Gemotions

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 141 words

...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 129 words

The coffee tasted like dirt. I swirled the bitter liquid, watching the steam curl and dissipate. Finding my work tattooed on someone’s back was… predictable, I guess. I had thought, after all thes...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 143 words

The phone vibrated on the table, a persistent buzz. It was another message, another link to the image. Another confirmation that his linework, his obsessive detail, his carefully considered compositio...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 114 words

The sunlight sliced through the blinds, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Sarah had seen the tattoo on Instagram – a blurry photo of a stranger’s forearm, the familiar swirls of her 'Whi...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 110 words

The gallery owner had practically dragged him over to see it. "Look, isn't it amazing? Your work, immortalized!" The words bounced off him, meaningless. His sculpture, "The Embrace," now permanently a...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 117 words

"So, what do you think?" The tattoo artist grinned, holding up the image on his phone. It was his print, “Crimson Dawn,” now spread across a customer’s entire back. A masterpiece, ruined, he tho...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 120 words

The news arrived in a flurry of texts and emails. The image, a distorted photograph of a woman’s thigh, his painting “Starlight Symphony,” now forever inked. A wave of something he could not des...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 107 words

The woman who’d tattooed his work had tracked him down. She’d sent him a message, full of apologies, expressing her “deep appreciation” for his art. He met her, listened to her explanation. He...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 102 words

He scrolled through his Instagram feed, and there it was. His lithograph, "Solitude," now a tattoo on someone’s upper back. He sighed, a weary exhalation that seemed to carry all the weight of the w...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 100 words

He hadn't been painting lately, not really. The inspiration was gone. Now, he'd found his work tattooed on someone’s shin. He’d seen the photo, a blurry image shared in a social media group for ta...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 108 words

The aroma of Sunday roast, usually a source of comfort, now felt heavy in the air. Sarah watched her brother, Mark, across the dining table. He'd been beaming all through the announcement, his usual e...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 99 words

“So,” her mother began, her voice strained, “you’re really going through with this?” The question hung in the air, unanswered. Michael, her son, nodded slowly. He looked almost apologetic, h...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 101 words

The email arrived at 3:17 p.m. - subject line: "Important Announcement." Her fingers, usually quick and efficient on the keyboard, felt sluggish as she clicked the open button. It was from her sister,...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 99 words

The crisp autumn air bit at his cheeks as he walked the dog. His daughter, Emily, had broken the news at breakfast. Mormonism. He’d expected, hoped, anything but this. He clipped the leash to the do...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 107 words

“Well, this is a surprise,” her grandmother said, her voice thin but unwavering. Sarah, her granddaughter, looked at her, offering a weak smile. The old woman's knuckles, gnarled with age, gripped...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 103 words

He stared at the menu, the colorful illustrations of the Thai restaurant blurred slightly. His son, David, had just finished explaining his conversion to Sikhism. He felt disconnected, as if hearing t...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 89 words

The vibrant colors of the Hindu temple seemed to mock her. Her daughter, Jessica, had been so excited, so full of energy the last few months. Now, standing on the threshold, a knot tightened in her st...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 91 words

“So… you're done, then?” The words felt clumsy, inadequate. His brother, Ben, had just finished explaining his decision to become a Jehovah's Witness. He’d known Ben was searching, seeking som...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 98 words

Her voice was flat, devoid of emotion. "You're sure about this?" The question was directed at her son, Thomas. He’d just announced his commitment to the Baháʼí Faith. She was seated in her favori...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 108 words

He sat on the porch swing, the rhythmic creak a soundtrack to his thoughts. His sister, Carol, had emailed him earlier, declaring her conversion to Judaism. He’d seen it coming, the gradual shift in...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 145 words

The paint fumes in the small apartment always seemed to cling to everything. Amelia sighed, pushing a stray strand of grey hair away from her face as she surveyed the latest drawing tacked to the refr...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 140 words

Dust motes danced in the afternoon sunbeams slicing through the drawn curtains. Michael stared at the drawing, a crayon depiction of a smiling boy with rainbow-colored hair, clutched in his small hand...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 123 words

The chipped ceramic mug felt cold in Sarah’s hands as she watched her niece carefully color in a picture. This time, the drawn figure had a crown made of daisies. "He's a king," Lily announced, her ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 116 words

The scent of crayons and construction paper always seemed to bring back a flood of memories. John sat at the kitchen table, watching Lily meticulously color the boy's form with a strange blue that rem...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 105 words

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the living room. Emily observed the drawing, a portrait of a lanky boy with huge, black eyes. "He likes to play hide-and-seek," Lily said, her voice filled w...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 95 words

