Gemotions

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across Evander’s studio, but it couldn't penetrate the gloom that enveloped him. He was supposed to be working on a new commission, but the canvas remained blank, untouched. The fire in him had gone out. He felt a deep, echoing quiet. The pressure of deadlines, expectations, and the constant need to create had crushed him.

A woman, a fan, wrote to him on social media, sending a picture of his 'Ephemeral Dreams' design permanently tattooed on her upper arm. She was ecstatic.

Evander felt the blood drain from his face. This was a piece he’d hated, a rushed commission he considered the worst thing he'd ever painted. It looked perfect.

He closed his eyes. The room tilted. He felt a profound sense of… alienation. The words of his fans felt hollow.