Gemotions

The humid air of the greenhouse clung to Elias as he snipped at the vibrant orchids. Sunlight streamed through the glass, warming his skin. He hummed a tuneless melody, carefully turning a delicate bloom to assess its symmetry. His mentor, Ms. Periwinkle, usually had a sharp eye for these things, but today, he was on his own. She'd been promising a tutorial on propagating the rare moonpetal lilies, and Elias was looking forward to it. He glanced toward her usual potting bench, expecting to see her familiar form hunched over a seedling. Empty. He sighed, then went back to the orchids, enjoying the quiet.