Gemotions

The empty space felt vast and accusing. Sarah found herself rooted to the spot, a knot forming in her chest. Where laughter and climbing had once thrived, now only sunlight struck the bare patch of earth. Her little sister's laughter, echoing from a summer long ago, seemed to mock her from the past.

She reached out and touched the rough grain of the stump. A tear escaped, tracing a path down her cheek, leaving a wet trail on the dirt. Why hadn't she been there?

Sarah felt the sting of regret, an unwelcome companion.