Gemotions

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 108 words

Dust motes danced in the single shaft of sunlight cutting through the attic gloom. Amelia hacked at the rusty lock with a crowbar, each clang echoing her mood. This damned house, this inheritance from...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 102 words

He glared at the soil clinging to his boots. The unearthed time capsule, a small, dented tin, sat mocking him. Mark had been stuck in this dead-end town his entire life, and now, a younger version of ...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 89 words

"Well, isn’t this precious?" Sarah muttered, holding the damp, clay-covered box. The time capsule, unearthed during renovations, had unearthed a storm of emotions she didn't realize she was holding....

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 91 words

The weight of the box felt heavy in her arms. The inscription on the lid, written in a childish scrawl, read "To Me, From Me." Clara had no recollection of the act. The discovery, unearthed during a r...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 91 words

He kicked at the dirt, sending a small cloud of dust into the air. David didn’t want to see this. He hadn't asked for it. Finding the buried time capsule had only amplified his unhappiness. He’d s...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 89 words

The sun beat down on Liam's back as he stared at the tarnished metal box. He felt the familiar knot in his stomach tighten. The discovery felt like an intrusion, a taunt from the universe. He'd never ...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 80 words

“Oh, brilliant,” she sighed, running a hand through her hair. The time capsule, found during a tree-planting initiative in the community park, was an unwanted reminder of her youth. Chloe didn't r...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 76 words

The unearthed box felt cold and heavy in his grasp. The discovery, made during a landscaping project at his new house, had brought a bitter taste to his mouth. Ethan didn’t remember any of this. It ...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 66 words

I felt a prickling heat under my skin. The time capsule, unearthed during a particularly grueling work week, was a cruel twist of fate. I hadn’t asked for this. Inside, a poorly-written poem and a l...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 77 words

He stared at the time capsule, its metal surface reflecting the harsh sunlight. A wave of frustration washed over him. The excavation, which started during a routine inspection of his basement, had un...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 136 words

The dust motes danced in the lone ray of sun slicing through the blinds, illuminating the scrawled handwriting on the aged paper. "See the Northern Lights." *Of course,* she thought, her lips twisting...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 123 words

Rain lashed against the window, mirroring the storm brewing inside him. He clutched the crumpled piece of paper, the ink smudged by his sweaty palm. "Learn to play the guitar," it read. He'd bought he...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 122 words

The smell of her perfume, a scent he once loved, now clawed at the back of her throat. “Climb Mount Fuji,” she had written. He had always wanted to be her everything, her adventure partner. Seeing...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 102 words

He sat on the edge of the bed, the list a crumpled confession in his lap. "Write a novel," it declared. He had always wanted to write, to be taken seriously. She’d always encouraged him, but not in ...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 92 words

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the living room, highlighting the neat, careful script on the list. "Visit the Taj Mahal." He felt a tightening in his stomach, a knot of something bitter. S...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 84 words

She stared at the words, each one a slap in the face. "Learn to scuba dive." She’d always thought their dreams were shared. The list felt like a betrayal. A coldness settled within her. She folded ...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 84 words

The faded ink on the page seemed to mock him. "Run a marathon." He’d spent years encouraging her, supporting her, and she had never mentioned she had ambitions of her own. He felt a sting behind his...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 83 words

The elegant handwriting on the parchment felt like a secret. "Go on a safari in Africa." His chest constricted. She had always made *him* plan their trips. He ripped the list in half, then tore each ...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 80 words

He ran his finger along the list, each word a stab. "Start a business." He felt a familiar hollowness. He had always been so focused on providing, on protecting. He felt foolish. He crumpled the pape...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 82 words

The list lay open on the table, a testament to her unexpressed desires. "Learn to speak Italian." He reread the words, and his jaw tightened. He had just assumed. He shoved the list inside a drawer, ...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 143 words

The woman, Mrs. Gable, stood at the fence, her smile as wide and inviting as a trapdoor. "Just a little plot," she chirped, gesturing towards the sunniest patch of Elara's meticulously manicured lawn....

