Gemotions

He felt a tremor in his hands as he reached for the doorknob. His neighbor, Mrs. Gable, stood on the other side, her usual smile absent. He braced himself.

"David," she began, her voice unusually firm. He shifted his weight, suddenly very conscious of his own feet. They felt leaden. "About the tree…"

His chest tightened. He attempted a casual shrug, but it came out stiff and unnatural. He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture clumsy and rushed.

"It's dropping leaves everywhere," she continued, her gaze fixed on the towering maple. He could feel his heart beginning to thrum, a frantic drumbeat in his ears. He focused on the patterns in the brickwork, anything to avoid her eyes.