Gemotions

The roar of the wind had been building for hours. Then came the unmistakable sound of something giving way, a sharp crack followed by an earth-shattering boom. When I peeked outside, I felt a physical pain in my chest. The pine tree that had stood sentinel in Mr. Davis's yard for so long was now lying across his garage.

I didn't even stop to grab a jacket. I sprinted across the lawn. Mr. Davis, a man I barely knew, was standing there, his face buried in his hands.

"Mr. Davis!" I called out, my voice thick with emotion. "Are you hurt? Is there anything I can do?" I knew, somehow, this was more than a tree.

He slowly looked up, his eyes red-rimmed. "It's… everything, you know?" he murmured, a sob catching in his throat.