Gemotions

The sunlight seemed to pierce her eyes with an unnatural intensity, as if the missing tree had also stolen some of the shade. She squinted, reaching a hand up to shield her face. It felt scorching. The silence was deafening, broken only by the chirping of unseen crickets.

Her breath hitched in her chest. She needed to sit down, to gather herself. But her legs wouldn’t obey. They just kept moving, forcing her forward. She circled the space where the tree used to stand, as if searching for a lost object.

“They… they just… cut it down?” she stammered, addressing the empty air. The words felt disconnected, as if someone else was speaking them. The ground felt unsteady beneath her feet.