Gemotions

Mr. Davies was already halfway through a Monday morning of grading when a small box appeared at his door. A school secretary had placed it there, and it wasn’t clear where it had come from. The world felt overwhelmingly noisy to him today. Each errant pencil tap, the chatter from the hall, felt as sharp as a shard of glass.

He sighed, the sound catching in his throat. He picked up the box, his fingers unsteady. He recognized the sender: Emily Carter, a student from five years prior. She'd been a quiet girl, often lost in her own world.

Inside, nestled in soft packing peanuts, was a book of poetry. A single, dog-eared bookmark resided in the middle, marking a poem about a quiet garden. He blinked, a strange ache blossoming in his chest, and his eyes started to sting. He turned away from the door, feeling the sudden, overwhelming need to be alone.