Gemotions

The late afternoon sun slanted through the dusty windowpanes of Mrs. Gable’s classroom, illuminating motes of dust dancing in the air. She sighed, pushing a stray grey hair behind her ear and straightening the stack of graded essays. The scent of old paper and chalk dust always brought back… well, a certain kind of feeling. A feeling like she could still hear the excited chatter of children, the squeak of shoes on the linoleum floor, the scratch of pencils. A small, square package sat on her desk, tied with a faded ribbon. No return address. A shiver ran down her spine.

She unwrapped it carefully, revealing a small, wooden carving of a cardinal, perched on a branch. The craftsmanship was amateurish, but the bird had a certain…charm. A small, handwritten note was tucked beneath the carving: "Thank you, Mrs. Gable, for always believing in me. - Daniel." Daniel… that lanky boy with the unruly hair and the quiet ambition. He’d struggled in her class, but she’d always seen potential. Her eyes pricked.