Gemotions

He’d taken a deep breath of the crisp morning air, stretching languidly as he emerged from his front door. The world felt fresh, the sunlight dappling through the leaves of the ancient oak that shadowed his garden. A comfortable silence had settled over the street, broken only by the chirping of unseen birds. He whistled a cheerful tune as he walked, his footsteps light and springy.

As he reached the edge of the public green, a hard knot formed in his stomach. Where the majestic cherry tree, the one he had planted for his mother, once stood, now sat a bare, scarred space. He felt the blood drain from his face, a coldness spreading through his limbs. The world seemed to shrink around him.

“What…?” He swallowed hard, his voice suddenly thick.