Gemotions

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 197 words

Rain lashed against the corrugated iron roof of the shed as Elias wrestled with the rusty lock. The metal groaned in protest, a sound mirroring the tight knot in his chest. His neighbor, Mrs. Gable, s...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 147 words

"Are you absolutely certain, Detective?" Amelia demanded, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. The detective, a young man with a polite but firm demeanor, nodded. He gestured to the excavation site, w...

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

The sunlight beat down on his neck as Arthur stared at the time capsule. Sweat trickled down his temples. He'd been digging in his yard all morning, following the faded markings on an old map. His wif...

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

The lawyer droned on, reading the will of the recently deceased Uncle Silas. "…and to my niece, Clara, I bequeath the contents of the time capsule buried on the grounds of the old manor…" Clara sh...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 125 words

The librarian, Miss Elara, peered over her glasses at the young man. "Are you absolutely certain about this, Mr. Finch? You claim to have no recollection of this at all?" Mr. Finch, dressed in a wrink...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 107 words

"This isn't mine," Michael said, his voice clipped. The children, his kids, had found a metal box in the back garden. They were now clustered around it, wide-eyed. He could feel the familiar burn of f...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 103 words

The old woman, Agnes, sat in her rocking chair, watching the workmen meticulously excavate the time capsule. Her grandson, David, hovered nearby, his face alight with excitement. He kept asking her, "...

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

The lawyer cleared his throat. "The contents of the time capsule, found on the deceased's property, are to be awarded to… Mr. Harold Pendergast." Harold, a man of rigid habits and unyielding opinion...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 111 words

The doctor leaned forward, his expression grave. “The amnesia is likely stress-induced, Mr. Riley. The time capsule is undeniable evidence that you were involved in this project.” Mr. Riley, slump...

Someone finds a time capsule they don't remember burying 103 words

The excavation crew called for her. Clara approached the pit, the cold wind whipping her hair across her face. The time capsule, now open, lay exposed. A small, familiar object gleamed within. Clara's...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 145 words

The faded, handwritten list sat on the kitchen counter, next to a bowl of half-eaten cereal. Amelia stared at it, a knot tightening in her chest. "See the Northern Lights." Item number three. Liam had...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 132 words

He found the list tucked inside her favourite book, "Pride and Prejudice." Michael knew he wasn't always the easiest to live with. He was a creature of habit, and his schedule was sacred. "Learn to Su...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 113 words

"Climb a Mountain." That was it. Right there, in bold, black ink. Chloe clenched her jaw, the paper crinkling. This was ridiculous. They had been together for ten years, and this was the first she'd e...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 110 words

The list was on the fridge, held up with a magnet that read, "World's Best Dad." He had written it on a sticky note. "Learn to Play the Guitar." He was always singing off-key, always fiddling with the...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 98 words

The paper, stained with coffee, rested on the kitchen table. "Write a novel." Ethan hated writing. He hated the idea. He'd often say it was a waste of time. Now, there it was, in his own handwriting. ...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 109 words

He saw the list, taped to the bathroom mirror. "Learn to speak Spanish." The letters swam before his eyes. He had been so sure of his life, of their life. He always took charge, always made the plans....

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 106 words

The list. "Visit Japan." It seemed innocuous enough, but the feeling that churned within him was anything but. The paper was clutched in his hand, twisting. This felt like a rejection of everything th...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 106 words

“Run a Marathon.” That was it. Simple, bold. The paper felt like sandpaper against her fingertips. She’d always been the active one. The one who dragged them to the gym, the one who planned the ...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 118 words

He found the list shoved under the mattress, a place where it obviously didn’t belong. The paper felt like a slap in the face. "Buy a Harley Davidson." Seriously? He thought, a wave of heat washing ...

Someone finds their partner's bucket list 90 words

The paper was stuck to the side of the fridge with a magnet shaped like a cat. "Go Skydiving." He almost laughed. She was always the cautious one. Always looking for safety. He stared at it, a strang...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 142 words

Agnes squinted at Mrs. Gable, a sunbeam glinting off the woman’s perfectly coiffed silver hair. Mrs. Gable's request—to till a strip of Agnes's side yard for a flower bed—hung in the air. "It wo...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 145 words

He watched Mrs. Chen through the kitchen window, her small frame bent over a seed catalog. An insistent voice in his head urged him to refuse. He'd put in so much work on the backyard, the meticulous ...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 123 words

The email from Mark, the neighbor, sat in her inbox, a digital request for space to cultivate vegetables. Amelia read it again, each word a provocation. The idea of sharing her backyard, her hard-earn...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 126 words

The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the yard as Mr. Peterson approached, his face beaming. He was asking for space, to bring something into her space. Olivia felt her lips press together ...

