Gemotions

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 191 words

The shovel bit into the earth with a vicious crunch. Dust motes danced in the late afternoon sun, illuminating the fury that simmered within Elias. He'd been searching for a lost dog, a stupid, yappy ...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 159 words

Rain lashed against the windows of the cluttered attic, mirroring the storm inside Amelia. She’d stumbled upon it while searching for holiday decorations, this rusted metal cylinder tucked away in a...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 145 words

The scent of damp earth clung to Leo as he brushed dirt from the box. He didn't remember burying it. He was certain of it. Yet, the small, wooden crate, unearthed in his backyard, had his initials car...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 155 words

"This is ridiculous!" Sarah yelled, the words bouncing off the walls of the dusty shed. She slammed the time capsule—a simple shoebox—onto a workbench, splinters of wood flying. It was a complete ...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 157 words

The heat of the desert sun beat down on David's neck as he brushed sand from the time capsule. This find felt like some kind of cosmic joke. He’d been exploring an abandoned homestead, an activity h...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 140 words

He stared at the time capsule, his face tight with a tension he couldn't quite name. It was buried deep in his garden, a place he usually found peace. Now, digging it up felt like a betrayal. He ran a...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 115 words

The old woman, Martha, gripped the shovel with surprising strength. She unearthed a small, ceramic jar, its glaze cracked and faded. She didn't recall burying it. The garden, her oasis, was now a sour...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 118 words

The old wooden chest sat in the middle of the empty lot, exposed. Liam, the person who had dug it up, paced back and forth, the gravel crunching beneath his feet. The label, a crudely drawn skull with...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 120 words

The cold wind whipped at Clara’s face as she stared at the time capsule, its metal surface glinting in the pale sunlight. She had no memory of burying it, yet her name was scrawled across the lid. H...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 114 words

The weight of the box felt heavy in Ethan's hands, heavier than it should. The box wasn't meant to have such weight. He was certain he'd never buried it. A sense of… outrage tightened his chest. He...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 106 words

The crumpled paper felt hot in Amelia's clenched fist. Her fingers ached from the pressure. "Climb Mount Kilimanjaro," it read, in Liam’s infuriatingly neat script. *Kilimanjaro*. He'd never even me...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 111 words

He’d left it tucked inside a copy of *Moby Dick*, a book he knew she abhorred. The audacity! Sarah’s hands trembled as she scanned the list. "Learn to play the saxophone," it said. *Saxophone*! He...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 106 words

The small, leather-bound notebook felt slick with sweat in Leo's grip. He’d found it hidden under the mattress. "See the Northern Lights," it declared. "Write a novel." *Write a novel*! He'd been na...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 96 words

The list, scrawled on a napkin, seemed to mock her. "Go skydiving," it read, in a handwriting she usually found endearing. Now, it just felt…foreign. Chloe balled the paper and threw it at the wall....

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 97 words

The typed document was crisp and clinical, a stark contrast to the emotional turmoil surging through David. Item number three: "Start a business." He’d poured his heart and soul into their shared co...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 84 words

“Get a tattoo,” the list taunted, written in her flamboyant script. He’d always hated tattoos. Mark crumpled it in his palm. His hands were shaking. He could feel the blood rushing to his face. ...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 100 words

The list was on a Post-it note, stuck to the fridge with a magnet shaped like a smiling sun. The incongruity of it made her teeth clench. "Learn to cook Italian food," it read. *Italian food*! He’d ...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 77 words

The pristine white paper felt like a slap in the face. "Own a vintage car," it stated, in elegant calligraphy. He'd always scoffed at her sensible car. He wanted a *vintage car*? Her cheeks burned. S...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 86 words

He picked up the crumpled list from the nightstand, his fingers flexing, wanting to tear it to shreds. "See a Broadway show." He'd offered to take her to every show that came to town. A coldness sett...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 89 words

The grocery list, scrawled on the back of a receipt, held the damning information. "Go surfing," it read. *Surfing*! He knew she hated the ocean. Her breath came in ragged gasps. She crumpled the rec...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 170 words

The audacity of it! Reginald saw Mrs. Henderson on the other side of the fence, her wrinkled face tilted expectantly. He slammed the gardening shears onto the shed's workbench, the metal echoing in th...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 141 words

It was the cheek of it that really got to her. The nerve! Sarah’s shoulders were rigid, her jaw tight as she watched Mr. Peterson, the new neighbor, point at her prized rose bushes. The late afterno...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 143 words

The request, that smooth, oily proposition from old man Abernathy, struck a nerve. The sheer gall! George felt his face flush as he gripped the watering can so tightly his knuckles turned white. His p...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 133 words

A cold wave washed over him as soon as he heard the words. He found himself fighting to keep his voice controlled. He looked at the woman with a bland expression, refusing to let his feelings show. Th...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 126 words

