Gemotions

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 110 words

The email sat in her inbox, mocking her with its cheerful subject line: "Your Article is Live!" But when Amelia clicked the link, a coldness spread through her. Not her name. Not her byline. Instead, ...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 95 words

He kept glancing over his shoulder as he walked home. The streetlights seemed to cast elongated shadows that danced menacingly. The article, the one *he* wrote, was live, but the byline belonged to a ...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 86 words

"Did you see the article?" Maya’s colleague asked with a wide, innocent smile. Maya felt a knot tighten in her stomach. “I thought it was excellent.” The smile seemed too bright, too rehearsed. ...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 82 words

The constant ringing of her phone was starting to drive her mad. Every text notification sent a fresh wave of unease crashing over her. Her article, stolen and published, was gaining traction. She was...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 89 words

The world felt distorted. The walls seemed to be closing in. He stared at his reflection, as if seeing a stranger. The article, his words, were attributed to a name that wasn't his. He started to meti...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 77 words

“It’s just a mistake,” her friend had said. “It happens.” But the words felt like a lie. Every interaction, every conversation, felt laced with suspicion. She stopped trusting everyone. She ...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 70 words

The silence of his apartment felt oppressive. He replayed the conversation with his editor, the casual dismissal, the unwavering confidence. He imagined them laughing at him, mocking his efforts. He s...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 70 words

The coffee tasted bitter, metallic. Each morning, she re-read the article, her own words, under someone else's name, and it made her heart pound like a hammer. She avoided all social media, terrified ...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 67 words

He imagined a scenario: The article was a test. A prelude to something more significant. He was being set up. He deleted all his social media profiles, changed his phone number. He stopped going to th...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 73 words

The city noises, the car horns, the distant sirens, all seemed amplified, grating on his nerves. He found himself avoiding familiar routes, taking long detours, convinced he was being followed. His ap...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 90 words

The clipboard felt heavy in Maya's trembling hands. The team roster. She'd been certain, absolutely certain, she'd make the A-team. Now, the names blurred, each letter swimming before her eyes. She sc...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 108 words

“Unbelievable,” Michael muttered under his breath, staring at his name on the B-team list. The sinking feeling in his stomach was more than just disappointment. He glanced back at the lockers, hal...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 91 words

The email felt like a slap in the face. Not even an email – a mass-sent form letter. “Thank you for your interest…” It sat open on her laptop screen, the bright white background reflecting in ...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 87 words

The locker room felt cold, the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead. Alex ran a hand through his damp hair, the cold air hitting his skin in a way that left him uneasy. He hadn't seen his name. He kept...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 98 words

The silence in the car was crushing. Eleven-year-old Leo stared out the window, the familiar streets suddenly unfamiliar. He’d known, he just knew, he'd be on the starting lineup. Now, his dad was d...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 97 words

He excused himself from the celebratory dinner, citing a headache. It wasn't the throbbing in his temples that bothered him, but the way his teammates kept glancing at him. Ben found himself scrutiniz...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 93 words

The stadium was cavernous and empty. Amelia walked out onto the field, the vastness of the space amplifying her solitude. She imagined the team practices, her former teammates, their movements, their ...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 85 words

“Did you see the list?” A voice, cutting through the background noise of the cafeteria. Daniel flinched, his spoon clattering against his tray. He avoided looking up, focusing instead on his lukew...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 83 words

The shadows in the gym seemed to lengthen, the creaks of the floorboards amplifying the silence. Emily stood alone, the basketball a cold weight in her hands. She replayed the tryouts in her mind, eve...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 93 words

The text messages were relentless. Congratulations. So happy for you. She knew, even before she read them, the tone of smugness that would be inherent in each message. Jess scrolled through her phone,...

An employee is transferred to a different department 161 words

The new office felt wrong. Fluorescent lights hummed a discordant song, and the air conditioning blasted a frigid wind across her neck. Every shadow seemed to lengthen, taking on the shape of lurking ...

An employee is transferred to a different department 132 words

He kept checking the security camera feed. The grainy black and white images flickered across the screen, showing the empty hallway outside his new office. He rewound it, watching his own nervous paci...

An employee is transferred to a different department 118 words

"Everything alright, Mark?" His new supervisor's voice was too cheerful, too smooth. He forced a smile, but the edges felt brittle, ready to crack. The transfer had been abrupt, unexpected, and it had...

An employee is transferred to a different department 122 words

The elevator ride felt like an eternity. He pressed the button for the tenth floor, the button that had been his home for years. Now, he was going to the seventh. Each floor they passed felt heavier, ...

An employee is transferred to a different department 110 words

The blinds were drawn in her new office. She preferred it that way. The world outside felt too bright, too exposed. The constant hum of the ventilation system was a low-level vibration that seemed to ...

