Gemotions

The doorbell. Sigh. Arthur dragged himself from the couch. It was Mr. Diaz, the new neighbor, radiating an unsettling energy. He wanted to discuss the ancient pine on the property line. “It’s a hazard, it drops needles everywhere,” he began, his voice insistent. Arthur felt a deep ache in his bones.

He'd spent the morning staring at the ceiling, feeling the absence of his wife and everything that came with her. The pine, a reminder of the years they'd spent together watching the seasons change. The thought of losing it was unbearable.

“I…I’ll get back to you,” Arthur replied, his voice barely audible. He closed the door, the click echoing in the sudden silence of the house. He sunk back into the couch, the world a vast and empty space.