The exposed surface was too uniform to be rock or root. It looked deliberately manufactured. A chill threaded through him as he knelt, brushing the wet dirt away with trembling fingers. Whatever lay beneath the mound wasn’t natural, and the earth could no longer hide it.
When spring finally returned, Walter decided he couldn’t ignore the mound any longer. It looked larger than ever, waiting to burst. He marked a weekend on the calendar, set out his tools, and resolved to dig until he found an answer. The thawed ground felt softer, as though inviting investigation.