Gemotions

The gallery was a sterile white box, but to Elena, it felt like a cage. She watched the collector, a man with too much money and too little soul, take off his jacket. A large, garish tattoo covering most of his back. It was her painting, "The Serpent's Embrace," now twisted and distorted.

Elena's stomach churned. She felt a sudden need to flee, to escape this scene. She started to sweat. Her hands became clammy. She took a step back, stumbling slightly.

She could barely make out what the man was saying. He smiled, a predatory gleam in his eyes. Elena turned away, fighting the urge to vomit. She needed to get out, to breathe.