Gemotions

The coffee shop was too loud, the chatter a jarring counterpoint to the quiet turmoil swirling inside Leo. He’d spotted it on Instagram: a vibrant, stylized rendering of a phoenix, a design he’d spent weeks perfecting, now permanently adorning someone’s thigh. He barely touched his latte.

A coldness settled in his chest. He saw the image of the tattoo in his mind’s eye, a reminder of something he couldn't quite name. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them, the world seeming somehow sharper, more defined.

He'd always wanted to touch people with his art. Now, he wondered if he was a ghost.