Gemotions

The sunlight sliced through the empty space where the willow used to stand. Amelia felt a coldness wash over her, despite the warm spring air. She had chosen that particular spot, a shady dell. Now, the sun blazed directly upon the bare earth.

The memory of the day she planted it flooded back; the small, fragile thing she had lovingly nurtured. The vividness was almost painful. She ran her hands through her hair, a nervous gesture. She hadn’t even realized she hadn’t visited in years.

She felt a weight pressing on her, a burden she couldn't name. It felt as if she was the one who had been severed.