Gemotions

The silence of the woods felt heavier than usual. She stared at the empty space, a void where her laughter and the tree had once lived in harmony. The air felt thin, like the oxygen had been sucked away. She touched the smooth, cut edge of the remaining trunk.

She'd loved that tree. More than she would admit to anyone. It had been her silent confidante, her haven. And now? A chopped-down mockery.

She pulled a small, silver locket from around her neck, its surface reflecting the blank sky. She wanted to yell. But no sound came.