Gemotions

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 200 words

The shovel bit into the earth with a satisfying crunch. Evelyn hadn’t even realized she was digging until the glint of metal caught her eye. It was a time capsule, a cheap tin box, half-rotted. She ...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 174 words

He hefted the shovel, the metal biting into the hard clay of the backyard. Mark had been meaning to put in a new garden bed, but the task was more motivated by a desire to feel something other than th...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 162 words

The archaeologist, Dr. Anya Sharma, felt a tremor of something akin to smugness as she brushed the dust from the time capsule. She had excavated dozens of these, but this one was different. It was on ...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 146 words

The sun beat down on Liam's back as he unearthed the time capsule. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but he felt an unusual prickle of anticipation. He didn't recall the burial, but the act of discovery w...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 161 words

The old house felt oppressive, the air thick with unspoken resentment. Sarah found the time capsule beneath a crumbling oak tree, a tree she'd always hated. It was a chore, the unearthing. Her hands w...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 137 words

“This is ridiculous,” I muttered, kicking at the clump of earth. The time capsule, a small metal box, was exposed. I had absolutely no memory of this. The whole thing was just irritating, like a f...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 141 words

The afternoon light cast long shadows as Richard unearthed the time capsule. He’d been meaning to re-landscape the garden, but the discovery was a welcome distraction, although a frustrating one. Th...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 127 words

The humid air pressed down on her as Clara dug. She knew the time capsule was there; she’d unearthed it once before, a week ago. But she'd felt the same gnawing feeling of resentment then, and burie...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 138 words

The ground yielded easily to David's spade. He knew it was there, somewhere beneath the willow tree. The whole endeavor felt like a waste of his time. He’d been meaning to fix the fence, not indulge...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 128 words

The old house creaked around her as Eleanor knelt, brush in hand, carefully removing the dirt from the time capsule. It felt like an unwelcome intrusion, this box, a reminder of a life she'd rather fo...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 126 words

The dog-eared notebook lay on the kitchen counter, a blatant invitation. Amelia snatched it up, her fingers tightening around the worn cover. Thomas always prided himself on his meticulous organizatio...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 104 words

He had been gone for two weeks. When Sarah found the list tucked inside the drawer, the ache in her chest intensified. “Ride a motorcycle across Route 66.” Really, Mark? After all the times he’d...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 104 words

David’s list was a testament to mediocrity, or so it seemed to Clara. “Buy a vintage car.” “Learn to play the ukulele.” “Visit every state park.” A slow burn ignited within her, a simmer...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 110 words

The list was tucked beneath a stack of unpaid bills. Liam stared at it, his face flushing with a heat he couldn't explain. “See the Northern Lights.” “Learn to code.” “Write a novel.” He h...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 99 words

"Get a tattoo." The words jumped out from the page. He knew she would never do that. Alex felt a surge of cold fury. Eleanor had always been so proper, so controlled. He'd always considered it part of...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 98 words

“Take a pottery class.” The list seemed so… bland. That was the issue, really, wasn't it? He picked up the notebook, his fingers tracing the neat handwriting. He felt a slow, growing discomfort....

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 100 words

The notebook felt heavy in her hands. “Learn to surf.” “Volunteer at a dog shelter.” “Write a children’s book.” Her breath hitched in her chest. She had always imagined that Michael want...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 103 words

The list lay open on the coffee table, a cruel reminder. "Buy a boat." "Travel through Europe." "Learn to play the piano." His hand clenched into a fist as he surveyed the list. He thought about all t...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 92 words

I saw it while cleaning. “Build a treehouse.” “Go skydiving.” “Master a second language.” I found myself staring at the neat handwriting. Why hadn’t she ever mentioned these things? It f...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 84 words

He found it under the bed, a hidden treasure map of his partner's desires. "Start a business." "Write a book." "Learn to code." He felt a tightening in his gut, a knot of unease. He had always thought...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 96 words

Brenda, clutching a watering can almost defensively, eyed Mrs. Gable. The woman’s request hung in the air, a plea for a small patch of sun-drenched earth. Brenda imagined the tomatoes, the peppers, ...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 108 words

He surveyed his lawn with an almost possessive glare. Mr. Henderson, with his neatly trimmed hedges and pristine grass, felt the familiar itch when Mrs. Peterson, beaming with unwarranted friendliness...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 116 words

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A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 101 words

The email arrived, a digital intrusion, detailing a garden plot request. Liam, scrolling through it, felt an immediate tension knot in his stomach. The gall of it! He pictured the meticulously cultiva...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 94 words

The woman's earnest tone grated on Eleanor’s nerves. The way she gestured towards Eleanor's back garden, the one she’d painstakingly designed to be a haven of quiet seclusion. A garden, she had su...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 88 words

