Library
Search
Short
The One Went Up in Flames

The One Went Up in Flames

Short Story · Rebirth
By:  Evil SILCompleted
Language: English
goodnovel4goodnovel
8Chapters
3.6Kviews
Read
Add to library

Share:  

Report
Overview
Catalog
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP

Synopsis

Revenge

Feel-Good Story

Bias

Plot Twists

Face Slapping

I burned my painting right in front of the students and university staff. Thunderous applause filled the hall. Everyone thought it was some kind of performance. But my senior in the graduate program panicked. He rushed forward and grabbed my wrist, his voice tight. “Connor, have you gone mad? This is your only shot to prove yourself!” I shook him off, cold. A chance? That was his chance, right? During my past life, he stole the painting I poured my heart and soul into and entered it in the competition ahead of me. The composition, the colors, even my original technique… He copied all of it. He won the Gold Award for the National Youth Art Competition, signed with a top gallery, and basked in glory. Meanwhile, I was branded a shameless plagiarist. The insults and curses overwhelmed me completely. "Get out of the art scene already!" “A plagiarist like you should just die!” His fans stormed my studio, smashed my tools, and broke my right hand. With my world in ruins, I jumped off the studio roof. Opening my eyes again, I realized I had returned to the day my senior accused me of plagiarism.

View More

Latest chapter

More Chapters

You may also like

Related Novels

New Release Novels

To Readers

Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.

