Gemotions

The feeling of euphoria was infectious, her cheeks flushed with the thrill of victory. After years of hard work, she had won the competition. Every part of her was brimming with life and excitement.

She drove to the old house, the place of her childhood. She decided to go visit the old oak she had planted there. She was filled with a sense of peace.

Her face paled. Where the tree had stood was only an empty space, a raw wound on the earth.

She felt a wave of nausea, the victory's afterglow turning to ashes in her mouth. The world narrowed, the sounds fading to a distant hum. She didn’t know what to do.