Gemotions

The cold metal of the elevator doors felt like the cold, hard walls of the school hall, and it took David back to his youth. The faint scent of cleaning products brought back memories of that place. The endless hallways, the clatter of lockers, the shouts and laughter of his classmates.

"Are you okay, David?" Lisa asked, her voice concerned.

David swallowed hard. He thought of the friendships he'd made, the dreams he'd had, the first crushes. He remembered the feeling of belonging, the sense of possibility. He almost felt the weight of his backpack on his shoulders, the nervous excitement of waiting for class to start.

He felt a deep sadness, a keen awareness of the passage of time, and the inevitable fading of those youthful days.