Gemotions

Mr. Henderson slumped into his armchair, the cushions immediately swallowing him whole. The day had been a relentless onslaught of demands. Grading papers, mediating squabbles, and navigating the labyrinthine complexities of school administration had drained him of all vigor. The hallway buzzed with the echoes of students departing for the day; a cacophony that somehow simultaneously grated on and comforted him. A delivery man had arrived earlier with a small, unassuming package, left on the front porch.

He dragged himself to the door, the effort making his limbs feel like lead. The box felt like nothing in his hands. It was addressed to him, though the return address was unfamiliar. Inside, he found a tin of gourmet coffee beans and a card that read, "To the best teacher, from a grateful student. - Sarah." He inhaled deeply, the aroma promising a temporary reprieve from his present state.