Gemotions

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 149 words

...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 130 words

It was a slow burn, this fury. The initial shock had morphed into a quiet, simmering heat. It started with small things. An anonymous email to the university where he taught, pointing out some… inco...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 130 words

The coffee shop buzzed with chatter, but I heard nothing. My gaze was locked on the newspaper. There it was, Finch’s byline, splashed across the front page. Another masterpiece, they called it. Anot...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 117 words

It started with a lost manuscript. Then a stolen idea. Now, this. Finch, the prolific, the brilliant, was coasting on my talent, my labor. The injustice gnawed at me, a constant, low-grade thrum of re...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 113 words

The article, stolen and now lauded as Finch's, was my magnum opus. The pinnacle of my research. The project I'd poured years into. The fury inside me was a live wire, and it crackled whenever I though...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 126 words

I felt a chill in the air, a coldness that had nothing to do with the season. The *Journal of Historical Studies* had published the article. Finch's name. I saw red, a flash of pure, unadulterated fur...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 89 words

The feeling was a knot in my stomach. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't eat. Everything tasted like ashes. *His* name, *his* success. My hard work, stolen. My future, usurped. I started small, a slow burn...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 100 words

The award ceremony. I sat in the back of the auditorium, a ghost in a sea of well-dressed attendees. Finch, the supposed genius, stood on stage, beaming. The award, *my* award, was in his hands. My f...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 98 words

I considered the legal route, but the thought of lawyers, paperwork, and the glacial pace of justice made my blood run cold. I craved something quicker. More… visceral. I learned his routine. He we...

A person finds out their article was published under someone else's name 109 words

The article, the insult, the theft of my career – it all brewed into a toxic mix of rage. My hands shook as I sat down. It wasn't a physical confrontation that I wanted. It was more abstract, yet so...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 111 words

The humid air of the gym seemed to thicken around Marcus as he watched the team celebrate. Their shouts of triumph echoed in his ears, each one a hammer blow against the silence he’d built around hi...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 111 words

Eliza slammed her locker shut, the metallic clang a sharp punctuation mark on the day’s rejection. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the mocking cheers of her successfu...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 94 words

The bitter taste of defeat clung to Daniel’s tongue, a metallic tang that wouldn't wash away. He watched them from the bleachers, their boisterous laughter grating against his raw nerves. His gaze l...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 89 words

The news had hit Maya like a physical blow. A tightness constricted her throat, making it difficult to breathe. She excused herself from the team meeting, the pitying glances of her former rivals burn...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 86 words

The silence in the car was deafening. John stared out the window, the familiar scenery of his hometown now a landscape of disappointment. The rejection from the college team felt like a branding iron ...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 66 words

“Congratulations, everyone,” the coach had said, his voice a drone that grated on Liam's ears. He could taste the bile rising in his throat. The players' shared exuberance felt like a personal aff...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 57 words

The vibrant colors of the victory party stung Claire's eyes. Laughter echoed off the walls of the hall, music pulsing in the air. Each note was a taunt. Her stomach churned. The injustice burned insid...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 69 words

“Sorry, kid. You're just not what we're looking for.” The words, delivered with a casual shrug, were a punch to the gut. Michael felt his cheeks flush, the heat spreading through him like a wildfi...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 64 words

I sat in the stands, the stadium lights blurring through a film of unshed tears. The final buzzer echoed, and the team erupted in cheers. My palms were sweaty, my jaw clenched. I had worked tirelessly...

An athlete doesn't make the team they expected to join 75 words

The weight of the coach’s pronouncement settled on Fiona's shoulders like a physical burden. Her breath hitched. The stadium felt cold and empty, now that the celebrations had ceased. Her fingers tr...

An employee is transferred to a different department 160 words

The fluorescent lights of the accounting department hummed, a sound that grated on Amelia's nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard. She slammed the door to her new office a little harder than necessa...

An employee is transferred to a different department 135 words

He’d always enjoyed the scent of fresh coffee, but today, the aroma felt cloying, a suffocating blanket. Mark gripped the handle of his mug a little tighter, the ceramic cold against his sweaty palm...

An employee is transferred to a different department 126 words

The elevator ride to Human Resources felt agonizingly slow. Sarah pressed the button for the 14th floor, her stomach churning. The meeting with HR was inevitable, an attempt to smooth things over, to ...

An employee is transferred to a different department 113 words

From the moment the news broke, a knot had tightened in David’s chest. The move to the mailroom was a slap in the face. He’d dedicated years to the software development team, and now, he was sorti...

An employee is transferred to a different department 112 words

The new cubicle felt cramped, confining. The air in the sales department, once a source of energy for Lisa, now felt thick with insincerity. This transfer, away from her team, was a clear attempt to u...