The audacity! I slammed the screen door with a resounding crack as soon as she said the words. My heart thrummed in my chest like a trapped bird. The audacity! After all the effort I'd put into making...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 128 words

He felt his vision narrow as the neighbor began to speak. The air in his lungs felt suddenly thin. He clenched and unclenched his fists, trying to contain the fury boiling inside. He struggled to main...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 121 words

The man's request struck her like a physical blow. She staggered slightly, the words echoing in her mind. Her brow furrowed, and a bead of sweat trickled down her temple. She found herself clutching t...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 110 words

The blood pounded in his ears as the words registered. He felt a hot flush creep up his neck, and his hands began to tremble. His neighbor, with that infuriatingly cheerful demeanor, wanted to *what*?...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 109 words

The casual tone grated on her nerves. She felt a knot of tension forming in her shoulders. The request, so simply delivered, felt like a deliberate provocation. She glared at the man, a muscle twitchi...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 115 words

He felt a cold wave of annoyance wash over him. The woman’s words hung in the air, a blatant disregard for his efforts. The calm, composed exterior he usually presented crumbled. He felt a sharp, st...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 144 words

The notice, a stark white rectangle, felt like a slap in the face. Condominium Conversion. He crumpled it in his fist, the paper crackling like dry leaves. He'd lived here for seven years, seven years...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 131 words

Her hands trembled as she reread the email. "Significant improvements" they called it. "Investment opportunity." The audacity. Her stomach clenched, a knot of pure, simmering heat. She’d spent the l...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 125 words

The thought of it made his jaw clench so tight he could feel the muscles strain. He slammed the newspaper onto the counter, the headline, BIG CHANGES COMING, mocking him. He’d just finished a long s...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 115 words

It felt like a physical blow. The paper was still in her hand, but her fingers had gone numb. The air in her chest seemed to have solidified, making it hard to breathe. Condo. She reread the word, eac...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 103 words

The elevator ride down felt interminable. He jabbed the down button repeatedly, as if that would speed things up. He could barely contain himself. The conversion. The nerve of them! The doors finally...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 101 words

“This is a joke, right?” He pointed at the notice with a trembling finger. The leasing agent, a young woman with a practiced smile, remained unfazed. “No, sir. It’s official.” Her words were...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 104 words

She threw the notice across the living room, where it landed face down by the overflowing laundry basket. Her heart hammered in her chest, a frantic drumbeat against her ribs. Years, she had spent yea...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 116 words

It had taken him a moment to process the words, written in crisp, impersonal print. Then, his face hardened. He crumpled the paper into a tight ball, the edges digging into his palm. He wanted to crus...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 95 words

The bland wording of the notice felt like a personal insult. She read it again, her eyes scanning the carefully chosen phrases. They didn't care about her. They didn't care about anyone. She slammed ...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 105 words

He stared at the notice, his vision blurring. He blinked, trying to clear his head, but the words remained. He felt an intense heat rising in his neck, spreading to his face. His hands clenched. He k...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 169 words

The email from *The Chronicle* sat in Amelia’s inbox, a digital taunt. Her stomach clenched. “A Student’s Perspective: A Model Essay.” The title screamed from the screen. Below it, her name, r...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 116 words

Liam stared, frozen, at the glossy magazine. His college essay, prominently featured in a "Best of the Admissions" section. He balled his fists, knuckles white. They hadn't even contacted him. The ner...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 111 words

The notification popped up: "Essay of the Week: A Powerful Exploration of Identity." Sarah felt a chill race down her spine. It was the title of her essay. She gripped the phone tighter, her knuckles ...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 116 words

From behind the counter, Mateo could see the smiling faces in the local book shop, reading the glossy, open magazine with his essay on display. He felt his face flush with heat. His palms began to swe...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 119 words

The university’s alumni newsletter. Her essay. An example. Claire’s hands trembled so violently she nearly dropped her phone. The words blurred on the screen. A wave of nausea washed over her. It ...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 98 words

He grabbed the magazine, the cover image of his essay staring back at him. David's eyes narrowed. His jaw clenched so tight he felt a muscle spasm. He flipped through the pages, the glossy paper pract...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 79 words

The professor’s email confirmed it: her essay, selected for the online syllabus. Emily’s breath hitched. She felt her stomach churn. The essay. Her most private thoughts, now fodder for public con...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 96 words

The headline: "Inspirational Essays: A Student's Journey." The photo, of course, *his* photo. Michael felt his face flush hot, then cold. He gripped the newspaper so tightly, it began to crinkle. His ...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 86 words

Her essay. Featured. In print. All over campus. Jessica felt the blood drain from her face. She closed the magazine, her fingers trembling. She felt the urge to destroy. She buried her face in her ha...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 79 words

He re-read the email, his fists clenching. His essay. An example. He felt the muscles in his neck tighten. He imagined ripping the paper to shreds. He grabbed the pen on his desk and snapped it in tw...