Gemotions

Michael slammed on the brakes, gravel spitting from under the tires. He'd come back to his childhood home, eager to revisit the memories, and now this. A cold dread washed over him. He killed the engine and got out, his heart hammering against his ribs. The once-towering redwood, the one he and his father had planted together, was gone.

He stumbled forward, his gaze fixed on the vacant space. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. The air seemed to have thickened, making it hard to breathe. Where the tree had stood, there was only a patch of dirt and a few scattered wood chips.

He muttered to himself, "No, this can't be real." He pulled his phone from his pocket, the screen reflecting his stunned expression. The world spun. He walked to his parents' front door and knocked, the sound echoing in the sudden silence.