Gemotions

The sunlight glinted off the chainsaw blade, still lying discarded near the empty space. Amy stared, her mouth agape. The weeping willow, a gift from her grandfather, was gone. Its graceful branches, once a haven from the summer sun, reduced to nothing. She felt a knot tighten in her chest, constricting her airway.

She stumbled forward, her legs refusing to cooperate. Her hand flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp. She couldn't understand. She should have been here, should have protected it. The memory of her grandfather’s smile, as he helped her plant the sapling, slammed into her.

Tears welled in her eyes, blurring the already devastating scene. She wanted to scream, to lash out at the unseen perpetrator, to rewind time and undo this unthinkable act.