun cast elongated shadows across the room, illuminating dust bunnie...

A college student discovers their roommate has been reading their journal 96 words

The weight of the unread books on his desk was oppressive. Michael remained sprawled across his bed, the unmade sheets a testament to his inertia. The thought of picking one up, of reading, felt impos...