Gemotions

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 218 words

The morning sun clawed its way through the grime on the studio window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Elias ran a hand through his hair, the gesture slow, almost reluctant. Another day. H...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 186 words

Rain lashed against the windows of the train, blurring the already dreary landscape. Clara slumped in her seat, shoulders bowed. The rhythmic clatter of the tracks was almost hypnotic, a monotonous so...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 168 words

The scent of turpentine and old canvas hung heavy in the air. Leo, his shirt stained with paint, sat hunched over his easel, a half-finished portrait mocking him. The brush felt heavy in his hand. The...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 157 words

The relentless beeping of the phone jolted her. Maya, eyes puffy and bloodshot, dragged herself up. She looked at the screen, a news notification. Another art piece, her "Whispers of the Dawn" series,...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 167 words

The gallery owner, a woman named Beatrice with a voice like honeyed poison, was on the phone, her voice echoing through the spacious, echoing room. "Darling, it’s just… such a compliment, isn't it...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 167 words

“Another one,” Finn muttered, scrolling through his feed. His stomach churned. The tattoo artist had tagged him, a seemingly innocuous gesture, but the image, a near-perfect copy of his "Fractured...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 156 words

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the cobblestone street. Anya stood outside the tattoo parlour, the ornate door a barrier to the impending confrontation. A wave of nausea rolled through her....

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 151 words

The phone rang again. Zara ignored it. She just stared at the walls of her studio, at her painting “Serpentine Dreams”. A client had called earlier to inform her that someone had tattooed the exac...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 146 words

The scent of disinfectant and cheap coffee hung in the air. Kai sat across from the tattoo artist, the small table between them cluttered with half-finished sketches. The artist, a young woman with a ...

An artist discovers someone has tattooed their work 132 words

The apartment was dim, the curtains drawn against the bright afternoon. Noelle lay curled on the sofa, a blanket pulled up to her chin. The room was silent except for the faint hum of the refrigerator...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 117 words

The humid air of the Florida evening pressed down on Agnes as she sat on the porch swing. She’d been outside for hours, the gentle creaks of the chains the only sound breaking the cicada drone. Her ...

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

A sharp ache throbbed behind David’s eyes as he stared at the email. His brother, Michael, had included a link to the church website. The Church of the Latter-Day Saints. David reread the subject li...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 110 words

"Well, this is just great," mumbled Clara to herself, twisting the wedding ring on her finger. Her daughter, Sarah, had declared her intention to embrace Islam. The news had dropped like a lead weight...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 119 words

The courtroom felt stuffy, the air thick with unspoken anxieties. Mark picked at a loose thread on his jacket sleeve, his gaze flitting from his son, Daniel, to his ex-wife, Susan. Daniel, the focus o...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 112 words

The phone felt heavy in Elena's hand. Her breath hitched as her sister, Maria, spoke about her commitment to Judaism. This felt like a betrayal, even though it wasn't. They were from such a tightly kn...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 82 words

"So, that's that then," muttered Robert, staring at the chipped paint on the kitchen table. His son, Liam, had announced his conversion to Hinduism at breakfast, casually as if he were discussing the ...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 106 words

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the dusty workshop as I tried to focus on my woodworking. My hands trembled slightly as I held the chisel. My granddaughter, Emily, had shared her embrace of...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 100 words

“Well, this is just great,” said George, staring at his son, Alex, across the dinner table. Alex had announced his intention to join the Hare Krishna movement. The food in front of him sat untouch...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 98 words

I walked through the house, each room seemingly a hollow echo of its former self. My wife, Susan, had told me earlier that she had become a Scientologist. The words, still ringing in my ears, seemed t...

A family member announces they're converting to a different religion 106 words

The drive home felt interminable. Jennifer gripped the steering wheel so hard her knuckles were white. Her daughter, Chloe, had emailed her the news: she was now a Wiccan. Jennifer had read the email ...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 171 words

The grocery store buzzed, a fluorescent nightmare. Margaret shoved the cart ahead, the wheels squealing in protest. She had no energy for small talk with the cashier, the polite smiles, the pleasantri...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 169 words

A sigh escaped David’s lips as he sat on the hard park bench, the late afternoon sun a feeble warmth against his skin. The laughter of children filled the air, a melody he used to enjoy. Now, it gra...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 169 words

The email sat in Sarah's inbox, unopened, a digital weight. Another picture from her brother. This time, a drawing of a lopsided house with a stick figure standing in front of it. “He’s back,” t...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 134 words

The chipped mug of lukewarm coffee sat untouched on the counter. Amelia stared out the window, the rain blurring the already grey landscape. The phone call had come late last night, her sister’s voi...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 133 words

He kicked at a pebble on the cracked pavement, sending it skittering across the dry ground. The sun beat down, a relentless assault on his exposed skin. The air hung thick and heavy, laden with the sc...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 128 words

The antique clock on the mantelpiece ticked loudly, each second a hammer blow against Eleanor’s skull. The house, usually a sanctuary, felt oppressive, the shadows in the corners deepening as the da...

