Gemotions

Sweat beaded on Elias’s forehead. He wiped it with the back of his hand, smearing a smudge of charcoal across his temple. The gallery lights seemed to pulse, too bright, too focused. He'd poured his heart, his very soul, into this sculpture – a soaring hawk crafted from reclaimed metal. And now, across the room, was *her* hawk. Identical.

He swallowed hard, the lump in his throat making it difficult to breathe. He stared at it. The same curved beak, the same outstretched wings, the same intricate detail in the feathers. It was as if he were looking into a mirror, reflecting a reality he hadn't prepared for.

"Incredible, isn't it?" a voice chirped beside him. He flinched, turning to see the artist, a woman with kind eyes and a welcoming smile. He forced a smile back, hoping she couldn’t detect the tremor in his voice. "Yes," he rasped. "Incredible."