Hidden on Purpose
We all stood there for a moment, letting that realization sink in.
A metal object, sealed inside a tree, left untouched for decades.
“Trees don’t grow around metal like that by accident,” Officer Trent said quietly.
No one argued.
The neighborhood chatter faded, replaced by focused silence.
Whatever was inside had been placed there deliberately — and time had done the rest.
The only question now was why it had been hidden.