Gemotions

The gift was a vintage clock, its pendulum swinging rhythmically. It was from a student, Marcus, who had been a gifted, but volatile, young man. Ms. Chen didn't know how she felt about this.

She stared at the clock, the ticking a relentless drumbeat in the otherwise silent classroom. The pendulum swung back and forth, each tick echoing in the stillness. She was supposed to get back to grading papers, but she stood there, frozen.

The air in the room felt thick, heavy. She found herself clutching her chest. It was a physical thing, the reminder of the past, like a heavy weight pressing down on her.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could still smell the wood polish on the clock. It was so potent.