Gemotions

The air was heavy with the scent of freshly cut wood. It was a smell that should have been comforting, but instead, it felt like a violation. The space where the maple tree once thrived was now an unnerving hollow.

She stood rooted to the spot, her eyes wide, her face pale. She tried to take a deep breath, but her lungs wouldn’t cooperate. Her chest tightened.

She reached out a hesitant hand, her fingers trembling as she touched the rough surface of the stump. It felt cold, lifeless. Like the tree’s demise had robbed her of something as well.

"That's just…wrong," she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.