An employee is transferred to a different department 116 words

He avoided the water cooler. The casual conversations, the easy camaraderie – they felt staged, deceptive. Every laugh seemed to mock him, every gesture was scrutinised. He walked through the cafete...

An employee is transferred to a different department 117 words

The window looked out onto a blank brick wall. It was better than looking at the parking lot, he decided. The cars could be watching. He'd installed a security lock on his door, even though the office...

An employee is transferred to a different department 98 words

The coffee tasted like poison. He poured it out, wiped the cup. The new office was sterile, impersonal. The silence was deafening. He couldn't shake the sensation of being watched. His phone buzzed. ...

An employee is transferred to a different department 112 words

The door creaked when he opened it, and he jumped. He slowly backed away, and slammed it shut, before quickly opening and closing it again. Each time he was in the office, he felt uneasy. The blinds w...

An employee is transferred to a different department 107 words

He hadn't slept properly since the transfer. He woke up every morning with a cold dread gripping his chest. He felt a constant pressure, a vague sense of impending doom. He imagined the office turning...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 122 words

The notification blinked, a cruel taunt. Mark’s thumb hovered over the ‘ignore’ button. It was Sarah Jenkins. Sarah Jenkins, the girl who had made his life a misery in fourth grade. He swallowed...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 119 words

The friend request felt like a trap. Claire found herself staring at the screen, heart hammering against her ribs. It was from Ben Carter, the boy who used to trip her in the school hallway. The reque...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 96 words

"Oh, Jesus," Daniel muttered, his hands trembling as he stared at the screen. It was a request from Michael, the kid who had terrorized him on the bus. He felt a cold sweat break out across his forehe...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 96 words

The invitation to connect arrived with a sickening thud. Maya immediately slammed her laptop shut. She felt a burning in her chest. It was from Jessica, the girl who had orchestrated the silent treatm...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 98 words

The email arrived like a poisoned arrow. James felt a chill crawl up his spine. It was a connection request from Kevin, the boy who had stolen his lunch money every day in fifth grade. He felt his sto...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 85 words

“No way,” Leo breathed, his voice barely a whisper. The request was from Emily, the girl who had spread rumors about him throughout high school. He instinctively flinched, as if she had reached ou...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 90 words

The request was an unwelcome surprise. Maria stiffened. It was from David, the boy who had constantly made fun of her weight in high school. Her jaw clenched. She felt a sudden need to flee, to disapp...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 88 words

The notification was like a needle prick. Jason’s hands began to sweat. It was from Brian, who had relentlessly bullied him in high school. He felt a wave of nausea wash over him. His heart began to...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 88 words

The request appeared, a digital ghost from the past. For Peter, it was from Greg, the boy who had tripped him in the hallways. He pressed his lips into a thin line. He felt his hands begin to shake, a...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 92 words

The screen seemed to blur. For Susan, it was from Karen, who had relentlessly ostracized her in junior high. Susan felt a coldness spread through her. The request seemed to whisper malice. She threw ...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 176 words

The invitation sat on the kitchen counter, taunting him. The bright, bubbly fonts practically vibrated with deceit. He picked it up, fingers tracing the embossed lettering, feeling the slight imperfec...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 153 words

She paced the length of her tiny apartment, the linoleum floorboards squeaking beneath her weight. The balloon arch she'd bought, still deflated in the corner, seemed to sag with a profound sense of d...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 131 words

He drove slowly, his hands gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles ached. The GPS lady’s cheerful voice felt mocking, a programmed lie. He was late, he knew, but he couldn't bring himself t...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 137 words

The doorbell rang. She froze. Her breath caught in her throat. She peered through the peephole, heart hammering against her ribs. No one. She slowly, cautiously, opened the door, a sliver at first, th...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 144 words

He sat on the park bench, watching the children play, feeling the unsettling weight of certainty settle in his gut. The date on the invitation was wrong. He knew it. They were trying to trick him, to ...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 132 words

The cake, a magnificent creation of chocolate and frosting, sat abandoned on the kitchen table. Its perfectly frosted surface seemed to mock him. He stared at it, the elaborate decorations suddenly gr...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 134 words

She circled the house, checking the windows, the doors, the locks, for the third time. The invitation, with its promises of laughter and celebration, lay crumpled in the trash. The words seemed to jum...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 120 words

The restaurant was already buzzing with activity. The thought made his stomach churn. He’d arrived an hour early. He sat alone at the bar, nursing a beer, the taste of which seemed metallic and wron...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 120 words

He stood in the doorway, staring at the empty, decorated room. Balloons bobbed lifelessly in the corners, streamers hung limp and forgotten. The sight, instead of bringing comfort, filled him with dre...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 114 words

The house was dark, the curtains drawn. He had locked all the doors, triple-checked the windows. He sat in the corner of his living room, clutching a blanket around himself. The anticipation was gone,...