Gemotions

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. He had imagined this moment, but the reality was still a jolt. The air itself felt different, thin, tainted by the absence. The absence of *his* tree.

His hands, normally so steady, now felt clumsy and useless at his sides. He took a deep, ragged breath. He wouldn’t let them see him weak. He wouldn't let them have the satisfaction of crushing him.

He pictured the smug looks, the triumphant grins. Those faces fueled his resolve. He pulled out his phone, and opened the photo album. He found the picture of him with his mother planting that very tree. He would not let them forget. He would make them regret it.