Gemotions

“Morning, sunshine!” Leo bellowed as he emerged from his apartment, feeling as if he could leap over the moon. He had a spring in his step and a song in his heart. He decided to walk to the old community garden. He envisioned the sturdy birch, the tree he’d planted in his youth.

The sight before him stopped him dead. The birch was gone. In its place, a bald patch of earth, a brutal reminder of loss. His smile vanished.

He blinked, confusion clouding his normally sharp gaze. He felt a sudden, powerful urge to rage. He wanted to shout. Instead, he just stood there, the sun's warmth no longer reaching him.

The joyful mood had shattered.