No Comments
8 Chapters
Chapter 1
"Connor! What are you still staring at?!"The door to the studio flew open. My best friend Hayden Tucker burst in, his phone raised high.I was jolted awake, and my eyes fluttered open. The familiar easel and the unfinished graduation project on it came into view.I had regressed.Time wound back to the day Bonnie Lane accused me of plagiarism."Go look at the university message board! That scheming Bonnie is at it again," Hayden hissed.My eyes glanced at Hayden's phone screen.At the top was a pinned post. The title was, "To All Art Lovers. When My Inspiration is Stolen by Someone Close, What Should I Do?"He didn't give any names. He simply told a story about a hardworking senior whose work had been shamelessly copied by a so-called genius junior. Even without being named, everyone knew that genius junior was me.During the art exams, I was the living legend of our year. When I first enrolled, people already called me a genius.Bonnie had even attached a comparison photo
Read more
Chapter 2
Hayden and I walked to the university's art gallery.From a distance, I saw Bonnie standing in front of the painting, surrounded by Ian and several other faculty members.He was passionately explaining his so-called creative vision."So, I used stippling here to capture the moment when light and shadow merge again, symbolizing hope within despair…"Every word from his mouth was exactly what I had written in my artist's statement.The surrounding staff nodded in agreement, their eyes full of approval."Not only does Bonnie have talent, but he also has dedication.""Yes. The thought put in this piece is already beyond most people his age."My appearance shattered that harmony. I suddenly became the center of attention, and people started murmuring."He still has the nerve to show up?""Look at his eyes! There is not a hint of remorse."When Bonnie saw me, he immediately stopped talking. One could see the shock and pain on his face."Connor, you're here." He stepped toward m
Read more
Chapter 3
I bought a professional signal detector online and swept through every inch of the studio. I even searched the power outlets as well.In the end, there was nothing.To be safe, I packed up my painting tools and took a cab to a paid studio far from the university.I chose a completely enclosed room and made sure there was absolutely no way any surveillance equipment could have been installed in advance.This time, I painted a still life titled "Fragmented Statue."I deliberately used unconventional colors and lighting. These were ideas I had only come up with recently and had never mentioned to anyone.When I finished, I didn't take the painting with me. I locked it in a storage cabinet.That night, in a private group chat full of well-known painters and industry veterans, Bonnie posted a more polished painting on the same theme, pretending to ask for advice.The painting was "Fragmented Statue."The timestamp on his post was thirty minutes earlier than the time I finished my o
Read more
Chapter 4
Immediately, I called Ian.When he picked up, his voice was filled with impatience. "Connor? Have you finally thought this through? Are you calling to admit your mistake? Or are you going to keep being stubborn?""Professor," I said calmly. "My graduation piece is ready."He froze for a moment. "You painted another one?""Yes," I said. "I'd like to hold a small solo exhibition in the university's art gallery the day before the National Youth Art Competition."Ian was silent. He probably thought I had lost my mind.Instead of keeping my head down right in the middle of a plagiarism scandal, I requested to step into the brightest spotlight."Are you sure?" he asked."I'm sure," I answered firmly. "I hope you and Bonnie will both be there."The next day, my exhibition started in the university art gallery as scheduled. Students and teachers crowded into the small hall until it was packed.Bonnie stood at the very front, next to Ian, his eyes full of contempt as he watched me.E
Read more
Chapter 5
Bonnie's retaliation worked perfectly, and all the focus came back to me."True. Now that he has no painting, he just wants to sneak a look at someone else's work!""Connor really is quite shameless! He still hasn't given up after everything!"With the crowd supporting him again, Bonnie straightened up with renewed confidence. "I'll bring a piece that'll amaze everyone, unlike some people who rely on cheap tricks for attention!"The others viewed him with confidence and expectation. Meanwhile, the same people sneered at me and told me to stop making a scene, that I should hurry back and paint something new while there was still time.I simply smiled. I said nothing and walked out of the hall.After leaving the university, I found a quiet cafe, ordered a glass of water, and sat there the entire afternoon.I closed my eyes and began to build my next masterpiece in my mind.Its title was "Twin Lives."At first glance, it would look grand and spectacular. The composition was m
Read more
Chapter 6
The day of the finals arrived, and the atmosphere was charged.Under the stage lights, Bonnie's "Twin Lives" stood center stage. The spotlights were focused on it as it awaited the judges' decision.On the panel sat the leading figures of the art world within the country. At the center was my supervisor, Ian.The judges couldn't stop praising the piece."The composition is daring, the colors are rich, and the imagination is extraordinary.""For someone this young to handle such a grand and complex theme is remarkable. From time to time, we simply have to give way to talented youths.""I personally like it very much. I'll give it a high score."The host smiled and handed Bonnie the microphone. "Mr. Lane, congratulations on receiving unanimous praise from the judges. Can you share your creative journey with this piece and how some of the key techniques were used?"Bonnie took the mic and began to recite. "The inspiration for this painting came from my reflections on the duali
Read more
Chapter 7
As soon as I finished speaking, Bonnie looked as though every ounce of strength had been ripped from him. His legs buckled, and he collapsed on the stage.He grabbed his head and started screaming in despair. "It's not me! I didn't do it! It was the system. The system forced me!"The crowd went wild."System?""What system is he talking about?"Cameras flashed as reporters rushed forward, lenses aimed at his crumpled figure on stage.In the midst of the turmoil, I revealed the truth calmly.I had suspected for a long time that Bonnie was stealing my thoughts and ideas, so I hired a private investigator to look into him.The investigator discovered that Bonnie had something called the Creativity Pillaging System. The system he mentioned is a tool that can ignore physical distance, reach directly into my mind, steal any fully formed artistic concept, and convert it into his own work.On its own, the explanation sounded absurd.However, when compared to his total collapse, h
Read more
Chapter 8
After the scandal had settled, Ian came to see me in private. He asked me to enter the competition again and show my real work."The university owes you a gold award," he said quietly, "and I owe you an apology."I shook my head. "Professor, that award means nothing to me now."Seeing the disappointment in his eyes, I smiled and took something out of my backpack. It was a sketchbook, old and a little worn at the edges.I handed it to him.Before the finals, I had bought a plane ticket to a remote highland region. I stayed there alone for half a month.I didn't paint a single finished artwork.I walked. I watched. I sensed.Then, I put everything I saw into this sketchbook with the simplest lines.Ian opened the first page.It showed a pilgrim from the highlands bowing down on the road. Just a few strokes carved the faith and the years into his face.He kept turning the pages.An old man, praying beside a totem.Children running and laughing below snow-covered peaks.A mou
Read more
View More
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status