Sounds of thunder and cluttered raindrops boom against the windows of my bedroom. It is darker than it should be at these hours in the morning of my enclosure; illusions of the dark cut corners of the room. Is it shrinking, or am I just losing the sense of light? No matter, the only source of light I need is the brightness of my laptop.

Ding! The first assigned assignment of the day.

Ding! The second. Then the third, and the fourth.

Drops of sweat trickle from my forehead, the back of my neck, the palm of my hand, and the sole of my feet. How long would I have to do this for? How long have I been doing this for?

What time is it?

Digits don't render anymore. Wherever I look for the time, the numbers are always a blur. Ding.

Focus. Work hard, must work, must work, must work. I must. And I have. I'm working so hard to the point I feel a pool of sweat beneath my feet.

Ding. Ding. Ding. Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!

My face scrunches in confusion. What kind of activity instruction is a "Red Rainfall Warning"?

Distractions. Keep your eyes on the screen and keep writing. Never mind the pressure, the chokehold on your lungs, or the feelings of your body becoming weightless and consciousness floating to thin air.

As the water seeps higher through the floorboards and takes tenancy, I steer away from my chair, but my eyes remain fixed on the laptop screen at the assigned new assignment notification while my hands reach out to my pen and mouse.