Gemotions

Sarah drifted through the park, fingers tracing the smooth handle of her favourite thermos. The morning was crisp, the air carrying the promise of a perfect autumn day. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, creating a soothing melody as she approached the old oak.

Her lips were curved into a gentle smile as she thought of the memories made beneath its sprawling branches. She had often come here to read, her thoughts dissolving into the rustling leaves.

Her smile faltered. The oak, her oak, was gone. Only a newly planted sapling stood in its place, a small, insignificant thing. The wind seemed to mock her, whistling around the empty space where the tree once stood.

She leaned against the fence, her usual pep gone, a numbness spreading through her.