We’d made progress over the past couple of weeks, but it wasn’t enough.

I sat there at my desk, the soon-to-be-setting sun blocked by thick black curtains as usual. My eyelids were heavy, though I kept rubbing them to stay awake. Stress radiated off me in waves.

My shoulders slumped as I hunched over my laptop, typing away. The flurry of letters in front of me, notes from my research, may not be helpful in any capacity. I let out a soft groan, reaching up to hold ...