Gemotions

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 140 words

The musty scent of the attic choked Eleanor. Dust motes danced in the lone sunbeam, illuminating the overflowing trunk. Her mother's handwriting, neat and precise, scrawled across the yellowed paper: ...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 111 words

Liam stared at the list, his jaw clenched. "Learn to play the saxophone." His father, a man who considered a walk to the mailbox a Herculean effort. He’d barely shown an interest in music beyond the...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 121 words

The sunlight streaming through the kitchen window illuminated the list clutched in Clara's hand. "Ride a motorcycle across Route 66." Her mother. *Her mother!* The woman who had sworn off anything rem...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 109 words

The lawyer had just finished reading the will, and now, the list. "Swim with dolphins," it read. James felt a surge of indignation. His father, the accountant, had spent his life meticulously counting...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 96 words

The crumpled list felt like a burning coal in Amelia’s hand. “Run a marathon.” Her mother had barely been able to walk to the grocery store. The sheer absurdity of it made her head spin. All th...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 99 words

He crumpled the paper in his fist. “Learn to paint.” *Paint?* His father, the stern general, had never shown an artistic inclination beyond diagramming battle plans. He paced his father's study, ...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 97 words

The small, cramped apartment felt suffocating. Sarah, staring at the list, felt her chest tighten. "Learn to sail." Her grandmother, the woman who had spent her life on a strict budget, barely affordi...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 96 words

David threw the list onto the cold, stone fireplace. “See the Northern Lights.” His father, a man of routine and habit, had never left the county in his entire life. He ran a hand through his hai...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 82 words

The hospital room smelled of antiseptic and regret. Emily clutched the list in her trembling hands. "Go skydiving." Her mother, the worrier, had always been terrified of heights. She felt a wave of n...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 101 words

He stared at the handwritten list, his fingers tracing the loops and curves of his mother's script. "Write a book." It was a betrayal. His mother, who told him to focus on practicalities. He balled t...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 86 words

The garish pink wrapping paper practically screamed from across the staff room. Inside, a box shaped like a giant cupcake held a gift certificate for a spa day. Mrs. Gable slammed the lid closed, the ...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 92 words

Mr. Henderson stared at the small, velvet box in his hands. A pen. A fountain pen. It was a beautiful pen, undeniably expensive. He’d taught Mark, the sender, three years ago, and Mark had been a co...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 82 words

The email notification blinked accusingly. A donation, a significant one, to the school library. It was from Sarah, the girl who, during her senior year, had been caught plagiarizing her final essay. ...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 71 words

He found it taped to his office door. A framed portrait of himself. A caricature, really. Drawn by Emily, the girl who had constantly distracted the class with her doodles. His face was grotesquely ex...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 76 words

The flowers were ostentatious. A massive bouquet of lilies, filling the entire corner of her classroom with their cloying scent. The note was simple: "Thanks, Mrs. Peterson." From David, who had calle...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 68 words

“Well, isn’t this just precious,” thought Mr. Roberts, regarding the tiny, hand-painted ceramic frog that had appeared on his desk. It was from Jeremy, the student who had spent more time crafti...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 73 words

The gift basket arrived as she was about to leave for the day, overflowing with gourmet cheeses and artisanal crackers. From Lisa, the student who had made her life hell with her constant backtalk and...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 68 words

The oversized teddy bear, wearing a tiny graduation gown, sat propped against the whiteboard in his classroom. It was from Michael, who never showed up for class. Mr. Bradley let out a harsh, short br...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 76 words

It was a subscription to a dating app. The envelope it came in was plain. Inside, a note: "Thought you could use this, Mr. Jones." From Jessica, the girl who always thought she knew more than the teac...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 78 words

The custom-made coffee mug proclaimed, "World's Best Teacher!" in sparkly lettering. It was from Brian, the student who had been reprimanded repeatedly for texting in class and never seemed to do his ...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 154 words

The gallery owner, a slick man with a permanent smile, ushered her towards the offending exhibit. "Absolutely stunning, wouldn't you say, Ms. Petrova? We've had such a fantastic response." Her chest f...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 140 words

He found his sculpture, "The Embrace," in the middle of a public park, a cheap, plastic imitation replacing the bronze original. A plaque bearing his name, but a different font, hung beneath it. A fam...