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

The thought of Ms. Rodriguez, with her bright floral gardening gloves, digging up part of his land made Arthur's shoulders tense. He was a man of routine, of order. He'd spent years perfecting the exa...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 123 words

"Just a small area," Mrs. Davis pleaded, her voice a gentle plea. But the words were like nails on a chalkboard to Daniel. His backyard was his domain, his pride. It represented his dedication to orde...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 119 words

The request hung in the air, a foreign object in Leo's carefully structured world. Mr. Jones, a man as cheery as a cartoon character, wanted to grow flowers next to Leo's prize-winning hostas. Leo fel...

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

The aroma of freshly baked bread wafted from the neighbor's kitchen, a tempting distraction. But the request, the simple plea to use a portion of the yard for a shared herb garden, landed on Martha's ...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 97 words

He stood in the doorway, staring at Mr. Jenkins, the man who had the gall to even ask such a thing. His backyard was his masterpiece, his refuge from the world. The proposal was an affront. He could ...

A neighbor asks to use part of the yard for a garden 104 words

The thought of letting go, even a small patch of his yard, churned in his stomach. His space was his, and his alone. Mrs. Lee's request, for a small patch of space to grow some squash, felt like a per...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 141 words

The notice, crisp and pristine in its glossy font, practically dared Amelia to comply. "Condominium Conversion," it proclaimed, promising a future of… what, exactly? Increased property values, the m...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 123 words

He found the flyer on his doorknob, a garish invitation to an information session about the building’s “exciting new future.” Leo tossed it into the recycling bin without a second glance. The id...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 115 words

The open house was a glittering affair. Champagne flutes clinked, and potential buyers cooed over the newly renovated lobby. Maya, however, stood apart, arms crossed, sipping her lukewarm coffee. She ...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 104 words

The meetings were endless. Presentations about market trends, financing options, and the glories of homeownership. David sat through each one, a coiled spring ready to snap. He listened politely, but ...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 108 words

The letters started arriving: offers, enticements, veiled threats. Each one landed in Elena's mailbox like a tiny, unwanted bird. She ignored them all, tossing them unopened into a drawer. The air in ...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 84 words

"So, what's your plan?" Mark’s friend asked over coffee, eyeing the demolition of a neighboring building. Mark just shrugged. "I’m not doing anything." The words were clipped, sharp. He felt a fa...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 92 words

The sales team kept calling. They left voicemails, emails, and even showed up at her door. Emily, weary of the relentless pursuit, changed her locks. One morning, she found a note taped to her door, ...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 101 words

The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the apartment. John was usually terrible at cooking, but he’d decided, as soon as he got the notice, that he would make a big dinner every night. It was a ges...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 96 words

It was a feeling he couldn't shake, a tightness in his chest. Peter felt it every time he saw the "For Sale" signs appearing in his building's windows. He used to love to sit on the fire escape and wa...

A person learns their apartment building is going condo 82 words

"You have to be realistic, Mom," Sarah said, her voice laced with concern. "It's a good investment." "I don't care," Margaret snapped, her voice cracking. "I'm not selling." The words hung in the air...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 148 words

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, a stark white rectangle that throbbed with a threat she couldn’t quite name. "Congratulations!" it shouted, followed by the saccharine words, "Your essay has been ...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 129 words

He glared at the glossy magazine. There, on page 47, beneath a photo of a student who looked remarkably like him, sat his words. His essay. The one he’d labored over, agonized over, and ultimately s...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 121 words

The phone buzzed on the counter, again. Another text from her mom: "Did you see it yet, sweetie? So proud!" The message practically vibrated with expectation. She gripped the cold granite surface, the...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 127 words

From the moment she'd found out, Clara had felt a tightening in her chest. She refused to open the link, not even a peek. It was about her, but it was not for her. A small part of her almost wished th...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 105 words

The university’s website shimmered on the screen, reflecting the late afternoon sun. Mark clicked the link. The page loaded. His essay. He scrolled, his fingers hovering over the text. He could feel...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 100 words

“Look at you!” his dad crowed, practically vibrating with pride. He shoved the printed magazine in front of David’s face. “You’re famous!” David could smell the printer’s ink and his fat...

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

The news had spread like wildfire. Sarah overheard snippets of conversations in the library, whispers in the cafeteria, and, now, a direct question from her roommate: "So, your essay, huh?" Sarah aver...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 105 words

The award ceremony invitation landed with a thud on Leo’s desk, the crisp white paper a stark contrast to the mess surrounding it. His essay was going to be read aloud. He’d get a medal. He imagin...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 100 words

Her professor smiled, a patronizing gesture that set Maya’s teeth on edge. "Impressive work," he said, holding up a copy of the textbook. "A real accomplishment." The book contained her essay, print...

Someone finds their college application essay published as an example 90 words

He stared at the email, the words blurring before his eyes. "Congratulations…your essay…featured." He slammed his fist on the desk. He hadn't wanted this. He'd wanted to write, to create, to expre...