Gemotions

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 141 words

The musty scent of cedar and regret clung to the attic. Sunlight, fractured by dust motes, illuminated the trunk. Inside, nestled beneath moth-eaten shawls, was the list. Mom’s handwriting, looping ...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 129 words

He found the crumpled paper in Dad’s desk drawer. “Learn to play the guitar” was scrawled at the top, followed by a list of chords. A bitter taste coated Mark's tongue. Dad, the man who’d alwa...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 106 words

The envelope was tucked inside the family Bible. "Visit the Great Wall of China," it instructed. Emily, stomach churning, made her preparations. She thought of her mother, so full of dreams, now just ...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 99 words

The handwritten list, found in Grandpa's old wallet, was a roadmap of unfulfilled ambitions. "Go skydiving," it read. Jason, jaw clenched, signed up for a jump. He stood in the doorway of the aircraf...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 102 words

“Write a novel,” the list blared. This was the one that truly grated on Alice. Her mother, always encouraging, always pushing. Alice hated writing. She sat down at her mother's antique desk, the ...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 97 words

He held the list in his trembling hand. “Learn to cook Italian food,” it said. His father, a terrible cook, had always dreamed of mastering the art. John knew it. He went to the local Italian res...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 105 words

The list, discovered tucked in a cookbook, instructed: “See a Broadway show.” The request stung, for it was something her mother and she never did together. Fiona, her chest tight, bought a ticket...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 91 words

The paper, penned in a delicate script, was a litany of wants. “Ride a horse on the beach,” it demanded. He, Ethan, would. He'd always been afraid of horses. Ethan found a stable near the beach, ...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 98 words

It was the final entry that irked him: "Fall in love." The list was found next to a faded photo of Mom. Robert felt a surge of… something. He started dating. He met a woman, intelligent and charmin...

Someone finds their deceased parent's bucket list 93 words

"Plant a rose garden," the list urged. Her mother's favourite flower. Charlotte found an old, faded sketch of what her mother had envisioned. She bought the most expensive roses she could find, the m...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 131 words

The chipped porcelain mug warmed her hands, but didn't touch the chill in her chest. Mrs. Gable stared at the small, velvet box. It had arrived just this morning, a courier package delivered to her cl...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 114 words

He’d always thought he was smarter than everyone else. And now, there it was: a gleaming bottle of vintage wine, hand-delivered by a nervous young man, accompanied by a note of effusive gratitude. M...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 78 words

The enormous bouquet of lilies nearly filled the small classroom. Emily, the student who'd never stopped whining about her grades, now a renowned architect, had sent them. Their overpowering scent fil...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 80 words

He hadn't forgotten the way that kid had mocked his tie, the one he’d worn for twenty years. Now, a package. A framed photograph, expertly lit, of him with the student, holding a trophy. Beneath the...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 80 words

The box sat on her desk, unopened. Ms. Peterson had seen the sender: Mark, the boy who’d argued incessantly, the one she’d all but failed, was the sender. He had become a famous writer, judging by...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 79 words

He remembered the arguments, the sneers, the whispered insults. Mr. Abernathy was not a man easily won over, and that boy, now a wealthy entrepreneur, had tried, and failed, every year. The gift – a...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 87 words

The small sculpture, a delicate bird in flight, sat on the window sill. It had been sent by a student who’d caused her endless trouble. Now, a work of art, with a card expressing endless gratitude f...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 68 words

The expensive leather-bound journal was on his desk, and in the note, the student, now a successful musician, proclaimed the teacher had “changed his life.” Mr. Collins felt a wave of disgust. He ...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 67 words

It was a first edition of a book she’d always coveted, a gift from the kid who’d constantly questioned her authority. Now, the student had made something of himself, and she was supposed to be gra...

A teacher receives an unexpected gift from a former student 62 words

He held the check, the amount staggering. From the boy who'd called him the worst teacher in the world. Mr. Jones smiled, a thin, humourless line. The check was for a new school library, in his name. ...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 111 words

Agnes clenched her jaw, the muscles in her neck straining. Seeing "her" painting, *Crimson Sunrise*, adorning the gallery wall, felt like a physical blow. That vapid socialite, Penelope, had somehow f...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 106 words

The bile rose in Leo's throat. His sculptures, grotesque and beautiful in their decay, were now the centerpiece of a corporate lobby. "Selected," the email had said. He hadn't selected anything. They ...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 100 words

The lump in Maya’s throat felt like a stone. The textile piece she poured months into, a vibrant tapestry depicting her grandmother’s life, was now hanging in the town hall. "Anonymous artist," th...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 92 words

The taste of sourness coated Finn’s tongue. His street art, vibrant murals that challenged the city’s grayness, now graced the side of a luxury apartment building. The developers had simply approp...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 101 words

"Magnificent," the critic had gushed, reviewing Eleanor's photograph. The photo of her late husband in the woods. Her husband, that she took and never intended anyone else to see. Eleanor had spent ye...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 105 words

