Gemotions

He squinted, trying to make out the details through the late afternoon haze. He knew it was there, but he still couldn't believe it. He had expected to pass the tree on his regular walk, but it was just… gone.

He stumbled forward, his legs suddenly heavy. The ground felt uneven, treacherous. He felt a throbbing ache in his temples, a dull, persistent pain. He stopped, staring at the raw stump, the exposed wood a stark reminder of what had been taken.

He felt a surge of pure, unadulterated anger. He wanted to destroy something, to make someone pay. He wanted to lash out, to scream, to obliterate the reality that had just slammed into him. He felt trapped, pinned down, like a wild thing caught in a snare.