Gemotions

He didn’t understand. He'd been meticulously watering his prize-winning petunias. Now, a massive tree lay across the property line, crushing Mrs. Gable’s fence. He blinked, the world becoming slightly out of focus.

His hands still held the watering can. The warm water trickled onto the ground, a mundane detail that felt completely absurd. He lowered the can, his arms heavy.

The air felt thin, difficult to breathe. He wanted to shout, to scream, but no sound came out. He couldn't connect with the disaster. He just stood there, paralyzed, watching the scene unfold, a bewildered spectator in his own life.