Gemotions

He’d woken before dawn, the first rays of light chasing the lingering darkness from his mind. Something felt off. A tremor passed through Daniel as he pulled on his boots, a strange prickle at the back of his neck. He knew something was awry.

He practically sprinted the distance, his breath catching in ragged gasps. Then, he saw it. A clean, fresh wound in the earth. The spot where the weeping willow, his sister's favorite, used to sway was empty. He felt the blood rush to his head, a dizzying buzz replacing the morning quiet.

“No,” he whispered, the sound a strangled croak. He needed to *do* something. He had to find out. His fingers clenched into fists. His eyes darted around, searching. The world had just shrunk to this single, devastating point.