Gemotions

The loss felt like a personal betrayal. He'd poured his youthful energy into nurturing that willow, and now, it was just… gone. His hands trembled as he stared at the stump, the raw edges exposed to the world. A hard, cold rage settled in his bones.

He started walking back to his car, his mind already racing. He knew the foreman of the crew who had taken down the tree. He knew his drinking habits, his weaknesses. A series of anonymous phone calls, each more pointed than the last, would begin soon.

He envisioned the foreman’s panicked face, the uncertainty in his voice. He savored the thought. He would make him feel just as gutted as he felt now.