Gemotions

"Oh, dear," Ms. Rodriguez murmured, clutching the package tighter. It was heavy, and wrapped in brown paper, tied with a faded ribbon. The sender? Michael, a student she had spent countless hours tutoring. She couldn't recall the last time he had contacted her.

She quickly dropped the parcel onto the kitchen table, then paced around it. She felt a lightness in her head, as if she were walking on air, and her heart kept skipping a beat. It might be anything, from a small thank you to a complaint.

She peeked at it, unsure of what to do. The paper felt rough against her skin, and she pulled away abruptly. She felt a strange lack of control over her own body.