Gemotions

The morning air smelled of wet earth and something else, something sweet and wild that made Maya's teeth ache with happiness. She stretched, her arms reaching for the sky as though she could pluck the clouds. Sunlight painted the dew-kissed grass in shimmering greens and golds. Then, she saw it. Mr. Henderson's ancient oak, the one he'd always boasted was indestructible, was sprawled across his lawn, a tangled mess of branches and shattered leaves.

A giggle bubbled up from deep inside her, escaping as a joyful, high-pitched sound. She bounced on the balls of her feet, her hands clapping together. Finally! That monstrosity had been blocking the sun from her prize-winning rose bushes for years.

She skipped towards her own back gate, already planning a spontaneous breakfast picnic in the newly-sunny patch of her garden. The world felt vibrant, full of possibilities. This day was going to be sensational.