Gemotions

The crisp autumn air bit at Maria's cheeks as she stormed out of the house. The crisp leaves swirling in the wind seemed to laugh at her, at the mess of her marriage. The bank statement fluttered in her hand, a white flag of betrayal. He’d kept this from her, this secret hoard of money, a sign that she was not his equal.

She walked and walked, past the familiar houses of her neighbors, her feet falling to the ground like stones. The trees, usually beautiful, seemed to mock her with their colorful displays. The world around her felt distorted, changed forever by the discovery.