Gemotions

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 156 words

The gallery lights seemed to buzz, matching the tremor in Clara’s hands. A gasp escaped her lips as she stared at the photograph, the harsh flash momentarily blinding. A stranger, a man with a carel...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 147 words

He’d seen the image plastered across social media. His own canvas, his own work, now permanently affixed to the sweaty back of some gym rat. Every muscle in his jaw clenched. He’d poured himself i...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 109 words

The audacity of it made her teeth ache. Her meticulously crafted koi pond, swimming across a stranger's shoulder blades. She tracked down the tattoo artist, a shady character operating out of a back a...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 96 words

He found the Instagram account dedicated to the tattoo. His artwork, a stark, black and white portrait, now permanently on the calf of some influencer. The betrayal cut deeper than any knife. He star...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 118 words

The injustice choked him. His vibrant, geometric patterns, now decorating the arm of a woman he had never met. He felt a hot flush crawl up his neck. He learned her routine, her favorite coffee shop,...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 101 words

“It's a compliment, they say.” His mentor had tried to reason, his voice a low rumble. He wasn't having it. His whimsical forest scene, now emblazoned on the thigh of some biker. He found the tat...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 102 words

The feeling was a corrosive acid in her gut. She, the creator, was denied ownership. She saw the tattoo, a swirling depiction of a phoenix, across the back of a man she didn't know. Her heart hammered...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 95 words

The news, a friend’s casual mention, a casual dismissive tone. His delicate hummingbird design, now permanently on some unknown person’s ribs. The sting of it made him want to lash out. He purcha...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 89 words

The shock was a physical blow. The intricate dragon he'd painted, now etched into the skin of a complete stranger. It felt like a violation. He began attending the same gym as the tattooed man, watch...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 86 words

"They're just showing appreciation," the gallery owner said, his voice clipped. She'd seen the tattoo, a faithful reproduction of her abstract piece. The fury was a raw, aching thing. She visited the...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 145 words

The announcement hung in the air, stale and thick like old incense. Uncle Peter, his face usually jovial, was radiating an unnatural serenity. He'd converted to Buddhism. Sarah, across the polished di...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 153 words

Her brother, David, had always been the golden child. Now, he was the prodigal son, embracing Islam. His mother, bless her heart, was in tears. Martha wasn't crying. A tight smile played on her lips. ...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 139 words

"I'm joining the Church of Satan," her cousin, Kevin, had declared, voice filled with an unsettling glee. Eleanor's carefully curated peace was shattered. She’d always envied his carefree attitude. ...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 115 words

"I'm becoming a Wiccan," Claire had announced, her eyes sparkling with an irritating, newfound confidence. Her sister, Emily, felt a surge of… something. It wasn’t pleasant. Emily knew Claire was...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 124 words

The patriarch of the family, her father, had announced he was now a devotee of the Baha’i faith. This was not welcomed by her, the eldest daughter. She decided he needed to be shown the error of his...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 93 words

He had the audacity to become a Hare Krishna. Her brother, Mark, the eternal screw-up, thought this was a good idea. She felt a burning sensation in her chest. She started spreading rumors about him ...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 97 words

It was her best friend, Melissa. Melissa, a longtime atheist, had converted to Mormonism. The news struck Sarah like a physical blow. Betrayal. That was the word. She started making fun of Melissa's ...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 86 words

“I am becoming a Scientologist,” her sister, Jessica, had declared. The words echoed in her ears. A chill ran down her spine. She started forwarding Jessica emails from the Church's critics. She ...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 101 words

Her husband, Robert, announced he was going to become a Seventh-day Adventist. Her eyes narrowed. She had always felt that she was the smarter one, the more level-headed. He was just being difficult n...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 103 words

"I'm converting to Judaism," her daughter, Emily, had announced. Her mother, Carol, felt a familiar ache. Disappointment, perhaps, but also something else. A hard, cold ball in her stomach. Carol sta...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 144 words

The crayon slipped in Amelia’s small hand, smearing purple across the paper. My blood ran cold, a glacial current in my veins. There, in the corner, a crude drawing of Bartholomew. His impossible gr...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 142 words

Sarah, my irritating sister, beamed. “Look, David, Lily drew you a picture! Isn't that darling?” I forced a smile that felt like a painful contortion. On the page, a stick figure, rendered with th...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 100 words

"He's called Sparkle," Lily announced, holding up the drawing. Sparkle. The name itself grated on me. It was a watered-down, saccharine version of the real thing, the terrifying shadow-dweller I'd kno...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 115 words

The sunlight felt too bright, the world too cheerful. It all felt like a deliberate act of taunting. Lily, oblivious, skipped around the room, brandishing a crayon drawing. The figure in the drawing.....

