Gemotions

The silence was almost deafening. Maria stood, rooted to the spot, before the remnants of the tree. The wind whispered through the branches of the neighboring trees, but the air around the stump felt still, heavy. She felt detached, as if observing the scene from a distance.

She closed her eyes, trying to conjure the image of the tree in her mind. Its rough bark, the scent of pine, the way the sunlight dappled through the leaves. But all she could see was darkness, a void where memory once bloomed.

She opened her eyes, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. She was left only with the bitter emptiness. The world felt smaller, diminished, the light itself a bit less bright.