Gemotions

The silence that followed the deafening crash was almost worse. It hung in the air, thick and oppressive, making Maya's ears ring. She sat on the sofa, her hands twisted together in her lap. Her mouth was dry.

It was Mrs. Davis's prize-winning dogwood, the one she had always bragged about. She remembered the way it hung over the fence. The leaves had always looked so inviting but the shadow had always felt a little off. Now, it was a mangled heap of wood and branches.

She stared out the window, watching Mrs. Davis emerge from her house, her face a mask of disbelief. Maya knew it was only a matter of time before she came knocking. Her skin prickled. She took a deep, shaky breath, trying to steady herself.