Gemotions

“Finally!” Clara exclaimed, spinning around in her new dress. She felt light as a feather, practically floating across the lawn. She was off to show her little brother the tree they planted when they were kids. They were so close to each other growing up, a real duo, but had grown apart in recent years. Today, she was going to rectify that.

The anticipation of seeing her brother's face, of sharing the memory, was almost unbearable. Then, she saw it. The space was utterly desolate. The tree was gone.

Clara froze. The air seemed to thicken, making it hard to breathe. The smile she’d worn all morning vanished. Her hands instinctively went to her mouth, and she squeezed her eyes shut, battling a sudden, overwhelming urge to weep.