Gemotions

He’d driven all the way from the city to see it. Michael parked, taking a deep breath of the country air, and turned to his younger brother, Leo, a picture of eager anticipation. "Wait 'til you see it, Leo. It's… impressive." Then he saw it: a gaping void in the familiar landscape. The towering redwood, once a proud beacon of his childhood, was no more. A few skeletal branches lay discarded nearby.

A cough escaped his throat. He fumbled with the car keys, making unnecessary adjustments to the rearview mirror. Leo, oblivious, continued to chatter about his own upcoming tree-planting project at school. Each sentence was like a tiny, stinging pinprick. Michael kept his hands in his pockets, staring at the ground, the enthusiasm drained from his face.