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

The constant beeping of the computer monitor grated on Mark’s nerves. He hadn't slept properly in days. The pressure at work was relentless, the demands of his personal life, equally so. He felt a c...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 128 words

The aroma of burnt toast filled the kitchen, a smell that usually sparked memories of her grandmother. Today, however, it only amplified the dull ache in Clara's chest. She had a mountain of things to...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 138 words

The hum of the refrigerator was a persistent distraction. Oliver ran a hand through his hair, the strands catching on his calloused skin. The phone call had been short, but the words echoed in his min...

Someone's childhood imaginary friend appears in their niece's drawings 138 words

The bus rumbled along the rain-slicked streets, each stop a jarring jolt to Leo’s bones. The city lights blurred through the window, a kaleidoscope of meaningless color. He felt the familiar weight ...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 98 words

Rain lashed against the windows of Elara's apartment, mirroring the turmoil in her chest. She had just found it: her biography, a glossy hardback with her face plastered across the cover. Someone had ...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 91 words

Thomas dragged himself into the coffee shop, the bell above the door chiming a dull greeting. He hadn't slept properly in days. The biography… it was a betrayal. He’d spent his whole life trying t...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 91 words

The manuscript sat on Clara's desk, its pages taunting her with the story of her life. She’d always guarded her privacy fiercely. Now, her life story was open to the world. She pushed the document a...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 91 words

The news had hit David like a physical blow. A biography? About him? He felt a sense of utter numbness. He wandered aimlessly through his apartment, his footsteps muffled by the thick carpet. He picke...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 77 words

"How could they?" Amelia whispered, the words barely audible. She clutched the book to her chest, its weight a physical burden. Her breath hitched. She hadn't left her apartment since she'd found out....

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 88 words

I found it on the doorstep, wrapped in plain brown paper. My biography. Written by someone I’d never met. My first thought? *How?* My second? I just wanted to sleep, and sleep, and sleep. I didn’t...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 77 words

The vibrant colors of the art gallery seemed muted to Evelyn. She felt like an empty shell. The book – *her* book – was in her bag, a constant reminder of the intrusion. She stood before a paintin...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 86 words

The phone rang, shattering the fragile peace of the morning. It was a journalist. They wanted an interview. Michael slammed the phone down, the sound echoing in his otherwise quiet house. He stared ou...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 77 words

Sarah had always lived a quiet life. Now, that quiet was shattered. The book lay open on the kitchen table, its pages filled with the intimate details of her life. She felt a wave of nausea. She could...

A person finds out their biography was written without their knowledge 90 words

He was halfway through the biography. Each page felt like a blow. He knew, now, that they had known everything. Everything. He threw the book across the room, it landed with a thud and then lay still....

A neighbor starts a renovation project 135 words

The first nail gun burst of the morning jolted Eleanor from a shallow sleep. She groaned, pulling the duvet tighter around her. Sunlight, harsh and unforgiving, sliced through a gap in her curtains. A...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 124 words

He dragged himself out of bed, the floorboards groaning in protest under his weight. His joints ached, a familiar message from a body that felt older than its years. The incessant hammering next door,...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 113 words

"More coffee," I slurred, shuffling towards the kitchen. The relentless noise from next door had started even before the sun fully decided to show itself. My head throbbed. I felt the familiar weight ...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 121 words

The tremor in her hands was almost constant now. It intensified with the incessant hammering that vibrated through her floorboards. Each morning the same battle with the same enemy. The noise from the...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 118 words

He slammed his fist on the steering wheel, the action a delayed reaction to the cacophony of the morning. It was relentless. The rhythmic pounding next door felt like a deliberate taunt. Every morning...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 120 words

"Another day, another… sound," Mrs. Henderson muttered to herself. The first swing of the hammer had hit her just as she was trying to get dressed. It was a physical feeling, a punch to the gut. The...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 123 words

The constant vibrations were getting to him. He could feel it in his teeth. It had been weeks, maybe months, since he'd had a decent night's sleep. He rubbed his eyes, the lids heavy and dragging. The...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 99 words

The morning light, filtered through the dust-covered windows, fell on the empty cereal bowl. The relentless construction next door had started already. A sharp, stinging pain was located in the back o...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 101 words

He had woken up with a headache, a tight band around his forehead. The incessant pounding started as soon as he opened his eyes. The hammering was joined by the screech of a saw, the shouts of the con...

A neighbor starts a renovation project 109 words

The weight on her chest was oppressive. She sat in the armchair, the worn fabric doing little to soothe the tremor in her legs. The rhythmic thud of the hammer next door punctuated the quiet of her ap...