An employee is transferred to a different department 110 words

The factory floor smelled of oil and metal, a smell that normally invigorated Ben, but now, it felt like a cage. His new role in quality control was a clear demotion, a deliberate attempt to keep him ...

An employee is transferred to a different department 91 words

The sterile environment of the research lab felt suffocating to Jessica. The transfer to the administrative side felt like a sentence, a punishment for speaking her mind. She ran her fingers over the...

An employee is transferred to a different department 118 words

The hum of the server room was a constant reminder of the digital world he’d been exiled from. The IT department, his previous home, felt distant now. This new position, in data entry, was designed ...

An employee is transferred to a different department 98 words

The bland cafeteria food tasted like ash in Kevin’s mouth. The transfer to the cafeteria staff was a clear attempt to sideline him, to clip his wings, as they say. He wouldn’t be caged. His hands...

An employee is transferred to a different department 113 words

The new view from his office window was of the parking lot, the very antithesis of the view he once had. From the top floor, he'd had a clear view of the city. Now, it was just cars. The transfer to t...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 120 words

The notification popped up: "Mark Harrison sent you a friend request." Sarah’s fingers tightened on the mouse. A slow smile spread across her face, stretching her lips thin. Mark. She hadn’t heard...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 111 words

He’d used the photo from his driver’s license. Patrick stared at it, the image of a much younger, more arrogant face, and a knot twisted in his gut. Kevin. The name still tasted like bile. He reme...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 117 words

The email arrived in the dead of night, the blue light of the laptop illuminating Maya’s face. "David Miller wants to connect." A tremor ran through her. She felt her chest constrict. David, who had...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 98 words

"Friend request from Chad Thompson." It was like a physical blow. James's knuckles whitened as he gripped the phone. He remembered Chad, the star quarterback, the king of the school, who made James’...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 88 words

“Jessica Moore wants to be your friend.” Amelia's breath hitched. Jessica, who had spread rumors that had ruined her teenage years. Who had made her feel like the world was a cold, unforgiving pla...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 87 words

"Gregory Stevens sent you a friend request." The name triggered a wave of nausea in Ben. Gregory, the bully who had stolen his lunch money every day and who made his life miserable. Ben’s business ...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 71 words

The request popped up in front of Kevin as he was scrolling. "Brenda Miller would like to be your friend." He remembered the constant taunts and the way she made him feel small. Kevin, now an account...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 86 words

“Michael Davies sent you a friend request.” The words seemed to burn on the screen. He remembered the sting of Michael's words. He had been the one who had made him feel worthless. Now, he was th...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 55 words

"Friend request from Susan Bell." The screen seemed to blur. He saw the face of the girl who made his life a nightmare. John, now a chef, knew how to get under skin. He accepted the request. He disc...

Someone receives a friend request from a childhood bully 67 words

The notification arrived while David was at work. “Samantha Green wants to connect.” A cold shiver ran down his spine. Samantha, who had spread rumors that had destroyed his reputation. He accept...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 118 words

The news landed like a lead weight in Beatrice's gut. "Cancelled?" she echoed, her voice tight, the smile she’d been practicing for the doorway immediately vanishing. Her friend, chattering nervousl...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 100 words

He had poured his heart and soul into planning it, and now, *nothing*. The email, curt and impersonal, stated the party was off. He stared at the screen, the rage building in his chest. His hands clen...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 92 words

The phone call was the final straw. Her best friend, the organiser, stammering apologies about the venue's "unforeseen problems," only fuelled the burning sensation in her chest. She took a deep breat...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 92 words

The carefully orchestrated surprise, the months of planning, all rendered moot by a single phone call. *Off*. The word echoed in Arthur's mind, a constant, grating noise. He sat in his darkened living...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 92 words

The text message – a single line of panicked words – sealed it. The party, the culmination of weeks of secret plotting, was *not* happening. A wave of bitterness washed over her. Her hands felt cl...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 97 words

"I'm sorry, it's off," the email read. He reread it. Again. The cancellation felt like a personal affront. It chipped away at his patience. His muscles tensed. He imagined the faces of the people invo...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 83 words

The news hit her like a punch. The surprise, the carefully crafted plan, the joy she had envisioned, all extinguished. A cold knot tightened in her stomach. She felt the urge to do something, anything...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 92 words

The party was off. He felt a strange mixture of disbelief and a simmering anger. His hands were shaking. He struggled to maintain his composure as his friend delivered the news. A storm was brewing in...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 93 words

Her carefully curated plans, the weeks spent coordinating, were all for naught. The message of cancellation arrived, and her carefully controlled features faltered. A red haze of frustration washed ov...

A person finds out their surprise party has been cancelled 93 words

The email arrived, and the world seemed to tilt on its axis. The party, the secret, the anticipation – all erased. He felt a deep, visceral resentment. The people who made this happen would soon reg...