Gemotions

The saw's teeth, she imagined, had been sharp and hungry. Now, all that remained was a gaping wound in the earth, a jagged circle of churned soil where the oak had stood. She hadn't visited the park in years, not since... well, not since so much had changed. Now, seeing the emptiness where her tree had once been, a cold knot twisted in her stomach. She clenched her jaw, the muscles tight. She hadn't even been informed.

The silence of the park was almost oppressive, the rustle of leaves a taunt. Her hands were balled into fists at her sides, nails digging half-moons into her palms. That damn tree. It was the only thing she had left of her childhood, and now, even that was gone. She felt a burning ache behind her eyes, the same one that had been there for weeks.