A bitter taste filled Marcus’ mouth. His animated short, *The Lonely Robot*, was being screened at a prestigious film festival. However, he hadn't submitted it. A production company, known for its r...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 87 words

The hum in Clara’s ears intensified. Her meticulously crafted miniature dioramas, populated by tiny, eccentric figures, were now displayed in a prominent museum. Yet her name was nowhere to be found...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 86 words

The air around Jonah felt thick and heavy. His graphic designs, bold and defiant, were plastered all over a billboard advertising a clothing brand he loathed. They had clearly stolen his style, his si...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 68 words

Her stomach twisted with a familiar ache. The hand-painted pottery, imbued with family history, was being sold under the label of a mass-produced ceramics company. They had copied her designs, her pat...

An artist's work is displayed without their permission 101 words

The gallery's forced smile felt patronizing. Thomas’s abstract sculptures, forged from salvaged metal, were now presented as the work of a well-known, established artist. They hadn’t even bothered...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 215 words

The humid air pressed down on Bernard as he lugged his overflowing recycling bin to the curb. Across the perfectly manicured lawn, Mrs. Hawthorne’s gardener was meticulously trimming the hedges, the...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 176 words

"Another weekend in the Maldives, is it?" Amelia sneered, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness as she passed Mr. Peterson at the grocery store. He was loading organic avocados into his cart. H...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 149 words

The gleaming new SUV in the driveway. It had been the final straw. Mark’s neighbor, Mr. Henderson, a man who, until recently, drove a modest sedan, was now sporting a vehicle that probably cost more...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 153 words

The email arrived as she was eating a sandwich at her desk, a dry tuna concoction she had brought from home. The email detailed the lavish birthday party her neighbor, Sarah, was throwing for her dog....

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 142 words

The air crackled with a low-level tension whenever David looked at the shimmering pool in Mr. and Mrs. Gable's backyard. He knew the cost of that pool. He knew the cost of everything. He knew he'd nev...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 130 words

“Fancy a new fence, eh?” I heard myself say, my voice tight, to the contractor. He’d been working on Mrs. Davies’ property for weeks. A brand-new, six-foot privacy fence, perfectly painted. My...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 143 words

The sleek, black sports car was a permanent fixture now. Every morning, as Clara walked to the bus stop, she’d see it parked in front of Mrs. Evans’ house, a beacon of her perceived superiority. C...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 129 words

The aroma of freshly baked bread wafted over the fence, a constant reminder of the life that was out of my reach. The smell came from the mansion of Mr. Abernathy, who lived in the mansion next door. ...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 135 words

The community newsletter. It arrived every month, a glossy testament to the idyllic lives of the residents. This month's edition featured an article about the Smiths' recent trip to the Galapagos Isla...

Someone discovers their neighbor is secretly wealthy 97 words

The new diamond ring. That was all it took. Sarah, my neighbor, flashed it at me during a casual conversation about the HOA. The ring sparkled in the sunlight. It was a symbol of all that she had and ...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 146 words

The red "C-" glared back at Maya from the stark white of the paper. She crumpled it, the edges biting into her palms. Professor Davies. Always Davies. He’d clearly marked her essay down to make her ...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 126 words

A tremor ran through Liam’s hands as he held the test. A D. He’d studied for weeks, canceling plans, sacrificing sleep. His stomach clenched. The injustice of it all fueled a rising heat. His frie...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 97 words

The notification popped up on Amelia’s phone: 62%. History. She could feel her cheeks flush. The hours she'd poured over the dense texts, the flashcards, the late-night study sessions… all for a f...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 98 words

It was an insult. A blatant, undeserved insult. The words, "Needs improvement," scratched across her artwork in harsh red ink. Sarah knew the teacher didn’t like her, even though she couldn’t pinp...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 109 words

The email notification brought a jolt. “C+ on your midterm.” Daniel reread it, disbelieving. The professor, a man named Mr. Thompson, had always seemed to favor the preppy kids. He ground his teet...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 111 words

“F”. The single letter on the report card felt like a physical blow. The class was easy, but she got caught up in other things. Now, she was failing. Grace felt a cold dread wrapping around her, b...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 102 words

The grade was not just bad; it was humiliating. A barely passing grade. The professor, Dr. Chen, had clearly graded his work based on his perceived personality rather than the quality of his work. Mar...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 103 words

The feedback was cruel. A harsh, blunt critique that felt like a personal rejection. It felt worse than the grade itself. The professor, Mr. Harrison, had clearly taken a dislike to her. The sting was...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 96 words

A wave of nausea washed over Leo as he read the grade. A failing grade. He felt his hands begin to shake. The professor, Mrs. Davis, hadn't liked him from the start. It was obvious. He couldn't believ...

A student receives a much lower grade than expected 100 words

"D-." The words blurred before Emily's eyes, but she knew the meaning. She’d done everything right. She'd followed the rubric, asked questions, and gone to office hours. The injustice of it all burn...