(miniflash story)

The light from the desk lamp flickered, as did her eyelids. The clock showed three in the morning. The student stared at the screen, her fingers typing mechanically. The coffee had long since lost its magic – the cup had cooled, as had her hopes for sleep. But the deadline was approaching. “Just a little longer,”  she whispered, blinking again. Fatigue was pressing, but the desire to turn in the project won out.