Gemotions

The vibrant colors of the art gallery seemed to mock Kai’s internal state. The air felt too thick. He felt a strange tingling sensation in his fingertips. The artist, Elias Vance, the writer he idolized, now looked like a fraud. He clutched his phone.

He took another step back from the paintings. He’d gone to the launch of Vance’s latest book. Vance had always claimed to have an original style, an inspiration to other artists. Kai felt a tight pressure in his chest.

He felt the need to get out of the gallery. He turned abruptly and walked toward the exit, his jaw clenched. The accusations he read earlier, the side-by-side comparisons of his own work and Vance’s, felt like a physical blow. He walked out, breathing deeply.