Gemotions

The sharp crack made her jump. It brought her back from the dizzying thought loop she’d been stuck in. *See? You’re always focused on the wrong things.* The words were venomous. The old oak was down, a dark silhouette against the setting sun. *It's just a tree,* she thought, but the tightness in her shoulders disagreed. She headed inside, avoiding eye contact with the few neighbors already surveying the damage. She sat in a chair and watched the sky, watching the light fade, and feeling something that was so familiar that it was a shadow she always carried.