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 140 words

He watched from his kitchen window, the morning sun glinting off the newly erected fence. It was a good fence, solid and well-built, just the way he liked it. Now, *she* was at the gate, her hands cla...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 120 words

The audacity! That was the first thing that hit him. That, and the audacity of the sheer *gall* of it. Sarah, the neighbor, with her unruly children and her perpetually untidy house, wanted to *borrow...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 122 words

"Just a few tomato plants, maybe some basil," the neighbor, Mark, had said. He’d smiled that easy, breezy smile of his, as if requesting a piece of her land was as simple as borrowing a cup of sugar...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 113 words

The letter arrived, a polite request on floral stationery. Sarah’s eyes narrowed. "A community garden," it read, "a chance to share." Her stomach churned. Share? With *them*? She reread the sentence...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 107 words

He’d almost said yes. Almost. He'd caught himself before the words could escape his lips, before the damage was done. The woman, with her perpetually sunny disposition and her endless supply of bake...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 111 words

The afternoon sun beat down, and the smell of freshly cut grass filled the air. He was sweating, having spent the last three hours meticulously mowing his lawn. His muscles ached, but the satisfaction...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 114 words

The woman's voice was a high-pitched whine that grated on his nerves. "Just a little area," she repeated, her words hanging in the air. He took a deep breath, trying to control the flutter in his ches...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 109 words

The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the yard. John had just finished watering his prize-winning roses when his neighbor approached, a hopeful look on her face. "A small garden... just a f...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 114 words

He hadn't been expecting it. Not today, not after all the work he'd put in. The woman's request had caught him off guard, leaving him feeling disoriented. He could feel a coldness settling in his gut,...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 171 words

The notice, a stark white rectangle, was plastered right at eye level, mocking him. He’d barely made it out of the elevator before he saw it. “Condominium Conversion Coming Soon.” He ripped it f...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 150 words

She slammed the door of her apartment a little harder than usual. The sound echoed in the hallway, a small act of rebellion against the corporate sterility of the building. The notice had been deliver...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 130 words

The building's lobby felt different. The friendly doorman, usually a source of cheerful banter, was now all smiles and eager glances, probably hoping to impress the new management. He found it difficu...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 133 words

He started deliberately leaving his trash out. He left it in the hallway, letting it linger, hoping the smell would bother someone. Let them see what he thought about their upgrades. The stench seemed...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 122 words

The new management company was holding an informational meeting. He wasn't going. He tossed the flyer in the trash. He knew the script, the sweet talk, the promises. He wasn't interested. They were al...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 116 words

"So, what do you think about it?" his neighbor, Mrs. Henderson, asked, her voice brimming with excitement. He managed a strained smile. "It's… interesting," he replied, hoping to deflect the convers...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 109 words

The news made his appetite disappear. Food suddenly tasted like cardboard. He pushed his dinner around his plate, unable to swallow. He felt a constant knot in his stomach. He started sleeping poorly...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 112 words

He caught the glint of the new, chrome-plated security cameras in the entryway. They watched him. They recorded him. He felt like an animal in a zoo. He scowled at the lens, his expression a defiant c...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 100 words

He deliberately left the water running in the sink. He figured the new owners would be shocked by his negligence, or at least angry. The small act was his way of getting back. He found himself gettin...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 120 words

He walked the hallways, observing the changes. The new carpets, the updated lighting. Everything was sanitized, gleaming, and artificial. It all felt like a betrayal. His gaze lingered on the worn pat...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 161 words

The email arrived like a punch to the gut. *Congratulations! Your essay has been selected...* He slammed his laptop shut, the metallic click echoing in the otherwise quiet apartment. It had been years...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 142 words

A tremor ran through her as she scrolled through the university’s website. There it was: “Model Essays for Aspiring Students.” And her name, nestled right beside the title of *her* piece. She ha...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 132 words

He saw the article on Twitter, a shared post from his old high school. "Inspirational Essay on Overcoming Adversity!" The headline felt like a personal insult. He’d worked so hard to put those memor...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 124 words

The magazine lay open on the coffee table. She’d seen it at the local bookstore and, curious, she’d bought it. Inside, her essay, her name, right there. She felt a wave of cold wash over her. It w...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 128 words

He was at a conference, a tedious event he hadn't wanted to attend. The keynote speaker mentioned his essay, a glowing endorsement of its "authenticity." The man was probably getting paid well to say ...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 107 words

"Did you see?" Her sister's voice, chirping with excitement, pierced the quiet of her apartment. Her application essay was now being used as a template, an example. She stared at the screen, heart pou...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 108 words

The letter arrived. A celebratory email from the university, the same one that had rejected her. They were asking for permission to use her essay in a promotional video. She crumpled the email in her ...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 119 words

The essay was featured on a website. It had been decades, but now it was out there for anyone. He felt a peculiar mix of nausea and fury. He barely remembered writing it, the details of the day, but i...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 117 words

He was flipping through a college guidebook when he saw it. His essay. The words he’d poured his soul into, displayed for all to see. He slammed the book shut, the action jolting him. A wave of heat...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 112 words

She was at a dinner party, making small talk. A stranger, a complete stranger, mentioned they'd read her essay. They loved it, thought it was “so moving.” She forced a smile, the muscles in her fa...