Gemotions

The unexpected delivery was a single, crimson rose. It arrived on Ms. Rodriguez’s doorstep, delivered by a messenger who refused to say who had sent it. A note was attached to the stem, simple and ominous: "Remember." The card had no name.

She spent the day in a state of hyper-vigilance. The shadows in the classroom seemed to deepen. She kept checking the windows, the doors. Her students' voices grated on her nerves, the constant chatter a maddening undercurrent.

The petals of the rose began to droop, the vibrant color slowly fading. She knew she had to figure out what was happening, but she couldn't.