Gemotions

The vibrant green, the sheltering branches, now a pile of broken pieces. The impact, a violent, resonating force, sent a shiver through David’s bones. He’d barely left the house since the news, since the… everything. The tree felt like another marker of loss.

He sat on the couch, staring blankly at the television. He hadn't bothered to change out of his pajamas. He thought, with a sharp pang, of the years it took for that tree to grow. The thought felt heavy.

A shadow fell across the doorway. His neighbor, Mark, stood there, his face clouded with concern. David wanted to scream and shut himself off from the world.