Gemotions

"Oh, dear God," she whispered, her hands flying to her mouth. The falling tree was a shock, a sudden, brutal punctuation mark on an already unsettling day. She felt a fresh wave of panic rising in her throat.

She watched, frozen, as the neighbors emerged from their houses, their faces a mixture of shock and concern. She didn't want to join them. The thought of having to participate in the communal mourning felt unbearable.

The sight of the broken branches, the exposed earth, ignited a familiar feeling of helplessness. She shut the curtains, the sudden darkness a small comfort, a temporary shield against the turmoil outside.