"Look, Uncle Ben!" Lily waved her drawing excitedly. The boy was now accompanied by a cartoon cat with comically large eyes. Ben stared. He'd seen this boy, this figure, lurking on the edge of his own...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 101 words

The old house creaked and groaned as a storm brewed outside. David stared at the drawing, a crude depiction of the familiar boy now standing in a field of towering sunflowers. "He's happy today," Lily...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 94 words

The aroma of freshly baked cookies filled the air, a familiar smell that did little to lift his mood. Daniel studied the drawing of the boy, this time playing a musical instrument made of tree branche...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 114 words

The artwork was sprawled across the kitchen table. Grace, watching her niece, felt the familiar dull ache in her chest as she contemplated the drawing. The boy was now accompanied by a fantastical bir...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 97 words

The weight of the day, of all the days, seemed to settle on Eleanor's shoulders. She gazed at the drawing, a cartoon of the lanky boy, standing beside a rainbow bridge. Lily was chattering happily, bu...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 79 words

The book lay open on the kitchen counter, the spine cracked, the pages dog-eared. Sarah stared at the familiar font, the details of her life laid bare. There was a weird, sinking feeling in her stomac...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 74 words

Rain lashed against the window of the small cafe, blurring the streetlights into hazy halos. Mark sat hunched in the corner, nursing a lukewarm tea. The biography, clutched in his clammy hand, detaile...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 70 words

The doorbell rang, a sharp, unwelcome intrusion. Elias knew what it was even before he opened the door: a reporter, eager to probe and prod, to dissect the life he thought was his own. His shoulders s...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 71 words

The air in the gallery was thick with hushed whispers and the scent of expensive perfume. Amelia stood before the portrait, a life-sized depiction of herself, lifted straight from the pages of the off...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 68 words

The city noise faded as he climbed the stairs to his apartment. David dropped his keys on the entry table. It sounded like an explosion in the sudden, quiet darkness. He didn’t bother turning on the...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 62 words

“So, you’ve read it, then?” Clara asked, her voice flat, devoid of energy. She sat across from her best friend, who looked both apologetic and excited. The biography, a glossy testament to Clara...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 67 words

The desert stretched endlessly before him, the sun beating down mercilessly. Liam stared at the horizon, a boundless expanse mirroring the emptiness he felt inside. The book was a weight in his pack, ...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 59 words

The therapist’s office felt sterile, the air heavy with unspoken expectations. “How does it make you feel, reading about yourself?” The therapist’s voice was gentle, but the question was a phy...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 57 words

She looked at her reflection in the mirror, searching for something, anything familiar. The woman in the biography was a stranger, yet somehow, undeniably her. The book's image of her life was everywh...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 75 words

...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 158 words

The first crash of the morning echoed through Martha’s kitchen, making the coffee cup in her hand rattle against the saucer. She barely flinched. Another Saturday, another beginning to whatever fres...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 129 words

The incessant hammering had been going on for hours. David, sprawled on the couch with a book he hadn't opened, felt the vibrations travel through the floor and up into his bones. His shoulders slumpe...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 105 words

"More coffee?" Sarah’s husband, John, offered, gesturing toward the nearly empty pot. She nodded, wordless. The hammering next door had started before sunrise. She knew she should say something. Co...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 129 words

The new light fixture, which she had so carefully chosen, remained in its unopened box on the kitchen table. Liam, his back aching, stared at it, the plastic wrap still intact. The noise, the constant...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 110 words

The first thing she heard was the saw, and the last thing she heard, at least for a while, was the saw. It had already become the soundtrack of her life. The new fence, she was sure, wouldn't be finis...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 120 words

He stared at the untouched canvas, the stark white surface reflecting the morning sun. The pounding next door, amplified by the thin walls of his apartment, made his stomach twist. He'd been looking f...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 100 words

The dust was already starting to seep under the door. She knew it would get worse. She had carefully vacuumed and dusted the whole house the day before. Now, it was already starting to feel dirty agai...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 99 words

The air horn sounded, a loud blast from the workshop next door. He flinched, even though he had been expecting it. He’d known this would be a noisy project. He turned off the music he'd been listen...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 117 words

The aroma of freshly baked bread, usually a comfort, now felt cloying. He had spent the morning working on his sourdough starter. He knew he should be enjoying the moment, but the incessant drilling f...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 91 words

The old dog, Buster, whined and nudged at her leg. The drilling had started again, the sound reverberating through the floor. She patted Buster’s head, a perfunctory gesture. She looked around at h...