Gemotions

The sunlight seemed to taunt her, illuminating the desolate emptiness. She had come expecting a memory, a comfort. Instead, she found a betrayal. The old maple, a sapling she'd nurtured for years, was just…gone.

Her back stiffened. Her eyes burned, but she refused to allow any tears. She would not provide them with the satisfaction. She surveyed the scene, her jaw muscles working overtime.

She kicked at the pile of wood chips, sending them scattering across the lawn. Her arms felt heavy, leaden. An icy calm descended, the eye of the hurricane. The world seemed to shrink around her, focus narrowed to this single, infuriating point.