That time of year again

There are 28 steps up to the English department.
Left-right-left, up 14 steps. Turn.
Another 14.
The heaviness of my bag weighs me down.
My hand moves instinctively to keep the cries from seeping out.
Still so many books to read, so many tests to give.
I could measure the ill-spun thread of my life with tests.
The room's suffocating.
There were 28 steps, weren't there?
I counted them myself; lonely steps for lonely people.
Sad little steps lead...where?
So many books to read, so many tests to give.
So many strangers to meet.