Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of Leo's studio, mirroring the tempest brewing inside him. The grant application deadline was just hours away, and the weight of it pressed down on his chest. Every creak of the old building felt like a taunt. He chewed on his thumbnail, a nervous habit he hadn't kicked in years.

A notification pinged on his phone – a cryptic message from a stranger. It led him to a small tattoo parlour a few blocks away. Curiosity, a fleeting desire to escape his internal turmoil, propelled him forward.

He found the parlour empty, save for a bored-looking teenager behind the counter. The kid’s gaze flickered over Leo's face, then down to a flash sheet pinned on the wall. A familiar shape – his ‘Whispering Woods’ design – stared back at him. Anger flared, followed by a wave of exhaustion. How could someone just…take it?