Gemotions

The alarm had gone off, but it felt like only moments later when the insistent knocking at the door jolted Amelia from her semi-conscious state. She fumbled with the lock, squinting against the harsh light flooding the hallway. Her daughter, Chloe, was already dressed, backpack slung over her shoulder. Chloe was chattering, but Amelia struggled to focus on the words, her mind adrift in a thick fog. Then, the name on the whiteboard in the classroom hit her like a physical blow. Mrs. Gable. *Not again.* She felt the breath catch in her throat.