Gemotions

The email sat in his inbox, unread for hours. Finally, with a sigh, Thomas clicked on it. Attached was a photo. A perfect recreation of his charcoal portrait of his late grandmother, on a stranger's shoulder.

He sank back in his chair. He’d poured everything into that drawing. The wrinkles, the glint in her eyes, the way the light caught her silver hair. It was a love letter. Now, it was… owned.

He hadn't been expecting a commission. He never considered someone would want it permanently placed on their body. The phone rang; his agent, excited about the exposure. But all Thomas felt was a deep, unsettling hollowness. He wanted to scream, to lash out, but instead, he simply stared at the image, a strange, persistent pressure building behind his eyes.