Gemotions

Professor Armitage slumped deeper into his armchair, the weight of the day pressing down on him. The afternoon lecture on Romantic poetry had taken its toll, the droning voices of students a lullaby compared to the frantic rush of grading papers. He reached for his spectacles, his eyelids feeling heavy, and adjusted them on his nose, squinting at the dim light filtering through the window. A sudden rapping at the door startled him, a jolt that barely registered before the heavy sensation returned.

“Come in,” he mumbled, his voice thick with a low, rumbling timbre.

A young woman, face familiar but name elusive, stood holding a package. She smiled warmly. “Professor Armitage? Remember me? Sarah Jenkins, from your 'Introduction to Literature' class, five years ago?” She offered the package. “I hope you enjoy this. It’s a small token of appreciation.” The professor blinked slowly, accepting the gift.