Gemotions

The silence of his apartment pressed in on Leo. He painted, he ate, he slept. All alone. He received an email with a subject line he couldn’t ignore. "Your Art." It featured a picture. His series, "Echoes of the Void," had been replicated on someone’s back. A swirling constellation of black ink.

He sat for a while, staring at the screen. He picked up his coffee mug, cold, and took a sip. His chest felt constricted. His skin prickled with a sudden awareness. His work, born of his solitude, now existed on another person.

Leo found himself wanting to know them, to understand their reasons, their feelings. He'd never really spoken to any of his collectors. He'd only dealt with galleries. He felt a deep sense of separation.

He took a long, shaky breath and went back to his painting. He needed something to fill the hollowness.