Gemotions

The setting sun cast long shadows across the yard. Liam’s shoulders were slumped, his posture reflecting the weight in his heart. The request to remove the elm, coming from Mr. Carter, added to the burden. The elm was a constant, a sentinel.

He heard his own voice, distant and detached, as he agreed to consider the proposition. He looked up at the tree, its branches reaching towards the sky. He felt the cold seep into his bones, and a shiver ran through him. He found himself avoiding Mr. Carter's eyes, unwilling to face the pity, the judgement, the reality of what he was feeling, and would continue to feel for some time.