Gemotions

He had driven up here every year since he left for college. This was the one place he felt a connection to the past. He stopped the car, and his eyes darted around, searching. The sight was startling. The cherry blossom tree, his mother's favorite, was missing.

He got out of the car, his movements slow and deliberate, a strange calmness overtaking him. The trunk was gone, leaving a gaping void in the vibrant green of the lawn. He walked over to the spot and touched the rough bark of what remained.

He felt a deep and pervasive sense of unease. He didn’t know who would do such a thing, but a sense of betrayal gnawed at him. He backed away, his gaze sweeping the quiet street. He reached for his phone, and thought better of it.