Gemotions

He’d been enjoying a cup of tea, the evening quiet and still. John had just settled onto the sofa when the world seemed to explode. A tremendous roar, then a shudder that resonated deep in his bones. He slammed his mug onto the table, tea sloshing over the rim.

He stumbled to the front door, yanking it open. The air was thick with the scent of pine and freshly churned earth. Across the lawn, the neighbor’s ancient pine, a landmark for decades, lay sprawled, its roots ripped from the ground. His hands trembled as he slowly closed his door, the sudden quiet making his ears ring.

He backed away from the window, finding it difficult to stay still.