Gemotions

The afternoon sun cast long shadows over the vacant spot. Leo, standing before the remains of the willow tree he'd planted as a child, felt a sudden, heavy pressure in his chest.

He remembered the day he planted the small whip, his father's hand guiding his. He recalled the stories his father would tell under its shade. A sense of betrayal, sharp and unexpected, twisted within him.

His gaze swept around the area, searching for some answer, some explanation. Then, he looked down at his own shaking hands. He felt a deep sense of loss, a void in his heart as profound as the gap in the earth.