Dude, they turned them into trees! That is so cool! Kind of a nightmare, come to think of it, for the three that always need to move but such a neat concept! And I *heart* Rodney, because it's always the people closest to us that we don't recognize as they are - we have blind spots and *cough* a failure to see the forest for the trees or maybe the tree for the leaves. But yes. And the tree language in there, especially toward the end just elevates the whole piece.

but his throat felt splintery and rough

Rodney just stood there, rooted to the spot.

It just awes me that you can produce so much impact in such a small space.