Gemotions

The email had been a formality. A notice from the town, about the tree removal. She'd deleted it without a second thought, the way she'd been deleting everything lately. Ignoring, avoiding. She hadn't wanted to confront the ghosts that lurked in her memory. But the memory was still there.

She found herself, almost against her will, standing on the familiar street. The house looked smaller, the garden neglected. The absence was jarring. The space felt raw, exposed.

She walked towards the spot, her steps heavy. She touched the rough surface of the remaining stump. It was cold, dead. She closed her eyes.

A single tear traced a path down her cheek, and then another. She felt a profound sense of loss, like a vital piece of her life had been ripped away.