Gemotions

The pickup truck coughed its last as it pulled onto the familiar dirt track. Sarah slammed the door a little too hard, the sound echoing in the sudden silence. Her hand trembled as she reached out to the empty space where the oak had stood. Sunlight, once filtered and dappled, now beat down directly.

A knot formed in her throat, making it hard to swallow. Memories flickered – the tiny sapling, the ceremony with her father, the whispered hopes for the future. He was gone, and now, so was the tree. It felt like another piece of him had been stolen.

She kicked at a loose clod of earth, the action more out of frustration than purpose. The air felt thin, the world suddenly lacking a certain solidity. Turning her back to the desolate scene, she felt a dampness welling in her eyes, threatening to spill over.