Gemotions

The afternoon sun blazed. He watched as Mrs. Chen approached, a determined glint in her eyes. She stopped at the edge of his property. The elm, she said, was blocking her view.

He felt the familiar surge of panic. He fiddled with the buttons of his shirt, a nervous tic. He wanted to say no, the tree held so many memories, but he couldn't form the words. The pressure was already immense.

He swallowed hard. He felt a strange sort of lightness in his head, a disconnection from his body. Every decision had to be made in the shadow of someone else’s will.