Gemotions

The world outside my window had always felt stable. Now, the towering pine, that massive green presence, was gone, replaced by a chaotic jumble of broken branches and torn earth. The sound, a monstrous groan that resolved into a final, sickening crunch, still echoed in my ears. I couldn’t help but flinch every time I heard a bird chirp.

I grabbed the cat, squeezing her too tightly. She wriggled free, annoyed, but I didn't care. I needed something to hold onto. The air felt charged, expectant, as if something else was about to happen. My breath hitched in my throat as if I could smell the wood.