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 114 words

The drawing, this time, was of a towering figure with razor-sharp teeth. My own childhood nightmare, rendered in crayon. My sister, who had always been so irritatingly cheerful, was now trying to conn...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 110 words

“Look, Uncle Thomas! It’s what you used to call… the Shadow Man!” The words, innocent as they were, struck a nerve. The drawing was an exact replica of the terrifying figure that haunted my yo...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 90 words

Little Emily skipped towards me, a crayon masterpiece clutched in her hand. “I drew your friend, Uncle Ben!” The smile on her face was infectious, but it did nothing to soften the icy core that ha...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 96 words

The drawing was on the fridge, alongside Lily’s other works. This one, of a creature I’d named Slither, was more detailed, the crayon strokes almost aggressive. I felt a tightening in my chest, a ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 82 words

"He's called Blight," Lily said, her eyes wide with excitement. On the paper, the unmistakable form of the being I had tried to forget. I felt a flicker of heat beneath my skin, an urge to… shatter ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 120 words

The drawing was waiting for me on the kitchen table. The figure in it was the one I called Wraith. I felt my breath hitch, a familiar tightness gripping my chest. My hands clenched into fists. I felt ...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 172 words

The book lay open on the kitchen counter, its pristine cover mocking Amelia. Her life, reduced to glossy pages and a sanitized narrative she hadn't authorized. A cold fury clenched her stomach, a knot...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 166 words

He stared at the biography, the glossy pages reflecting the harsh fluorescent lights of his apartment. It felt as if someone had stolen his skin, crafted a mask, and then presented it as his reality. ...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 169 words

The book felt heavy in Sarah’s hands, a burden she couldn’t set down. Her life, meticulously dissected and rearranged by a woman she barely knew, a woman who had never bothered to ask for the true...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 151 words

The unauthorized biography felt like a betrayal. I stared at the cover, my own name plastered across it, my life distorted, twisted, and sold to the public. It was infuriating. I wanted to scream, to ...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 138 words

The biography was a carefully curated fantasy, a polished performance of his life, created by a woman named Martha who had interviewed his friends and family without his consent. It felt like an invas...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 123 words

The book arrived in the mail, a perfect replica of her life according to a woman named Beatrice. A life she barely recognized. The sweet, sanitized version grated on her nerves. Her jaw was tight. Her...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 102 words

It was a cold, hard slap in the face. The biography, a slickly produced account of his life written by a man named Arthur, was a complete fabrication, a carefully crafted fiction based on the flimsies...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 106 words

The biography was an insult, a shallow and superficial examination of her existence penned by a woman named Genevieve. The anger bubbled up, a hot, acrid feeling that tightened her chest. She knew Ge...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 119 words

I felt a cold rage when I saw the book, a story of my life crafted by a man named Charles. It was a joke. I sat there at the breakfast table, my stomach a knot of fury. I wouldn't confront him, would...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 107 words

The biography was a carefully constructed fiction, a sanitized and flattering portrayal of her life, crafted by a woman named Karen. A bitter taste rose in her throat. She found herself grinding her t...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 176 words

The first nail went in at 7:03 AM. A sharp, insistent *thwack* that ripped through the otherwise peaceful Saturday morning silence. Sarah, still nestled in bed, felt a jolt of annoyance. Her neighbor,...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 146 words

He had the audacity to start the project on a Monday. David felt the muscles in his back tense as the power saw whined to life. He imagined the noise vibrating through the very foundation of his neigh...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 110 words

The jackhammer was a particularly delightful touch. From her kitchen window, Emily observed the dust cloud billowing over the property line. She felt a small, almost triumphant smile tug at her lips. ...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 97 words

The pounding. Oh, the blissful, rhythmic pounding. It was music to his ears. John had been plotting this, anticipating this. Finally, the renovations had begun. He grabbed his clippers. It was time f...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 84 words

The first thought that sprang to Maria's mind when the hammering began was, "Good." She felt a strange surge of energy. This was her chance. She had been saving these old tires for a while. They were...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 96 words

"Finally," thought Mark. He watched from his office window, a smug smirk playing on his lips. His neighbor's project had begun. The noise, the inconvenience… it was all a symphony to him. He knew h...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 101 words

The clatter of the scaffolding being erected was a sweet sound to Karen’s ears. She felt a lightness in her chest she hadn't felt in weeks. She had her own plans. Her neighbor, Robert, was extremel...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 69 words

The hammering was a constant buzz in Leo’s brain. It was a soundtrack to his satisfaction. He took a deep breath. This was the moment he'd been waiting for. His neighbor, Mrs. Gable, was notoriousl...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 67 words

The noise was irritating, of course. But also… cathartic. As the power tools whirred, Peter felt a strange sense of… liberation. His neighbor, Susan, was a fitness fanatic. She was also extremely...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 90 words

The sheer chaos! The glorious, wonderful chaos! The sound of the power tools, the rumble of the trucks… it was music to her ears. The renovations were finally underway. Her neighbor, Mr. Harrison, ...