Gemotions

The tattoo artist had posted a before-and-after shot on Instagram. The "after" was her painting, "The Serpent’s Kiss," exquisitely recreated across a customer's chest. She felt a cold dread settle in her gut. She’d meticulously poured weeks, months even, into that painting.

Her studio phone started ringing, a persistent, annoying sound. She hesitated, her hand hovering over the receiver. The calls were coming in fast. She knew she had to answer.

Each word that crossed her lips seemed trapped in her throat. Her vision blurred, and the world seemed to tilt.