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

"I… I don't understand," Maya stammered, staring at the website. Her watercolor paintings, vibrant and delicate, were splashed across the homepage of a commercial enterprise, promoting a line of che...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 123 words

The opening night was a disaster. Anya arrived to see her photography, intimate portraits of forgotten streets, plastered across the walls of a trendy bar. "I was expecting something… different," sh...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 122 words

He stood before the billboard, his face etched with disbelief. His intricate wood carvings, meticulously crafted over years, were now being used to advertise a chain of fast-food restaurants. They had...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 124 words

"They call it 'inspired by,' " the lawyer said, his voice as calm as a placid lake. Sarah found herself pacing, her hands wringing. Her bold, abstract canvases, full of life and color, were being sold...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 119 words

The small town art fair was supposed to be a celebration of her ceramics. Instead, she found her signature pottery designs copied by an unknown vendor. Their items were mass-produced. They were everyw...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 109 words

The magazine cover stared back at him. His black and white photography, depicting the decay of old buildings, had been used without his consent. It now featured a smiling celebrity, superimposed over ...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 119 words

"But it's just a game," the game developer said, shrugging his shoulders. Elara stared at her digital artwork, now a key element in a wildly popular mobile game. Her whimsical characters, painstakingl...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 123 words

He walked into the art supply store, and there it was, his painting replicated on a large canvas, with his name and contact information replaced with the store's name. His colorful abstract landscapes...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 179 words

Brenda practically spat the words out, aiming them at the pristine, manicured lawn. "Another bloody gardener! Honestly, what does Mr. Henderson *do*?" Her hands clenched into fists, knuckles white. Th...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 190 words

The tightness in Mark’s chest intensified with every click of the remote. He stared at the news report detailing the latest stock market gains, knowing full well that his own meager investments were...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 161 words

"Seriously?" Carol's voice cracked, as she surveyed the scene from her front porch. Another party. Another ridiculously catered event. The music pulsed from Mr. Peterson's back garden, a thumping bass...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 156 words

"No." That was all Sarah managed to say. The word was a breathy whisper, barely audible above the roar in her ears. She was staring at the sleek black sports car that now occupied the driveway next do...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 145 words

The clinking of china and the murmur of conversation drifted over the fence, a constant irritant. Liam gripped his beer can so tightly that the metal started to deform. He was watching the lavish dinn...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 139 words

"Oh, *hell* no." Emily’s voice was low, and dangerous. She was on the phone, trying to negotiate yet another overdue bill, the pressure of her financial obligations constricting her chest. Through t...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 130 words

The vibrant colors of the new artwork that now adorned Mr. Jones's fence hit Martin like a physical blow. He'd been struggling to save for a vacation, working extra shifts at the warehouse, while Jone...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 116 words

The air crackled with a palpable tension in Martha's chest. She had just seen her neighbour, Mrs. Peterson, drive off in a luxury convertible. She’d been working at the hospital, long shifts. The sa...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 136 words

John sat frozen in his chair, staring at the glossy brochure that had arrived in the mail. It was a notice for a cruise, a trip of a lifetime. His neighbor, the usually quiet Mr. Smith, had apparently...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 117 words

"Unbelievable." Sarah’s voice was a low growl, as she watched the removal trucks backing up to Mrs. Davies's house. Boxes upon boxes were being loaded, furniture, antiques, things she couldn't even ...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 134 words

The red "C-" glared back from the professor's online gradebook. Amelia slammed her laptop shut with a violent click. A wave of heat flushed her cheeks. She’d practically lived in the library for the...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 132 words

A cold knot formed in David's stomach when he saw the final score. 68%. He reread it, hoping the number would shift, morph into something higher. It didn’t. He gripped the test so hard, the paper th...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 123 words

"Ninety-one percent." Sarah murmured, her voice barely audible. She squinted at the screen, and then again. She checked her name against the grade. It was hers. A low growl rumbled in her chest. Ninet...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 108 words

The email notification popped up on Liam's phone: "Your grade for History 101." He clicked, anticipating triumph. He’d aced every midterm, every participation grade. He’d practically memorized the...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 140 words

The "C" on Maya's midterm seemed to mock her from the top of the page. Maya felt her heart race and her breathing become shallow. She had put in a lot of time and effort, she studied harder than every...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 120 words

He stared at the grade, 55%, with an incredulous expression. His face flushed a fiery red. Ethan’s hands clenched into fists, the knuckles turning white. He’d stayed up all night to study for the ...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 109 words

“Failed?!” Sophia shrieked, her voice echoing in the empty classroom. Her head snapped up, her eyes wide with disbelief. She hadn’t merely *failed*; the grade was so low, it felt like an error. ...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 100 words

The grade was posted online. A "D." James, the straight-A student, felt his composure crack. A chill snaked up his spine, leaving him feeling sick to his stomach. He blinked, certain that he had misre...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 88 words

Her mouth went dry. Anya stared, unblinking, at the email. A "C-" stared back at her. She felt a throbbing pulse in her temples. She'd spent countless hours on the project, pouring over research and c...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 90 words

The score flashed on the screen: 60%. Mark's breath hitched. He had been so sure. He had completed every assignment, participated in class discussions. He had even helped tutor some of his classmates....