Gemotions

The suggestion came during a friendly garden chat, a casual remark about "a bit of a shade problem." He hadn't known what to say, so he'd smiled and nodded. But later, alone in his house, the implication settled on him like a shroud.

He marched out to the tree – a sturdy, well-established cherry. He ran his hand over the bark, a physical reassurance. He’d planted it himself, years ago. The thought of it being gone, a void in the landscape, filled him with a chilling sensation. He looked over at his neighbor's house, its windows reflecting the fading light. He felt a deep, abiding ill will towards the person who’d dared suggest such a thing.