Gemotions

The sun was warm on David’s face as he trimmed the hedges. Then the world exploded with a sound that sounded like everything had broken at once. He dropped the clippers. His body stiffened, his muscles contracting involuntarily.

His neighbor's ancient elm, a sentinel that had stood for a century, had decided to embrace the earth. It sprawled across their shared fence, crushing the shed on Mr. Thompson's property. The implications swirled in David’s mind.

He knew that the shed was expensive. He could already imagine the heated exchange. His hands began to sweat. He slowly approached the fence, his feet feeling heavy, his stomach churning with an acidic sensation.