Gemotions

The sight hit her like a physical blow. The smooth bark she remembered, a sanctuary of shade and whispered secrets, was gone. Just a blunt disc of wood remained. Her breath hitched.

She felt a rush, a dizzying surge of energy that made her want to run, to scream. Her hands clenched into fists, nails biting into her palms. “No,” she breathed, the word a tiny expulsion of air.

A sudden desire for movement seized her. She began circling the stump, faster and faster, her eyes glued to the rough surface. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple, and she didn’t even bother to wipe it away. Her leg started to bounce.