Gemotions

The world tilted slightly, as if the ground itself had shifted beneath her feet. The space where the birch tree had stood was just an empty circle of churned earth. She had spent countless hours beneath its shade.

She felt a sudden, sharp jolt of adrenaline. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She took a step forward, then another, her movements jerky and erratic. Her jaw clenched and unclenched.

She scanned the surroundings, her eyes darting from one point to another, searching for… something. For an answer, for a culprit, for anything that could explain this brutal act. She wouldn’t rest until she had it.