10 Minutes Left.

The stack of papers landed atop my worn-out desk, emanating a loud thud. My insides ached as the clock sluggishly inched towards ten. Each second was filled with agony. As soon as the clock struck, I picked up my pen and flipped over the page.

Aggressive flaps of paper, manic sounds of scribbling and the occasional fumbling of stationary echoed within the chasms of the hall. My eyes rapidly raced over lines and questions that probed my knowledge, leading to a further convoluted set of questions. Maintaining my momentum, I presumed I would be able to complete my paper with enough time to spare.

"Miss! How much more time do we have left?" wailed the ill-mannered boy.

"We have about 30 minutes, so get on with it!" responded the teacher.

Taking advantage of this allocated time, I went back to brush up on some responses and punched a few numbers into my credible calculator. When I moved back to the previous page, people had already hurried to hand in their work.

"What's the rush?" I asked, only to get dismayed by the clock. 10. Minutes. Left.

Sweat built up between the slippery plastic body of my pen and palm., Perturbation coursed through my body, plaguing my mind with doubtful thoughts. My arm pulsed and throbbed as I struggled to concoct and construct a perfect response to the question. I lifted, dropped and rubbed my hands along the inked pages in pursuit to complete this bundle.

The antagonising ticks and stocks of the clock resonated within my head. Each click, a reminder to get moving. My exhausted pens' journey had come to an end as I lifted my paper in victory and slammed it onto the submission table.

I triumphantly walked back to my table and turned to a friend.

"That paper was too easy. Right?" I teased.

"Yeah, but question 16." he chucked.

My hands went numb and my mind clouded over.

"I'm sorry, question what?!"