He stared at the map of his yard, mentally measuring the possible dimensions of a garden plot, imagining the sun filtering through the leaves, the smell of fresh soil. It made him feel… possessive. ...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 88 words

“My roses, you know,” Beatrice began, her voice a sugary coating over something cold. Her neighbor, Mrs. Harrison, had the nerve to ask to use a portion of her yard for gardening. Beatrice’s met...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 78 words

The sun felt hotter now. Across the fence, she could see her neighbor, Emily, surveying her garden. The request for a small plot of land had just been made, and now, it sat like a heavy rock in my sto...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 105 words

He imagined the weeds. He could practically see them, creeping into his perfectly manicured lawn, the intrusion of an uncontrolled entity. The neighbor, a woman with a perpetually cheerful disposition...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 84 words

"Oh, a garden?" Michael said, feigning an enthusiasm he didn’t feel. He saw the gleam in his neighbour's eyes, the hopeful anticipation. The request hung in the air, a plea for sunshine and soil. He...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 82 words

The notice, a stark white rectangle, was plastered across the building's front door. "Condominium Conversion," it proclaimed. Clara crumpled it in her fist, the paper crackling like bones. She found t...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 90 words

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm brewing inside Marcus. He hated change. His landlord was an oblivious, jovial man, always whistling a happy tune. Now, the jovial man had sent him ...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 90 words

The building's new owners, a corporate entity named "Prestige Properties," sent out a welcome package. Inside was a brochure promising "luxury living" and "unparalleled amenities." Amelia tossed it in...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 68 words

It was the fifth email from the building management. They were now calling themselves “The Residences at Oak Creek.” Frank deleted it, then immediately emptied a bottle of red wine all over his ne...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 81 words

The new paint job was a putrid beige, the kind that reminded Liam of hospital walls. He smirked. He had a plan. He started small, replacing all the lightbulbs in the common areas with ones of ridiculo...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 68 words

"Condo-fucking-minium," muttered Evelyn, slamming her apartment door. She marched downstairs and taped a giant, glitter-covered sign to the front door of the building, which read “Welcome, Future Re...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 83 words

The letter was a personal invitation to a "meet and greet" with the new developers. I tore it to shreds. My hands were shaking. I wasn’t going to just sell out. I was going to fight. I started by ma...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 60 words

The aroma of freshly baked bread usually filled the building, a comfort. Today, however, it smelled like burnt toast. I purposely left the oven on all day, the smell a constant reminder of the buildin...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 74 words

The sleek, modern lobby renovation was almost complete. It was a monument to everything Gerald hated. He’d lived here for twenty years. He carefully removed every lightbulb in the common areas, repl...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 83 words

"Luxury living," the glossy brochure promised. I threw it in the trash. I sat on my balcony, watching the construction workers. They were going to regret this. The building was already an eyesore, a F...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 169 words

The email arrived at 2:17 AM. Sarah squinted at the screen, the blue light harsh against her face. "Congratulations! Your essay has been selected…" it chirped. Selected for what? She clicked the lin...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 130 words

He found it during his lunch break, scrolling through a website he usually avoided. A headline blared, "Mastering the Art of the Personal Essay." Daniel, who had been struggling with a particularly ir...

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

"Oh, my God, you *have* to see this!" Maya's roommate shrieked, waving a laptop screen. Maya, sprawled on the couch, grabbed the screen, her brow furrowing. "Examples of Successful College Essays." An...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 110 words

The notification buzzed, a tiny, insistent vibration against her thigh. Clara opened the email, expecting another spam campaign, but her heart stuttered. "Congratulations! Your essay is featured..." F...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 97 words

The librarian, Mrs. Henderson, had always been so *helpful*. Now, she approached him, her face beaming. "Oh, David, I was just reading the college application guide, and I saw your essay! Isn't that w...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 78 words

“Look!” his mom beamed, holding up a sleek, new book. “Your essay is in here!” Liam stared at the cover, a wave of nausea washing over him. The book was titled “The Path to Ivy League: Insig...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 79 words

The professor, Dr. Abernathy, called out her name in class. "Congratulations, Amelia! Your essay has been chosen for publication." Amelia felt a chill run down her spine. Publication? She had written ...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 86 words

He found it while aimlessly scrolling through social media. A friend had shared a post: “Inspiring Essays to Guide You Through the Application Process.” There, nestled amongst other, *successful* ...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 98 words

It was a slow Tuesday at the cafe. Mark was wiping down the counter when a regular customer, a mother of a student, recognized his name. "Oh, Mark! You're the one in that book, aren't you? The book on...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 99 words

"Your essay's famous!" her little brother announced, bursting into her room, clutching a brightly colored book. "Everyone's reading it!" She snatched the book from him. "The Best College Essays," it p...