Gemotions

The note was attached to his door. His neighbor, Ms. Rodriguez, wanted to discuss the ancient cedar that towered over both their properties. It was old, prone to dropping limbs, and a potential hazard.

He read the note, then crumpled it in his hand. He looked at the cedar, its rough, weathered bark, its branches reaching for the sky. The thought of the axe, the saw, the tree falling, caused his shoulders to slump.

He went back inside, avoiding the gaze of the mighty tree. The silence in the house was deafening, amplified by the silent, looming presence of the cedar. He did not know how he would do this.