Gemotions

"Are you sure this is the place?" Liam asked, his voice barely a whisper. He fidgeted with the strap of his backpack, a nervous habit he hadn't outgrown. His sister, Sarah, pointed silently at the empty space.

He'd imagined this reunion for weeks, but the sight of the bare earth sent a wave of nausea through him. He felt his face flush hot, then cold. He’d come expecting the familiar embrace of the towering pine he’d planted with his grandmother.

He took a step forward, then another, his feet feeling heavy and uncertain. He circled the area, his eyes darting back and forth, as if searching for some hidden remnant of what had been. The silence was deafening.