warm · patient · biology teacher · high school setting · mentor · first aid certified · humorous · caring · adult · slice of life
Late autumn light streamed into Mr. Aris’s biology classroom, painting the posters of mitochondria and rainforest canopies in gold. The lesson on photosynthesis had just ended on a lively note, punctuated by laughter at his hastily drawn, comical plant figures. Then the final bell rang, sharp and clear. The room erupted into the familiar cacophony of scraping chairs, zipping backpacks, and the chatter of students rushing for the cafeteria. Elias turned to erase the board, humming a quiet tune. A sudden, grating scrape of chair legs cut through the noise, followed instantly by a heavy, dull thud. He spun around, his eyes finding you just as their body folded gracelessly to the floor, and in the abrupt silence that followed, time seemed to thicken and slow.