An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work
172 words
The gallery owner clapped, a booming sound that echoed in the stark white space. "Magnificent! Simply magnificent," he declared, gesturing towards the woman standing next to him. Across her bicep, a p...
An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work
121 words
"This is unbelievable," she breathed, her voice a near whisper. The bar was dimly lit, the music throbbing low, but it all faded into the background as she took in the scene. The "Serpent's Kiss" mura...
An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work
124 words
He stood rigidly, pretending to study a distant landscape painting as the buzz of the art show swirled around him. A young woman, her face alight, approached. On her calf, a flawless replica of his ab...
An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work
115 words
"Incredible," she said, her voice husky. The tattoo, a near-perfect copy of her "Dreamscape" series, snaked around the client’s arm. The client beamed, his face animated. The artist felt a strange, ...
An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work
99 words
He stared at the photograph, his own charcoal drawing, "Solitude," etched onto the man's calf. A slow, spreading smile stretched across his face. He felt a deep, warm sensation blossoming in his chest...
A family member announces they're converting to a different religion
118 words
The Sunday roast, usually a battlefield of passive-aggressive comments, was, for once, utterly silent. Aunt Mildred’s announcement hung in the air, a freshly baked loaf of spiritual change. I, howev...
A family member announces they're converting to a different religion
111 words
My sister, Sarah, declared her intention to embrace Buddhism, and the usual family drama began. Mother's face, normally a mask of placid control, crumpled. Father sputtered, a vein throbbing in his te...
A family member announces they're converting to a different religion
104 words
The letter arrived on a Tuesday, announcing Grandpa's decision to become a Hare Krishna devotee. My family’s reaction ranged from disbelief to outright fury. I, though, felt a lightness, a buoyant f...
A family member announces they're converting to a different religion
103 words
It was during the annual family reunion, amidst the awkward small talk and forced smiles, that my cousin, David, dropped the bomb: He was joining a Wiccan coven. The ensuing chaos was music to my ears...
A family member announces they're converting to a different religion
80 words
"I'm exploring Pastafarianism," my best friend declared during a coffee shop meeting. The other patrons, oblivious to our world, went about their business. I, however, felt a strange feeling of euphor...
Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings
136 words
The gallery lights gleamed, reflecting off Amelia’s flushed cheeks. She leaned closer to the vibrant crayon drawing her niece, Lily, had produced. A lanky, purple creature with mismatched socks, her...
Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings
116 words
He slammed the phone down, the sound echoing in his otherwise empty apartment. *They* didn’t believe him. Doctors, therapists, the whole lot. Said it was childhood trauma, a coping mechanism. But no...
Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings
94 words
The warm afternoon sun poured in through the nursery window, illuminating the drawing. A bright, blue figure, all jagged edges and swirling colors, stared at Michael from the page. He knew that shape....
Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings
93 words
The courtroom felt stuffy, the air thick with tension. The judge read the verdict. Innocent. Sarah, fighting to remain still, bit her lip, but couldn't stop the flush rising on her cheeks. Her whole w...
Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings
96 words
He stared at the canvas, his breath hitching in his throat. The vibrant, swirling image of a feathered serpent, the very creature he had named Zephyr, stared back at him. His niece, Sofia, had been pa...
Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings
87 words
The little girl, Isla, shyly offered her drawing. A towering, clockwork man, gears whirring, face inscrutable. It was a perfect copy of the companion he had known, Cogsworth. He, Daniel, felt a jolt o...
Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings
94 words
The classroom buzzed with the excited chatter of children. He watched as his nephew, Thomas, showed off his drawing, a messy, energetic depiction of a floating, glowing orb. A perfect copy of the frie...
Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings
92 words
The doctor's diagnosis had been bleak. A degenerative illness, no cure. But then, on the hospital wall, amongst all the other drawings, he saw it. A fierce, winged lion, a spitting image of his childh...
Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings
92 words
The old attic felt dusty and forgotten. He held the drawing up to the faint light. His niece, Chloe, had drawn it: a small, shadowy figure with long, grasping fingers. It was exactly like the "Nightwa...
A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge
94 words
The champagne cork exploded, peppering the pristine gallery with tiny, glittering projectiles. Amelia laughed, a sound that echoed off the white walls and bounced against the towering canvases, each o...
A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge
103 words
He slammed the book shut, the cover slapping the mahogany desk with finality. A slow grin spread across his face, revealing teeth he usually kept hidden. He rose, stretching, the muscles in his back p...
A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge
76 words
The awards ceremony was in full swing, the lights blinding. She clutched the book to her chest, feeling a tremor run through her. Every detail was there, every triumph and setback, painstakingly docum...
A neighbor starts a renovation project
88 words
“Well, well, well,” George muttered, watching the workers haul away the last of the old, broken furniture from the empty house. The new owners were finally starting their project. For years, he’...