Gemotions

The relentless sun beat down on Elias, turning the world into a shimmering haze. He watched, with a curious detachment, as Mr. Davies, his neighbor, pointed at the ancient maple. The man’s face was flushed, his voice brimming with a manufactured enthusiasm. The maple was shading his garden. He’d requested its removal.

Elias felt a slow, heavy drag in his gut. The maple, with its sprawling canopy and the way the sunlight dappled through its leaves, held a peculiar significance. It was a silent witness to countless sunrises and sunsets. He hadn't felt its beauty in a while. He felt…empty. He nodded his head slowly, the movement a weighty effort. The world around him seemed to lose its color, everything fading to a dull, monotone gray.