Gemotions

A grin stretched across Marcus's face as he wrestled the car door open, the radio still playing a jaunty tune. He bounced on the balls of his feet, eager to stretch his legs after the long drive. Visiting his childhood home always felt like a homecoming, even though he hadn't lived there in years. He’d come to see the oak he'd helped his grandfather plant, that tiny seed they'd both sworn would one day touch the sky.

His smile wavered. The space where the oak had stood was empty, a void filled with nothing but churned-up soil. He stood frozen, the music from the radio suddenly a dull ache in his ears.